• LISTS
  • FILTERED
  • RAW DATA
  • HUMAN

How to find colleges by location with your AI

Connect the College Scorecard API to your agent to pull institution data using simple location queries.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

Can I find colleges by ZIP, city, or state?

Yes. You just tell your AI where you want to look, and it pulls the relevant schools from the database. You'll get a list of institutions based on the specific area you name.

The results you get

Where your data lands

Your agent converts your location request into these specific outputs.

LISTS

School directories

The AI pulls a list of names and basic details for every institution in your target area.

FILTERED

Specific locations

You get results narrowed down to a single state, city, or even a specific ZIP code.

RAW DATA

Structured info

The AI retrieves data directly from the API, giving you a clean set of school information.

HUMAN

Your final choice

The AI provides the list, but you're the one who decides which schools are worth looking into.

The workflow

What your AI does when a location query arrives.

Your agent handles the heavy lifting of querying the database so you don't have to.

  1. Parse the location

    The AI reads your prompt to determine if you're asking for a state, a city, or a ZIP code.

    list_colleges_by_state

  2. Fetch state data

    If you name a state, the AI pulls all matching institutions for that entire region.

    list_colleges_by_state

  3. Filter by city

    When you specify a city, the AI narrows the search to only include schools in that municipality.

    list_colleges_by_city

  4. Target ZIP codes

    For precise searches, the AI uses the postal code to find schools in a specific neighborhood.

    list_colleges_by_zip

Try it

Copy these to start.

Paste these into your chat to get moving.

Starting points

Replace the bracketed text with the actual location you want to search.

College Scorecard Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_Ais6261NuKu7n0Wq0B6MXFxqW6QudnVZyF3yo3Lb/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — College Scorecard capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "college-scorecard-api-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_Ais6261NuKu7n0Wq0B6MXFxqW6QudnVZyF3yo3Lb/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • Find all colleges in [Florida].

  • List the higher education institutions in [Seattle].

  • What colleges are located in ZIP code [60601]?

  • Show me all the schools in [Denver, Colorado].

  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Cursor
  • VS Code
  • Windsurf
  • Claude Code
  • JetBrains
  • Cline

Start here

Connect College Scorecard API once, then ask.

Connect the MCP to your client in one click. Your login details stay encrypted on our side.

Connect College Scorecard API to your AI

FAQ

How this task behaves

  • 01

    Can the AI find schools outside the US?

    No. The tools only support searching for US-based institutions.

  • 02

    Can the AI change school information?

    No. This MCP is read-only. It can only fetch data from the API; it cannot edit or delete anything.

  • 03

    Can I search by degree type?

    No. The current tools are designed to find schools by location, not by specific majors or degrees.

  • 04

    Does the AI handle the application process?

    No. The AI only provides the list of schools. You have to contact the schools or apply through their own channels.

  • 05

    Can I search by county?

    No. You must use a state, a city, or a ZIP code to get results.

  • More questions about College Scorecard API? The Connector page answers them. See everything the College Scorecard API Connector can do

Connect College Scorecard to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more