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 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.
Clear all
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: WashingtonSmall classesClear all

21 schools · Sorted by Compass Score

  • Compass ScoreExceptional · Top 8%

    Whitman College

    #2 in Washington
    Walla Walla, WA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,544 students

    $33,313 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.ValueStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 11%

    Gonzaga University

    Top 6% for graduation
    Spokane, WA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,306 students

    $35,119 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.ValueStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass ScoreExcellent · Top 14%

    Seattle University

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

    $34,662 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.ValueStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 22%

    University of Puget Sound

    Top 15% for earnings
    Tacoma, WA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,914 students

    $38,394 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.ValueFairAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 25%

    Northwest University

    Top 20% for graduation
    Kirkland, WA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 999 students

    $22,288 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.ValueStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 27%

    Pacific Lutheran University

    Top 17% for earnings
    Tacoma, WA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,737 students

    $19,589 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 ScoreVery good · Top 28%

    Whitworth University

    Top 20% for graduation
    Spokane, WA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,345 students

    $26,534 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.ValueStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass ScoreVery good · Top 31%

    DigiPen Institute of Technology

    Top 8% for earnings
    Redmond, WA · Private for-profit · 4-year · 1,100 students

    $44,446 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.ValueFairAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 37%

    Heritage University

    Top 18% for low debt
    Toppenish, WA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 835 students

    $14,598 a year after aid, on average

    ValueExcellentAcademicsStrong
  • Compass ScoreGood · Top 44%

    Great Northern University

    Good: Compass grade B
    Spokane, WA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 36 students

    $21,029 a year after aid, on average

    Value not rated yet
  • Compass ScoreGood

    Saint Martin's University

    Top 25% for earnings
    Lacey, WA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,505 students

    $28,119 a year after aid, on average

    ValueStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Not yet rated

    Whatcom Community College

    Top 9% for low debt
    Bellingham, WA · Public · 4-year · 3,490 students

    $11,795 a year after aid, on average

    ValueExcellentAcademicsStrong
  • Not yet rated

    Clark College

    Top 10% for low debt
    Vancouver, WA · Public · 4-year · 7,149 students

    $11,465 a year after aid, on average

    ValueExcellentAcademicsStrong
  • Not yet rated

    Green River College

    Top 11% for low debt
    Auburn, WA · Public · 4-year · 7,361 students

    $13,803 a year after aid, on average

    ValueExcellentAcademicsStrong
  • Not yet rated

    Edmonds College

    Top 11% for low debt
    Lynnwood, WA · Public · 4-year · 6,028 students

    $11,010 a year after aid, on average

    ValueExcellentAcademicsStrong
  • Not yet rated

    Spokane Falls Community College

    Top 9% for low net price
    Spokane, WA · Public · 4-year · 3,903 students

    $7,409 a year after aid, on average

    ValueExcellentAcademicsFair
  • Not yet rated

    City University of Seattle

    Top 15% for earnings
    Seattle, WA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,970 students

    Value not rated yet
  • Not yet rated

    Antioch University-Seattle

    Seattle, WA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 800 students

    Value not rated yet
  • Not yet rated

    Bastyr University

    Top 16% for low debt
    Kenmore, WA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 760 students

    Value not rated yet
  • Not yet rated

    Whitworth University-Adult Degree Programs

    Spokane, WA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 170 students

    Value not rated yet
  • Not yet rated

    Seattle Film Institute

    Top 14% for low debt
    Seattle, WA · Private for-profit · 4-year · 81 students

    $41,595 a year after aid, on average

    Value not rated yet

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