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.
Thomas More University
- Private 4 Year
- Crestview Hills, KY
-
| 0 reviews
Thomas More is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and business. The suburban campus in Crestview Hills sits just south of Cincinnati.
- SAT Range 1030-1230
- Avg GPA 3.35
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $22,297
Hampton University
- Private 4 Year
- Hampton, VA
-
3.8 | 6 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
Hampton is a private HBCU known for undergraduate journalism, business, and nursing. The waterfront campus sits along the Hampton River near the Chesapeake Bay.
- SAT Range 790-1090
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 62%
- Net Price $27,428
MidAmerica Nazarene University
- Private 4 Year
- Olathe, KS
-
| 0 reviews
MidAmerica Nazarene is a private Nazarene university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and ministry. The suburban campus sits in the Kansas City metro area.
- SAT Range 950-1090
- Avg GPA 3.28
- Acceptance Rate 79%
- Net Price $32,081
Northeastern Illinois University
- Public 4 Year
- Chicago, IL
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4.0 | 1 reviews
- Jul 15 application deadline
Northeastern Illinois is a public university known for undergraduate education and business programs. The urban campus sits on Chicago's Northwest Side.
- SAT Range 810-1010
- Avg GPA 3.1
- Acceptance Rate 75%
- Net Price $14,140
University of North Texas
- Public 4 Year
- Denton, TX
-
4.3 | 3 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
UNT is a large public university known for undergraduate music and jazz studies. Denton is a college town north of the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
- SAT Range 980-1230
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.46
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $15,965
University of New Mexico Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Albuquerque, NM
-
| 0 reviews
UNM is a large public university known for undergraduate Latin American studies, anthropology, and photography. The urban Albuquerque campus features Pueblo Revival architecture.
- SAT Range 890-1170
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 95%
- Net Price $6,347
Valley City State University
- Public 4 Year
- Valley City, ND
-
| 0 reviews
Valley City State is a small public university known for undergraduate teacher education. The campus sits in the small town of Valley City along the Sheyenne River.
- SAT Range 830-1070
- Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $12,442
Chaminade University of Honolulu
- Private 4 Year
- Honolulu, HI
-
| 0 reviews
Chaminade is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, criminal justice, and forensic sciences. The urban Honolulu campus follows a Marianist tradition in a residential neighborhood setting.
- SAT Range 970-1250
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $28,261
California State University Chico
- Public 4 Year
- Chico, CA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Dec 15 application deadline
Chico State is a public university known for undergraduate agriculture, nursing, and business. The campus sits in the college town of Chico in Northern California.
- SAT Range 970-1170
- Avg GPA 3.37
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $14,630
University of Saint Francis Fort Wayne
- Private 4 Year
- Fort Wayne, IN
-
3.0 | 2 reviews
University of Saint Francis is a private Franciscan university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and education. The residential campus in Fort Wayne centers Catholic and Franciscan campus life.
- SAT Range 870-1070
- Avg GPA 3.37
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $18,654
University of Saint Mary
- Private 4 Year
- Leavenworth, KS
-
| 0 reviews
University of Saint Mary is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The campus is in historic Leavenworth, near the Kansas City metro area.
- SAT Range 806-1028
- Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $23,020
North Greenville University
- Private 4 Year
- Tigerville, SC
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 22 application deadline
North Greenville is a private Christian university known for undergraduate programs in Christian studies, education, and business. The residential campus lies in the Blue Ridge foothills of rural Tigerville.
- SAT Range 1060-1240
- Avg GPA 3.84
- Acceptance Rate 67%
- Net Price $21,346
Oglethorpe University
- Private 4 Year
- Atlanta, GA
-
| 0 reviews
- Jul 15 application deadline
Oglethorpe is a private liberal arts college known for a required undergraduate core curriculum in the humanities and sciences. The wooded campus sits in Atlanta's Brookhaven neighborhood.
- SAT Range 1090-1310
- Avg GPA 3.73
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $20,490
University of Northern Colorado
- Public 4 Year
- Greeley, CO
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Northern Colorado is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and performing arts. The campus is located in Greeley in northern Colorado.
- SAT Range 950-1190
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $19,376
University of Dubuque
- Private 4 Year
- Dubuque, IA
-
| 0 reviews
University of Dubuque is a private Presbyterian university known for undergraduate aviation and nursing. Most students live on the residential campus near the Mississippi River.
- SAT Range 980-1220
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $26,067
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
- Public 4 Year
- Lafayette, LA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
UL Lafayette is a large public university known for undergraduate nursing, engineering, and architecture. The campus is set in Lafayette, a hub of Cajun and Acadiana culture in southern Louisiana.
- SAT Range 1120-1240
- Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $13,017
Johnson & Wales University Providence
- Private 4 Year
- Providence, RI
-
| 0 reviews
Johnson & Wales is a private university known for undergraduate culinary arts, hospitality management, and business. The urban campus sits in downtown Providence.
- SAT Range 890-1160
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $32,057
Virginia Wesleyan University
- Private 4 Year
- Virginia Beach, VA
-
| 0 reviews
Virginia Wesleyan is a private liberal arts university known for undergraduate programs in the arts and sciences. The wooded campus sits in suburban Virginia Beach near the Atlantic coast.
- SAT Range 1140-1350
- Avg GPA 3.39
- Acceptance Rate 73%
- Net Price $21,267