2021 Tightest Colleges To Admit Rankings
At a Glance
The acceptance rate is the percentage of students who are allowed to admitted. It is calculated by dividing the number of accepted students by the number of applicants. The "admitted" does not mean that all admitted students would enroll to school. An admitted student may or may not enroll to school and the term "Yield", also known as enrollment rate, is used to represent the percentage of enrolled students over admitted students.
Suppose that 1,500 students have applied, 500 students have allowed to admit, and finally 200 students have enrolled to a school. In this case, the acceptance rate is 33.33% (500 / 1,500 * 100) and the yield (enrollment rate is ) 40% (200 / 500 * 100).
In general, the lower the acceptance rate, the harder it is admitted to school.
In fact, the acceptance rate of most top ranked schools is low and the schools tend to keep their acceptance rate low.
Stanford University has the tightest acceptance rate (4.3412%) and Harvard University has the second lowest rate (4.6365%) based on academic year 2019-2020 admission data.
Below table ranks and compares the Tightest Colleges To Admit having lowest acceptance rate. For the acceptance rate rankings, we only include 4-year colleges that more than 5,000 students have applied to.
Tightest Colleges To Admit Comparison Table
| Rank | College Name | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled | Acceptance Rate | Yield | Tuition & Fees | Student Population | SAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | 47,498 | 2,062 | 1,698 | 4.34% | 82.35% | $56,169 | 17,381 | 1,505 |
| 2 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA | 43,330 | 2,009 | 1,649 | 4.64% | 82.08% | $53,968 | 31,566 | 1,515 |
| 3 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | 42,823 | 2,332 | 1,465 | 5.45% | 62.82% | $60,532 | 31,077 | 1,505 |
| 4 | Princeton University Princeton, NJ | 32,804 | 1,895 | 1,335 | 5.78% | 70.45% | $48,502 | 8,374 | 1,515 |
| 5 | Yale University New Haven, CT | 36,844 | 2,241 | 1,550 | 6.08% | 69.17% | $57,700 | 13,433 | 1,515 |
| 6 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | 34,641 | 2,137 | 1,726 | 6.17% | 80.77% | $59,298 | 17,002 | 1,535 |
| 7 | California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA | 8,367 | 537 | 235 | 6.42% | 43.76% | $56,862 | 2,233 | 1,545 |
| 8 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | 21,312 | 1,427 | 1,102 | 6.70% | 77.22% | $53,450 | 11,574 | 1,540 |
| 9 | Brown University Providence, RI | 38,674 | 2,733 | 1,662 | 7.07% | 60.81% | $60,584 | 10,257 | 1,505 |
| 10 | Pomona College Claremont, CA | 10,401 | 770 | 416 | 7.40% | 54.03% | $54,774 | 1,573 | 1,465 |
| 11 | Duke University Durham, NC | 41,947 | 3,187 | 1,731 | 7.60% | 54.31% | $57,633 | 16,606 | 1,525 |
| 12 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | 44,961 | 3,446 | 2,400 | 7.66% | 69.65% | $60,042 | 25,860 | 1,505 |
| 13 | Dartmouth College Hanover, NH | 23,650 | 1,875 | 1,190 | 7.93% | 63.47% | $59,458 | 6,572 | 1,500 |
| 14 | United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD | 16,332 | 1,360 | 1,181 | 8.33% | 86.84% | - | 4,512 | 1,350 |
| 15 | Rice University Houston, TX | 27,087 | 2,361 | 964 | 8.72% | 40.83% | $51,107 | 7,124 | 1,520 |
| 16 | Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA | 11,442 | 1,022 | 417 | 8.93% | 40.80% | $54,456 | 1,559 | 1,460 |
| 17 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL | 40,585 | 3,673 | 2,006 | 9.05% | 54.61% | $58,701 | 22,127 | 1,495 |
| 18 | Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME | 9,332 | 845 | 499 | 9.05% | 59.05% | $56,350 | 1,828 | - |
| 19 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | 37,310 | 3,402 | 1,604 | 9.12% | 47.15% | $54,158 | 12,824 | 1,510 |
| 20 | Colby College Waterville, ME | 13,584 | 1,314 | 522 | 9.67% | 39.73% | $59,430 | 2,000 | 1,450 |
| 21 | Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA | 6,066 | 625 | 328 | 10.30% | 52.48% | $56,475 | 1,327 | 1,435 |
| 22 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY | 49,114 | 5,330 | 3,189 | 10.85% | 59.83% | $59,282 | 23,600 | 1,480 |
| 23 | United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, CO | 10,354 | 1,147 | 1,132 | 11.08% | 98.69% | - | 4,336 | 1,335 |
| 24 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | 31,139 | 3,477 | 1,475 | 11.17% | 42.42% | $54,160 | 26,152 | 1,510 |
| 25 | Amherst College Amherst, MA | 10,569 | 1,195 | 470 | 11.31% | 39.33% | $60,890 | 1,855 | 1,415 |
| 26 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | 66,198 | 7,558 | 3,168 | 11.42% | 41.92% | $60,275 | 47,310 | 1,445 |
| 27 | Barnard College New York, NY | 9,320 | 1,097 | 632 | 11.77% | 57.61% | $57,479 | 2,562 | 1,430 |
| 28 | United States Military Academy West Point, NY | 11,675 | 1,405 | 1,171 | 12.03% | 83.35% | - | 4,589 | 1,270 |
| 29 | Bates College Lewiston, ME | 8,222 | 998 | 499 | 12.14% | 50.00% | $57,353 | 1,832 | - |
| 30 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 111,321 | 13,720 | 5,920 | 12.32% | 43.15% | $43,003 | 44,537 | 1,415 |
| 31 | Williams College Williamstown, MA | 9,715 | 1,224 | 546 | 12.60% | 44.61% | $50,450 | 2,149 | 1,480 |
| 32 | Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA | 42,185 | 5,431 | 1,821 | 12.87% | 33.53% | $58,852 | 12,646 | 1,440 |
| 33 | Colorado College Colorado Springs, CO | 9,456 | 1,277 | 535 | 13.50% | 41.90% | $60,864 | 2,144 | - |
| 34 | Washington University in St Louis Saint Louis, MO | 25,426 | 3,522 | 1,732 | 13.85% | 49.18% | $56,893 | 15,852 | 1,520 |
| 35 | Georgetown University Washington, DC | 22,764 | 3,269 | 1,584 | 14.36% | 48.46% | $57,928 | 19,204 | 1,465 |
| 36 | Tufts University Medford, MA | 22,766 | 3,404 | 1,612 | 14.95% | 47.36% | $60,862 | 11,586 | 1,465 |
| 37 | Middlebury College Middlebury, VT | 9,754 | 1,498 | 605 | 15.36% | 40.39% | $58,316 | 2,611 | 1,445 |
| 38 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA | 27,634 | 4,267 | 1,585 | 15.44% | 37.15% | $58,485 | 14,029 | 1,510 |
| 39 | Emory University Atlanta, GA | 30,017 | 4,682 | 1,374 | 15.60% | 29.35% | $53,868 | 14,458 | 1,445 |
| 40 | University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN | 22,200 | 3,515 | 2,051 | 15.83% | 58.35% | $57,699 | 12,607 | 1,475 |
| 41 | New York University New York, NY | 79,462 | 12,873 | 5,752 | 16.20% | 44.68% | $54,880 | 51,847 | 1,440 |
| 42 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | 87,847 | 14,278 | 6,455 | 16.25% | 45.21% | $44,066 | 42,501 | 1,430 |
| 43 | Hamilton College Clinton, NY | 8,339 | 1,367 | 473 | 16.39% | 34.60% | $58,510 | 2,005 | 1,445 |
| 44 | Wesleyan University Middletown, CT | 13,264 | 2,186 | 771 | 16.48% | 35.27% | $59,416 | 3,217 | - |
| 45 | Northeastern University Boston, MA | 62,263 | 11,240 | 2,996 | 18.05% | 26.65% | $55,452 | 21,627 | 1,465 |
| 46 | Davidson College Davidson, NC | 5,982 | 1,080 | 527 | 18.05% | 48.80% | $55,000 | 1,843 | 1,398 |
| 47 | Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA | 6,178 | 1,147 | 462 | 18.57% | 40.28% | $57,285 | 2,223 | 1,430 |
| 48 | Boston University Boston, MA | 62,224 | 11,786 | 3,156 | 18.94% | 26.78% | $58,072 | 34,657 | 1,425 |
| 49 | Carleton College Northfield, MN | 7,324 | 1,401 | 525 | 19.13% | 37.47% | $59,352 | 2,097 | 1,450 |
| 50 | Emory University-Oxford College Oxford, GA | 17,864 | 3,542 | 470 | 19.83% | 13.27% | $53,868 | 993 | 1,438 |
| 51 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Atlanta, GA | 36,856 | 7,584 | 3,076 | 20.58% | 40.56% | $33,964 | 32,723 | 1,405 |
| 52 | Wellesley College Wellesley, MA | 6,395 | 1,379 | 612 | 21.56% | 44.38% | $58,448 | 2,534 | 1,445 |
| 53 | Colgate University Hamilton, NY | 9,951 | 2,247 | 786 | 22.58% | 34.98% | $60,015 | 2,969 | 1,415 |
| 54 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | 42,465 | 9,610 | 4,182 | 22.63% | 43.52% | $36,159 | 30,011 | 1,405 |
| 55 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | 64,972 | 14,883 | 6,830 | 22.91% | 45.89% | $54,097 | 46,716 | 1,435 |
| 56 | Grinnell College Grinnell, IA | 8,004 | 1,847 | 460 | 23.08% | 24.91% | $56,680 | 1,716 | 1,450 |
| 57 | Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY | 8,961 | 2,127 | 691 | 23.74% | 32.49% | $61,010 | 2,456 | 1,445 |
| 58 | University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA | 40,839 | 9,778 | 3,920 | 23.94% | 40.09% | $53,627 | 24,639 | 1,430 |
| 59 | Babson College Wellesley, MA | 6,362 | 1,680 | 600 | 26.41% | 35.71% | $54,144 | 3,357 | 1,360 |
| 60 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | 95,565 | 25,360 | 6,069 | 26.54% | 23.93% | $43,507 | 36,032 | 1,295 |
| 61 | University of Miami Coral Gables, FL | 38,920 | 10,558 | 2,204 | 27.13% | 20.88% | $53,682 | 17,331 | 1,355 |
| 62 | Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA | 35,552 | 9,679 | 2,297 | 27.22% | 23.73% | $60,202 | 14,720 | 1,420 |
| 63 | Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH | 28,786 | 7,876 | 1,357 | 27.36% | 17.23% | $52,948 | 11,890 | 1,425 |
| 64 | Coppin State University Baltimore, MD | 9,789 | 2,739 | 442 | 27.98% | 16.14% | $13,113 | 2,738 | 895 |
| 65 | Villanova University Villanova, PA | 22,909 | 6,470 | 1,695 | 28.24% | 26.20% | $57,460 | 11,030 | 1,395 |
| 66 | University of Richmond University of Richmond, VA | 12,356 | 3,500 | 832 | 28.33% | 23.77% | $56,860 | 4,002 | 1,375 |
| 67 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA | 54,072 | 15,366 | 4,613 | 28.42% | 30.02% | $25,971 | 22,013 | 1,340 |
| 68 | Purdue University Northwest Hammond, IN | 5,670 | 1,620 | 1,235 | 28.57% | 76.23% | $14,223 | 10,473 | 1,070 |
| 69 | Trinity University San Antonio, TX | 9,864 | 2,837 | 646 | 28.76% | 22.77% | $46,456 | 2,637 | 1,370 |
| 70 | Denison University Granville, OH | 8,812 | 2,590 | 625 | 29.39% | 24.13% | $56,680 | 2,394 | 1,305 |
| 71 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | 93,446 | 27,626 | 4,935 | 29.56% | 17.86% | $44,160 | 25,976 | 1,355 |
| 72 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC | 12,559 | 3,717 | 1,360 | 29.60% | 36.59% | $57,760 | 8,401 | - |
| 73 | University of Rochester Rochester, NY | 21,642 | 6,430 | 1,500 | 29.71% | 23.33% | $58,241 | 11,817 | 1,405 |
| 74 | Brandeis University Waltham, MA | 11,343 | 3,391 | 863 | 29.90% | 25.45% | $57,230 | 5,800 | 1,435 |
| 75 | Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY | 11,102 | 3,336 | 735 | 30.05% | 22.03% | $58,128 | 2,613 | 1,310 |
| 76 | Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster, PA | 9,502 | 2,888 | 627 | 30.39% | 21.71% | $61,062 | 2,309 | - |
| 77 | American Musical and Dramatic Academy New York, NY | 7,741 | 2,382 | 536 | 30.77% | 22.50% | $41,960 | 1,676 | - |
| 78 | The University of West Florida Pensacola, FL | 7,194 | 2,230 | 1,163 | 31.00% | 52.15% | $18,658 | 12,847 | 1,170 |
| 79 | Lafayette College Easton, PA | 8,521 | 2,682 | 698 | 31.48% | 26.03% | $54,992 | 2,642 | 1,345 |
| 80 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | 99,114 | 31,200 | 6,015 | 31.48% | 19.28% | $44,402 | 37,887 | 1,370 |
| 81 | Pepperdine University Malibu, CA | 12,764 | 4,049 | 726 | 31.72% | 17.93% | $58,002 | 7,961 | 1,340 |
| 82 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX | 53,525 | 17,029 | 8,170 | 31.82% | 47.98% | $40,032 | 51,832 | 1,355 |
| 83 | Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA | 15,649 | 5,023 | 1,406 | 32.10% | 27.99% | $55,260 | 6,849 | 1,365 |
| 84 | Macalester College Saint Paul, MN | 6,598 | 2,129 | 502 | 32.27% | 23.58% | $58,478 | 2,174 | 1,415 |
| 85 | Smith College Northampton, MA | 5,597 | 1,817 | 633 | 32.46% | 34.84% | $54,224 | 2,903 | - |
| 86 | Savannah State University Savannah, GA | 8,207 | 2,725 | 812 | 33.20% | 29.80% | $16,624 | 4,077 | 965 |
| 87 | Emerson College Boston, MA | 15,353 | 5,120 | 942 | 33.35% | 18.40% | $50,444 | 4,573 | 1,305 |
| 88 | Trinity College Hartford, CT | 6,080 | 2,036 | 580 | 33.49% | 28.49% | $59,050 | 2,235 | 1,374 |
| 89 | Kenyon College Gambier, OH | 6,662 | 2,271 | 487 | 34.09% | 21.44% | $55,020 | 1,730 | 1,365 |
| 90 | San Diego State University San Diego, CA | 70,048 | 23,905 | 5,275 | 34.13% | 22.07% | $19,600 | 35,303 | 1,215 |
| 91 | College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MA | 7,200 | 2,464 | 829 | 34.22% | 33.64% | $54,770 | 2,939 | 1,345 |
| 92 | Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA | 9,845 | 3,370 | 964 | 34.23% | 28.61% | $58,202 | 3,668 | 1,343 |
| 93 | Southern University and A & M College Baton Rouge, LA | 10,563 | 3,687 | 1,338 | 34.90% | 36.29% | $16,720 | 6,693 | 990 |
| 94 | University of West Alabama Livingston, AL | 7,569 | 2,644 | 322 | 34.93% | 12.18% | $20,090 | 5,200 | 940 |
| 95 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY | 33,750 | 11,871 | 2,547 | 35.17% | 21.46% | $15,332 | 23,202 | 1,260 |
| 96 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Tallahassee, FL | 10,269 | 3,665 | 1,361 | 35.69% | 37.14% | $17,725 | 10,021 | 1,095 |
| 97 | University of Tulsa Tulsa, OK | 9,793 | 3,510 | 831 | 35.84% | 23.68% | $43,450 | 4,365 | 1,225 |
| 98 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL | 58,936 | 21,202 | 7,106 | 35.97% | 33.52% | $21,683 | 41,005 | 1,270 |
| 99 | Hampton University Hampton, VA | 9,551 | 3,438 | 927 | 36.00% | 26.96% | $29,312 | 4,321 | 1,050 |
| 100 | Howard University Washington, DC | 21,006 | 7,578 | 1,925 | 36.08% | 25.40% | $28,440 | 9,139 | 1,205 |