Below you will find a 2017 comprehensive list of the 100 colleges with the lowest acceptance rates in the nation for first-time, degree-seeking undergraduate students.
| School Name | Location | Acceptance Rate | Type | In-state Tuition | Out-of-state Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | Stanford, CA | 5.0% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $45,729 | $45,729 |
| Harvard University | Cambridge, MA | 5.6% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $41,632 | $41,632 |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | New York, NY | 6.6% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $50,526 | $50,526 |
| Yale University | New Haven, CT | 6.7% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $47,600 | $47,600 |
| Princeton University | Princeton, NJ | 7.1% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $43,450 | $43,450 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, MA | 8.3% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $46,400 | $46,400 |
| University of Chicago | Chicago, IL | 8.4% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $49,026 | $49,026 |
| United States Naval Academy | Annapolis, MD | 8.5% | Public | . | . |
| Brown University | Providence, RI | 9.5% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $48,272 | $48,272 |
| United States Military Academy | West Point, NY | 10.2% | Public | . | . |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | 10.2% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $43,838 | $43,838 |
| Dartmouth College | Hanover, NH | 11.0% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $48,120 | $48,120 |
| Duke University | Durham, NC | 11.4% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $47,650 | $47,650 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, TN | 11.7% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $43,620 | $43,620 |
| Northwestern University | Evanston, IL | 13.0% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $48,624 | $48,624 |
| Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, MD | 14.1% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $48,710 | $48,710 |
| Bowdoin College | Brunswick, ME | 14.9% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $47,744 | $47,744 |
| Cornell University | Ithaca, NY | 15.1% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $48,880 | $48,880 |
| Rice University | Houston, TX | 16.0% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $41,560 | $41,560 |
| Tufts University | Medford, MA | 16.1% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $49,520 | $49,520 |
| Washington University in St Louis | Saint Louis, MO | 16.7% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $47,300 | $47,300 |
| University of California-Berkeley | Berkeley, CA | 16.9% | Public | $11,220 | $35,928 |
| Colorado College | Colorado Springs, CO | 17.1% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $48,576 | $48,576 |
| United States Air Force Academy | USAFA, CO | 17.1% | Public | . | . |
| Georgetown University | Washington, DC | 17.2% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $48,048 | $48,048 |
| University of California-Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | 17.3% | Public | $11,220 | $35,928 |
| Middlebury College | Middlebury, VT | 17.4% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $47,418 | $47,418 |
| Williams College | Williamstown, MA | 17.6% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $49,780 | $49,780 |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | 17.7% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $49,464 | $49,464 |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Metro | San Juan, PR | 19.5% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $6,408 | $6,408 |
| Barnard College | New York, NY | 19.6% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $45,851 | $45,851 |
| University of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, IN | 19.8% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $47,422 | $47,422 |
| Liberty University | Lynchburg, VA | 21.6% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $14,189 | $14,189 |
| Bates College | Lewiston, ME | 21.8% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $48,435 | $48,435 |
| American Musical and Dramatic Academy | New York, NY | 21.8% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $33,920 | $33,920 |
| Davidson College | Davidson, NC | 22.1% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $46,501 | $46,501 |
| Wesleyan University | Middletown, CT | 22.2% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $48,704 | $48,704 |
| Universidad del Sagrado Corazon | Santurce, PR | 22.3% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $4,680 | $4,680 |
| Colby College | Waterville, ME | 22.5% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $47,060 | $47,060 |
| Emory University | Atlanta, GA | 23.7% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $45,700 | $45,700 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, PA | 23.7% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $49,610 | $49,610 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon | Bayamon, PR | 24.3% | Public | $1,870 | $3,892 |
| Robert Morris University Illinois | Chicago, IL | 24.5% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $25,200 | $25,200 |
| Bucknell University | Lewisburg, PA | 24.8% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $49,878 | $49,878 |
| Vassar College | Poughkeepsie, NY | 25.7% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $50,500 | $50,500 |
| Babson College”>Babson College | Wellesley, MA | 26.3% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $46,784 | $46,784 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor, MI | 26.3% | Public | $14,401 | $44,674 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Carolina | Carolina, PR | 26.5% | Public | $2,784 | $5,816 |
| Colgate University | Hamilton, NY | 27.4% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $49,650 | $49,650 |
| Boston College | Chestnut Hill, MA | 28.5% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $48,540 | $48,540 |
| Northeastern University | Boston, MA | 28.5% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $44,620 | $44,620 |
| Berklee College of Music | Boston, MA | 28.8% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $38,940 | $38,940 |
| Oberlin College | Oberlin, OH | 28.8% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $49,928 | $49,928 |
| Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem, NC | 29.4% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $47,120 | $47,120 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras | San Juan, PR | 29.4% | Public | $1,557 | $4,369 |
| University of Virginia-Main Campus | Charlottesville, VA | 29.8% | Public | $11,705 | $40,842 |
| Wellesley College | Wellesley, MA | 29.9% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $46,550 | $46,550 |
| CUNY Lehman College/td> | Bronx, NY | 30.0% | Public | $6,330 | $13,440 |
| Lafayette College | Easton, PA | 30.2% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $46,590 | $46,590 |
| Lehigh University | Bethlehem, PA | 30.4% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $45,860 | $45,860 |
| Tulane University of Louisiana | New Orleans, LA | 30.5% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $45,758 | $45,758 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC | 30.5% | Public | $6,648 | $31,730 |
| University of Richmond | University of Richmond, VA | 31.1% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $48,090 | $48,090 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo, CA | 31.3% | Public | $5,472 | $16,632 |
| New York University | New York, NY | 32.1% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $45,278 | $45,278 |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | Atlanta, GA | 32.2% | Public | $9,812 | $30,004 |
| Franklin and Marshall College | Lancaster, PA | 32.3% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $50,300 | $50,300 |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | New York, NY | 32.4% | Public | $6,330 | $13,440 |
| University of California-Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | 32.6% | Public | $11,220 | $35,928 |
| Boston University | Boston, MA | 32.6% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $47,422 | $47,422 |
| Houston Baptist University | Houston, TX | 33.2% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $27,950 | $27,950 |
| Trinity College | Hartford, CT | 33.4% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $48,446 | $48,446 |
| University of California-San Diego | La Jolla, CA | 33.7% | Public | $11,220 | $35,928 |
| California State University-Long Beach | Long Beach, CA | 33.8% | Public | $5,472 | $16,632 |
| University of Rochester | Rochester, NY | 33.8% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $47,450 | $47,450 |
| Brandeis University | Waltham, MA | 34.0% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $47,702 | $47,702 |
| San Diego State University | San Diego, CA | 34.4% | Public | $5,472 | $16,632 |
| College of William and Mary | Williamsburg, VA | 34.5% | Public | $11,525 | $35,122 |
| American University | Washington, DC | 35.0% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $42,556 | $42,556 |
| Brigham Young University-Hawaii | Laie, HI | 35.6% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $5,100 | $5,100 |
| St Olaf College | Northfield, MN | 36.0% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $42,940 | $42,940 |
| Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland, OH | 36.3% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $44,156 | $44,156 |
| Skidmore College | Saratoga Springs, NY | 36.5% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $48,024 | $48,024 |
| CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice | New York, NY | 36.6% | Public | $6,330 | $13,440 |
| College of the Holy Cross | Worcester, MA | 37.0% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $46,550 | $46,550 |
| CUNY Brooklyn College | Brooklyn, NY | 37.3% | Public | $6,330 | $13,440 |
| Colorado School of Mines | Golden, CO | 37.7% | Public | $15,225 | $32,700 |
| University of Miami | Coral Gables, FL | 37.8% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $44,400 | $44,400 |
| Smith College | Northampton, MA | 37.9% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $46,010 | $46,010 |
| University of California-Davis | Davis, CA | 38.0% | Public | $11,220 | $35,928 |
| Pepperdine University | Malibu, CA | 38.1% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $48,090 | $48,090 |
| Grambling State University | Grambling, LA | 38.2% | Public | $5,276 | $5,276 |
| Union College | Schenectady, NY | 38.3% | Private not-for-profit (no religious affiliation) | $49,542 | $49,542 |
| Clayton State University | Morrow, GA | 38.6% | Public | $3,886 | $14,142 |
| University of California-Irvine | Irvine, CA | 38.7% | Public | $11,220 | $35,928 |
| CUNY Hunter College | New York, NY | 38.7% | Public | $6,330 | $13,440 |
| Macalester College | Saint Paul, MN | 39.0% | Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation) | $48,666 | $48,666 |
| The University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX | 39.2% | Public | $9,806 | $34,676 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Utuado | Utuado, PR | 39.2% | Public | $1,870 | $3,892 |
| California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | Pomona, CA | 39.3% | Public | $5,472 | $16,632 |
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: Ascending admission rate