Diversity
These colleges have the most even mix of racial and ethnic groups among undergraduates. 353 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 Minerva University (California).
Across all 353 qualifying colleges the diversity index runs from 0 (Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla) to 95 (Minerva University), with a median of 63. For comparison, the median across the 353 colleges in the full dataset that report it is 63.
| # | College | State | Diversity index | Acceptance rate | Graduation rate | Undergrads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minerva University | CA | 95 | 3.0% | — | 637 |
| 2 | University of Virginia's College at Wise | VA | 87 | 28.5% | 47.1% | 1,101 |
| 3 | Harvey Mudd College | CA | 82 | 12.7% | 91.9% | 921 |
| 4 | Pomona College | CA | 82 | 7.1% | 93.2% | 1,666 |
| 5 | Swarthmore College | PA | 82 | 7.5% | 92.3% | 1,613 |
| 6 | Columbia University in the City of New York | NY | 81 | 4.0% | 96.1% | 8,973 |
| 7 | Harvard University | MA | 81 | 3.6% | 97.6% | 7,601 |
| 8 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | 81 | 6.4% | 93.8% | 5,693 |
| 9 | New York University | NY | 81 | 9.2% | 87.6% | 28,663 |
| 10 | Northwestern University | IL | 81 | 7.7% | 95.1% | 9,201 |
| 11 | University of Pennsylvania | PA | 81 | 5.4% | 96.5% | 10,650 |
| 12 | University of Southern California | CA | 81 | 9.8% | 91.8% | 20,443 |
| 13 | Babson College | MA | 80 | 17.1% | 93.1% | 2,728 |
| 14 | Cornell University | NY | 80 | 8.8% | 95.4% | 15,995 |
| 15 | Emory University | GA | 80 | 10.7% | 91.1% | 7,298 |
| 16 | Hope International University | CA | 80 | 33.0% | 49.4% | 564 |
| 17 | Stanford University | CA | 80 | 3.6% | 91.9% | 7,554 |
| 18 | University of Chicago | IL | 80 | 4.5% | 95.9% | 7,569 |
| 19 | Yale University | CT | 80 | 3.9% | 95.7% | 6,758 |
| 20 | Amherst College | MA | 79 | 9.0% | 93.9% | 1,911 |
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 353 qualifying colleges, 172 are public and 181 are private nonprofit. Within the table, California appears 6 times, New York appears 3 times, Massachusetts appears 3 times. The median acceptance rate among the 20 listed colleges that report it is 7.6%, against 44.6% for the whole dataset. The median graduation rate among the 19 listed colleges that report it is 93.2%, against 73.1% for the whole dataset. 19 of the 20 listed colleges report an SAT range, and the midpoints of those ranges have a median near 1540.
The diversity index is computed by the app from Scorecard enrollment shares: it is the chance that two randomly chosen students come from different groups, on a scale of 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix.
Each column in the table means the following.
The index captures the balance among reported groups only. It does not measure inclusion, campus climate or socioeconomic diversity.
To see how your own score compares, read what a 1540 SAT or a 34 ACT means for a college list, then check college costs by state for price context.
Minerva University is first on this list, with diversity index of 95. It leads 353 qualifying colleges in the dataset, so check what the number measures before treating it as a recommendation.
353 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: 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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