Choosing a Catholic college for your major

A strong Catholic identity matters most when your student can also study what they love. Our major lists start from federal records of which bachelor’s degrees each college actually awards, then rank the colleges by the Compass Score.

Catholic colleges by major

• Nursing
• Engineering
• Business
• Education
• Biology and pre-med
• Psychology
• Computer science
• Communications and journalism
• Theology
• Philosophy

Each list also has state versions, such as nursing programs at Catholic colleges in your state.

What to check beyond the list

• Accreditation and licensure: for nursing, education, and engineering, ask about program accreditation and licensure exam pass rates.
• How the core fits: required theology and philosophy courses add credits. Ask how students in demanding majors fit them in, and whether the courses connect to the major (for example, bioethics for nursing).
• Clinical placements and internships: where do students train, and how are placements arranged?
• Outcomes by field: the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard reports earnings and debt for many programs.

Next steps

• Use Find my school and choose a major for a ranked shortlist.
• See all top school lists.