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

San Diego State University
S
San Diego, CA

San Diego State University

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

34% Acceptance Rate

#10 Best Public Universities in California

  • 39,241enrollment
  • $19,500net price
  • 1090-1300SAT range
  • 22-29ACT range
  • 3.82Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare
Scripps College
S
Claremont, CA

Scripps College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

34% Acceptance Rate

#6 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 1,103enrollment
  • $45,505net price
  • 1420-1530SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Compare
Trinity College
T
Hartford, CT

Trinity College

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

34% Acceptance Rate

#3 Best Colleges in Connecticut

  • 2,276enrollment
  • $31,806net price
  • 1310-1460SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.8Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 17

Compare
Luther Rice University
L
Lithonia, GA
 

Luther Rice University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

34% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 556enrollment
  • $3,935net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Compare
Spelman College
S
HBCU
Atlanta, GA

Spelman College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

34% Acceptance Rate

#3 Best Private Colleges in Georgia

  • 3,633enrollment
  • $37,403net price
  • 1060-1270SAT range
  • 21-27ACT range
  • 3.75Avg GPA

Applications Due Feb 1

Compare
Kuyper College
K
Grand Rapids, MI
 

Kuyper College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

34% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 153enrollment
  • $27,708net price
  • 935-1170SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.34Estimated Avg GPA

Compare
William Jewell College
W
Liberty, MO

William Jewell College

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

34% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 886enrollment
  • $17,408net price
  • 960-1120SAT range
  • 19-25ACT range
  • 3.61Avg GPA

Compare
Bennett College for Women
B
HBCU
Greensboro, NC

Bennett College for Women

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

34% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 195enrollment
  • $20,928net price
  • 858-946SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 2.74Estimated Avg GPA

Compare
Paul Quinn College
P
HBCU
Dallas, TX

Paul Quinn College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

34% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 602enrollment
  • $18,118net price
  • 855-1015SAT range
  • 14-17ACT range
  • 2.6Avg GPA

Applications Due Jun 1

Compare
Carolina University
C
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
 

Carolina University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

34% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 893enrollment
  • $19,111net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.0Avg GPA

Compare
United States Sports Academy
U
Daphne, AL
 

United States Sports Academy

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

35% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 272enrollment
  • -net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Compare
Hope International University
H
Fullerton, CA

Hope International University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

35% Acceptance Rate

#31 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 1,140enrollment
  • $30,514net price
  • 1000-1180SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.26Avg GPA

Applications Due Aug 20

Compare
Howard University
H
HBCU
Washington, DC

Howard University

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

35% Acceptance Rate

#4 Best Private Colleges in District Of Columbia

  • 13,416enrollment
  • $30,028net price
  • 1100-1298SAT range
  • 22-28ACT range
  • 3.66Avg GPA

Applications Due Feb 15

Compare
Brescia University
B
Owensboro, KY
 

Brescia University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

35% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 638enrollment
  • $15,087net price
  • 920-1190SAT range
  • 18-25ACT range
  • 3.02Avg GPA

Compare
Brandeis University
B
Waltham, MA

Brandeis University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

35% Acceptance Rate

#12 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 5,302enrollment
  • $44,668net price
  • 1390-1530SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.84Avg GPA

Compare
Rust College
R
HBCU
Holly Springs, MS

Rust College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

35% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 429enrollment
  • $8,234net price
  • 440-1339SAT range
  • 17-18ACT range
  • 2.66Avg GPA

Compare
Yeshiva Shaarei Torah of Rockland
Y
Suffern, NY
 

Yeshiva Shaarei Torah of Rockland

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

35% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 141enrollment
  • $18,501net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Compare
Casa Loma College Los Angeles
C
Sherman Oaks, CA
 

Casa Loma College Los Angeles

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

36% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 581enrollment
  • $26,780net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Compare