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🎯 Most Selective US Colleges

Four-year colleges that admit the smallest share of applicants.

📅 2026📏 % admitted100 entries🇺🇸 See all of this country’s rankings →
Every dot is one entry, placed by its value (% admitted); the vertical bar marks each row’s median.
1
California Institute of TechnologyPasadena, CA
2.6%
2
Stanford UniversityStanford, CA
3.6%
3
Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA
3.7%
4
Yale UniversityNew Haven, CT
3.9%
5
Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, NY
4.0%
6
University of ChicagoChicago, IL
4.5%
7
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA
4.6%
8
Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ
4.6%
9
Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA
5.2%
10
Brown UniversityProvidence, RI
5.4%
11
Dartmouth CollegeHanover, NH
5.4%
12
University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA
5.4%
13
Duke UniversityDurham, NC
5.7%
14
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN
5.9%
15
Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD
6.4%
16
Colby CollegeWaterville, ME
7.1%
17
Pomona CollegeClaremont, CA
7.1%
18
Bowdoin CollegeBrunswick, ME
7.1%
19
Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore, PA
7.5%
20
Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL
7.7%
21
Rice UniversityHouston, TX
8.0%
22
Williams CollegeWilliamstown, MA
8.3%
23
Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY
8.8%
24
Barnard CollegeNew York, NY
8.8%
25
University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
9.0%
26
Amherst CollegeAmherst, MA
9.0%
27
New York UniversityNew York, NY
9.2%
28
United States Naval AcademyAnnapolis, MD
9.3%
29
Claremont McKenna CollegeClaremont, CA
9.6%
30
University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA
9.8%
31
Stanbridge UniversityIrvine, CA
10.0%
32
Emory UniversityAtlanta, GA
10.7%
33
Middlebury CollegeMiddlebury, VT
10.8%
34
University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, CA
11.0%
35
Boston UniversityBoston, MA
11.1%
36
University of Notre DameNotre Dame, IN
11.3%
37
Tufts UniversityMedford, MA
11.5%
38
Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh, PA
11.7%
39
College of the OzarksPoint Lookout, MO
12.0%
40
Washington University in St LouisSt. Louis, MO
12.1%
41
Haverford CollegeHaverford, PA
12.4%
42
United States Military AcademyWest Point, NY
12.5%
43
Harvey Mudd CollegeClaremont, CA
12.7%
44
Georgetown UniversityWashington, DC
12.9%
45
Bates CollegeLewiston, ME
13.3%
46
Davidson CollegeDavidson, NC
13.4%
47
Hamilton CollegeClinton, NY
13.6%
48
Colgate UniversityHamilton, NY
13.9%
49
Washington and Lee UniversityLexington, VA
14.0%
50
Tulane University of LouisianaNew Orleans, LA
14.0%
51
Wellesley CollegeWellesley, MA
14.1%
52
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main CampusAtlanta, GA
14.1%
53
United States Air Force AcademyUSAF Academy, CO
14.1%
54
Grinnell CollegeGrinnell, IA
14.5%
55
University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC
15.3%
56
University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI
15.6%
57
Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA
16.4%
58
Wesleyan UniversityMiddletown, CT
16.5%
59
University of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville, VA
16.8%
60
Babson CollegeWellesley, MA
17.1%
61
Denison UniversityGranville, OH
17.4%
62
College of the Holy CrossWorcester, MA
17.6%
63
Colorado CollegeColorado Springs, CO
18.5%
64
Vassar CollegePoughkeepsie, NY
18.6%
65
Rhode Island School of DesignProvidence, RI
18.7%
66
University of MiamiCoral Gables, FL
18.9%
67
Berea CollegeBerea, KY
19.3%
68
Carleton CollegeNorthfield, MN
20.4%
69
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical UniversityTallahassee, FL
20.6%
70
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and ArtNew York, NY
20.7%
71
Hillsdale CollegeHillsdale, MI
20.7%
72
Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA
21.0%
73
Skidmore CollegeSaratoga Springs, NY
21.1%
74
Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, NC
21.7%
75
University of RichmondUniversity of Richmond, VA
22.2%
76
United States Coast Guard AcademyNew London, CT
22.4%
77
Citadel Military College of South CarolinaCharleston, SC
22.7%
78
University of FloridaGainesville, FL
24.2%
79
Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FL
24.2%
80
Reed CollegePortland, OR
24.6%
81
Spelman CollegeAtlanta, GA
24.9%
82
Pitzer CollegeClaremont, CA
25.2%
83
Trinity UniversitySan Antonio, TX
25.9%
84
Lehigh UniversityBethlehem, PA
25.9%
85
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-FajardoFajardo, PR
26.5%
86
The University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX
26.6%
87
University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla, CA
26.7%
88
Villanova UniversityVillanova, PA
27.0%
89
Franklin and Marshall CollegeLancaster, PA
28.2%
90
Macalester CollegeSaint Paul, MN
28.5%
91
University of Virginia's College at WiseWise, VA
28.5%
92
University of California-IrvineIrvine, CA
28.6%
93
Bucknell UniversityLewisburg, PA
28.9%
94
Mississippi Christian UniversityClinton, MS
29.1%
95
Trinity CollegeHartford, CT
29.3%
96
Bryn Mawr CollegeBryn Mawr, PA
29.4%
97
University of North Carolina School of the ArtsWinston Salem, NC
30.0%
98
Kenyon CollegeGambier, OH
31.0%
99
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA
31.3%
100
Lafayette CollegeEaston, PA
31.5%

Highlights

Within United States, California Institute of Technology ranks first in 2026 (lowest value) with 2.6%, followed by Stanford University (3.6%) and Harvard University (3.7%).

Across 100 entries, values run from 2.6% (California Institute of Technology) to 31.5% (Lafayette College), with a median of 14.0%.

Source: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard, 2026. Unit: % admitted.

Source: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard · Public domain (U.S. government work) · fetched Oct 13, 2026 — Admission rate of the most recent entering class. Only four-year schools with at least 800 undergraduates are ranked.