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College acceptance rates, explained

By Select Your College editors · Updated · Where our data comes from

The campus of the University of Michigan
Photo: AndrewHorne, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Acceptance rate is the share of applicants a college admits. It is the most quoted number in admissions and one of the easiest to misread. Across the 1,512 four-year colleges that report one, the median is 77%.

The real distribution

  • 34 four-year colleges admit fewer than 10% of applicants.
  • 90 admit fewer than 25%.
  • 826 admit 75% or more.
  • 758 of the 2-year colleges in our data have open admission: anyone with a high school diploma or equivalent can enroll.

Most college students go to schools that admit most of their applicants.

Why a low rate does not mean a better school

A school's acceptance rate depends on how many people apply, not only on how good it is. Schools that market heavily or join application platforms can get more applicants and a lower rate without changing anything else. Look at outcomes instead: graduation rate, earnings and debt.

Your chances are not the acceptance rate

The rate is an average across everyone who applied. Your odds depend on how you compare with admitted students: grades, course rigor, scores and the rest of your application. Compare your scores with each school's middle 50% range using the test score fit tool.

Find schools by acceptance rate

Sources

Frequently asked questions

What is a good acceptance rate?

There is no good or bad acceptance rate. A high rate means you are likely to get in; a low rate means admission is competitive. Judge schools on cost and outcomes, and use the rate only to balance your list.

What does open admission mean?

An open-admission college admits anyone who has a high school diploma or equivalent. Most community colleges work this way, although specific programs such as nursing may have their own requirements.

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