The acceptance rate is only the first number.
Ten years of admissions, what it costs at your family's income, and what graduates earn. Straight from the U.S. Department of Education, with the year on every figure.
Most searched: NYU, Penn State, Harvard, UCLA, USC
Lowest acceptance rates, fall 2023
| College | Admit rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard | 3.5% |
| 2 | Stanford | 3.9% |
| 3 | Columbia University | 4.2% |
| 4 | Yale | 4.5% |
| 5 | Princeton | 4.5% |
| 6 | MIT | 4.7% |
Source: IPEDS fall 2023. Full list of the lowest acceptance rates
Colleges by state
Lowest acceptance rates, fall 2023
This list ranks the colleges on AdmitFacts by the share of applicants they admitted for fall 2023, lowest first.
Lowest out-of-state tuition, 2025-26
This list ranks the colleges on AdmitFacts by the tuition and fees they charge students from other states for 2025-26, lowest first.
Lowest net price for families earning up to $30,000
This list ranks the colleges on AdmitFacts by the average net price paid by students from families earning $0 to $30,000 a year, lowest first.
Sticker price vs net price
Why families with low incomes pay a fraction of tuition at many private colleges.
What "test-optional" means
Required, optional and blind, and which colleges still report SAT ranges.
Where these numbers come from
IPEDS and the College Scorecard: who collects them, and when they update.