College Compass GuideTrue north for every college search.

Rankings

Ranked lists of every accredited four-year college, each computed from federal data by a published formula.

Top 20 colleges in the U.S.

Sorted by Compass Score, highest first
RankSchoolCompass ScoreCompass Score: a letter grade set by rank among rated colleges from federal data on outcomes, entering students, cost and teaching. The ring shows where the college stands.AcademicsAcademic 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.ValueValue: what families pay after aid, graduation rate, earnings and debt, from federal data.
1California Institute of TechnologyHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Pasadena, CAA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%—Value: not yet researched. This school has not been checked against official sources yet.
2Princeton UniversityIvy LeagueHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Princeton, NJA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
3Stanford UniversityHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Stanford, CAA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
4Rice UniversityHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Houston, TXA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
5Johns Hopkins UniversityHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Baltimore, MDA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 2%
6Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Cambridge, MAA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%AValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 5%
7TieUniversity of ChicagoHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Chicago, ILA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 2%
7TieWilliams CollegeHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Williamstown, MAA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 3%
9Yale UniversityIvy LeagueHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.New Haven, CTA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%AValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 8%
10TieHarvard UniversityIvy LeagueHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Cambridge, MAA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%AValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 4%
10TieBrown UniversityIvy LeagueHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Providence, RIA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%AValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 9%
12Wellesley CollegeHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Wellesley, MA · All-femaleA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%AValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 7%
13Vanderbilt UniversityHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Nashville, TNA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 2%
14Pomona CollegeHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Claremont, CAA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 3%
15Duke UniversityHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Durham, NCA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%B+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 23%
16United States Military AcademyHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.West Point, NYA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 3%—Value: not yet researched. This school has not been checked against official sources yet.
17TieAmherst CollegeHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Amherst, MAA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%AValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 8%
17TieClaremont McKenna CollegeHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Claremont, CAA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%B+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 22%
17TieUnited States Air Force AcademyHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.USAF Academy, COA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 3%—Value: not yet researched. This school has not been checked against official sources yet.
20Cornell UniversityIvy LeagueHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Ithaca, NYA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 2%B+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 22%

Sorted by Compass Score, highest first

  1. 1
    California Institute of TechnologyHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Pasadena, CA
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
    • Value—Value: not yet researched. This school has not been checked against official sources yet.
  2. 2
    Princeton UniversityIvy LeagueHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Princeton, NJ
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
    • ValueA+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
  3. 3
    Stanford UniversityHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Stanford, CA
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
    • ValueA+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
  4. 4
    Rice UniversityHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Houston, TX
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
    • ValueA+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
  5. 5
    Johns Hopkins UniversityHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Baltimore, MD
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
    • ValueA+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 2%
  6. 6
    Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Cambridge, MA
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
    • ValueAValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 5%
  7. 7Tie
    University of ChicagoHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Chicago, IL
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
    • ValueA+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 2%
  8. 7Tie
    Williams CollegeHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Williamstown, MA
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
    • ValueA+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 3%
  9. 9
    Yale UniversityIvy LeagueHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.New Haven, CT
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
    • ValueAValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 8%
  10. 10Tie
    Harvard UniversityIvy LeagueHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Cambridge, MA
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
    • ValueAValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 4%
  11. 10Tie
    Brown UniversityIvy LeagueHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Providence, RI
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
    • ValueAValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 9%
  12. 12
    Wellesley CollegeHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Wellesley, MA · All-female
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
    • ValueAValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 7%
  13. 13
    Vanderbilt UniversityHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Nashville, TN
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
    • ValueA+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 2%
  14. 14
    Pomona CollegeHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Claremont, CA
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
    • ValueA+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 3%
  15. 15
    Duke UniversityHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Durham, NC
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
    • ValueB+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 23%
  16. 16
    United States Military AcademyHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.West Point, NY
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 3%
    • Value—Value: not yet researched. This school has not been checked against official sources yet.
  17. 17Tie
    Amherst CollegeHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Amherst, MA
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
    • ValueAValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 8%
  18. 17Tie
    Claremont McKenna CollegeHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Claremont, CA
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 1%
    • ValueB+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 22%
  19. 17Tie
    United States Air Force AcademyHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.USAF Academy, CO
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 3%
    • Value—Value: not yet researched. This school has not been checked against official sources yet.
  20. 20
    Cornell UniversityIvy LeagueHonor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.Ithaca, NY
    • AcademicsA+Academics: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 2%
    • ValueB+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Top 22%

See all 1,597 ranked How the Compass Score works

Rated so far: 1,829 of 2,310 colleges have a Compass Score.

CollegesTop listsBy state

Colleges

Every accredited four-year college. Each ranking below sorts them by the Compass Score, by academics, or by value.

Best colleges

Every accredited four-year college (specialized schools aside) ranked by the Compass Score: outcomes, entering students, cost and teaching, from federal data.

1,597 colleges ranked

Best national universities

Doctoral and research universities, ranked by the Compass Score: outcomes, entering students, cost and teaching, from federal data.

443 colleges ranked

Best liberal arts colleges

Colleges that focus on undergraduates in the arts and sciences, ranked by the Compass Score: outcomes, entering students, cost and teaching, from federal data.

209 colleges ranked

Colleges with the strongest academics

Every four-year college ranked by Academic Excellence from federal data: graduation, retention, entering students’ preparation, faculty attention, and instructional investment.

2,055 colleges ranked

Best value colleges

Colleges with an Academic Excellence grade of B+ or better, ranked by Value: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and student debt, from federal data.

682 colleges ranked

Honor Roll

Colleges in the top 10% by Compass Score (grades A+ and A).

Who makes the Honor Roll

Top lists

Shorter lists on a single theme, built from the same grades and federal data. A list appears once at least five schools qualify.

By major

Cost and value

Outcomes and size

By place

By state

Every ranked school is a dot. Hover or tap a state to see its No. 1, then open its rankings. Switch to the street map to zoom in to cities and highways.

Alabama · 26 ranked schoolsAlaska · 5 ranked schoolsArizona · 29 ranked schoolsArkansas · 23 ranked schoolsCalifornia · 147 ranked schoolsColorado · 33 ranked schoolsConnecticut · 26 ranked schoolsDelaware · 5 ranked schoolsDistrict of Columbia · 9 ranked schoolsFlorida · 95 ranked schoolsGeorgia · 59 ranked schoolsHawaii · 7 ranked schoolsIdaho · 10 ranked schoolsIllinois · 56 ranked schoolsIndiana · 48 ranked schoolsIowa · 31 ranked schoolsKansas · 27 ranked schoolsKentucky · 30 ranked schoolsLouisiana · 25 ranked schoolsMaine · 19 ranked schoolsMaryland · 25 ranked schoolsMassachusetts · 66 ranked schoolsMichigan · 47 ranked schoolsMinnesota · 42 ranked schoolsMississippi · 15 ranked schoolsMissouri · 51 ranked schoolsMontana · 10 ranked schoolsNebraska · 19 ranked schoolsNevada · 11 ranked schoolsNew Hampshire · 13 ranked schoolsNew Jersey · 33 ranked schoolsNew Mexico · 9 ranked schoolsNew York · 129 ranked schoolsNorth Carolina · 55 ranked schoolsNorth Dakota · 9 ranked schoolsOhio · 110 ranked schoolsOklahoma · 28 ranked schoolsOregon · 23 ranked schoolsPennsylvania · 117 ranked schoolsRhode Island · 11 ranked schoolsSouth Carolina · 35 ranked schoolsSouth Dakota · 11 ranked schoolsTennessee · 46 ranked schoolsTexas · 110 ranked schoolsUtah · 16 ranked schoolsVermont · 9 ranked schoolsVirginia · 51 ranked schoolsWashington · 53 ranked schoolsWest Virginia · 21 ranked schoolsWisconsin · 37 ranked schoolsWyoming · 5 ranked schools

Hover or tap a state to see its top school.

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