How do I find my College Scorecard API Key?

Register for a free API Key at [**Data.gov**](https://api.data.gov/signup/). Your key will be displayed instantly and sent via email. Copy and paste it below.

Can the agent filter by school state?

Yes. Use the `list_colleges_by_state` tool providing the 2-letter ISO state code (e.g., 'CA' for California). Your agent will return all matching schools in that state instantly.

Is student body size data provided?

Yes. The school records retrieved by your agent include the latest official student size (enrollment) for undergraduate programs where available.

College Scorecard API MCP Server for AutoGen 6 tools — connect in under 2 minutes

Name: College Scorecard API
Availability: InStock
Author: Vinkius

microsoft.github.io/autogen/docs/tools/mcp-tools

Built by Vinkius GDPR 6 Tools Framework

Microsoft AutoGen enables multi-agent conversations where agents negotiate, delegate, and execute tasks collaboratively. Add College Scorecard API as an MCP tool provider through Vinkius and every agent in the group can access live data and take action.

Get MCP Server for AI Agents

ASK AI ABOUT THIS MCP SERVER

Open in ChatGPT Open in Claude Open in Perplexity

Vinkius supports streamable HTTP and SSE.

python

import asyncio
from autogen_agentchat.agents import AssistantAgent
from autogen_ext.tools.mcp import McpWorkbench

async def main():
    # Your Vinkius token. get it at cloud.vinkius.com
    async with McpWorkbench(
        server_params={"url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"},
        transport="streamable_http",
    ) as workbench:
        tools = await workbench.list_tools()
        agent = AssistantAgent(
            name="college_scorecard_api_agent",
            tools=tools,
            system_message=(
                "You help users with College Scorecard API. "
                "6 tools available."
            ),
        )
        print(f"Agent ready with {len(tools)} tools")

asyncio.run(main())

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About College Scorecard API MCP Server

Empower your AI agent to orchestrate your entire higher education research workflow with College Scorecard API, the authoritative source for United States school performance and cost data. By connecting the Department of Education's API to your agent, you transform complex college searches into a natural conversation. Your agent can instantly search for schools, audit enrollment metadata, and retrieve detailed program reports without you ever touching a government portal. Whether you are a student planning your future or a researcher monitoring academic trends, your agent acts as a real-time education consultant, ensuring your data is always grounded in official, government-verified records.

AutoGen enables multi-agent conversations where agents negotiate, delegate, and collaboratively use College Scorecard API tools. Connect 6 tools through Vinkius and assign role-based access. a data analyst queries while a reviewer validates, with optional human-in-the-loop approval for sensitive operations.

What you can do

School Auditing — Search for thousands of US colleges and universities by name and retrieve detailed metadata, including location and website links.
Enrollment Oversight — Retrieve latest student body size and demographics to maintain a clear view of campus scale.
Geographic Discovery — List schools by state, city, or near specific ZIP codes to identify regional academic hubs instantly.
Program Intelligence — Query specific fields of study and program data to understand the academic offerings of different institutions.
Cost Analysis — Retrieve data on tuition and costs to assist in financial planning for higher education.

The College Scorecard API MCP Server exposes 6 tools through the Vinkius. Connect it to AutoGen in under two minutes — no API keys to rotate, no infrastructure to provision, no vendor lock-in. Your configuration, your data, your control.

How to Connect College Scorecard API to AutoGen via MCP

Follow these steps to integrate the College Scorecard API MCP Server with AutoGen.

Install AutoGen

Run pip install "autogen-ext[mcp]"

Replace the token

Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your Vinkius token

Integrate into workflow

Use the agent in your AutoGen multi-agent orchestration

Explore tools

The workbench discovers 6 tools from College Scorecard API automatically

Why Use AutoGen with the College Scorecard API MCP Server

AutoGen provides unique advantages when paired with College Scorecard API through the Model Context Protocol.

Multi-agent conversations: multiple AutoGen agents discuss, delegate, and collaboratively use College Scorecard API tools to solve complex tasks

Role-based architecture lets you assign College Scorecard API tool access to specific agents. a data analyst queries while a reviewer validates

Human-in-the-loop support: agents can pause for human approval before executing sensitive College Scorecard API tool calls

Code execution sandbox: AutoGen agents can write and run code that processes College Scorecard API tool responses in an isolated environment

College Scorecard API + AutoGen Use Cases

Practical scenarios where AutoGen combined with the College Scorecard API MCP Server delivers measurable value.

Collaborative analysis: one agent queries College Scorecard API while another validates results and a third generates the final report

Automated review pipelines: a researcher agent fetches data from College Scorecard API, a critic agent evaluates quality, and a writer produces the output

Interactive planning: agents negotiate task allocation using College Scorecard API data to make informed decisions about resource distribution

Code generation with live data: an AutoGen coder agent writes scripts that process College Scorecard API responses in a sandboxed execution environment

College Scorecard API MCP Tools for AutoGen (6)

These 6 tools become available when you connect College Scorecard API to AutoGen via MCP:

get_college_details

Get full details for a specific college by ID

get_fields_of_study

Get details for specific programs or fields of study

list_colleges_by_city

List schools in a specific city

list_colleges_by_state

List all schools in a specific state

list_colleges_by_zip

List schools near a specific ZIP code

search_colleges

Search for colleges and universities in the US

Example Prompts for College Scorecard API in AutoGen

Ready-to-use prompts you can give your AutoGen agent to start working with College Scorecard API immediately.

"Search for schools named 'Harvard' using College Scorecard API."

"List colleges in the state of 'NY'."

"What is the student size for school ID 166027?"

Troubleshooting College Scorecard API MCP Server with AutoGen

Common issues when connecting College Scorecard API to AutoGen through the Vinkius, and how to resolve them.

McpWorkbench not found

Install: pip install "autogen-ext[mcp]"

College Scorecard API + AutoGen FAQ

Common questions about integrating College Scorecard API MCP Server with AutoGen.

How does AutoGen connect to MCP servers?

Create an MCP tool adapter and assign it to one or more agents in the group chat. AutoGen agents can then call College Scorecard API tools during their conversation turns.

Can different agents have different MCP tool access?

Yes. AutoGen's role-based architecture lets you assign specific MCP tools to specific agents, so a querying agent has different capabilities than a reviewing agent.