Below you will find a 2017 comprehensive list of the 100 colleges with the highest acceptance rates in the nation for first-time, degree-seeking undergraduate students.
What Does a High Acceptance Rate Mean For You?
A high acceptance rate means that for all the students that apply, a good percentage of them will be admitted. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that just because a school has a high acceptance rate, it is easy to get into. For purposes of looking at evaluating acceptance rates, none of the schools in our colleges with high acceptance rates have designated themselves as having open admission or open enrollment. Open admission means that the school will admit any student who applies as long as they have a valid high school diploma or GED. Because these schools are not open admission, we can conclude that they still do have a variety of admission requirements that must be met.
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Analysis of The Colleges With High Acceptance Rates
An interesting thing to note is that although admission rates are high for the schools below, they have an average enrollment rate for first-time, degree-seeking undergraduate students of 37%. This means that of the over 518,000 students that were accepted to these schools, 67% of them chose a different school option. There are likely a number of reasons for this.
Another interesting thing is that 78% of the schools on this top 100 list are public colleges or universities. These public schools may have requirements around the percentage of students that they need to admit based on the amount of federal or state funding they receive, which means they will also have a higher acceptance rate. Fourteen percent of these schools are private, not-for-profit schools with a religious affiliation and the remaining eight percent are private, not-for-profit schools with no religious affiliation.
Many other colleges that are not listed below also have high admission rates. A good portion of those are open admission schools, as explained above. Many open admission schools are junior, community, or technical colleges. Another group of schools that can take many of the individuals that apply is online schools. Online colleges and universities are able to admit a large percentage of students due to the very unique circumstances that surround distance or online degree programs.
The first five schools listed below include top online colleges that have relatively high acceptance rates.
University of Phoenix – 100% Acceptance Rate |
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Everest University Online – 100% Acceptance Rate |
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Herzing University – 93% Acceptance Rate |
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DeVry University – 93% Acceptance Rate |
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Everglades University – 85.9% Acceptance Rate |
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| School Name | Location | Acceptance Rate | Type | In-state Tuition | Out-of-state Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Texas at El Paso | El Paso, TX | 100.0% | Public | $5,606 | $17,506 |
| Brigham Young University-Idaho | Rexburg, ID | 99.6% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $3,830 | $3,830 |
| Harding University | Searcy, AR | 99.2% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $17,130 | $17,130 |
| CUNY Medgar Evers College | Brooklyn, NY | 99.2% | Public | $6,330 | $13,440 |
| Benedictine College | Atchison, KS | 99.1% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $25,950 | $25,950 |
| Lewis-Clark State College | Lewiston, ID | 98.9% | Public | $6,000 | $17,000 |
| The Evergreen State College | Olympia, WA | 97.9% | Public | $7,512 | $21,927 |
| College of Staten Island CUNY | Staten Island, NY | 97.6% | Public | $6,330 | $13,440 |
| Saint Mary's College of California | Moraga, CA | 97.5% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $42,780 | $42,780 |
| Utah State University | Logan, UT | 96.7% | Public | $5,617 | $18,087 |
| University of Akron Main Campus | Akron, OH | 96.6% | Public | $8,618 | $17,149 |
| Clarion University of Pennsylvania | Clarion, PA | 96.1% | Public | $7,060 | $10,590 |
| University of North Georgia | Dahlonega, GA | 96.1% | Public | $3,644 | $13,004 |
| Wright State University-Main Campus | Dayton, OH | 96.0% | Public | $8,730 | $17,098 |
| Colorado State University-Pueblo | Pueblo, CO | 95.9% | Public | $6,159 | $19,493 |
| Edinboro University of Pennsylvania | Edinboro, PA | 95.7% | Public | $7,060 | $7,414 |
| University of Wyoming | Laramie, WY | 95.7% | Public | $2,856 | $11,448 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion | Marion, IN | 95.2% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $24,728 | $24,728 |
| Southern Oregon University | Ashland, OR | 95.2% | Public | $6,615 | $20,835 |
| College of Coastal Georgia | Brunswick, GA | 95.0% | Public | $2,451 | $9,058 |
| Kansas State University | Manhattan, KS | 94.9% | Public | $8,517 | $22,596 |
| Bethel University | Saint Paul, MN | 94.9% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $33,990 | $33,990 |
| Wichita State University | Wichita, KS | 94.7% | Public | $6,081 | $14,404 |
| University of Wisconsin-Platteville | Platteville, WI | 94.3% | Public | $6,418 | $14,268 |
| Missouri Southern State University | Joplin, MO | 94.1% | Public | $5,311 | $10,622 |
| Carroll University | Waukesha, WI | 94.0% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $28,825 | $28,825 |
| Bemidji State University | Bemidji, MN | 93.8% | Public | $7,360 | $7,360 |
| North Dakota State University-Main Campus | Fargo, ND | 93.6% | Public | $6,762 | $18,056 |
| University of Kansas | Lawrence, KS | 93.5% | Public | $9,123 | $23,774 |
| Samford University | Birmingham, AL | 93.3% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $27,520 | $27,520 |
| University of Toledo | Toledo, OH | 93.2% | Public | $8,052 | $17,390 |
| University of Wisconsin-Stout | Menomonie, WI | 93.1% | Public | $7,014 | $14,760 |
| Palm Beach Atlantic University | West Palm Beach, FL | 92.9% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $26,750 | $26,750 |
| Northeastern State University | Tahlequah, OK | 92.8% | Public | $4,425 | $11,775 |
| Western Kentucky University | Bowling Green, KY | 92.7% | Public | $9,482 | $24,132 |
| University of Central Arkansas | Conway, AR | 92.2% | Public | $5,918 | $11,835 |
| Indiana University-Purdue University-Fort Wayne | Fort Wayne, IN | 92.2% | Public | $7,052 | $18,380 |
| University of the Incarnate Word | San Antonio, TX | 92.2% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $25,900 | $25,900 |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | Colorado Springs, CO | 92.1% | Public | $6,384 | $16,680 |
| Troy University | Troy, AL | 91.9% | Public | $6,888 | $13,776 |
| Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights, KY | 91.9% | Public | $8,736 | $17,472 |
| Southern New Hampshire University | Manchester, NH | 91.7% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $30,006 | $30,006 |
| Lock Haven University | Lock Haven, PA | 91.7% | Public | $7,060 | $15,650 |
| South Dakota State University | Brookings, SD | 91.7% | Public | $4,341 | $6,512 |
| Southwestern Oklahoma State University | Weatherford, OK | 91.6% | Public | $4,725 | $11,175 |
| Hawaii Pacific University | Honolulu, HI | 91.3% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $22,160 | $22,160 |
| University of Maine | Orono, ME | 91.2% | Public | $8,370 | $26,640 |
| Iona College | New Rochelle, NY | 91.2% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $33,124 | $33,124 |
| The University of Montana | Missoula, MT | 91.0% | Public | $4,603 | $21,988 |
| LIU Brooklyn | Brooklyn, NY | 90.9% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $33,678 | $33,678 |
| Murray State University | Murray, KY | 90.6% | Public | $6,552 | $19,656 |
| Loyola University New Orleans | New Orleans, LA | 90.3% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $36,214 | $36,214 |
| Nicholls State University | Thibodaux, LA | 90.2% | Public | $4,922 | $15,853 |
| University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | Stevens Point, WI | 90.1% | Public | $6,298 | $14,565 |
| Shepherd University | Shepherdstown, WV | 89.9% | Public | $4,918 | $13,766 |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock | Little Rock, AR | 89.8% | Public | $6,180 | $17,250 |
| University of Wisconsin-River Falls | River Falls, WI | 89.8% | Public | $6,428 | $14,001 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | Altoona, PA | 89.4% | Public | $13,658 | $21,392 |
| University of Northern Colorado | Greeley, CO | 89.3% | Public | $6,372 | $17,958 |
| Davenport University | Grand Rapids, MI | 89.2% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $15,192 | $15,192 |
| Arkansas Tech University | Russellville, AR | 89.1% | Public | $5,160 | $10,320 |
| University of Kentucky | Lexington, KY | 89.1% | Public | $9,687 | $23,019 |
| Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | Shippensburg, PA | 89.1% | Public | $7,060 | $15,886 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo | Arecibo, PR | 88.9% | Public | $1,870 | $3,891 |
| University of Nevada-Las Vegas | Las Vegas, NV | 88.4% | Public | $6,277 | $20,187 |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | Indiana, PA | 88.3% | Public | $7,060 | $17,650 |
| Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | Edwardsville, IL | 88.2% | Public | $6,930 | $8,760 |
| Columbia College-Chicago | Chicago, IL | 88.1% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $23,640 | $23,640 |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology | Rolla, MO | 88.1% | Public | $8,286 | $24,810 |
| Southeastern Louisiana University | Hammond, LA | 88.0% | Public | $5,278 | $17,756 |
| Marshall University | Huntington, WV | 87.9% | Public | $5,724 | $14,512 |
| University of Southern Maine | Portland, ME | 87.8% | Public | $6,578 | $17,290 |
| Western Oregon University | Monmouth, OR | 87.8% | Public | $7,746 | $21,105 |
| Illinois State University | Normal, IL | 87.7% | Public | $9,807 | $14,157 |
| Curry College | Milton, MA | 87.7% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $34,730 | $34,730 |
| Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania | Bloomsburg, PA | 87.7% | Public | $7,060 | $17,650 |
| Austin Peay State University | Clarksville, TN | 87.7% | Public | $6,048 | $20,880 |
| University of Louisiana at Monroe | Monroe, LA | 87.6% | Public | $5,484 | $17,584 |
| Iowa State University | Ames, IA | 87.2% | Public | $6,648 | $19,768 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | Erie, PA | 87.1% | Public | $13,658 | $21,392 |
| Emporia State University | Emporia, KS | 87.0% | Public | $4,662 | $17,250 |
| Canisius College | Buffalo, NY | 87.0% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $33,282 | $33,282 |
| New Jersey City University | Jersey City, NJ | 86.7% | Public | $7,936 | $16,765 |
| MCPHS University | Boston, MA | 86.6% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $29,600 | $29,600 |
| Saint Cloud State University | Saint Cloud, MN | 86.2% | Public | $6,820 | $14,738 |
| Fort Lewis College | Durango, CO | 86.0% | Public | $5,856 | $16,072 |
| Fort Hays State University | Hays, KS | 85.9% | Public | $3,574 | $12,577 |
| Missouri State University-Springfield | Springfield, MO | 85.9% | Public | $6,150 | $13,020 |
| Prairie View A & M University | Prairie View, TX | 85.9% | Public | $6,052 | $18,579 |
| Texas Woman's University | Denton, TX | 85.9% | Public | $4,760 | $14,120 |
| West Virginia University | Morgantown, WV | 85.8% | Public | $7,632 | $21,432 |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI | 85.8% | Public | $8,091 | $18,265 |
| Portland State University | Portland, OR | 85.7% | Public | $6,750 | $22,725 |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | Cincinnati, OH | 85.6% | Public | $9,322 | $24,656 |
| Indiana State University | Terre Haute, IN | 85.5% | Public | $8,380 | $18,508 |
| Lee University | Cleveland, TN | 85.5% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $14,400 | $14,400 |
| Morehead State University | Morehead, KY | 85.4% | Public | $8,098 | $20,246 |
| University of Nebraska at Kearney | Kearney, NE | 85.4% | Public | $5,325 | $11,595 |
| University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | Eau Claire, WI | 85.2% | Public | $7,361 | $14,934 |
| Taylor University | Upland, IN | 85.1% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $30,030 | $30,030 |
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Source
Data comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS Data Center. March 9, 2017.
Methodology
Degrees Offered: Associate’s Optional, Bachelor’s Required
Enrolled: Greater than 500
Sort: Descending admission rate
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