Best Test-Optional Western Colleges
There are 124 test-optional colleges in the West, ranked using the same methodology as our national list. These schools do not require SAT or ACT scores with your application.
Claremont McKenna College leads West test-optional rankings for 2027. The top rated public option is University of California Berkeley. Also highly ranked: Pomona College, University of Southern California and Scripps College.
Without test scores, your GPA, activities, recommendation letters, and essays carry more weight. Compare acceptance rates, tuition, and enrollment across the colleges below. Explore the regional list below or browse individual states. See our ranking methodology for how schools are scored.
Fresno Pacific University
- Private 4 Year
- Fresno, CA
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| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Fresno Pacific is a private Christian university known for undergraduate teacher education and nursing. The campus is located in Fresno in California's Central Valley.
- SAT Range 970-1240
- Avg GPA 3.54
- Acceptance Rate 64%
- Net Price $15,261
Vanguard University of Southern California
- Private 4 Year
- Costa Mesa, CA
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3.5 | 4 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Vanguard is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and theatre. The suburban Costa Mesa campus is affiliated with the Assemblies of God.
- SAT Range 980-1200
- Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 62%
- Net Price $23,286
University of Hawaii at Hilo
- Public 4 Year
- Hilo, HI
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| 0 reviews
- Jul 1 application deadline
UH Hilo is a public university known for undergraduate astronomy, marine science, and Hawaiian studies. The campus sits on Hawaii's Big Island near Mauna Kea and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
- SAT Range 945-1175
- Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 61%
- Net Price $12,673
California State Polytechnic University Pomona
- Public 4 Year
- Pomona, CA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
Cal Poly Pomona is a public polytechnic university known for undergraduate engineering, architecture, and agriculture. The hillside campus includes working farm facilities and an Arabian horse center.
- SAT Range 1010-1250
- Avg GPA 3.69
- Acceptance Rate 75%
- Net Price $11,940
Oregon Institute of Technology
- Public 4 Year
- Klamath Falls, OR
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| 0 reviews
- Sep 4 application deadline
Oregon Tech is a public polytechnic university known for undergraduate engineering, health technologies, and applied sciences. The Klamath Falls campus sits near Upper Klamath Lake in southern Oregon.
- SAT Range 1000-1270
- Avg GPA 3.51
- Acceptance Rate 95%
- Net Price $16,831
San Jose State University
- Public 4 Year
- San Jose, CA
-
5.0 | 3 reviews
- Dec 15 application deadline
San Jose State is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and business. The urban campus sits in downtown San Jose in the heart of Silicon Valley.
- SAT Range 1010-1240
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.35
- Acceptance Rate 85%
- Net Price $13,892
Saint Martin's University
- Private 4 Year
- Lacey, WA
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4.0 | 1 reviews
- Jul 31 application deadline
Saint Martin's is a private Benedictine university known for undergraduate engineering, education, and business. The suburban campus sits in Lacey near Washington's state capital of Olympia.
- SAT Range 1025-1230
- Avg GPA 3.46
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $29,116
University of Nevada Las Vegas
- Public 4 Year
- Las Vegas, NV
-
4.0 | 3 reviews
- Jun 1 application deadline
UNLV is a large public university known for undergraduate hospitality and hotel management. The urban campus sits near the Las Vegas Strip.
- SAT Range 1010-1240
- Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $11,553
University of Idaho
- Public 4 Year
- Moscow, ID
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5.0 | 1 reviews
Idaho is a public university known for undergraduate agriculture, natural resources, and engineering. The residential campus sits in the small college town of Moscow in northern Idaho.
- SAT Range 990-1230
- Avg GPA 3.47
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $15,111
The Evergreen State College
- Public 4 Year
- Olympia, WA
-
3.7 | 3 reviews
Evergreen is a public liberal arts college known for interdisciplinary programs and environmental studies. The forested campus includes Puget Sound waterfront near Olympia.
- SAT Range 1035-1253
- Avg GPA 3.12
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $18,350
Montana State University
- Public 4 Year
- Bozeman, MT
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
Montana State is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, agriculture, and architecture. Bozeman is a mountain college town near the Bridger Mountains and Yellowstone National Park.
- SAT Range 1065-1285
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $20,142
Central Washington University
- Public 4 Year
- Ellensburg, WA
-
| 0 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
Central Washington is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and aviation. Ellensburg is a residential college town in the Kittitas Valley of central Washington.
- SAT Range 930-1150
- Avg GPA 3.08
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $19,898
Sonoma State University
- Public 4 Year
- Rohnert Park, CA
-
| 0 reviews
Sonoma State is a public university known for undergraduate wine business and environmental studies. The campus sits in Rohnert Park in Sonoma County wine country.
- SAT Range 950-1150
- Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $14,614
University of California Merced
- Public 4 Year
- Merced, CA
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3.0 | 1 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
UC Merced is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, biology, and psychology. The newest University of California campus is located in California's Central Valley.
- SAT Range 960-1140
- Avg GPA 3.55
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $13,690
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
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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 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
La Sierra University
- Private 4 Year
- Riverside, CA
-
| 0 reviews
La Sierra is a private Seventh-day Adventist university known for undergraduate business, education, and biology. The suburban campus sits in Riverside east of Los Angeles.
- SAT Range 880-1140
- Avg GPA 3.54
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $23,848