College Navigator

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What College Navigator is

College Navigator is a free web resource for searching and comparing postsecondary institutions. Searches can use school name, state, ZIP code, programs or majors, award level, and institution type. Additional filters cover tuition and fees, enrollment, housing, campus setting, admissions, test scores, athletics, and extended learning opportunities. Program searches can be limited to schools offering selected programs through distance education or all selected programs. My Favorites lets users build a school list for side-by-side comparisons, and an interactive map helps locate institutions. Users can export search results to a spreadsheet and save sessions with search options and favorites. The site makes IPEDS data available to students and parents; those data cover institutional characteristics and prices, admissions, enrollment, student aid, degrees and certificates, student persistence and success, and institutional resources. NCES describes the resource as helping prospective students and parents compare colleges and understand attendance costs. The site also links to Federal Student Aid for applying through FAFSA and offers an option to add College Navigator to a browser search bar.

Who it suits

College Navigator suits prospective students and parents comparing colleges, programs, and attendance costs. It is also useful for people who want to filter schools and save or export search results.

What it does well

Searches by school, location, program, and institution type.
Filters include tuition, housing, admissions, and enrollment.
Supports side-by-side school comparisons.
Results can be exported to a spreadsheet.
Sessions can save search options and favorites.

What to know first

International college search is not available.
The listed access is web-based.
Financial aid applications are linked through Federal Student Aid.

Getting started

Open https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/ in a web browser
Search by school name, location, program, award level, or institution type
Apply filters such as tuition, admissions, enrollment, housing, or campus setting
Add schools to My Favorites for comparison
Export results or save a session with search options and favorites
Use the Federal Student Aid link to apply through FAFSA

Verdict

College Navigator offers extensive search filters, school comparisons, and access to IPEDS data at no cost. Its stated scope is institution search and comparison, with FAFSA applications handled through a linked Federal Student Aid resource.

Questions

Does College Navigator cost anything?

College Navigator has a free plan.

Which platforms does it support?

It is available on the web, including an option to add it to a browser search bar.

Can I compare colleges?

Yes. My Favorites lets users build a list for side-by-side comparisons.

Does it provide financial-aid information?

Yes. Its IPEDS coverage includes student aid, and the site links to Federal Student Aid for FAFSA.

Can I search for distance-education programs?

Yes. Program searches can be limited to schools offering selected programs through distance education.

Does it search international colleges?

No. International college search is not available.

Facts from College Navigator's own pages

Audience: NCES describes itself as the primary statistical agency of the U.S. Department of Education. · nces.ed.gov, 7 Oct 2026
Browser access: The site offers an option to add College Navigator to a browser search bar. · nces.ed.gov, 7 Oct 2026
Browser search: The site offers an option to add College Navigator to a browser search bar. · nces.ed.gov, 7 Oct 2026
Compare schools: Users can build a list of schools with My Favorites for side-by-side comparisons. · nces.ed.gov, 7 Oct 2026
Data coverage: IPEDS collects data on institutional characteristics and prices, admissions, enrollment, student aid, degrees and certificates, student persistence and success, and institutional resources. · nces.ed.gov, 7 Oct 2026
Data source: IPEDS data are made available to students and parents through the College Navigator college search website. · nces.ed.gov, 7 Oct 2026
Export: Users can export search results into a spreadsheet. · nces.ed.gov, 7 Oct 2026
Intended users: NCES describes College Navigator as a resource for prospective students and their parents comparing colleges and understanding attendance costs. · nces.ed.gov, 7 Oct 2026
Map: Users can pinpoint school locations with an interactive map. · nces.ed.gov, 7 Oct 2026
More filters: Additional search options include tuition and fees, enrollment, housing, campus setting, and admission rates. · nces.ed.gov, 7 Oct 2026
More search options: Additional filters include tuition and fees, enrollment, housing, campus setting, admissions, test scores, athletics, and extended learning opportunities. · nces.ed.gov, 7 Oct 2026
Program search: Users can limit results to schools offering selected programs through distance education or offering all selected programs. · nces.ed.gov, 7 Oct 2026
Purpose: College Navigator helps users search for colleges and compare schools. · nces.ed.gov, 7 Oct 2026
Related resource: The site links users to Federal Student Aid to apply for aid through FAFSA. · nces.ed.gov, 7 Oct 2026
Save session: Users can save a session with search options and favorites. · nces.ed.gov, 7 Oct 2026
Search criteria: Users can search by school name, state, ZIP code, programs or majors, award level, and institution type. · nces.ed.gov, 7 Oct 2026

Where College Navigator stands on Freedom251

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