How to Use the College Scorecard API MCP in Windsurf

Q: How does Windsurf use the College Scorecard API to find local schools?

Cascade calls listcollegesbyzip or listcollegesbycity to pull regional institutions. It processes the list of coordinates and returns them in your workspace.

Q: Can Windsurf compare tuition costs using the College Scorecard API?

Yes. Cascade chains searchcolleges with getcollegedetails to extract and compare tuition, fees, and average student debt side by side.

Q: Can I filter schools by state?

You use listcollegesbystate to grab every registered institution in a specific state. Your agent then filters them by your criteria.

Cascade chains College Scorecard API queries to audit US college costs and performance metrics right inside Windsurf.

See Vinkius in Action

Works with every AI agent you already use

…and any MCP-compatible client

MCP Servers - Free for Subscribers

Connect College Scorecard API MCP to Windsurf

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

GDPR Free for Subscribers

Setup College Scorecard API with Windsurf

Ask AI about this MCP

ChatGPT

Claude

Perplexity

Locate regional schools instantly in Windsurf

`list_colleges_by_zip` finds institutions within specific zip codes so Cascade can map local options without you typing manual searches. You give Windsurf a zip, and Cascade triggers the search, fetches the raw results, and parses the coordinates immediately. This MCP Server gives your workspace direct access to federal education databases. Instead of bouncing between browser tabs, you let Cascade query `list_colleges_by_city` or `list_colleges_by_state` to build clean markdown tables of regional schools directly in your chat.

Audit actual college costs and performance

`get_college_details` pulls real financial and graduation metrics for any US higher education institution. Cascade uses this tool to grab tuition rates, median earnings, and debt-to-income ratios without requiring you to download messy CSVs from government sites. Your agent reads the raw JSON response from this MCP Server and calculates debt repayment outlooks on the fly. You get hard numbers on student outcomes instead of marketing fluff from university brochures.

Map specific fields of study

`get_fields_of_study` drills down into specific majors and programs to show you what students actually earn after graduation. Cascade chains this tool with `search_colleges` to find which schools offer the best returns for computer science or nursing. It handles the entire investigation sequence in one go. You ask for the highest-paying programs in Ohio, and Cascade queries the state, isolates the schools, checks the program details, and ranks them for you.

Setup guide

Set up College Scorecard API MCP in Windsurf

Prerequisites

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

1

Open MCP configuration

Click the Cascade assistant icon in the sidebar, then click the hammer icon (🔨) at the top of the panel. Select "Configure" to open ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json.
2

Add the College Scorecard API MCP

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

Refresh MCPs

Go back to the hammer icon (🔨) in Cascade and click "Refresh". Windsurf will detect the new server. No full restart is needed — the connection is hot-reloaded.
4

Verify in Cascade

Start a new Cascade conversation and ask something like "Show my College Scorecard API payment history." If connected, Cascade will call the College Scorecard API tools directly. You will see a green dot next to the server name in the MCP panel.

mcp_config.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.

Why Choose Vinkius

Vinkius connects your tools to AI with real-time monitoring and automatic cost savings — all from one dashboard.

Connect College Scorecard API now

Real-time monitoring

Live

visibility into every interaction

Connect your favorite tools to your AI and see exactly what's happening — every request, every response, in real time.

Built-in savings

60%

lower AI costs

Vinkius compresses data between your apps and your AI automatically. Lower bills every month — no configuration required.

Single dashboard

One

place for every integration

Every tool your AI connects to, managed from a single screen. One account, complete control.

Common questions about College Scorecard API MCP in Windsurf

Cascade calls `list_colleges_by_zip` or `list_colleges_by_city` to pull regional institutions. It processes the list of coordinates and returns them in your workspace.

Yes. Cascade chains `search_colleges` with `get_college_details` to extract and compare tuition, fees, and average student debt side by side.

No. Add the MCP server to your config file and Cascade automatically registers the query tools.

You use `list_colleges_by_state` to grab every registered institution in a specific state. Your agent then filters them by your criteria.

Your queries for US college data and performance metrics go through the secure Vinkius V8 sandbox. This MCP connection ensures no personal files or local workspace code ever leave your machine during these lookups.

Use it with your favorite AI tools

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

OpenAI Agents SDK sdk-python

Google ADK sdk-python

Pydantic AI sdk-python

Vercel AI SDK sdk-typescript