How to Use the College Scorecard API MCP in Claude

Get real-time US college cost and performance data directly inside your Claude Desktop app or claude.ai interface.

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Connect College Scorecard API MCP to Claude Desktop

Create your Vinkius account to connect College Scorecard API to Claude Desktop and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup College Scorecard API with Claude Desktop

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Locate US schools by region in Claude Desktop

The `list_colleges_by_state`, `list_colleges_by_city`, and `list_colleges_by_zip` tools find US higher education institutions based on geographic parameters. When you ask Claude Desktop to compare universities in a specific area, the app executes these commands through the MCP connection to pull exact matches from the federal database without requiring you to scrape website directories. Claude Desktop then displays the matching schools directly in your chat panel. If you use the browser-based claude.ai interface, these regional lists can render as interactive maps or custom UI tables for quick sorting.

Audit tuition costs and program metrics

The `get_fields_of_study` tool retrieves specific department statistics, salary outcomes, and debt loads for academic programs. Instead of digging through PDFs, you ask your Claude Desktop agent to pull these metrics for a specific degree, and it uses this tool to extract the exact figures. This MCP server feeds these numbers straight into your active Claude Desktop session. You get immediate access to real data on debt-to-income ratios and graduation rates to build comparison models directly inside Claude Desktop.

Deep dive into school profiles using this MCP Server

The `get_college_details` and `search_colleges` tools query the federal database to return enrollment numbers, admission rates, and financial aid averages for any school. Your Claude Desktop agent runs these queries in the background to build a complete profile of any institution you name. Because Claude Desktop runs this MCP server as a local subprocess, you get these detailed profiles instantly. The raw JSON payload transforms into a clean, readable college breakdown right in your Claude Desktop workspace.

Setup guide

Set up College Scorecard API MCP in Claude Web or Desktop

1

Open Claude Settings

Go to claude.ai, click your profile icon, then navigate to Customize → Connectors.
2

Add Custom Connector

Click the "+" button and select Add custom connector. Paste your Vinkius endpoint URL: https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your token from cloud.vinkius.com. For OAuth-protected servers, expand Advanced settings to add credentials.
3

Start a conversation

Open a new chat. The College Scorecard API MCP tools are available immediately — no restart needed.

Endpoint URL

https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp

No configuration file needed — paste the URL directly in the Claude web interface.

Available on Free (1 connector), Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans.

Prerequisites

Claude Desktop installed (macOS or Windows)
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open Claude Desktop Settings

Click the menu icon at the top-left corner, go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config. This opens claude_desktop_config.json in your default text editor.
2

Paste the College Scorecard API MCP configuration

Copy the JSON snippet on the right into the mcpServers object. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Restart Claude Desktop

Close and reopen the application. Claude needs a full restart to load new MCPs — refreshing a conversation is not enough.
4

Verify the connection

Open a new conversation. Click the 🔌 icon at the bottom of the message input. You should see tools listed under college-scorecard-api-mcp.

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "college-scorecard-api-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Get your connection token →

Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by College Scorecard. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

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Common questions about College Scorecard API MCP in Claude Desktop

Type your query directly into the chat box, such as asking to find engineering schools in Boston. Claude Desktop uses the search tools to fetch the matches and display them in your chat window.

Yes. You can ask Claude Desktop to compare average costs across regions, and it will execute geographic queries for each state to compile a side-by-side comparison table.

The agent calls specific program queries for the schools you specify. It then parses the median earnings data and presents a structured breakdown of post-graduation salaries inside your chat window.

No code is required. Just ask your agent natural language questions about graduation rates or acceptance figures, and the server handles the API requests behind the scenes.

Yes. This integration only queries public federal data regarding US college tuition costs, graduation rates, and field of study statistics. No personal student records or private application details are ever accessed, and Claude Desktop runs the server locally to keep your queries private.

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