Catholic School CompassTrue north for Catholic families.

Every accredited U.S. college

Colleges

Catholic colleges receive the full four-pillar faith scorecard. All other colleges are rated on Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, Mass and confession, and student groups. Four-year colleges also get an Academic Excellence score from federal data.

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Best match lists Catholic colleges first, by Compass Score. The other sorts order every school by that one measure.
Ratings2
Compass ScoreCompass Score: 75% faith and 25% Academic Excellence, for every school that has both. Choose the lowest grade to show.
Faith or Catholic lifeFaith: the average of the four faith pillars. Other colleges are graded on Catholic life on campus instead.
Academic ExcellenceAcademic Excellence: a score from federal data on graduation, retention, test scores, faculty ratio, and spending. It never uses rankings or surveys.
Only schools marked Compass Recommended: a Faith or Catholic life score of 80 or higher, and a Compass Score of 80 or higher where academics are rated.
Only Honor Roll schools: Catholic schools with a Faith score of 85 or higher, and campus ministries at other colleges with a Catholic life score of 85 or higher.
Only the eight Ivy League universities. None of them is Catholic; their pages rate Catholic life on campus.
Researched only: hides schools whose faith or Catholic life has not been checked against official sources.
Faith pillars
Sacramental lifeHow readily students can attend Mass, go to confession, pray before the Blessed Sacrament, and find a priest.
Theology and core curriculumWhat every undergraduate must study in theology and philosophy, and how the core draws on the Catholic intellectual tradition.
Campus culture and residence lifeThe reach of campus ministry, retreats and student faith groups, and the residence-hall policies many families ask about.
Service and Catholic social teachingService programs, how Catholic social teaching enters the curriculum, and both pro-life and justice work tied to the mission.
Location
Distance (miles)
A broad region of the country, as the guide groups the states. Territories are listed separately.
School
Catholic or otherAll: every college. Catholic: Catholic colleges with the full faith scorecard. Other: colleges rated on Catholic life on campus, not the full faith scorecard.
Public or privatePublic: run by a state or local government. Private: nonprofit or for-profit, including Catholic colleges.
Level4-year: bachelor's degree programs. 2-year: associate degree programs.
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.
Schools founded or run by a religious order, such as the Jesuits or Dominicans, from the guide's order data.
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.
Mass every weekday on or next to campus, checked against the college's own schedule.
A Catholic parish church within a mile of campus.
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%.
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
CatholicOnly Catholic colleges, which get the full four-pillar faith scorecard.RecommendedOnly schools marked Compass Recommended: a Faith or Catholic life score of 80 or higher, and a Compass Score of 80 or higher where academics are rated.Honor RollOnly Honor Roll schools: Catholic schools with a Faith score of 85 or higher, and campus ministries at other colleges with a Catholic life score of 85 or higher.FaithOnly schools with a Faith score of 85 or higher (grade A). At other colleges, this is their Catholic life score.AcademicsOnly schools with an Academic Excellence score of 85 or higher (grade A), from federal data.Ivy LeagueOnly the eight Ivy League universities. None of them is Catholic; their pages rate Catholic life on campus.Clear
Division I sportsCollege sports level from federal data: NCAA Division I (the biggest programs), Division II, Division III, or NAIA.Daily MassMass every weekday on or next to campus, checked against the college's own schedule.Church nearbyA Catholic parish church within a mile of campus.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).
Faith ARecommendedClear all

166 schools · Sorted by Best match (Catholic first)

Grade filters include only schools with that grade; “Not enough information” is excluded.

Other colleges with strong Catholic life

Rated on Catholic life on campus, not the full faith scorecard. Their Catholic Life Scores are not comparable with the Compass Scores of Catholic colleges.

  • Catholic Life Score

    Wichita State University

    Wichita, KS · Public · 4-year · 16,741 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsLimited
    Net price $13,194Admits 94%Division I
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  • Catholic Life Score

    New Mexico State University

    Las Cruces, NM · Public · 4-year · 14,779 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsFair
    Net price $8,889Admits 89%Division I
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  • Catholic Life Score

    University of Missouri-Columbia

    Columbia, MO · Public · 4-year · 31,013 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsStrong
    Net price $20,268Admits 78%Division I
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  • Catholic Life Score

    West Virginia University

    Morgantown, WV · Public · 4-year · 24,200 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsFair
    Net price $15,634Admits 89%Division I
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  • Catholic Life Score

    Howard University

    Washington, DC · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 13,416 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsStrong
    Net price $50,539Admits 41%Division I
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  • Catholic Life Score

    University at Buffalo

    Buffalo, NY · Public · 4-year · 31,889 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsExcellent
    Net price $20,995Admits 74%Division I
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  • Catholic Life Score

    Bowling Green State University

    Bowling Green, OH · Public · 4-year · 17,027 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsFair
    Net price $24,022Admits 81%Division I
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  • Catholic Life Score

    University of Kentucky

    Lexington, KY · Public · 4-year · 32,703 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsStrong
    Net price $18,851Admits 93%Division I
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  • Catholic Life Score

    University of Vermont

    Burlington, VT · Public · 4-year · 14,320 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsStrong
    Net price $19,343Admits 65%Division I
    Mass timesSave
  • Catholic Life Score

    Arkansas State University

    Jonesboro, AR · Public · 4-year · 14,032 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsFair
    Net price $12,366Admits 82%Division I
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  • Catholic Life Score

    University of Akron Main Campus

    Akron, OH · Public · 4-year · 13,518 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsFair
    Net price $13,946Admits 60%Division I
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  • Catholic Life Score

    University of Southern Mississippi

    Hattiesburg, MS · Public · 4-year · 13,110 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsFair
    Net price $21,708Admits 99%Division I
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  • Catholic Life Score

    University of California-Riverside

    Riverside, CA · Public · 4-year · 26,426 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsStrong
    Net price $14,304Admits 76%Division I
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  • Catholic Life Score

    CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

    New York, NY · Public · 4-year · 19,698 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsStrong
    Net price $3,033Admits 48%Division III
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  • Catholic Life Score

    Arizona State University Campus Immersion

    Tempe, AZ · Public · 4-year · 79,593 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsStrong
    Net price $14,967Admits 90%Division I
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  • Catholic Life Score

    Wayne State College

    Wayne, NE · Public · 4-year · 4,807 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsLimited
    Net price $15,360Division II
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  • Catholic Life Score

    University of Arizona

    Tucson, AZ · Public · 4-year · 53,001 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsStrong
    Net price $16,674Admits 86%Division I
    Mass timesSave
  • Catholic Life Score

    Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

    Baton Rouge, LA · Public · 4-year · 39,418 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsFair
    Net price $19,151Admits 73%Division I
    Mass timesSave
  • Catholic Life Score

    Indiana State University

    Terre Haute, IN · Public · 4-year · 8,304 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsLimited
    Net price $10,873Admits 81%Division I
    Mass timesSave
  • Catholic Life Score

    Southeast Missouri State University

    Cape Girardeau, MO · Public · 4-year · 9,686 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsLimited
    Net price $15,882Admits 74%Division I
    Mass timesSave
  • Catholic Life Score

    University of Arkansas

    Fayetteville, AR · Public · 4-year · 32,140 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsFair
    Net price $18,209Admits 74%Division I
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  • Catholic Life Score

    University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

    La Crosse, WI · Public · 4-year · 10,299 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsFair
    Net price $16,210Admits 76%Division III
    Mass timesSave
  • Catholic Life Score

    Columbia College

    Columbia, MO · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 6,046 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsLimited
    Net price $22,715NAIA
    Mass timesSave
  • Catholic Life Score

    Georgia Southern University

    Statesboro, GA · Public · 4-year · 26,041 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsLimited
    Net price $15,267Admits 88%Division I
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  • Catholic Life Score

    Ball State University

    Muncie, IN · Public · 4-year · 20,440 students
    Campus Ministry Honor RollCampus Ministry Honor Roll: a Catholic life score of 85 or higher (grade A) at a college that is not Catholic.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsFair
    Net price $14,940Admits 86%Division I
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Enter an SAT or ACT score. Each college with published scores shows whether yours falls in the middle range of students it admitted. A rough guide, not a prediction.