How to Use the College Scorecard API MCP in Cursor

Query US college metrics and cost data to inject real API responses directly into your code using Cursor Agent.

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Connect College Scorecard API MCP to Cursor

Create your Vinkius account to connect College Scorecard API to Cursor 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 Cursor

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Inject live college search data into Cursor via MCP

The `search_colleges` tool queries the federal database to find US higher education institutions matching your search terms. When you write code in Cursor, the editor's Agent mode uses this tool to pull live school profiles directly into your open files. This means you write code in Cursor using actual API responses instead of static placeholder objects. Your Cursor agent pulls real school IDs and test score averages, letting you test your application logic against live data.

Fetch program-specific metrics inside your editor

The `get_fields_of_study` tool retrieves department-level statistics, including median earnings and debt loads for specific majors. When building a student financial dashboard in Cursor, your agent runs this tool to grab real salary outcomes. Having this raw college data in Cursor lets you write precise TypeScript types or database schemas. You don't have to leave Cursor to look up the API schema or guess the structure of the college data payload.

Query regional schools with this Cursor MCP Server

The `list_colleges_by_city`, `list_colleges_by_state`, and `list_colleges_by_zip` tools find institutions based on geographical parameters. If you are writing a feature to filter schools by location, you can ask Cursor to generate the filter logic using real coordinates and zip codes. The server runs directly via Cursor's MCP server setup, feeding geographic outputs straight to your active terminal or editor window. It eliminates the need to mock location payloads during your Cursor development sessions.

Setup guide

Set up College Scorecard API MCP in Cursor

Prerequisites

Cursor installed (macOS, Windows, or Linux)
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open MCP Settings

Go to Cursor Settings → MCP or open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P) and search for "MCP: Add Server".
2

Add the College Scorecard API MCP

Cursor will create or open .cursor/mcp.json in your project root. Paste the JSON snippet on the right. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Enable Agent mode

Open Composer (Cmd+I / Ctrl+I) and switch to Agent mode using the dropdown at the top. MCP tools are only available in Agent mode.
4

Verify the connection

Ask Cursor something like "List my recent College Scorecard API transactions." If the MCP tools are loaded correctly, Cursor will call the College Scorecard API tools automatically. You can also check Settings → MCP for a green status indicator.

.cursor/mcp.json

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

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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 Cursor

Ask the Cursor agent to write the interfaces based on the actual output of the query tool. The agent runs the tool to fetch a real school payload and writes precise types matching the exact structure.

Yes. When you use Agent mode in Cursor, the editor executes tools to pull real university data and write it directly into your active workspace.

Ask Cursor to run program queries for a specific field. The editor displays the raw JSON response in the chat panel, letting you inspect the exact fields before writing your data parsing logic.

No, this server requires an active internet connection to query the live federal database. It fetches real-time updates on tuition and enrollment figures directly from the source.

The server only processes public US college performance, tuition costs, and field of study statistics. Your local codebase and proprietary algorithms remain strictly inside your secure Cursor environment, completely isolated from these public queries.

Use it with your favorite AI tools

Connect this server to Cursor, Claude, VS Code, and more.

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