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.
School
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).
State: OhioClear all

117 schools · Sorted by Compass Score

  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 35%

    Ohio Wesleyan University

    #26 in Ohio
    Delaware, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,452 students

    $20,897 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%

    Mount Vernon Nazarene University

    Top 24% for graduation
    Mount Vernon, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,845 students

    $22,421 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 41%

    Ursuline College

    #28 in Ohio
    Pepper Pike, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 923 students

    $16,164 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 41%

    University of Toledo

    #29 in Ohio
    Toledo, OH · Public · 4-year · 14,939 students

    $17,249 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 42%

    Sinclair Community College

    Top 6% for low net price
    Dayton, OH · Public · 4-year · 17,431 students

    $5,992 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 43%

    Mount Carmel College of Nursing

    Top 11% for earnings
    Columbus, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 712 students

    $10,420 a year after aid, on average

    ValueExcellentAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 43%

    Kettering College

    Top 17% for earnings
    Kettering, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 812 students

    $21,650 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 43%

    Mount St. Joseph University

    #33 in Ohio
    Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,083 students

    $16,530 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 43%

    Walsh University

    #34 in Ohio
    North Canton, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,160 students

    $20,493 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 44%

    Bowling Green State University

    #35 in Ohio
    Bowling Green, OH · Public · 4-year · 17,027 students

    $24,022 a year after aid, on average

    ValueFairAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 45%

    American Institute of Alternative Medicine

    Top 6% for low debt
    Columbus, OH · Private for-profit · 4-year · 393 students

    $38,392 a year after aid, on average

    ValueFairAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 45%

    Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences

    Top 21% for earnings
    Canton, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 241 students

    $24,204 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 46%

    Ashland University

    #38 in Ohio
    Ashland, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,143 students

    $21,988 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 46%

    Kent State University at Kent

    #39 in Ohio
    Kent, OH · Public · 4-year · 26,106 students

    $20,787 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 46%

    The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences

    Top 16% for earnings
    Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 765 students

    $18,378 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 47%

    Capital University

    #41 in Ohio
    Columbus, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,388 students

    $22,576 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 49%

    North Central State College

    Top 4% for low net price
    Mansfield, OH · Public · 4-year · 2,451 students

    $4,687 a year after aid, on average

    ValueExcellentAcademicsFair
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 50%

    Mercy College of Ohio

    Top 19% for earnings
    Toledo, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,150 students

    $17,989 a year after aid, on average

    ValueExcellentAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Gods Bible School and College

    Top 1% for low debt
    Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 443 students

    $9,329 a year after aid, on average

    ValueExcellentAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Shawnee State University

    #45 in Ohio
    Portsmouth, OH · Public · 4-year · 3,206 students

    $14,381 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Marietta College

    #46 in Ohio
    Marietta, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,171 students

    $21,083 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    University of Mount Union

    #47 in Ohio
    Alliance, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,169 students

    $23,280 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Columbus College of Art & Design

    #47 in Ohio
    Columbus, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 918 students

    $29,439 a year after aid, on average

    ValueFairAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    University of Akron Main Campus

    #49 in Ohio
    Akron, OH · Public · 4-year · 13,518 students

    $13,946 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood

    University of Northwestern Ohio

    Top 24% for low debt
    Lima, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,606 students

    $21,807 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsFair

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