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 Central Arkansas
- Public 4 Year
- Conway, AR
-
3.0 | 1 reviews
UCA is a public university known for undergraduate education and nursing programs. The campus sits in Conway, a college town north of Little Rock.
- SAT Range 910-1170
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $16,546
University of Akron Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Akron, OH
-
3.5 | 4 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
University of Akron is a large public university known for undergraduate polymer science and engineering. The urban campus sits near downtown Akron.
- SAT Range 900-1190
- Avg GPA 3.47
- Acceptance Rate 60%
- Net Price $14,693
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
- Public 4 Year
- Milwaukee, WI
-
| 0 reviews
- Sep 1 application deadline
UWM is a large public university known for undergraduate architecture, nursing, and freshwater sciences. The urban East Side campus sits near Lake Michigan in Milwaukee.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.16
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $16,263
Carson Newman University
- Private 4 Year
- Jefferson City, TN
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
Carson-Newman is a private Baptist university with undergraduate strengths in nursing, education, and the liberal arts. Students live on a residential campus in the small East Tennessee town of Jefferson City.
- SAT Range 955-1215
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $20,895
California State University San Marcos
- Public 4 Year
- San Marcos, CA
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
Cal State San Marcos is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The suburban hillside campus is in North San Diego County.
- SAT Range 950-1130
- Avg GPA 3.32
- Acceptance Rate 95%
- Net Price $10,241
Indiana University Southeast
- Public 4 Year
- New Albany, IN
-
| 0 reviews
IU Southeast is a public regional campus of Indiana University known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The New Albany campus sits across the Ohio River from Louisville.
- SAT Range 970-1180
- Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $9,102
Wright State University Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Dayton, OH
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
- Aug 23 application deadline
Wright State is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, nursing, and computer science. The suburban campus sits near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in the Dayton area.
- SAT Range 913-1230
- Avg GPA 3.41
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $15,254
Rockford University
- Private 4 Year
- Rockford, IL
-
| 0 reviews
Rockford is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and the liberal arts. The residential campus sits in the mid-sized city of Rockford in northern Illinois.
- SAT Range 850-1070
- Avg GPA 3.25
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $23,642
Cairn University Langhorne
- Private 4 Year
- Langhorne, PA
-
| 0 reviews
Cairn is a private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies, ministry, and education. The suburban campus sits in Langhorne near Philadelphia.
- SAT Range 1000-1160
- Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $23,273
University of Southern Indiana
- Public 4 Year
- Evansville, IN
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
University of Southern Indiana is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The suburban campus sits on the west side of Evansville near the Ohio River.
- SAT Range 1030-1240
- Avg GPA 3.45
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $14,722
Houston Christian University
- Private 4 Year
- Houston, TX
-
1.0 | 1 reviews
Houston Christian is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The campus is in southwest Houston.
- SAT Range 990-1190
- Avg GPA 3.46
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $21,282
University of Wisconsin Whitewater
- Public 4 Year
- Whitewater, WI
-
| 0 reviews
UW-Whitewater is a public university known for undergraduate business and education. The campus is set in the small college town of Whitewater in southeastern Wisconsin.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $12,709
West Texas A & M University
- Public 4 Year
- Canyon, TX
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
West Texas A&M is a public university known for undergraduate agriculture, nursing, and business. The campus is in Canyon, a small college town in the Texas Panhandle.
- SAT Range 950-1170
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $15,572
Columbia International University
- Private 4 Year
- Columbia, SC
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
CIU is a private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies and intercultural studies. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in Columbia.
- SAT Range 990-1195
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 94%
- Net Price $26,056
California State University Sacramento
- Public 4 Year
- Sacramento, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
Sacramento State is a large public university known for undergraduate government, criminal justice, and business. The urban campus sits along the American River in California's capital city.
- SAT Range 930-1130
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 94%
- Net Price $10,110
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
- Public 4 Year
- East Stroudsburg, PA
-
4.0 | 2 reviews
- Apr 1 application deadline
East Stroudsburg is a public university known for undergraduate education, athletic training, and exercise science. The campus sits in the Pocono Mountains near the Delaware Water Gap.
- SAT Range 1000-1180
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 92%
- Net Price $18,610
Rhode Island College
- Public 4 Year
- Providence, RI
-
2.5 | 2 reviews
- Mar 15 application deadline
Rhode Island College is a public college known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and social work. The campus sits in a residential area on the north side of Providence.
- SAT Range 870-1120
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.08
- Acceptance Rate 92%
- Net Price $10,346
Texas Woman's University
- Public 4 Year
- Denton, TX
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
TWU is a public university primarily for women, known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and education. The main campus is in Denton, a college town north of Dallas-Fort Worth.
- SAT Range 930-1140
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $11,636