Fit
These colleges report an ACT middle 50% range whose midpoint falls between 17 and 21. 24 of the 354 colleges in our dataset qualify for this list, and colleges with a missing value for the fields used here are left out rather than guessed. The table below shows the top 20, led by The University of Texas at El Paso (Texas).
Across all 24 qualifying colleges the acceptance rate runs from 28.5% (University of Virginia's College at Wise) to 99.9% (The University of Texas at El Paso), with a median of 48.5%. For comparison, the median across the 354 colleges in the full dataset that report it is 44.6%.
| # | College | State | ACT middle 50% | Acceptance rate | Graduation rate | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas at El Paso | TX | 17–22 | 99.9% | 50.2% | $9,403 |
| 2 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | TX | 15–21 | 94.2% | 50.9% | $4,831 |
| 3 | Sam Houston State University | TX | 17–24 | 90.3% | 54.8% | $16,404 |
| 4 | Georgia Southern University | GA | 18–23 | 87.9% | 54.9% | $15,267 |
| 5 | University of Hawaii at Manoa | HI | 17–25 | 86.6% | 64.3% | $15,664 |
| 6 | Grand Canyon University | AZ | 20–22 | 78.9% | 43.5% | $22,472 |
| 7 | William Penn University | IA | 16–22 | 51.9% | 32.6% | $22,601 |
| 8 | University of West Georgia | GA | 17–22 | 51.6% | 43.5% | $12,786 |
| 9 | Louisiana State University-Shreveport | LA | 18–24 | 50.5% | 37.5% | $7,022 |
| 10 | University of Providence | MT | 15–23 | 50.3% | 27.9% | $17,649 |
| 11 | North Carolina A & T State University | NC | 17–23 | 49.9% | 57.2% | $10,846 |
| 12 | Oklahoma Baptist University | OK | 17–19 | 49.4% | 52.4% | $20,958 |
| 13 | Judson University | IL | 16–24 | 47.6% | 59.9% | $18,558 |
| 14 | Alcorn State University | MS | 15–19 | 45.3% | 57.4% | $13,265 |
| 15 | Grambling State University | LA | 15–19 | 44.9% | 36.2% | $19,809 |
| 16 | Texas A & M International University | TX | 16–22 | 44.4% | 46.5% | $3,637 |
| 17 | Warner University | FL | 14–20 | 42.8% | 42.1% | $19,748 |
| 18 | University of West Alabama | AL | 16–21 | 42.6% | 34.7% | $12,684 |
| 19 | Brevard College | NC | 16–26 | 42.2% | 48.8% | $23,509 |
| 20 | Dillard University | LA | 18–22 | 41.9% | 43.3% | $22,094 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution, May 2026 release (file published 2026-05-26). Data fetched 2026-10-14. Open any row for the full college profile.
Of the 24 qualifying colleges, 15 are public and 9 are private nonprofit. Within the table, Texas appears 4 times, Louisiana appears 3 times, Georgia appears 2 times. The median graduation rate among the 20 listed colleges that report it is 47.6%, against 73.1% for the whole dataset. The median net price among the 20 listed colleges that report it is $16,034, against $19,857 for the whole dataset. 19 of the 20 listed colleges report an SAT range, and the midpoints of those ranges have a median near 1020.
The midpoint is halfway between the 25th and 75th percentile ACT composite, so a 19 or 20 ACT sits near the center of the range at these colleges. Rows are sorted from highest to lowest acceptance rate.
Each column in the table means the following.
The range describes enrolled students who submitted an ACT. At test-optional colleges, students with lower scores often don't submit them, and the midpoint is our own summary of the two ends.
To see how your own score compares, read what a 1020 SAT or a 20 ACT means for a college list, then check college costs by state for price context.
The University of Texas at El Paso is first on this list, with acceptance rate of 99.9%. It leads 24 qualifying colleges in the dataset, so check what the number measures before treating it as a recommendation.
24 of the 354 colleges in our dataset qualify, and the table shows the top 20. Colleges with a missing value are excluded.
No. The list sorts on one number. It does not measure teaching, fit, program strength or what you would pay, so use it to find colleges to look at and then check each profile and the college's own website.
Colleges are drawn from the 354-college dataset built from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (May 2026 release (file published 2026-05-26); fetched 2026-10-14). Selection: Four-year public and private nonprofit colleges with at least 500 undergraduates: every college admitting 55% or fewer applicants, plus the 150 largest by undergraduate enrollment. Colleges that do not report test ranges are included with ranges shown as not reported. Reporting periods for the fields on this page: AcadYr 2021-22; Fall 2016 or AcadYr 2016-17 entry cohort, as applicable; Fall 2022. Full definitions are on the methodology page, and the numbers are available as an open download.
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