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.
Ratings1
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 life1
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 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
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).
RecommendedROTCSmall classesClear all

50 schools · Sorted by Best match (Catholic first)

  • Compass Score

    University of Notre Dame

    Notre Dame, IN · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 13,174 students
    Honor RollCatholic School Compass Honor Roll: a Faith score of 85 or higher (grade A), with all four faith pillars rated and none below 70 (grade B).CatholicCatholic college: federal data lists a Roman Catholic affiliation (or it has been verified as Catholic), so it gets the full four-pillar faith scorecard.FaithExcellentAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass Score

    Providence College

    Providence, RI · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,635 students
    Honor RollCatholic School Compass Honor Roll: a Faith score of 85 or higher (grade A), with all four faith pillars rated and none below 70 (grade B).CatholicCatholic college: federal data lists a Roman Catholic affiliation (or it has been verified as Catholic), so it gets the full four-pillar faith scorecard.FaithExcellentAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass Score

    Boston College

    Chestnut Hill, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 15,280 students
    Honor RollCatholic School Compass Honor Roll: a Faith score of 85 or higher (grade A), with all four faith pillars rated and none below 70 (grade B).CatholicCatholic college: federal data lists a Roman Catholic affiliation (or it has been verified as Catholic), so it gets the full four-pillar faith scorecard.FaithExcellentAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass Score

    University of Scranton

    Scranton, PA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,825 students
    Honor RollCatholic School Compass Honor Roll: a Faith score of 85 or higher (grade A), with all four faith pillars rated and none below 70 (grade B).CatholicCatholic college: federal data lists a Roman Catholic affiliation (or it has been verified as Catholic), so it gets the full four-pillar faith scorecard.FaithExcellentAcademicsStrong
  • Compass Score

    Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia

    Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,201 students
    Honor RollCatholic School Compass Honor Roll: a Faith score of 85 or higher (grade A), with all four faith pillars rated and none below 70 (grade B).CatholicCatholic college: federal data lists a Roman Catholic affiliation (or it has been verified as Catholic), so it gets the full four-pillar faith scorecard.FaithExcellentAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass Score

    Georgetown University

    Washington, DC · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 20,392 students
    RecommendedCompass Recommended: a Faith score of 80 or higher, at least three of the four pillars rated, and none below C (55). A school with an Academic Excellence score must also reach 80 on its Compass Score.CatholicCatholic college: federal data lists a Roman Catholic affiliation (or it has been verified as Catholic), so it gets the full four-pillar faith scorecard.FaithStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass Score

    Santa Clara University

    Santa Clara, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 9,340 students
    RecommendedCompass Recommended: a Faith score of 80 or higher, at least three of the four pillars rated, and none below C (55). A school with an Academic Excellence score must also reach 80 on its Compass Score.CatholicCatholic college: federal data lists a Roman Catholic affiliation (or it has been verified as Catholic), so it gets the full four-pillar faith scorecard.FaithStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass Score

    Creighton University

    Omaha, NE · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 8,255 students
    RecommendedCompass Recommended: a Faith score of 80 or higher, at least three of the four pillars rated, and none below C (55). A school with an Academic Excellence score must also reach 80 on its Compass Score.CatholicCatholic college: federal data lists a Roman Catholic affiliation (or it has been verified as Catholic), so it gets the full four-pillar faith scorecard.FaithStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass Score

    University of Dallas

    Irving, TX · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,182 students
    Honor RollCatholic School Compass Honor Roll: a Faith score of 85 or higher (grade A), with all four faith pillars rated and none below 70 (grade B).CatholicCatholic college: federal data lists a Roman Catholic affiliation (or it has been verified as Catholic), so it gets the full four-pillar faith scorecard.FaithExcellentAcademicsStrong
  • Compass Score

    University of Portland

    Portland, OR · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,457 students
    RecommendedCompass Recommended: a Faith score of 80 or higher, at least three of the four pillars rated, and none below C (55). A school with an Academic Excellence score must also reach 80 on its Compass Score.CatholicCatholic college: federal data lists a Roman Catholic affiliation (or it has been verified as Catholic), so it gets the full four-pillar faith scorecard.FaithStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass Score

    Loyola Marymount University

    Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 10,256 students
    RecommendedCompass Recommended: a Faith score of 80 or higher, at least three of the four pillars rated, and none below C (55). A school with an Academic Excellence score must also reach 80 on its Compass Score.CatholicCatholic college: federal data lists a Roman Catholic affiliation (or it has been verified as Catholic), so it gets the full four-pillar faith scorecard.FaithStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass Score

    Seattle University

    Seattle, WA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,182 students
    RecommendedCompass Recommended: a Faith score of 80 or higher, at least three of the four pillars rated, and none below C (55). A school with an Academic Excellence score must also reach 80 on its Compass Score.CatholicCatholic college: federal data lists a Roman Catholic affiliation (or it has been verified as Catholic), so it gets the full four-pillar faith scorecard.FaithStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass Score

    Saint Louis University

    Saint Louis, MO · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 17,202 students
    RecommendedCompass Recommended: a Faith score of 80 or higher, at least three of the four pillars rated, and none below C (55). A school with an Academic Excellence score must also reach 80 on its Compass Score.CatholicCatholic college: federal data lists a Roman Catholic affiliation (or it has been verified as Catholic), so it gets the full four-pillar faith scorecard.FaithStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass Score

    Loyola University Maryland

    Baltimore, MD · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 5,107 students
    RecommendedCompass Recommended: a Faith score of 80 or higher, at least three of the four pillars rated, and none below C (55). A school with an Academic Excellence score must also reach 80 on its Compass Score.CatholicCatholic college: federal data lists a Roman Catholic affiliation (or it has been verified as Catholic), so it gets the full four-pillar faith scorecard.FaithStrongAcademicsExcellent
  • Compass Score

    Xavier University

    Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 6,000 students
    RecommendedCompass Recommended: a Faith score of 80 or higher, at least three of the four pillars rated, and none below C (55). A school with an Academic Excellence score must also reach 80 on its Compass Score.CatholicCatholic college: federal data lists a Roman Catholic affiliation (or it has been verified as Catholic), so it gets the full four-pillar faith scorecard.FaithStrongAcademicsStrong
  • Compass Score

    Carroll College

    Helena, MT · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,103 students
    RecommendedCompass Recommended: a Faith score of 80 or higher, at least three of the four pillars rated, and none below C (55). A school with an Academic Excellence score must also reach 80 on its Compass Score.CatholicCatholic college: federal data lists a Roman Catholic affiliation (or it has been verified as Catholic), so it gets the full four-pillar faith scorecard.FaithStrongAcademicsStrong

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

    University of Pennsylvania

    Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 28,711 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.Ivy LeagueOne of the eight Ivy League universities. Ivy League membership doesn't change any grade; this page rates Catholic life on campus.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsExcellent
  • Catholic Life Score

    University of Southern California

    Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 47,147 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
  • Catholic Life Score

    Columbia University in the City of New York

    New York, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 35,279 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.Ivy LeagueOne of the eight Ivy League universities. Ivy League membership doesn't change any grade; this page rates Catholic life on campus.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsExcellent
  • Catholic Life Score

    Northwestern University

    Evanston, IL · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 23,203 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
  • Catholic Life Score

    Yale University

    New Haven, CT · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 15,081 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.Ivy LeagueOne of the eight Ivy League universities. Ivy League membership doesn't change any grade; this page rates Catholic life on campus.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsExcellent
  • Catholic Life Score

    Tulane University of Louisiana

    New Orleans, LA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 13,078 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
  • Catholic Life Score

    Rice University

    Houston, TX · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 8,556 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
  • Catholic Life Score

    Harvard University

    Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 30,386 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.Ivy LeagueOne of the eight Ivy League universities. Ivy League membership doesn't change any grade; this page rates Catholic life on campus.Catholic lifeExcellentAcademicsExcellent
  • Catholic Life Score

    Carnegie Mellon University

    Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofit · 4-year · 15,596 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

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