Freedom251 › College Search Platforms
Peterson's College Search

What Peterson's College Search is
Peterson's College Search is a free web service for exploring colleges and educational programs. Its directory covers more than 4,000 accredited colleges and universities across more than 20 countries, with options ranging from two-year and four-year programs to undergraduate and graduate study, certificates, and online degrees. Search by a college, major, or location, then refine results using criteria such as tuition, school type, admission difficulty, GPA, SAT/ACT requirements, size, setting, and area of study. The service also provides program search, admission requirements, financial aid information, and international college search. Peterson’s matching service can connect students with programs interested in them, including options they might not otherwise have considered. Save schools to a personal dashboard, contact them to request information, or apply. The College Discovery Center organizes programs into lists including accelerated, online, transfer-friendly, and military-friendly options. Peterson’s serves students, parents, educators, administrators, and service members. The service is available on the web, including mobile access. Peterson’s is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, and offers customer and technical support by email and phone Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm Mountain time, alongside an online FAQ and knowledge base.
Who it suits
It suits students comparing colleges, programs, and admission requirements across the United States and other countries. Parents, educators, administrators, and service members may also use its search and discovery options.
What it does well
- Search across more than 4,000 accredited institutions in over 20 countries.
- Filter by tuition, admission difficulty, GPA, and SAT/ACT requirements.
- Save schools to a personal dashboard and contact them or apply.
- Explore lists for online, accelerated, transfer-friendly, and military-friendly programs.
- Free College Search plan includes program and international college search.
What to know first
- The service is available on the web rather than as a listed native app.
- Personal information may be shared with colleges and universities for advertising, marketing, and lead generation.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free College Search | Search colleges and universities by preferences; filters include school type, tuition, admission difficulty, GPA, SAT/ACT requirements, school size, setting, and area of study | Free |
As petersons.com lists them, read 8 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open the Peterson’s College Search website in a web browser.
- Search using a college, major, or location.
- Narrow results with the available school and program filters.
- Save schools to a personal dashboard, then contact a school for information or apply.
Verdict
Choose Peterson’s College Search if you want a free way to find and compare programs using a broad set of academic and school filters. Its saved-school and matching features support further exploration; consider its stated sharing of personal information with colleges when deciding whether to use it.
Questions
Is Peterson’s College Search free?
Yes. The Free College Search plan costs nothing.
What institutions and programs can I search?
The directory includes more than 4,000 accredited colleges and universities in more than 20 countries. It covers two-year and four-year programs, undergraduate and graduate study, certificates, and online degrees.
What search filters are available?
Filters include location, majors, tuition, school type, admission difficulty, GPA, SAT/ACT requirements, school size, setting, and area of study.
Can I save or contact schools?
Yes. Users can save matching schools to a personal dashboard, contact schools to request information, or apply.
Does it work on mobile?
It is web-based and includes mobile access.
How does Peterson’s describe its handling of personal information?
Peterson’s says it uses technical and organizational security measures, while noting that internet transmission and storage cannot be guaranteed fully secure. Its privacy policy lists colleges and universities as advertising, direct marketing, and lead-generation recipients of personal information.
Facts from Peterson's College Search's own pages
- Additional filters
- Peterson’s describes filters for school type, tuition, admission difficulty, GPA, SAT/ACT requirements, school size, setting, and area of study. · petersons.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Audience
- Peterson’s describes its services as serving students, parents, educators, administrators, and service members. · petersons.com, 8 Oct 2026
- College matching
- Peterson’s says it can connect students with programs interested in them, including schools they may not have considered. · petersons.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Company location
- Peterson’s says it is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. · petersons.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Coverage
- The college search includes more than 4,000 accredited colleges and universities in more than 20 countries. · petersons.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Data sharing
- The privacy policy lists colleges and universities as advertising, direct marketing, and lead-generation recipients of personal information. · petersons.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Discovery lists
- The College Discovery Center features lists such as accelerated, online, transfer-friendly, and military-friendly programs. · petersons.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Filters
- Search filters can narrow results by location, offered majors, tuition, and other criteria. · petersons.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Headquarters
- Denver, Colorado, United States · petersons.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Privacy and security
- Peterson’s says it uses technical and organizational security measures and notes that internet transmission and storage cannot be guaranteed fully secure. · petersons.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Programs
- The guide covers two-year and four-year programs, undergraduate and graduate study, certificate programs, and online degrees. · petersons.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Peterson’s online college search helps students discover educational programs that fit them. · petersons.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Saved schools
- Users can save matching schools to a personal dashboard and contact schools to request information or apply. · petersons.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Search
- Users can search by keyword, including a college, major, or location. · petersons.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Support
- Customer and technical support is available Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm Mountain time, by email and phone, with an online FAQ and knowledge base. · petersons.com, 8 Oct 2026
Where Peterson's College Search stands on Freedom251
- College Search Platforms#20 of 28