Lowest Acceptance Rate Universities
Top universities with the lowest reported acceptance rates, with state and net price context.
Acceptance: 0.00% #2 Athens State University Athens, Alabama 0.00% Alabama Net price: Not available
Acceptance: 0.00% #3 Baptist Health System School of Health Professions San Antonio, Texas 0.00% Texas Net price: Not available
Acceptance: 0.00% #4 DeVry University-Texas Irving, Texas 0.00% Texas Net price: Not available
Acceptance: 0.00% #5 California Institute of Technology Pasadena, California 3.14% California Net price: $18,902
Acceptance: 3.14% #6 Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts 3.45% Massachusetts Net price: $16,816
Acceptance: 3.45% #7 Minerva University San Francisco, California 3.55% California Net price: Not available
Acceptance: 3.55% #8 Circle in the Square Theatre School New York, New York 3.77% New York Net price: $29,537
Acceptance: 3.77% #9 Stanford University Stanford, California 3.91% California Net price: $12,136
Acceptance: 3.91% #10 Columbia University in the City of New York New York, New York 4.23% New York Net price: $20,148
Acceptance: 4.23% #11 Princeton University Princeton, New Jersey 4.50% New Jersey Net price: $10,555
Acceptance: 4.50% #12 Yale University New Haven, Connecticut 4.50% Connecticut Net price: $27,818
Acceptance: 4.50% #13 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts 4.74% Massachusetts Net price: $19,813
Acceptance: 4.74% #14 University of Chicago Chicago, Illinois 4.79% Illinois Net price: $18,967
Acceptance: 4.79% #15 Brown University Providence, Rhode Island 5.23% Rhode Island Net price: $26,572
Acceptance: 5.23% #16 Northeastern University Boston, Massachusetts 5.65% Massachusetts Net price: $32,116
Acceptance: 5.65% #17 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 5.87% Pennsylvania Net price: $31,229
Acceptance: 5.87% #18 Dartmouth College Hanover, New Hampshire 6.23% New Hampshire Net price: $28,619
Acceptance: 6.23% #19 Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee 6.28% Tennessee Net price: $19,040
Acceptance: 6.28% #20 Pomona College Claremont, California 6.76% California Net price: $19,424
Acceptance: 6.76% #21 Duke University Durham, North Carolina 6.78% North Carolina Net price: $34,454
Acceptance: 6.78% #22 Colby College Waterville, Maine 6.83% Maine Net price: $23,939
Acceptance: 6.83% #23 Swarthmore College Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 6.94% Pennsylvania Net price: $18,686
Acceptance: 6.94% #24 Curtis Institute of Music Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 6.95% Pennsylvania Net price: Not available
Acceptance: 6.95% #25 Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois 7.15% Illinois Net price: $27,143
Acceptance: 7.15%
How to Use This Ranking
This table excludes missing values and ranks only schools with a reported acceptance rate in the local database. Use it as a research shortcut, then open each school profile to compare acceptance rate, tuition, net price and student outcomes together.
Cost and admissions data can change by academic year. Always verify current figures with the official school website and net price calculator before making application or enrollment decisions.
Ranking FAQ
How is this Acceptance rate ranking calculated?
Schools are sorted by the reported Acceptance rate field in the local College Scorecard and IPEDS-derived database. Missing values are excluded from the top 25 table.
How often should I verify ranking data?
Use this ranking as a research starting point and verify current tuition, net price, admissions and outcomes directly with each school before making decisions.
Can I filter this ranking by state or school type?
Yes. The page includes state and ownership filters so readers can narrow the national list to public, private nonprofit or private for-profit schools.