The Association of American Universities, which represents 60 top research universities in the United States and Canada, is taking steps to better help college applicants evaluate their higher-education options.

The AAU announced today that its members were beginning a new effort to collect and distribute their basic performance data in such areas as graduation rates, the time required to complete a degree, and careers pursued following graduation. The AAU also plans to develop cost estimates that will help prospective students understand the total cost of attending a particular university.

The association is beginning the effort at a time of growing pressure on American colleges to be more transparent to potential students about what exact benefits they can expect from a college education, and what it will cost them.

The information is expected to be made available to the public through the Web and other formats, by both the AAU and its member institutions, according to a spokesman for the association, Barry Toiv.

“As this progresses,” Mr. Toiv said, “it will presumably set something of an example” for other colleges. —Paul Basken