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.
Ratings1
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.
Location
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 outcomes1
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).
RecommendedSmall classesClear all

366 schools · Sorted by Compass Score

  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 13%

    Ranken Technical College

    #5 in Missouri
    Saint Louis, MO · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,696 students

    About $19,000 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.Value ExcellentAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 13%

    Bennington College

    Excellent: Compass grade A-
    Bennington, VT · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 867 students

    About $31,000 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.Value FairAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 13%

    University at Buffalo

    Excellent: Compass grade A-
    Buffalo, NY · Public · 4-year · 31,889 students

    About $21,000 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.Value ExcellentAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 13%

    The College of Wooster

    #7 in Ohio
    Wooster, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,876 students

    About $23,000 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.Value StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 14%

    Hobart William Smith Colleges

    Top 12% for graduation
    Geneva, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,669 students

    About $32,000 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.Value StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 14%

    Manhattan School of Music

    Top 12% for graduation
    New York, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,097 students

    About $52,000 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.Value FairAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 14%

    Rollins College

    #8 in Florida
    Winter Park, FL · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,013 students

    About $35,000 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.Value FairAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 14%

    California Miramar University

    Excellent: Compass grade A-
    San Diego, CA · Private for-profit · 4-year · 222 students

    About $12,000 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.Value not rated yetAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 14%

    Good Samaritan College of Nursing and Health Science

    #10 in Ohio
    Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 457 students

    About $20,000 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.Value StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 14%

    Galen College of Nursing-San Antonio

    Top 10% for graduation
    San Antonio, TX · Private for-profit · 4-year · 3,206 students

    About $29,000 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.Value StrongAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 14%

    Bard College

    Excellent: Compass grade A-
    Annandale-On-Hudson, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,922 students

    About $35,000 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.Value FairAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 14%

    Loyola University Maryland

    Top 7% for earnings
    Baltimore, MD · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 5,107 students

    About $31,000 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.Value StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 14%

    Drake University

    #3 in Iowa
    Des Moines, IA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,504 students

    About $29,000 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.Value StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 14%

    Seattle University

    Top 11% for earnings
    Seattle, WA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,182 students

    About $35,000 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.Value StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 14%

    Ithaca College

    Top 13% for graduation
    Ithaca, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,828 students

    About $34,000 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.Value FairAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 15%

    Parker University

    #11 in Texas
    Dallas, TX · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,196 students

    About $29,000 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.Value FairAcademics Strong
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 15%

    Southwestern University

    #11 in Texas
    Georgetown, TX · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,457 students

    About $29,000 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.Value FairAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 15%

    Wabash College

    #6 in Indiana
    Crawfordsville, IN · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 845 students

    About $24,000 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.All-maleAll-male: the school enrolls men only.Value StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 15%

    Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia

    Top 5% for earnings
    Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,201 students

    About $30,000 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.Value StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 15%

    Virginia Military Institute

    Top 9% for earnings
    Lexington, VA · Public · 4-year · 1,560 students

    About $17,000 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.Value ExcellentAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 15%

    Thomas More College of Liberal Arts

    #2 in New Hampshire
    Merrimack, NH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 95 students

    About $18,000 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.Value Strong
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 15%

    Butler University

    Top 9% for earnings
    Indianapolis, IN · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 5,763 students

    About $36,000 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.Value FairAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 15%

    Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

    Top 1% for earnings
    Albany, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 875 students

    About $30,000 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.Value StrongAcademics Excellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 15%

    Cleveland University-Kansas City

    #1 in Kansas
    Overland Park, KS · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 588 students

    About $36,000 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.Value Fair
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 15%

    St. John's College

    Excellent: Compass grade A-
    Annapolis, MD · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 578 students

    About $46,000 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.Value FairAcademics Excellent

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