Best Colleges Where More Than Half of Applicants Get In
Are the elite colleges a long shot? Whether you’re a B or even C student hoping for a great education, or a stronger student in search of a safety school, these top colleges that accept at least 51% of applicants are worth a close look.
Published on Aug. 12, 2019. Sources: U.S. Department of Education, Peterson's, PayScale.com, MONEY/College Measures calculations.
College Name Overall MONEY Rank | Acceptance rate | Median SAT/ACT score | Est. price 2019-20 with avg. grant | % of students who get any grants | Average student debt | Early career earnings |
|---|
College Name Overall MONEY Rank | Acceptance rate | Median SAT/ACT score | Est. price 2019-20 with avg. grant | % of students who get any grants | Average student debt | Early career earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
12 1 Riverside, CA | 57% | 1200/26 | $13,200 | 81% | $19,000 | $54,000 |
18 2 College Station, TX | 71% | 1250/28 | $20,900 | 54% | $18,520 | $59,000 |
20 3 Champaign, IL | 62% | 1420/29 | $17,800 | 51% | $20,130 | $61,000 |
25 4 Buzzards Bay, MA | 83% | 1120/23 | $15,500 | 48% | $26,930 | $67,200 |
29 5 Northridge, CA | 58% | 1020/20 | $6,400 | 70% | $13,830 | $49,600 |
34 6 Blacksburg, VA | 70% | 1270/28 | $20,000 | 49% | $23,250 | $60,900 |
40 7 Raleigh, NC | 51% | 1310/29 | $14,300 | 53% | $20,710 | $55,800 |
41 8 | 55% | 1120/24 | $13,500 | 67% | $18,500 | $56,000 |
46 9 Madison, WI | 54% | 1370/29 | $17,000 | 41% | $22,240 | $55,700 |
49 10 Lexington, VA | 53% | 1190/26 | $17,200 | 72% | $23,900 | $63,900 |
50 11 New Brunswick, NJ | 58% | 1300/NA | $17,100 | 50% | $22,250 | $57,800 |
51 12 Fresno, CA | 59% | 1010/19 | $6,300 | 75% | $14,370 | $49,800 |
55 13 West Lafayette, IN | 57% | 1270/28 | $12,900 | 50% | $20,430 | $60,200 |
56 14 Chico, CA | 68% | 1080/22 | $15,100 | 62% | $16,750 | $55,100 |
57 15 Harrisonburg, VA | 75% | 1180/26 | $17,200 | 34% | $20,500 | $55,800 |
59 16 East Lansing, MI | 72% | 1210/26 | $17,800 | 52% | $25,200 | $53,900 |
63 17 Seaside, CA | 53% | 1070/21 | $12,000 | 69% | $13,750 | $48,700 |
64 18 Fairfax, VA | 81% | 1200/27 | $19,900 | 49% | $19,500 | $57,200 |
68 19 Turlock, CA | 77% | NA/NA | $7,200 | 82% | $14,220 | $48,000 |
69 20 Newark, DE | 63% | 1230/27 | $17,400 | 63% | $24,250 | $56,700 |
70 21 San Bernardino, CA | 57% | 1000/19 | $9,300 | 81% | $15,000 | $47,900 |
71 22 | 52% | 1230/26 | $19,400 | 76% | $19,200 | $51,800 |
73 23 Chicago, IL | 77% | 1210/23 | $12,700 | 65% | $18,110 | $55,000 |
75 24 Montclair, NJ | 71% | 1070/NA | $16,300 | 48% | $23,000 | $49,100 |
80 25 Chicago, IL | 86% | NA/NA | $16,400 | 78% | $19,500 | $47,300 |
85 26 Albany, NY | 54% | 1170/24 | $17,200 | 61% | $20,500 | $51,500 |
86 27 Brooklyn, NY | 68% | 960/20 | $17,200 | 86% | $20,010 | $45,700 |
92 28 Charleston, SC | 81% | 1120/23 | $18,200 | 63% | $22,490 | $58,800 |
93 29 Camarillo, CA | 78% | NA/NA | $15,800 | 69% | $15,000 | $49,300 |
96 30 | 54% | NA/NA | $5,300 | 79% | $13,740 | $47,400 |
97 31 Bloomington, IN | 76% | 1250/28 | $13,300 | 61% | $21,500 | $52,200 |
99 32 Buffalo, NY | 57% | 1170/26 | $17,200 | 55% | $19,500 | $52,600 |
103 33 Santa Cruz, CA | 51% | 1250/29 | $17,900 | 69% | $19,700 | $56,100 |
104 34 San Jose, CA | 67% | 1110/23 | $14,800 | 61% | $15,000 | $61,300 |
104 34 Mahwah, NJ | 57% | 1140/24 | $17,700 | 42% | $22,500 | $50,100 |
107 36 Towson, MD | 77% | 1130/23 | $16,300 | 49% | $17,750 | $49,800 |
108 37 Ames, IA | 89% | 1290/25 | $14,900 | 69% | $23,260 | $54,900 |
109 38 Amherst, MA | 58% | 1270/29 | $22,700 | 71% | $23,450 | $55,800 |
112 39 Vallejo, CA | 66% | NA/NA | $15,600 | 52% | $26,000 | $67,500 |
114 40 Huntingdon, PA | 71% | NA/NA | $27,900 | 100% | $27,000 | $50,100 |
116 41 Saint Joseph, MN | 81% | 1120/25 | $28,700 | 100% | $27,000 | $47,900 |
117 42 Durham, NH | 77% | 1170/26 | $24,400 | 61% | $27,000 | $52,600 |
117 42 Iowa City, IA | 86% | 1260/26 | $15,800 | 63% | $21,500 | $52,500 |
119 44 Athens, GA | 54% | 1290/29 | $17,000 | 85% | $18,750 | $52,600 |
121 45 Golden, CO | 56% | 1380/30 | $27,200 | 72% | $25,000 | $74,100 |
122 46 Loudonville, NY | 78% | NA/NA | $29,800 | 92% | $26,900 | $52,100 |
123 47 Kansas City, MO | 72% | 1140/25 | $24,900 | 70% | $21,500 | $54,600 |
129 48 Normal, IL | 89% | NA/24 | $20,500 | 53% | $21,250 | $49,700 |
129 48 Boston, MA | 60% | 1220/27 | $31,700 | 93% | $25,000 | $52,800 |
132 50 Lake Forest, IL | 53% | NA/NA | $27,400 | 96% | $27,000 | $53,700 |
Rank
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Syracuse, NY
Money rank
71
Median SAT/ACT score
1230/26
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12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
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25
Blacksburg, VA
Money rank
34
Median SAT/ACT score
1270/28
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
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50
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