Best Catholic colleges
Catholic colleges ranked by the Compass Score: 75% faith across the four pillars and 25% academics from federal data.
137 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Catholic undergraduate colleges on the Compass. Seminaries and graduate-only schools are not counted.
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 12, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll- Sacramental life: grade A
- Mass every weekday
- 2
Providence College
Providence, RI · Private nonprofitHonor Roll- Sacramental life: grade A
- Mass every weekday
- 3
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll- Sacramental life: grade A
- Mass every weekday
- 4
University of Scranton
Scranton, PA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll- Sacramental life: grade A
- Mass every weekday
- 5
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll- Sacramental life: grade B
- Mass every weekday
- 6
- 7
Thomas Aquinas College
Santa Paula, CA · Private nonprofit- Sacramental life: grade A
- Mass every weekday
- 8(tie)
Fordham University
Bronx, NY · Private nonprofitHonor Roll- Sacramental life: grade A
- Mass every weekday
- 8(tie)
- 10
Benedictine College
Atchison, KS · Private nonprofitHonor Roll- Sacramental life: grade A
- Mass every weekday
- 11(tie)
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA · Private nonprofit- Sacramental life: grade A
- Mass every weekday
- 11(tie)
University of St Thomas
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofit- Sacramental life: grade A
- Mass every weekday
- 13(tie)
- 13(tie)
Saint Francis University
Loretto, PA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll- Sacramental life: grade A
- Mass every weekday
- 15
Ave Maria University
Ave Maria, FL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll- Sacramental life: grade A
- Mass every weekday
- 16
Seton Hall University
South Orange, NJ · Private nonprofitHonor Roll- Sacramental life: grade A
- Mass every weekday
- 17
Franciscan University of Steubenville
Steubenville, OH · Private nonprofitHonor Roll- Sacramental life: grade A
- Mass every weekday
- 18
University of Dallas
Irving, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll- Sacramental life: grade A
- Mass every weekday
- 19(tie)
Christendom College
Front Royal, VA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll- Sacramental life: grade A
- Mass every weekday
- 19(tie)
- 21
- 22
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit- Sacramental life: grade B
- Mass every weekday
- 23
University of St Thomas
Houston, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll- Sacramental life: grade A
- Mass every weekday
- 24
- 25
John Paul the Great Catholic University
Escondido, CA · Private nonprofit- Sacramental life: grade B
- Mass every weekday
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Notre Dame | $26,780 | $19,000 | $99,980 | 95% |
| Providence College | $48,523 | $27,000 | $87,054 | 86% |
| Boston College | $41,704 | $19,000 | $103,937 | 91% |
| University of Scranton | $32,568 | $27,000 | $74,652 | 80% |
| Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | $29,689 | $25,500 | $86,881 | 79% |
| Georgetown University | $40,815 | $15,500 | $103,494 | 95% |
| Thomas Aquinas College | $26,196 | $18,000 | $55,619 | 84% |
| Fordham University | $44,338 | $24,300 | $85,569 | 82% |
| University of Mary | $17,770 | $24,000 | $60,909 | 67% |
| Benedictine College | $27,891 | $24,599 | $53,175 | 62% |
| Santa Clara University | $50,062 | $19,162 | $109,183 | 88% |
| University of St Thomas | $29,155 | $23,250 | $73,739 | 76% |
| Creighton University | $31,568 | $25,000 | $73,911 | 83% |
| Saint Francis University | $23,526 | $27,000 | $62,101 | 74% |
| Ave Maria University | $24,860 | $20,776 | $49,520 | 54% |
| Seton Hall University | $31,446 | $22,750 | $70,196 | 69% |
| Franciscan University of Steubenville | $23,589 | $23,384 | $50,030 | 75% |
| University of Dallas | $22,610 | $23,117 | $58,285 | 73% |
| University of Portland | $28,210 | $21,370 | $82,804 | 80% |
| Marquette University | $31,487 | $23,940 | $78,257 | 83% |
| Loyola Marymount University | $48,381 | $19,500 | $78,349 | 79% |
| University of St Thomas | $19,359 | $19,928 | $59,224 | 69% |
| Seattle University | $34,662 | $19,883 | $75,272 | 76% |
| John Paul the Great Catholic University | $34,666 | $26,968 | $56,930 | 64% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.