U.S. Colleges with low acceptance rates

Colleges with the Lowest Acceptance Rate in America for 2025

These are the most selective public and private four-year colleges in the United States. The list is ranked by acceptance rate, lowest to highest and limited to schools which reject at least half of all applicants. Leading the list is California Institute of Technology which sent acceptance letters to only 3% of the 13,107 students who applied and rejected 97%.

Not all schools on the most selective list are overly academically challenging. Some schools with less rigorous test and high school GPA requirements may receive a large numbers of qualified applicants and the school does not have space to admit them all.

If you're looking for challenging colleges, explore US rankings of the colleges with the highest SAT scores, highest ACT scores and highest GPA's.
Low Acceptance % Public Private 4 year

266 results nationwide

Rhode Island School of Design
R
Providence, RI

Rhode Island School of Design

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

14% Acceptance Rate

#2 Best Colleges in Rhode Island

  • 2,540enrollment
  • $42,106net price
  • 1370-1540SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.71Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Feb 1

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Tulane University
T
New Orleans, LA

Tulane University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

15% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 13,078enrollment
  • $50,631net price
  • 1390-1510SAT range
  • 31-33ACT range
  • 3.64Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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College of the Ozarks
O
Point Lookout, MO

College of the Ozarks

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

15% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,427enrollment
  • $12,279net price
  • 1063-1305SAT range
  • 20-25ACT range
  • 3.71Avg GPA

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Georgia Institute of Technology Main Campus
G
Atlanta, GA

Georgia Institute of Technology Main Campus

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

16% Acceptance Rate

#1 Best Public Universities in Georgia

  • 47,946enrollment
  • $15,901net price
  • 1330-1530SAT range
  • 28-34ACT range
  • 3.85Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 4

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Boston College
B
Chestnut Hill, MA

Boston College

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

16% Acceptance Rate

#7 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 15,280enrollment
  • $32,590net price
  • 1430-1540SAT range
  • 33-34ACT range
  • 3.86Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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Mills College
M
Oakland, CA

Mills College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

17% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 658enrollment
  • -net price
  • 1390-1520SAT range
  • 31-33ACT range
  • 3.57Avg GPA

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Pitzer College
P
Claremont, CA

Pitzer College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

17% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,204enrollment
  • $34,801net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.93Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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Wesleyan University
W
Middletown, CT

Wesleyan University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

17% Acceptance Rate

#15 Best Value Colleges in America

  • 3,271enrollment
  • $20,463net price
  • 1450-1540SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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Denison University
D
Granville, OH

Denison University

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

17% Acceptance Rate

#3 Best Colleges in Ohio

  • 2,405enrollment
  • $42,177net price
  • 1300-1470SAT range
  • 29-32ACT range
  • 3.76Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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University of Virginia Main Campus
V
Charlottesville, VA

University of Virginia Main Campus

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

17% Acceptance Rate

#4 Best Public Universities in America

  • 25,924enrollment
  • $17,831net price
  • 1410-1530SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 3.85Estimated Avg GPA

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Washington and Lee University
W
Lexington, VA

Washington and Lee University

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

17% Acceptance Rate

#1 Best Private Colleges in Virginia

  • 2,277enrollment
  • $24,667net price
  • 1410-1530SAT range
  • 32-35ACT range
  • 3.87Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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University of Michigan
M
Ann Arbor, MI

University of Michigan

Public 4 Year

5 reviews

18% Acceptance Rate

#1 Best Public Universities in America

  • 52,065enrollment
  • $19,005net price
  • 1350-1530SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.88Avg GPA

Applications Due Feb 1

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Vassar College
V
Poughkeepsie, NY

Vassar College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

18% Acceptance Rate

#7 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 2,456enrollment
  • $29,733net price
  • 1435-1550SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.86Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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University of Miami
M
Coral Gables, FL

University of Miami

Private 4 Year

14 reviews

19% Acceptance Rate

#1 Best Private Colleges in Florida

  • 19,593enrollment
  • $41,028net price
  • 1330-1470SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.7Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
C
New York, NY

Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

19% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 983enrollment
  • $28,199net price
  • 1400-1520SAT range
  • 33-34ACT range
  • 3.75Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 8

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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
N
Chapel Hill, NC

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

19% Acceptance Rate

#2 Best Public Universities in America

  • 32,234enrollment
  • $11,140net price
  • 1370-1530SAT range
  • 30-34ACT range
  • 3.83Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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Colorado College
C
Colorado Springs, CO

Colorado College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

20% Acceptance Rate

#1 Best Value in Colorado

  • 2,173enrollment
  • $35,281net price
  • 1365-1520SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.98Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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Babson College
B
Wellesley, MA

Babson College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

20% Acceptance Rate

#14 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 3,943enrollment
  • $30,220net price
  • 1380-1500SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.79Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 3

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