Selectivity
These colleges admit the smallest share of applicants among the colleges in our dataset. 354 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 California Institute of Technology (California).
Across all 354 qualifying colleges the acceptance rate runs from 2.6% (California Institute of Technology) to 99.9% (The University of Texas at El Paso), with a median of 44.6%. For comparison, the median across the 354 colleges in the full dataset that report it is 44.6%.
| # | College | State | Acceptance rate | SAT middle 50% | Graduation rate | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Institute of Technology | CA | 2.6% | — | 94.4% | $16,075 |
| 2 | Minerva University | CA | 3.0% | — | — | — |
| 3 | Harvard University | MA | 3.6% | 1510–1580 | 97.6% | $19,066 |
| 4 | Stanford University | CA | 3.6% | 1510–1580 | 91.9% | $13,807 |
| 5 | Yale University | CT | 3.9% | 1470–1570 | 95.7% | $23,777 |
| 6 | Columbia University in the City of New York | NY | 4.0% | 1510–1580 | 96.1% | $21,590 |
| 7 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MA | 4.5% | 1520–1580 | 96.4% | $20,111 |
| 8 | University of Chicago | IL | 4.5% | 1510–1580 | 95.9% | $14,860 |
| 9 | Princeton University | NJ | 4.6% | 1510–1580 | 97.6% | $6,128 |
| 10 | Northeastern University | MA | 5.2% | 1440–1540 | 90.5% | $30,915 |
| 11 | Brown University | RI | 5.4% | 1510–1580 | 95.7% | $25,184 |
| 12 | Dartmouth College | NH | 5.4% | 1500–1570 | 95.5% | $29,519 |
| 13 | University of Pennsylvania | PA | 5.4% | 1510–1570 | 96.5% | $28,699 |
| 14 | Duke University | NC | 5.7% | 1500–1570 | 96.8% | $29,612 |
| 15 | Vanderbilt University | TN | 5.9% | 1500–1570 | 93.5% | $15,846 |
| 16 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | 6.4% | 1520–1570 | 93.8% | $18,809 |
| 17 | Bowdoin College | ME | 7.1% | 1470–1550 | 95.3% | $14,398 |
| 18 | Colby College | ME | 7.1% | 1460–1550 | 88.8% | $17,180 |
| 19 | Pomona College | CA | 7.1% | 1490–1560 | 93.2% | $19,285 |
| 20 | Swarthmore College | PA | 7.5% | 1490–1560 | 92.3% | $23,149 |
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 354 qualifying colleges, 172 are public and 182 are private nonprofit. Within the table, California appears 4 times, Massachusetts appears 3 times, Pennsylvania appears 2 times. The median graduation rate among the 19 listed colleges that report it is 95.5%, against 73.1% for the whole dataset. The median net price among the 19 listed colleges that report it is $19,285, against $19,857 for the whole dataset. 18 of the 20 listed colleges report an SAT range, and the midpoints of those ranges have a median near 1540.
A low acceptance rate means demand far exceeds the number of seats. At this level, most admitted students have test scores and grades well inside or above the published middle 50% range, and the rest of the application does the work of separating similar candidates.
Each column in the table means the following.
Selectivity is not the same as fit, teaching quality or outcomes. Treat these as reach schools for nearly every applicant, however strong, and build the rest of your list around them.
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.
California Institute of Technology is first on this list, with acceptance rate of 2.6%. It leads 354 qualifying colleges in the dataset, so check what the number measures before treating it as a recommendation.
354 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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