Best Test-Optional U.S. Colleges
CollegeSimply ranks 1045 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, Stanford University and Harvard 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.
Tuskegee University
- Private 4 Year
- Tuskegee, AL
-
4.0 | 5 reviews
- Apr 15 application deadline
Tuskegee is a private university known for undergraduate engineering, nursing, and veterinary science. The rural campus is a historic HBCU in Alabama.
- SAT Range 995-1255
- Avg GPA 3.1
- Acceptance Rate 49%
- Net Price $24,344
East Tennessee State University
- Public 4 Year
- Johnson City, TN
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
ETSU is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and bluegrass music. The campus sits in the Appalachian Highlands of northeastern Tennessee.
- SAT Range 980-1200
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.33
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $16,286
Friends University
- Private 4 Year
- Wichita, KS
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
Friends is a private Christian university known for undergraduate music and business. The Wichita campus retains its Quaker-founded identity.
- SAT Range 960-1090
- Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 55%
- Net Price $28,889
Montclair State University
- Public 4 Year
- Montclair, NJ
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
Montclair State is a large public university known for undergraduate education and the performing arts. The suburban campus sits in northern New Jersey near New York City.
- SAT Range 910-1210
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $17,669
Flagler College
- Private 4 Year
- Saint Augustine, FL
-
0.0 | 1 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
Flagler is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate business, education, and communication. The historic campus centers on the former Hotel Ponce de Leon in downtown St. Augustine.
- SAT Range 960-1190
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.38
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $32,395
Piedmont University
- Private 4 Year
- Demorest, GA
-
2.0 | 2 reviews
- Jul 15 application deadline
Piedmont is a private university known for undergraduate education and nursing. The campus is set in the small town of Demorest in northeast Georgia's Blue Ridge foothills.
- SAT Range 1038-1245
- Avg GPA 3.54
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $22,252
Freed Hardeman University
- Private 4 Year
- Henderson, TN
-
| 0 reviews
Freed-Hardeman is a private Christian university affiliated with the Churches of Christ, known for undergraduate biblical studies, ministry, and education. The residential campus sits in the small town of Henderson in West Tennessee.
- SAT Range 952-1087
- Avg GPA 3.75
- Acceptance Rate 60%
- Net Price $20,178
University of Pittsburgh Greensburg
- Public 4 Year
- Greensburg, PA
-
| 0 reviews
Pitt-Greensburg is a regional public campus of the University of Pittsburgh known for undergraduate biology, psychology, and business management. The residential campus sits in suburban Greensburg east of Pittsburgh.
- SAT Range 1055-1253
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 95%
- Net Price $18,365
Florida Atlantic University
- Public 4 Year
- Boca Raton, FL
-
4.2 | 4 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
FAU is a large public university known for undergraduate ocean engineering and marine science. The Boca Raton campus sits near the Atlantic coast in South Florida.
- SAT Range 1040-1200
- Avg GPA 3.74
- Acceptance Rate 66%
- Net Price $10,225
Guilford College
- Private 4 Year
- Greensboro, NC
-
| 0 reviews
Guilford is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate peace and conflict studies. The Quaker-founded residential campus sits in Greensboro.
- SAT Range 1120-1260
- Avg GPA 3.14
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $22,270
Malone University
- Private 4 Year
- Canton, OH
-
| 0 reviews
Malone is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The suburban campus sits in Canton in northeastern Ohio.
- SAT Range 930-1180
- Avg GPA 3.49
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $22,390
Western Connecticut State University
- Public 4 Year
- Danbury, CT
-
| 0 reviews
Western Connecticut State is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and the visual and performing arts. Students take classes across Midtown and Westside campuses in Danbury.
- SAT Range 1040-1170
- Avg GPA 3.38
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $17,185
University of Mount Saint Vincent
- Private 4 Year
- Bronx, NY
-
| 0 reviews
Mount Saint Vincent is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The Riverdale campus overlooks the Hudson River in the Bronx.
- SAT Range 1011-1178
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.14
- Acceptance Rate 85%
- Net Price $22,808
Anderson University
- Private 4 Year
- Anderson, SC
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
A private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. Most students live on its residential campus in Anderson in South Carolina's Upstate region.
- SAT Range 1100-1280
- Avg GPA 3.72
- Acceptance Rate 55%
- Net Price $24,434
Carthage College
- Private 4 Year
- Kenosha, WI
-
4.5 | 4 reviews
Carthage is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The campus sits on the western shore of Lake Michigan.
- SAT Range 1000-1205
- Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $27,066
Middle Tennessee State University
- Public 4 Year
- Murfreesboro, TN
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
MTSU is a large public university known for undergraduate recording industry, aerospace, and music business programs. The campus is in Murfreesboro, a growing city about a half hour southeast of Nashville.
- SAT Range 1010-1230
- Avg GPA 3.64
- Acceptance Rate 69%
- Net Price $13,859
Lynn University
- Private 4 Year
- Boca Raton, FL
-
3.0 | 4 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Lynn is a private university known for undergraduate business, communication, and hospitality management. The suburban Boca Raton campus sits near Florida's Atlantic coast.
- SAT Range 1040-1200
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 73%
- Net Price $45,469
Oklahoma Baptist University
- Private 4 Year
- Shawnee, OK
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
Oklahoma Baptist is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and music. The residential campus sits in the smaller city of Shawnee east of Oklahoma City.
- SAT Range 1070-1240
- Avg GPA 3.68
- Acceptance Rate 49%
- Net Price $23,839