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 August 25, 2020. 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 with average grant | % of students who get any grants | Average student debt | Early career earnings |
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College Name Overall Money Rank | Acceptance rate | Median SAT/ACT score | Est. price with average grant | % of students who get any grants | Average student debt | Early career earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 1 College Station, TX | 68% | 1280/28 | $20,000 | 55% | $18,500 | $59,200 |
15 2 | 55% | 1140/23 | $13,300 | 68% | $17,790 | $55,500 |
22 3 Champaign, IL | 62% | 1330/29 | $16,500 | 52% | $19,000 | $61,200 |
23 4 West Lafayette, IN | 58% | 1300/29 | $12,400 | 51% | $19,500 | $61,500 |
24 5 San Jose, CA | 55% | 1150/23 | $15,200 | 62% | $15,720 | $60,600 |
26 6 Lexington, VA | 51% | 1210/27 | $15,500 | 71% | $21,630 | $59,300 |
28 7 Madison, WI | 52% | 1370/30 | $14,800 | 42% | $20,500 | $55,000 |
36 8 Buzzards Bay, MA | 89% | 1130/23 | $16,000 | 45% | $26,650 | $63,700 |
37 9 Blacksburg, VA | 65% | 1290/28 | $19,200 | 50% | $22,900 | $61,300 |
40 10 Harrisonburg, VA | 71% | 1210/26 | $18,500 | 35% | $20,500 | $53,800 |
41 11 Newark, DE | 66% | 1260/28 | $16,600 | 60% | $24,390 | $56,200 |
45 12 Northridge, CA | 51% | 1030/19 | $8,900 | 73% | $14,490 | $48,600 |
48 13 Riverside, CA | 51% | 1220/26 | $13,500 | 82% | $19,000 | $51,600 |
52 14 Chico, CA | 65% | 1100/21 | $14,800 | 63% | $16,850 | $54,500 |
55 15 Turlock, CA | 86% | NA/NA | $7,200 | 81% | $14,250 | $46,900 |
55 15 East Lansing, MI | 78% | 1210/26 | $16,900 | 53% | $25,000 | $53,300 |
58 17 Bloomington, IN | 77% | 1260/28 | $12,500 | 64% | $20,500 | $50,900 |
58 17 Minneapolis, MN | 52% | 1380/29 | $17,400 | 56% | $19,500 | $55,600 |
62 19 Fresno, CA | 58% | 1020/19 | $7,100 | 77% | $15,000 | $48,000 |
64 20 Chicago, IL | 76% | 1120/24 | $12,800 | 66% | $17,400 | $55,400 |
66 21 Hayward, CA | 72% | NA/NA | $11,900 | 63% | $15,330 | $54,400 |
70 22 Sacramento, CA | 64% | 1040/19 | $10,300 | 73% | $15,570 | $52,100 |
72 23 Amherst, MA | 60% | 1300/29 | $22,700 | 73% | $23,250 | $55,000 |
74 24 | 64% | NA/NA | $4,700 | 80% | $14,500 | $46,500 |
75 25 Ames, IA | 91% | 1210/25 | $15,300 | 71% | $22,980 | $55,100 |
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76 26 Merced, CA | 66% | 1110/23 | $12,900 | 90% | $19,000 | $54,300 |
78 27 New Brunswick, NJ | 60% | 1300/28 | $17,000 | 51% | $22,030 | $56,700 |
86 28 San Bernardino, CA | 55% | 1000/18 | $9,000 | 81% | $15,380 | $45,200 |
87 29 Charleston, SC | 81% | 1130/23 | $17,100 | 65% | $23,250 | $59,700 |
89 30 Greencastle, IN | 63% | 1230/26 | $30,600 | 97% | $26,000 | $53,100 |
90 31 Castine, ME | 55% | 1090/24 | $21,800 | 59% | $27,000 | $70,600 |
94 32 Buffalo, NY | 56% | 1250/27 | $16,600 | 57% | $19,500 | $52,400 |
98 33 Tucson, AZ | 84% | 1190/25 | $16,300 | 72% | $20,000 | $54,700 |
99 34 | 61% | 1220/26 | $20,400 | 80% | $18,000 | $52,800 |
101 35 Durham, NH | 77% | 1180/25 | $23,700 | 66% | $27,000 | $51,900 |
102 36 Columbus, OH | 52% | 1350/30 | $19,500 | 66% | $20,500 | $54,300 |
103 37 Towson, MD | 79% | 1130/23 | $16,900 | 50% | $19,300 | $48,500 |
104 38 Provo, UT | 64% | 1310/29 | $13,700 | 73% | $12,100 | $56,900 |
105 39 Fairfax, VA | 81% | 1220/27 | $19,900 | 50% | $20,000 | $55,800 |
106 40 Montclair, NJ | 71% | 1080/NA | $17,800 | 53% | $23,250 | $48,400 |
109 41 San Francisco, CA | 72% | 1060/20 | $15,600 | 63% | $16,810 | $53,900 |
116 42 St. Mary's City, MD | 80% | 1180/26 | $21,400 | 81% | $21,500 | $50,000 |
118 43 Iowa City, IA | 83% | 1230/26 | $16,500 | 67% | $22,000 | $50,700 |
119 44 Oneonta, NY | 51% | 1050/24 | $15,700 | 61% | $20,500 | $44,500 |
120 45 Collegeville, MN | 80% | 1150/25 | $28,700 | 100% | $27,000 | $53,000 |
121 46 Charleston, IL | 55% | 1020/20 | $13,800 | 70% | $22,500 | $44,300 |
122 47 Houghton, MI | 74% | 1270/27 | $17,900 | 89% | $25,080 | $66,000 |
123 48 Tempe, AZ | 85% | 1250/26 | $14,300 | 77% | $20,350 | $53,600 |
126 49 Normal, IL | 89% | 1100/23 | $20,400 | 57% | $20,000 | $48,400 |
127 50 Newark, NJ | 64% | 1290/28 | $18,600 | 60% | $23,000 | $61,800 |
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Charleston, SC
Money rank
87
Est. price after average aid
$17,100
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Blacksburg, VA
Money rank
37
Est. price after average aid
$19,200
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
Syracuse, NY
Money rank
99
Est. price after average aid
$20,400
22
23
Pomona, CA
Money rank
15
Est. price after average aid
$13,300
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25
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27
28
29
30
31
32
33
College Station, TX
Money rank
11
Est. price after average aid
$20,000
34
35
36
37
38
San Bernardino, CA
Money rank
86
Est. price after average aid
$9,000
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40
41
42
Champaign, IL
Money rank
22
Est. price after average aid
$16,500
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50
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