Just a small percentage of applicants are accepted by the most exclusive colleges. Less than one in 20 of the over 43,000 applicants to Harvard in 2020 received an admissions letter.
Colleges with the lowest acceptance rates frequently show up on lists of the top universities. These universities rank among the most prestigious higher education institutions in the country thanks to their reputation and prestige.
We divided the total number of admitted students by the total number of applicants to determine the acceptance rates for colleges. While most schools admit most applicants, many of the most selective colleges report an acceptance rate of under 10%
IPEDS, or the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, is where we get our information. The National Center for Education Statistics developed this database, which keeps track of the number of applicants to each school, the number of admissions, and the number of enrollees.
Additionally, IPEDS keeps track of enrollment figures, test results, and degrees awarded. This data offers valuable information for prospective students. This page lists the colleges with the lowest acceptance rates and outlines the significance of acceptance rates.
Not all of the colleges on our list had acceptance rate information reported by IPEDS. However, we did not want to penalize the colleges that lacked data. In order to achieve this, we simply removed those institutions from the rankings in this category.
- Liberty University: 99%
- Marshall University: 98%
- University of New Mexico: 97%
- Kansas State University: 96%
- University of Maine: 96%
- North Dakota State University: 95%
- University of Memphis: 95%
- University of Utah: 95%
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A school’s acceptance of more students does not automatically imply that the education it provides is of lower academic value. It is advisable for every prospective student to apply to selective universities in case their application is the only one that is considered.
The following list includes the top 100 colleges in the United States with the highest acceptance rates for incoming freshmen, 15 of which offer 100% acceptance rates Utah is the only state that has three 100% acceptance rate colleges on our list
Top 100 Colleges with High Acceptance Rates
| Metropolitan State University St. Paul, Minnesota | 100% |
| Montana State University-Northern Havre, Montana | 100% |
| Wayne State College Wayne, Nebraska | 100% |
| Weber State University Ogden, Utah | 100% |
| Indian River State College Fort Pierce, Florida | 100% |
| Bismarck State College Bismarck, North Dakota | 100% |
| Dixie State University St. George, Utah | 100% |
| Granite State College Concord, New Hampshire | 100% |
| University of Pikeville Pikeville, Kentucky | 100% |
| Boston Architectural College Boston, Massachusetts | 100% |
| Lyndon State College Lyndonville, Vermont | 98.3% |
| Missouri Western State University St. Joseph, Missouri | 98.5% |
| Shepherd University Shepherdstown, West Virginia | 98.3% |
| Washburn University Topeka, Kansas | 98.2% |
| East Central University Ada, Oklahoma | 98.1% |
| Bluefield College Bluefield, Virginia | 98% |
| Walden University Minneapolis, Minnesota | 98% |
| Benedictine College Atchison, Kansas | 97.8% |
| Utah State University Logan, Utah | 97.8% |
| University of Wyoming Laramie, Wyoming | 97.7% |
| Berkeley College Woodland Park, New Jersey | 97.5% |
| Evergreen State College Olympia, Washington | 97.5% |
| University of Sioux Falls Sioux Falls, South Dakota | 97.4% |
| Western State Colorado University Gunnison, Colorado | 97.4% |
| Westminster College SLC, Utah | 97.4% |
| Wayland Baptist University Plainview, Texas | 97.3% |
| Lewis-Clark State College Lewiston, Idaho | 97.2% |
| Huntington University Huntington, Indiana | 97.1% |
| Trinity International University Deerfield, Illinois | 97% |
| University of Maine–Augusta Augusta, Maine | 97% |
| University of St. Francis Fort Wayne, Indiana | 96.9% |
| Wright State University Dayton, Ohio | 96.8% |
| Grand View University Des Moines, Iowa | 96.6% |
| Truett McConnell College Cleveland, Georgia | 96.3% |
| Martin Luther College New Ulm, Minnesota | 96.2% |
| Saint Ambrose University Davenport, Iowa | 96% |
| Missouri Southern State University Joplin, Missouri | 96% |
| Regis University Denver, Colorado | 96% |
| New England College Henniker, New Hampshire | 95.9% |
| Brigham Young University–Idaho Rexburg, Idaho | 95.8% |
| Indiana Wesleyan University Marion, Indiana | 95.7% |
| Trinity Lutheran College Everett, Washington | 95.7% |
| University of Akron Akron, Ohio | 95.6% |
| Hodges University Naples, Florida | 95.5% |
| Wichita State University Wichita, Kansas | 95.5% |
| Bethel University Saint Paul, Minnesota | 95.3% |
| Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach, Florida | 95.3% |
| Edinboro University of Pennsylvania Edinboro, Pennsylvania | 95.3% |
| Carlow University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 95.2% |
| Loras College Dubuque, Iowas | 95.2% |
| San Francisco Art Institute San Francisco, California | 95.1% |
| Kansas State University Manhattan, Kansas | 94.9% |
| Goshen College Goshen, Indiana | 94.8% |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana, Pennsylvania | 94.7% |
| University of Toledo Toledo, Ohio | 94.5% |
| Tennessee Technological University Cookeville, Tennessee | 94.4% |
| Wiley College Marshall, Texas | 94.4% |
| Governors State University University Park, Illinois | 94.3% |
| Lubbock Christian University Lubbock, Texas | 94.3% |
| University of Central Arkansas Conway, Arkansas | 94.3% |
| University of Montana Missoula, Montana | 94.2% |
| Neumann University Aston, Pennsylvania | 94% |
| La Roche College Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 94% |
| Houghton College Hougton, New York | 93.8% |
| Linfield College McMinnville, Oregon | 93.8% |
| Marygrove College Detroit, Michigan | 93.7% |
| Southern Vermont College Bennington, Vermont | 93.7% |
| Southern Wesleyan University Central, South Carolina | 93.7% |
| Westminster College New Wilmington, Pennsylvania | 93.6% |
| Mississippi University for Women Columbus, Mississippi | 93.6% |
| Bemidji State University Bemidji, Minnesota | 93.4% |
| Davenport University Grand Rapids, Michigan | 93.4% |
| Fontbonne University Saint Louis, Missouri | 93.4% |
| Freed-Hardeman University Henderson, Tennessee | 93.4% |
| Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania Lock Haven, Pennsylvania | 93.4% |
| Southern Oregon University Ashland, Oregon | 93.4% |
| St. John’s College Santa Fe, New Mexico | 93.4% |
| Sul Ross State University Alpine, TExas | 93.3% |
| Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, Kentucky | 93.3% |
| Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, Kentucky | 93.2% |
| Thomas More College Crestview Hills, Kentucky | 93.2% |
| University of the District of Columbia Washington, DC | 93.2% |
| University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio, Texas | 93% |
What is “Acceptance Rate”?
The percentage of applicants who received an annual admissions offer to begin attending classes at a university or college is known as the “college acceptance rate.” To calculate how many applicants were accepted, schools frequently use a formula called “acceptance rate.”
The lower the acceptance rate, the more selective the institution. The ratio that represents the acceptance rate for incoming freshmen can range from 0% to 100%. A school with a 100% acceptance rate only admits students who are accepted without applying, while a 0% acceptance rate means that everyone who applied was accepted.
What University Has the Lowest Acceptance Rate?
According to a report from the financial news website 24/7 Wall St, Rice University is the most challenging college to get into in the state of Texas. The Houston-based university has an acceptance rate of 10. 9% with a median SAT score of 1520 out of 1600, the report said
What’s the Easiest College to Get Into in Florida?
There are three 4-year colleges and universities in Florida that have between 100% acceptance rates with a net price that is less than $4,000
- Broward College- Fort Lauderdale, Fl
- Daytona State College- Daytona Beach, Fl
- Indian River State College- Fort Pierce, Fl
What are the Easiest Colleges to Get Into in California?
The Academy of Art University, California State University-Fresno, California Northstate University, Azusa Pacific University, Sonoma State University, California State University-Channel Island, and California State University-Monterey Bay are the easiest colleges to get into in California.
Further Reading: Most Affordable Online Colleges
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Top World Universities with the Highest Acceptance Rate
FAQ
What college has a 100% acceptance rate?
The college with the highest acceptance rate is Bismarck State College, which is situated in North Dakota’s capital. BSC, the third-largest university in the state’s system of public universities, enrolls about 4,000 students yearly. The school accepts 100% of applicants.
What is the easiest d1 school to get into?
The easiest colleges to get into are:Adams State University. Location: Alamosa, Colorado. University of Texas at El Paso. Location: El Paso, Texas. Eastern Washington University. Dickinson State University. Presentation College. Eastern Oregon University. Wright State University. Western Kentucky University.
What is 80% acceptance rate?
This is the proportion of applicants who enroll in school after receiving an acceptance offer. At Harvard, this is close to 80%, since most students who apply there have typically put it towards the top of their college list
What colleges in Florida have 100% acceptance rate?
There are colleges in Florida with a 100% acceptance rate, in response to the question “Is there any college in Florida with a 100% acceptance rate?” Examples include Indian River State College, Broward College, Chipola College, College of Central Florida, and Chipola College.