College Compass GuideTrue north for every college search.

Every accredited U.S. college

Colleges

Every accredited four-year college, rated on Academic Excellence and Value (what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and student debt), all from federal data.

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Compass Score sorts by outcomes, students and cost together. The other sorts order every college by a different measure.
Ratings
Compass ScoreCompass Score: a letter grade set by rank among rated colleges from federal data: outcomes (40%), entering students (40%), cost (15%) and teaching (5%). Choose the lowest grade to show.
ValueValue: what families pay after aid, graduation rate, earnings and debt, from federal data.
Academic ExcellenceAcademic Excellence: a letter grade set by rank among rated colleges, from federal data on graduation, retention, test scores, faculty ratio, and spending. It never uses rankings or surveys.
Only Compass Recommended colleges: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score.
Only Honor Roll colleges: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score.
Only the eight Ivy League universities.
Location1
Distance (miles)
A broad region of the country, as the guide groups the states. Territories are listed separately.
School1
Type of college, as college guides group them (from the federal Carnegie Classification): national universities offer a full range of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs and do research; liberal arts colleges focus on undergraduates in the arts and sciences; regional universities mostly offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees; regional colleges mostly offer bachelor’s degrees in many fields; specialized schools focus on one field, such as health, art or business.
Public or privatePublic: run by a state or local government. Private: nonprofit or for-profit.
Total enrollment: small is under 2,000 students, medium 2,000 to 9,999, large 10,000 to 24,999, and very large 25,000 or more.
Net price: what a typical student pays per year after grants and scholarships, from the federal College Scorecard.
Coed: men and women together. Single-sex: all-male or all-female.
Campus life
College sports level from federal data: NCAA Division I (the biggest programs), Division II, Division III, or NAIA.
Where the campus is, from federal data: in a city, a suburb, a town, or a rural area.
The college offers Army, Navy or Air Force ROTC, on campus or with a nearby college (federal data).
The college offers study abroad (federal data).
Admissions and outcomes
How many applicants are admitted (federal data). Most: 65% or more. Selective: 25% to 64%. Highly selective: under 25%.
Your SAT or ACT, to sort colleges Target, Likely and Reach. Signed in, it is kept on your account (private to you); otherwise only in this browser.
Reach, Target or LikelyA rough guide from admitted students' scores and admission rates, not a prediction. Target: your score is in the college's middle range. Likely: above it, or the college admits most applicants. Reach: below it, or the college admits fewer than 1 in 5.
Small classes: 12 or fewer students per faculty member (federal data).
Strong outcomes: 75% or more of students graduate (federal data).
Major
Colleges that offer a bachelor's degree in this major or field, from the federal College Scorecard.
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RecommendedOnly Compass Recommended colleges: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score.Honor RollOnly Honor Roll colleges: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score.ValueOnly colleges with a Value score of 85 or higher (grade A), from federal data.AcademicsOnly schools with an Academic Excellence grade of A or better (the top 10% of rated colleges), from federal data.Ivy LeagueOnly the eight Ivy League universities.Clear
Division I sportsCollege sports level from federal data: NCAA Division I (the biggest programs), Division II, Division III, or NAIA.ROTCThe college offers Army, Navy or Air Force ROTC, on campus or with a nearby college (federal data).Study abroadThe college offers study abroad (federal data).NursingColleges that offer a bachelor's degree in this major or field, from the federal College Scorecard.EngineeringColleges that offer a bachelor's degree in this major or field, from the federal College Scorecard.Under $20kNet price under $20,000 a year: what a typical student pays after grants and scholarships (federal data).Small classesSmall classes: 12 or fewer students per faculty member (federal data).
Net price up to $20,000State: MassachusettsClear all

15 schools · Sorted by Compass Score

  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 1%

    Williams College

    Exceptional: Compass grade A+
    Williamstown, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,168 students

    $17,716 a year after aid, on average

    Honor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.ValueExcellentAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 1%

    Harvard University

    Exceptional: Compass grade A+
    Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 30,386 students

    $19,066 a year after aid, on average

    Honor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Ivy LeagueOne of the eight Ivy League universities. Ivy League membership doesn't change any grade.ValueExcellentAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 25%

    University of Massachusetts-Lowell

    Top 20% for earnings
    Lowell, MA · Public · 4-year · 16,770 students

    $17,163 a year after aid, on average

    RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 36%

    Worcester State University

    Good: Compass grade B
    Worcester, MA · Public · 4-year · 5,611 students

    $13,381 a year after aid, on average

    ValueExcellentAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 38%

    College of Our Lady of the Elms

    Top 24% for graduation
    Chicopee, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,332 students

    $17,545 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 47%

    Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology

    Top 11% for low debt
    Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 592 students

    $15,488 a year after aid, on average

    ValueExcellentAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Bridgewater State University

    Good: Compass grade B
    Bridgewater, MA · Public · 4-year · 9,550 students

    $16,383 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Fitchburg State University

    Good: Compass grade B
    Fitchburg, MA · Public · 4-year · 6,296 students

    $14,262 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

    Good: Compass grade B
    North Adams, MA · Public · 4-year · 933 students

    $16,068 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass ScoreGood

    University of Massachusetts-Boston

    Top 19% for earnings
    Boston, MA · Public · 4-year · 15,810 students

    $17,707 a year after aid, on average

    ValueExcellentAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Framingham State University

    Good: Compass grade B-
    Framingham, MA · Public · 4-year · 4,028 students

    $16,114 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Westfield State University

    Good: Compass grade B-
    Westfield, MA · Public · 4-year · 4,555 students

    $16,721 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Salem State University

    Good: Compass grade B-
    Salem, MA · Public · 4-year · 6,239 students

    $15,996 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Bay Path University

    Good: Compass grade B-
    Longmeadow, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,643 students

    $14,271 a year after aid, on average

    All-femaleAll-female: the school enrolls women only.ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreSolid

    Quincy College

    Top 16% for low debt
    Quincy, MA · Public · 4-year · 2,603 students

    $17,126 a year after aid, on average

    ValueExcellentAcademicsFair

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