Public Colleges with the Lowest Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate of the 448 public colleges that have competitive admission is 77.56% for the academic year 2023-2024. Compared to last year, the acceptance rate is higher by 0.23%. The acceptance rate at 219 public colleges increased and the rate of 228 colleges decreased.

University of California-Los Angeles has the lowest (i.e. hard to admit) acceptance rate of 8.73%. University of California-Berkeley (11.66%) and Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus (16.46%) are following it in the list of Tightest Public 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 $34,771 and graduate tuition & fees is $27,980 for the academic year 2023-2024.

We note that the actual tightness of admission lies in considering other admission requirements such as SAT score.
Table. Tightest Public Colleges To Get In Comparison
School NameAcceptance RateYieldSAT ScoreUndergraduate Tuition & FeesTotal PopulationGraduation RateStudents to Faculty Ratio
1
-		University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CAPublic, 4-year 8.73%
0.16%		51.70%-$44,524
($13,747)		46,43092.00%18 to 1
2
-		University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CAPublic, 4-year 11.66%
0.33%		45.25%-$45,627
($14,850)		45,30794.00%19 to 1
3
1		Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Atlanta, GAPublic, 4-year 16.46%
0.67%		43.64%1,450$32,876
($11,764)		45,29692.00%19 to 1
4
2		University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VAPublic, 4-year 16.86%
1.80%		41.60%1,490$59,633
($22,323)		26,08295.00%15 to 1
5
-		University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MIPublic, 4-year 17.94%
0.25%		47.49%1,470$60,107
($18,309)		51,22593.00%12 to 1
6
3		University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NCPublic, 4-year 18.74%
1.63%		43.31%1,470$39,330
($8,989)		31,70591.00%17 to 1
7
10		Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Tallahassee, FLPublic, 4-year 21.12%
11.81%		29.00%1,090$17,725
($5,785)		9,21560.00%14 to 1
8
16		Grambling State University Grambling, LAPublic, 4-year 23.68%
18.69%		15.78%970$16,706
($7,683)		5,05836.00%25 to 1
9
1		University of Florida Gainesville, FLPublic, 4-year 24.03%
0.68%		43.05%1,390$28,659
($6,381)		55,21190.00%16 to 1
10
1		University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CAPublic, 4-year 24.52%
0.81%		21.85%-$46,042
($15,265)		42,00687.00%19 to 1
11
3		Alcorn State University Alcorn State, MSPublic, 4-year 24.66%
5.27%		27.27%920$8,549
($8,549)		2,93347.00%16 to 1
12
1		Florida State University Tallahassee, FLPublic, 4-year 25.38%
0.34%		31.34%1,310$21,683
($6,517)		44,16184.00%17 to 1
13
6		University of California-Irvine Irvine, CAPublic, 4-year 25.57%
4.42%		21.95%-$45,014
($14,237)		35,93786.00%18 to 1
14
2		University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CAPublic, 4-year 27.78%
1.93%		16.37%-$45,742
($14,965)		26,42085.00%17 to 1
15
1		The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TXPublic, 4-year 29.12%
2.23%		48.75%1,370$42,778
($11,678)		52,38487.00%18 to 1
16
1		California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CAPublic, 4-year 29.75%
0.68%		27.83%-$30,995
($11,075)		22,00085.00%20 to 1
17
1		William & Mary Williamsburg, VAPublic, 4-year 32.72%
0.78%		28.20%1,450$49,412
($25,041)		9,65490.00%12 to 1
18
2		San Diego State University San Diego, CAPublic, 4-year 34.44%
4.82%		21.61%-$20,170
($8,290)		37,40278.00%25 to 1
19
6		University of Georgia Athens, GAPublic, 4-year 37.20%
5.35%		38.05%1,270$30,220
($11,180)		40,60788.00%17 to 1
20
3		Binghamton University Vestal, NYPublic, 4-year 37.73%
4.02%		16.57%1,410$29,453
($10,363)		18,31282.00%19 to 1
21
5		Clemson University Clemson, SCPublic, 4-year 38.05%
4.93%		19.64%1,320$39,498
($15,554)		28,46685.00%16 to 1
22
12		CUNY Graduate School and University Center New York, NYPublic, 4-year 38.61%
14.80%		26.23%-$15,360
($7,410)		8,733-11 to 1
23University of California-Merced Merced, CAPublic, 4-year 39.18%9.08%-$44,944
($14,167)		9,10367.00%19 to 1
24
2		University of Central Florida Orlando, FLPublic, 4-year 39.52%
1.52%		34.21%1,272$22,467
($6,368)		68,34675.00%29 to 1
25
10		North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NCPublic, 4-year 39.85%
7.32%		35.89%1,380$31,767
($8,895)		36,70084.00%16 to 1
Average27.33%31.43%1,315$34,771
($11,975)		31,94881.38%18 to 1