The average acceptance rate of the 450 public colleges that have competitive admission is 77.13% for the academic year 2024-2025. Compared to last year, the acceptance rate is lower by 0.4%. The acceptance rate at 207 public colleges increased and the rate of 240 colleges decreased.
University of California-Los Angeles has the lowest (i.e. hard to admit) acceptance rate of 8.97%. University of California-Berkeley (10.98%) and Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus (14.07%) are following it in the list of Tightest Public 4-Years Colleges to Get In.
This ranking is only based on acceptance rates and more admission stats such as SAT and ACT scores are helpful to measure the chances to get in more accurately.
University of California-Los Angeles stays at first place of the lowest acceptance rate ranking since last year. University of California-Berkeley also maintained its second place in the ranking.
The average undergraduate tuition & fees of the schools is $34,744 and graduate tuition & fees is $27,291 for the academic year 2024-2025.
We note that the actual tightness of admission lies in considering other admission requirements such as SAT score.| School Name | Acceptance Rate | Yield | SAT Score | Undergraduate Tuition & Fees | Total Population | Graduation Rate | Students to Faculty Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 - | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CAPublic, 4-year | 8.97% 0.24% | 50.40% | - | $46,121 ($14,233) | 47,335 | 93.00% | 20 to 1 |
| 2 - | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CAPublic, 4-year | 10.98% 0.68% | 45.99% | - | $47,265 ($15,377) | 45,882 | 93.00% | 18 to 1 |
| 3 - | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Atlanta, GAPublic, 4-year | 14.07% 2.39% | 45.60% | 1,480 | $34,484 ($12,058) | 53,363 | 94.00% | 17 to 1 |
| 4 2 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NCPublic, 4-year | 15.34% 3.40% | 45.45% | 1,480 | $41,203 ($8,994) | 32,438 | 91.00% | 15 to 1 |
| 5 - | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MIPublic, 4-year | 15.64% 2.30% | 47.34% | 1,460 | $63,081 ($18,848) | 52,855 | 93.00% | 11 to 1 |
| 6 2 | University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VAPublic, 4-year | 16.81% 0.05% | 39.97% | 1,480 | $61,591 ($23,118) | 26,409 | 96.00% | 15 to 1 |
| 7 - | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Tallahassee, FLPublic, 4-year | 20.56% 0.56% | 30.55% | 1,100 | $17,725 ($5,785) | 9,313 | 53.00% | 14 to 1 |
| 8 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina Charleston, SCPublic, 4-year | 22.72% | 90.93% | 1,190 | $38,508 ($12,570) | 3,793 | 75.00% | 11 to 1 |
| 9 - | University of Florida Gainesville, FLPublic, 4-year | 24.20% 0.17% | 42.20% | 1,400 | $28,659 ($6,381) | 56,311 | 91.00% | 16 to 1 |
| 10 2 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FLPublic, 4-year | 24.22% 1.16% | 30.89% | 1,350 | $21,683 ($6,517) | 43,889 | 86.00% | 17 to 1 |
| 11 4 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TXPublic, 4-year | 26.64% 2.48% | 47.43% | 1,390 | $44,908 ($11,688) | 53,864 | 89.00% | 18 to 1 |
| 12 2 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CAPublic, 4-year | 26.71% 2.19% | 20.41% | - | $47,676 ($15,788) | 44,256 | 86.00% | 19 to 1 |
| 13 | University of Virginia's College at Wise Wise, VAPublic, 4-year | 28.54% | 15.12% | 1,050 | $28,010 ($11,780) | 2,167 | 47.00% | 14 to 1 |
| 14 1 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CAPublic, 4-year | 28.57% 3.00% | 19.22% | - | $46,640 ($14,752) | 37,297 | 87.00% | 19 to 1 |
| 15 4 | University of North Carolina School of the Arts Winston Salem, NCPublic, 4-year | 29.97% 3.13% | 55.45% | 1,270 | $27,211 ($9,477) | 1,111 | 78.00% | 6 to 1 |
| 16 - | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CAPublic, 4-year | 31.32% 1.57% | 24.61% | - | $33,230 ($12,161) | 23,069 | 86.00% | 19 to 1 |
| 17 3 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CAPublic, 4-year | 32.97% 5.19% | 13.78% | - | $47,332 ($15,444) | 26,133 | 83.00% | 17 to 1 |
| 18 - | William & Mary Williamsburg, VAPublic, 4-year | 34.07% 1.35% | 26.62% | 1,470 | $51,038 ($25,734) | 9,818 | 89.00% | 12 to 1 |
| 19 2 | United States Merchant Marine Academy Kings Point, NYPublic, 4-year | 34.24% 1.77% | 64.10% | 1,200 | $895 ($1,167) | 976 | 82.00% | 13 to 1 |
| 20 24 | Southern University and A & M College Baton Rouge, LAPublic, 4-year | 35.12% 14.75% | 20.07% | 900 | $17,272 ($9,922) | 8,279 | 27.00% | 21 to 1 |
| 21 1 | San Diego State University San Diego, CAPublic, 4-year | 36.19% 1.75% | 20.36% | - | $21,328 ($8,728) | 41,137 | 76.00% | 27 to 1 |
| 22 58 | West Virginia University Institute of Technology Beckley, WVPublic, 4-year | 36.68% 24.32% | 52.35% | 1,010 | $21,072 ($8,424) | 1,278 | 33.00% | 13 to 1 |
| 23 55 | Dickinson State University Dickinson, NDPublic, 4-year | 37.02% 23.03% | 51.79% | - | $9,118 ($9,118) | 1,410 | 51.00% | 16 to 1 |
| 24 3 | University of Georgia Athens, GAPublic, 4-year | 37.70% 0.50% | 38.30% | 1,370 | $31,688 ($11,450) | 43,146 | 90.00% | 17 to 1 |
| 25 2 | Clemson University Clemson, SCPublic, 4-year | 38.34% 0.29% | 20.69% | 1,320 | $40,866 ($15,554) | 29,077 | 87.00% | 16 to 1 |
| Average | 26.70% | 38.38% | 1,289 | $34,744 ($12,203) | 27,784 | 78.24% | 16 to 1 |