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These colleges enroll the largest share of undergraduates receiving federal Pell Grants. 350 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 University of Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico).
Across all 350 qualifying colleges the pell share runs from 0.0% (Hillsdale College) to 86.9% (University of Puerto Rico), with a median of 23.2%. For comparison, the median across the 350 colleges in the full dataset that report it is 23.2%.
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 350 qualifying colleges, 168 are public and 182 are private nonprofit. Within the table, Puerto Rico appears 11 times, Louisiana appears 3 times. The median graduation rate among the 20 listed colleges that report it is 39.6%, against 73.1% for the whole dataset. The median net price among the 20 listed colleges that report it is $10,583, against $19,857 for the whole dataset. 8 of the 20 listed colleges report an SAT range, and the midpoints of those ranges have a median near 970.
Pell Grants go to undergraduates with significant financial need, so the Pell share is a common stand-in for how many low-income students a college serves.
Each column in the table means the following.
The Pell share describes the student body, not the quality of the college or the support it offers, so read it alongside graduation and retention.
To see how your own score compares, read what a 970 SAT or a 17 ACT means for a college list, then check college costs by state for price context.
University of Puerto Rico is first on this list, with pell share of 86.9%. It leads 350 qualifying colleges in the dataset, so check what the number measures before treating it as a recommendation.
350 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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