The acceptance rate is the percentage of applicants who are admitted to a college. In general, a low acceptance rate makes it harder to get into school. The most top ranked schools and some specialized schools keep their acceptance rates lower to get qualified students. In 2022, California Institute of Technology has the lowest acceptance rate of 3.92%, and Stanford University and Harvard University follow it with 3.95% and 4.01% respectively.
The table below lists and compares the top 100 colleges having Lowest Acceptance Rate with tuition and key admission statistics. You can search schools by using input box in top right corner of table. In addition, you can sort the table a column that you want by clicking/touching the column name of the table.
*The statistics below is only based on data of four-years colleges granting bachelor's degree. Specialized schools such as law schools and medical schools were excluded from the analysis.
| School Name | Type | Tuition | Acceptance Rate | Yield | SAT Scores | Enrollment | Students to Faculty | Earning after Graduate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA | Private | $58,680 | 3.92% | 52.94% | - | 2,240 | 3 to 1 | $106,300 |
| 2 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | Private | $56,169 | 3.95% | 80.23% | 1,520 | 15,953 | 4 to 1 | $141,300 |
| 3 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA | Private | $55,587 | 4.01% | 84.17% | 1,530 | 30,391 | 5 to 1 | $139,100 |
| 4 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | Private | $55,878 | 4.11% | 86.23% | - | 11,254 | 3 to 1 | $153,600 |
| 5 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | Private | $63,530 | 4.13% | 65.02% | 1,520 | 30,135 | 6 to 1 | $115,600 |
| 6 | Princeton University Princeton, NJ | Private | $56,010 | 4.38% | 78.32% | 1,515 | 7,853 | 4 to 1 | $116,300 |
| 7 | Yale University New Haven, CT | Private | $59,950 | 5.31% | 71.18% | 1,530 | 12,060 | 4 to 1 | $124,400 |
| 8 | Brown University Providence, RI | Private | $62,304 | 5.51% | 66.39% | 1,515 | 9,948 | 6 to 1 | $89,100 |
| 9 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Private | $61,710 | 5.87% | 73.18% | 1,525 | 26,552 | 6 to 1 | $131,600 |
| 10 | Duke University Durham, NC | Private | $60,244 | 5.89% | 59.58% | 1,513 | 16,172 | 6 to 1 | $114,500 |
| 11 | Dartmouth College Hanover, NH | Private | $60,870 | 6.17% | 69.77% | 1,500 | 6,292 | 7 to 1 | $110,200 |
| 12 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | Private | $62,241 | 6.48% | 83.46% | 1,545 | 17,834 | 5 to 1 | $103,000 |
| 13 | Pomona College Claremont, CA | Private | $56,686 | 6.64% | 58.50% | 1,520 | 1,475 | 6 to 1 | $77,300 |
| 14 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL | Private | $60,768 | 6.97% | 62.81% | 1,520 | 22,603 | 6 to 1 | $93,400 |
| 15 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | Private | $56,966 | 7.14% | 48.28% | 1,525 | 13,537 | 8 to 1 | $86,200 |
| 16 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | Private | $58,720 | 7.52% | 47.78% | - | 28,890 | 6 to 1 | $89,300 |
| 17 | Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA | Private | $56,056 | 7.79% | 44.82% | 1,495 | 1,437 | 7 to 1 | $70,000 |
| 18 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY | Private | $61,015 | 8.69% | 63.53% | 1,505 | 23,620 | 9 to 1 | $101,200 |
| 19 | Amherst College Amherst, MA | Private | $61,150 | 8.74% | 42.08% | 1,460 | 1,745 | 7 to 1 | $83,300 |
| 20 | Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME | Private | $58,322 | 8.82% | 62.90% | - | 1,777 | 8 to 1 | $83,300 |
| 21 | Williams College Williamstown, MA | Private | $59,660 | 8.83% | 52.23% | - | 1,987 | 6 to 1 | $89,800 |
| 22 | Colby College Waterville, ME | Private | $61,220 | 8.87% | 47.41% | 1,465 | 2,155 | 10 to 1 | $71,000 |
| 23 | Rice University Houston, TX | Private | $52,895 | 9.48% | 43.75% | 1,530 | 7,643 | 6 to 1 | $91,600 |
| 24 | Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA | Private | $60,814 | 9.63% | 46.23% | 1,435 | 13,927 | 8 to 1 | $86,300 |
| 25 | Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CA | Private | $60,703 | 9.99% | 47.57% | 1,520 | 854 | 8 to 1 | $104,200 |
| 26 | Grinnell College Grinnell, IA | Private | $58,648 | 10.54% | 42.51% | 1,450 | 1,493 | 8 to 1 | $61,000 |
| 27 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Public | $43,012 ($13,258) | 10.77% | 43.81% | - | 44,589 | 18 to 1 | $73,200 |
| 28 | Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA | Private | $58,111 | 11.24% | 56.56% | 1,475 | 1,264 | 8 to 1 | $93,200 |
| 29 | Tufts University Medford, MA | Private | $63,000 | 11.43% | 50.48% | 1,495 | 12,219 | 10 to 1 | $103,300 |
| 30 | Barnard College New York, NY | Private | $59,687 | 11.47% | 64.51% | 1,488 | 2,744 | 9 to 1 | $69,700 |
| 31 | Georgetown University Washington, DC | Private | $59,957 | 11.98% | 47.87% | 1,480 | 19,371 | 11 to 1 | $125,200 |
| 32 | St. Andrews University Laurinburg, NC | Private | $28,630 | 12.29% | 98.12% | - | 887 | 13 to 1 | $40,100 |
| 33 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | Private | $61,503 | 12.51% | 41.29% | 1,475 | 46,287 | 9 to 1 | $88,800 |
| 34 | New York University New York, NY | Private | $56,500 | 12.96% | 49.25% | 1,510 | 52,775 | 8 to 1 | $78,600 |
| 35 | Washington University in St Louis Saint Louis, MO | Private | $58,866 | 13.00% | 45.28% | 1,530 | 15,449 | 7 to 1 | $87,900 |
| 36 | Emory University Atlanta, GA | Private | $55,468 | 13.05% | 34.23% | 1,480 | 13,997 | 9 to 1 | $84,400 |
| 37 | Middlebury College Middlebury, VT | Private | $59,770 | 13.45% | 42.47% | 1,455 | 2,669 | 8 to 1 | $71,900 |
| 38 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA | Private | $58,924 | 13.54% | 42.58% | 1,520 | 13,519 | 5 to 1 | $103,000 |
| 39 | Hamilton College Clinton, NY | Private | $59,970 | 14.07% | 40.38% | 1,475 | 1,902 | 9 to 1 | $74,300 |
| 40 | Colorado College Colorado Springs, CO | Private | $62,070 | 14.25% | 39.64% | - | 2,050 | 9 to 1 | $49,900 |
| 41 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | Public | $43,980 ($14,226) | 14.44% | 42.53% | - | 42,327 | 19 to 1 | $79,000 |
| 42 | University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN | Private | $58,843 | 15.07% | 57.80% | 1,480 | 12,809 | 9 to 1 | $98,400 |
| 43 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Atlanta, GA | Public | $33,964 ($12,852) | 15.96% | 49.12% | 1,405 | 39,771 | 19 to 1 | $85,900 |
| 44 | Wellesley College Wellesley, MA | Private | $60,752 | 16.18% | 48.87% | 1,470 | 2,280 | 7 to 1 | $71,800 |
| 45 | Colgate University Hamilton, NY | Private | $61,966 | 17.19% | 29.42% | 1,425 | 3,054 | 9 to 1 | $81,100 |
| 46 | Bates College Lewiston, ME | Private | $59,062 | 17.31% | 43.65% | - | 1,876 | 10 to 1 | $74,300 |
| 47 | Carleton College Northfield, MN | Private | $60,225 | 17.55% | 39.96% | 1,479 | 1,940 | 8 to 1 | $67,900 |
| 48 | Davidson College Davidson, NC | Private | $55,200 | 17.80% | 47.77% | - | 1,983 | 9 to 1 | $71,100 |
| 49 | Haverford College Haverford, PA | Private | $61,210 | 17.84% | 43.22% | 1,480 | 1,307 | 8 to 1 | $75,100 |
| 50 | Pitzer College Claremont, CA | Private | $57,978 | 18.31% | 53.05% | - | 922 | 9 to 1 | $51,500 |
| 51 | Northeastern University Boston, MA | Private | $57,592 | 18.38% | 32.57% | 1,490 | 22,905 | 14 to 1 | $74,200 |
| 52 | Boston University Boston, MA | Private | $59,816 | 18.65% | 28.39% | 1,440 | 32,718 | 10 to 1 | $75,900 |
| 53 | Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA | Private | $59,380 | 18.85% | 38.78% | 1,470 | 2,183 | 8 to 1 | $93,300 |
| 54 | Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA | Private | $61,706 | 19.04% | 33.16% | 1,475 | 14,934 | 14 to 1 | $92,500 |
| 55 | Wesleyan University Middletown, CT | Private | $62,049 | 19.44% | 35.83% | 1,405 | 3,053 | 8 to 1 | $63,400 |
| 56 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | Public | $53,232 ($16,178) | 20.15% | 45.36% | - | 47,907 | 11 to 1 | $79,000 |
| 57 | Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY | Private | $62,870 | 20.15% | 30.96% | 1,480 | 2,435 | 8 to 1 | $61,500 |
| 58 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | Public | $36,891 ($9,028) | 20.40% | 45.32% | 1,260 | 30,092 | 13 to 1 | $68,800 |
| 59 | College of the Ozarks Point Lookout, MO | Private | $19,960 | 20.51% | 66.14% | 1,112 | 1,489 | 15 to 1 | $35,300 |
| 60 | University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA | Public | $53,626 ($19,244) | 20.74% | 39.08% | 1,440 | 25,628 | 15 to 1 | $79,400 |
| 61 | Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI | Private | $30,042 | 23.68% | 55.99% | 1,425 | 1,543 | 9 to 1 | - |
| 62 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC | Private | $59,770 | 25.18% | 37.00% | - | 8,789 | 11 to 1 | $79,600 |
| 63 | Villanova University Villanova, PA | Private | $59,020 | 25.24% | 28.76% | 1,420 | 11,032 | 11 to 1 | $87,600 |
| 64 | Lyon College Batesville, AR | Private | $30,414 | 27.21% | 20.75% | 1,123 | 665 | 11 to 1 | $44,800 |
| 65 | North Carolina Wesleyan College Rocky Mount, NC | Private | $33,371 | 28.02% | 31.03% | 990 | 1,720 | 13 to 1 | $41,900 |
| 66 | Denison University Granville, OH | Private | $57,500 | 28.27% | 24.32% | 1,330 | 2,258 | 9 to 1 | $57,600 |
| 67 | University of Miami Coral Gables, FL | Private | $54,760 | 28.49% | 22.98% | 1,380 | 17,809 | 12 to 1 | $72,900 |
| 68 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX | Public | $40,996 ($11,752) | 28.75% | 47.70% | 1,365 | 50,476 | 17 to 1 | $73,900 |
| 69 | University of Richmond University of Richmond, VA | Private | $58,570 | 28.77% | 21.82% | - | 4,056 | 8 to 1 | $78,900 |
| 70 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | Public | $43,529 ($13,775) | 28.82% | 20.86% | - | 36,303 | 18 to 1 | $65,800 |
| 71 | Thomas University Thomasville, GA | Private | $11,080 | 28.84% | 33.74% | 1,010 | 1,303 | 12 to 1 | $37,400 |
| 72 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | Public | $44,171 ($14,417) | 29.18% | 15.90% | - | 26,179 | 18 to 1 | $62,400 |
| 73 | Scripps College Claremont, CA | Private | $58,442 | 29.54% | 37.61% | 1,450 | 958 | 9 to 1 | $61,800 |
| 74 | Smith College Northampton, MA | Private | $56,114 | 29.91% | 37.27% | 1,450 | 2,504 | 7 to 1 | $51,100 |
| 75 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | Public | $28,659 ($6,381) | 30.13% | 43.98% | 1,385 | 53,372 | 17 to 1 | $65,700 |
| 76 | Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH | Private | $54,532 | 30.24% | 15.98% | 1,470 | 11,465 | 11 to 1 | $89,300 |
| 77 | Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY | Private | $58,128 | 30.59% | 21.03% | 1,355 | 2,582 | 8 to 1 | $57,000 |
| 78 | Macalester College Saint Paul, MN | Private | $60,518 | 31.26% | 21.25% | 1,428 | 2,049 | 10 to 1 | $55,800 |
| 79 | Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus Portales, NM | Public | $8,688 ($6,648) | 32.50% | 72.56% | 980 | 5,266 | 17 to 1 | $34,800 |
| 80 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA | Public | $28,105 ($10,195) | 33.00% | 27.12% | - | 22,440 | 21 to 1 | $74,300 |
| 81 | Berea College Berea, KY | Private | $43,612 | 33.01% | 58.99% | 1,193 | 1,432 | 9 to 1 | $36,300 |
| 82 | The University of Montana-Western Dillon, MT | Public | $17,190 ($5,726) | 33.33% | 53.76% | - | 1,334 | 14 to 1 | $36,700 |
| 83 | Trinity University San Antonio, TX | Private | $47,392 | 33.72% | 20.43% | 1,374 | 2,677 | 9 to 1 | $68,000 |
| 84 | Tuskegee University Tuskegee, AL | Private | $22,614 | 34.20% | 18.74% | 1,025 | 2,747 | 11 to 1 | $42,200 |
| 85 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | Public | $44,454 ($14,700) | 34.20% | 18.63% | - | 39,576 | 19 to 1 | $69,600 |
| 86 | Oberlin College Oberlin, OH | Private | $60,240 | 34.34% | 23.74% | 1,399 | 2,658 | 9 to 1 | $45,500 |
| 87 | Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA | Private | $59,802 | 34.50% | 26.43% | 1,373 | 3,726 | 9 to 1 | $82,400 |
| 88 | Howard University Washington, DC | Private | $28,916 | 35.25% | 26.71% | 1,185 | 10,859 | 12 to 1 | $54,500 |
| 89 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Tallahassee, FL | Public | $17,725 ($5,785) | 35.29% | 36.70% | 1,080 | 9,184 | 14 to 1 | $44,700 |
| 90 | Alice Lloyd College Pippa Passes, KY | Private | $14,230 | 35.82% | 26.75% | 950 | 569 | 21 to 1 | $41,600 |
| 91 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL | Public | $22,467 ($6,368) | 36.37% | 39.84% | 1,260 | 71,881 | 31 to 1 | $51,200 |
| 92 | William & Mary Williamsburg, VA | Public | $47,038 ($23,812) | 36.54% | 26.37% | 1,440 | 8,939 | 11 to 1 | $74,500 |
| 93 | Kenyon College Gambier, OH | Private | $63,310 | 36.55% | 18.29% | 1,420 | 1,615 | 9 to 1 | $54,500 |
| 94 | Hampden-Sydney College Hampden-Sydney, VA | Private | $49,504 | 36.81% | 20.75% | 1,170 | 881 | 9 to 1 | $59,000 |
| 95 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL | Public | $18,786 ($5,656) | 37.07% | 31.51% | 1,260 | 43,569 | 21 to 1 | $53,900 |
| 96 | Corban University Salem, OR | Private | $34,756 | 37.50% | 21.60% | 1,084 | 1,160 | 13 to 1 | $40,200 |
| 97 | Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster, PA | Private | $63,406 | 37.54% | 17.60% | - | 2,254 | 9 to 1 | $69,200 |
| 98 | Rust College Holly Springs, MS | Private | $9,900 | 37.60% | 35.58% | - | 623 | 6 to 1 | $26,600 |
| 99 | Trinity College Hartford, CT | Private | $61,370 | 37.75% | 24.73% | 1,407 | 2,241 | 9 to 1 | $74,300 |
| 100 | San Diego State University San Diego, CA | Public | $20,016 ($8,136) | 37.90% | 20.55% | - | 36,334 | 27 to 1 | $55,900 |
