Best Test-Optional U.S. Colleges
CollegeSimply ranks 976 four-year colleges that do not require SAT or ACT scores for admission. These are the highest-ranked test-optional schools in the U.S., sorted by academic quality and student outcomes. Policies can vary by applicant and year, so confirm requirements on each school's website before applying.
Princeton University leads our 2027 test-optional rankings, ranked #1 nationally. The top rated public option is University of Michigan Ann Arbor. Also highly ranked: Duke University, University of Chicago and Rice University.
Without test scores, your GPA, activities, recommendation letters, and essays carry more weight. Compare acceptance rates, tuition, and enrollment across the full list below. Filter by state or sort by selectivity to build your list. You can also explore matches by GPA on our college search by GPA. See our ranking methodology for how schools are scored.
University of Maine at Farmington
- Public 4 Year
- Farmington, ME
-
| 0 reviews
University of Maine at Farmington is a small public liberal arts college known for undergraduate teacher education and creative writing. The residential campus is set in the western Maine college town of Farmington.
- SAT Range 995-1245
- Avg GPA 3.15
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $17,451
Carlow University
- Private 4 Year
- Pittsburgh, PA
-
3.0 | 3 reviews
Carlow is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and education. The compact urban campus sits in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood.
- SAT Range 960-1168
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $21,002
Mississippi University for Women
- Public 4 Year
- Columbus, MS
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| 0 reviews
Mississippi University for Women is a public university known for undergraduate nursing and education. Historically the first public women's college in the United States, the Columbus campus is now coeducational.
- SAT Range 850-1180
- Avg GPA 3.49
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $12,487
Seton Hill University
- Private 4 Year
- Greensburg, PA
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| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Seton Hill is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate performing arts, education, and business. The campus is in Greensburg, a small city east of Pittsburgh.
- SAT Range 1020-1240
- Avg GPA 3.74
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $23,056
Saint Joseph's College of Maine
- Private 4 Year
- Standish, ME
-
| 0 reviews
A private Catholic college known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences. The campus sits on the shores of Sebago Lake in a rural Maine setting.
- SAT Range 960-1150
- Avg GPA 3.0
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $28,217
Missouri Southern State University
- Public 4 Year
- Joplin, MO
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| 0 reviews
Missouri Southern is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, business, and health sciences. The campus is in Joplin in southwest Missouri.
- SAT Range 1150-1420
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $11,626
Saint Xavier University
- Private 4 Year
- Chicago, IL
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5.0 | 1 reviews
Saint Xavier is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The campus is in Chicago's Mount Greenwood neighborhood on the Southwest Side.
- SAT Range 950-1120
- Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $11,318
Aurora University
- Private 4 Year
- Aurora, IL
-
| 0 reviews
Aurora University is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and social work. The suburban campus sits in Aurora, about 40 miles west of Chicago.
- SAT Range 900-1150
- Avg GPA 3.56
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $19,053
Buena Vista University
- Private 4 Year
- Storm Lake, IA
-
| 0 reviews
Buena Vista is a private university known for undergraduate education and business. The residential campus sits beside Storm Lake in northwest Iowa.
- SAT Range 930-1130
- Avg GPA 3.49
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $19,704
Brenau University
- Private 4 Year
- Gainesville, GA
-
| 0 reviews
Brenau is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and the arts. Traditional undergraduates enroll in its residential Women's College on a historic campus in Gainesville.
- SAT Range 930-1200
- Avg GPA 3.39
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $19,743
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University
- Private 4 Year
- Baton Rouge, LA
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
FranU is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences. The compact Baton Rouge campus is tied to the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady health system.
- SAT Range -
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.23
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $16,432
Hawaii Pacific University
- Private 4 Year
- Honolulu, HI
-
| 0 reviews
- Sep 6 application deadline
Hawaii Pacific is a private university known for undergraduate marine science, nursing, and international business. The urban campus sits in downtown Honolulu near the waterfront.
- SAT Range 998-1200
- Avg GPA 3.56
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $30,950
University of Virginia's College at Wise
- Public 4 Year
- Wise, VA
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
UVA Wise is a public liberal arts college known for undergraduate nursing and teacher education. The rural campus sits in the Appalachian Mountains of southwestern Virginia.
- SAT Range 945-1120
- Avg GPA 3.57
- Acceptance Rate 29%
- Net Price $14,378
Kean University
- Public 4 Year
- Union, NJ
-
4.1 | 7 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Kean is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and design. The suburban campus in Union sits near New York City.
- SAT Range 930-1150
- Avg GPA 3.2
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $12,708
Winthrop University
- Public 4 Year
- Rock Hill, SC
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
Winthrop is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, visual and performing arts, and business. The historic campus sits in Rock Hill, near the Charlotte metro area.
- SAT Range 1010-1220
- Avg GPA 4.0
- Acceptance Rate 79%
- Net Price $16,108
Evangel University
- Private 4 Year
- Springfield, MO
-
3.5 | 4 reviews
Evangel is a private Christian university known for undergraduate ministry, music, and education. It is the national university of the Assemblies of God.
- SAT Range 1040-1260
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $19,261
Mount Marty University
- Private 4 Year
- Yankton, SD
-
| 0 reviews
Mount Marty is a small private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The campus sits along the Missouri River in Yankton.
- SAT Range 810-1050
- Avg GPA 3.35
- Acceptance Rate 43%
- Net Price $22,242
Missouri State University Springfield
- Public 4 Year
- Springfield, MO
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4.0 | 3 reviews
Missouri State is a large public university known for undergraduate business, education, and health professions. The Springfield campus lies in the Ozarks region of southwest Missouri.
- SAT Range 1020-1270
- Avg GPA 3.73
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $17,181