The top 30 hardest colleges in the US are ranked by Fortune 500, with 75% of top 20 CEOs holding MBAs, 100% holding undergraduate degrees, and 11.8% attending IVY institutions.
Source: Colleges of Distinction
Hardest Colleges to Get Into in the US: Successful people have good educations. A Fortune 500 poll found that 75% of the world’s top 20 CEOs had an MBA or other graduate degree in 2023, 100% had an undergraduate degree, and 11.8% of the top 100 CEOs attended IVY colleges.
An institution’s value can be assessed using alumni wages, academic accomplishments, net expenses, graduation and retention rates, and more. Excellence does not necessarily mean exclusivity or low acceptability.
The most prestigious US university pays new graduates almost $110,000 per year. A graduate from any American university with a 100% acceptance rate would earn less than half that amount. In 2023, elite university alumni tended to hold the highest-paying bachelor’s degrees.
The 30 Hardest US Colleges to Get Into In essence, top US universities that generate the most competent graduates have low acceptance rates and fierce competition. Exclusivity is an indirect indicator of students’ economic value to a school.
In the United States, an extensive variety of inclusive colleges exist. Conversely, although certain universities employ a fluid admissions policy, others employ a selective admissions process.
In contrast, education is generally expensive in the United States, and the majority of graduates must work for years to repay their debt. The United States has the highest cost of education, with tuition averaging $27,091 per year.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 8%
15,321 is the total number of undergraduate applicants for the fall of 2022.
A private liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts, Williams College was founded in 1793 and has an admittance rate of fewer than 8%. NCES data shows Williams College graduate students pay $64,540 in tuition and fees. Williams College has 2,169 undergraduates.
13 percent acceptance rate (fall 2022).
Applicants totaling 26,509 for undergraduate admission in the fall of 2022.
For the Fall 2022 academic year, 26,500 applicants applied to Notre Dame, which has a 13% acceptance rate and is one of the top 30 hardest universities to get into in the US. It was founded in 1842 as a private university in Notre Dame, Indiana. Notre Dame has 1,553 full-time and 203 part-time faculty, giving a 9-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 7%
14,707 is the total number of undergraduate applicants for the fall of 2022.
Swarthmore College, established in 1864, is a private liberal arts institution located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. At this time, this extremely selective institution is housing a mere 1,625 undergraduate students. Eight to one is the student-to-faculty ratio at Swarthmore College.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 8%
16,890 is the total number of undergraduate applicants for the fall of 2022.
Private liberal arts college Colby College ranks 27th. Construction began in Waterville, Maine, around 1813. Colby is one of the hardest universities in the US to get into due to its large application pool and low acceptance rate. About 1,351 of 16,890 fall 2022 applicants were accepted.
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Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 7%
14,864 in total are undergraduate applicants for the fall of 2022.
Amherst College, founded in 1821, is a highly selective private college. Students at Amherst receive career counseling, student employment, and graduate placement. Despite 14,864 applicants, the Fall 2022 admittance percentage was 7%.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 12%
There were 26,638 undergraduate applicants in total for the fall of 2022.
The list ranks At number 25, Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., founded in 1789, is one of the most prominent and selective US universities. The academic year 2023–24 tuition is $65,081. About 3,197 of 26,638 fall 2022 undergraduate applicants were accepted.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 12%
32,014 undergraduate applicants in total (Fall 2022).
In 1853, in St. Louis, Washington University, a private research institution bearing the name of the nation’s first president, was established. In Fall 2022, a total of 17,012 students are registered, with 8,132 of them being matriculated as undergraduates.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 11%
31,615 are the total number of undergraduate applicants for the fall 15th.
Tulane University of Louisiana, which was established in 1834, is located in New Orleans. It offers, among other things, career counseling, job placement assistance, and on-campus child care for graduates and their children. Current enrollment at Tulane University of Louisiana comprises 8,795 undergraduates.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 11%
34,261 undergraduate applicants in total (Fall 2022).
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the location of the 22nd-ranked Carnegie Mellon University. Since its founding in 1900, it has operated as a private institution. According to the most recent data available, Carnegie Mellon University has a total enrollment of 7,059 undergraduate students, with a gender ratio of 50:50.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 10%
34,882 comprise the total number of undergraduate applications (fall 2022).
Tufts University, founded in 1852 and located in Medford, Massachusetts, is among the most nationally recognized academic establishments in the United States. Additionally, it is one of the most challenging colleges in the world to be accepted to. The tuition fee for the 2023–2024 academic year at Tufts University is $67,844.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 9%
31,443 is the total number of undergraduate applicants for fall 2022.
A private university in Houston, Texas, Rice University has been academically active since 1912. This respected college offers over fifty specializations in seven academic fields. Rice University had 4,494 undergraduates as of the latest report.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 6%
28,336 are the total number of undergraduate applicants that fell in 2022.
Hanover’s Dartmouth College is one of the nation’s most active colleges. The list ranks it nineteenth. Being one of the eight Ivy League schools makes it one of the most prestigious and difficult universities in the US. Dartmouth has 4,458 undergraduates.
Autumn 2022 acceptance rate: 7%
Applicants for Fall 2022 undergraduate admission: 37,844.
Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, is one of the top 20 hardest colleges in the US. The institution charged $63,340 in tuition for 2023–2024. The university offers job placement, counseling, and employment services in addition to a wide range of educational opportunities. Johns Hopkins University has 5,117 full-time faculty and 6,044 students.
Fall 2022 acceptance: 3%
Fall 2022 undergraduate applicants total 16,626.
California Institute of Technology, founded in 1891 in Pasadena, ranks sixteenth on the list of most difficult institutions to get into. Due to limited applicant competition, California Institute of Technology University ranks among the top 20 despite having one of the lowest acceptance rates in the US. Undergraduate enrollment is 2,401.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 12%
69,062 Incoming Undergraduate Applicants in Total (Fall 2022).
An additional prestigious institution in the United States that faces intense competition and has a low rate of acceptance is the University of South California. Established in 1880, this institution is located in Los Angeles, California, and boasts a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1. The institution has an estimated enrolment of 20,699 students, according to the most recent data available. USC provides career services, counseling, on-campus daycare for students’ children, a diversity of majors, and distinctive educational opportunities, in addition to placing graduates.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 6%
38,019 undergraduate applicants in total (Fall 2022).
Located in Princeton, New Jersey, and ranked fifteenth on the list, Princeton University is an Ivy League institution with international renown. As of the most recent statistics accessible, the total number of matriculated undergraduates stood at 5,321. The annual tuition for the academic year 2023–2024 amounted to $59,710.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 7%
46,377 Are the Total Number of Undergraduate Applicants for Fall 2022.
With 46,377 applications submitted for the Fall 2022 semester, Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, has an admission rate of 7%, ranking it as the fourteenth most competitive institution in the United States. VU, which was founded in 1873, offers seventy undergraduate disciplines. A total of 7,151 undergraduates are currently enrolled.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 7%
51,261 Incoming Undergraduate Applicants in Total (Fall 2022).
Northwestern University, which was established in 1851, is located in the city of Evanston, Illinois. Northwestern University has a total enrollment of 23,161 students, of which 8,993 are undergraduates, according to the NCES. With 51,261 applications and a 7% acceptance rate in 2024, Northwestern University remains one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the United States.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 5%
Applicants at the undergraduate level in total: 37,522 (Fall 2022).
Established in 1890, the University of Chicago is an Illinois-based private institution of higher education. Despite being one of the most prestigious institutions in the country in terms of academic merit, UChicago has one of the most rigorous admissions requirements in the United States. The University of Chicago, renowned for its rigorous competition and high admission rate, imposes a substantial annual tuition fee of $66,939 for the academic year 2023–24. This figure represents a 4.2% escalation compared to the previous year.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 7%
54,588 are the total number of undergraduate applicants for the fall of 2022.
The University of Pennsylvania is situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Established in 1740, it is among the earliest institutions of higher education in the United States and is renowned globally for its exceptional academic offerings, distinguished faculty, and IVY League standing. It is a highly competitive institution, with an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio and approximately 11,250 undergraduates.
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Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 6%
Fifty-one thousand undergraduate applicants in total (Fall 2022).
Duke University, established in 1838 in Trinity, North Carolina, is a private research institution located in Durham. Since 1892, when the institution was relocated to Durham, Durham has been home to 6,640 undergraduate students. Despite receiving a substantial applicant pool of 50,016 students, Duke University achieved an admission rate of merely 6% for the Fall 2022 session, owing to its discerning nature and intense competition.
The university offers its students a diverse range of interdisciplinary learning opportunities, such as study abroad, distance learning, ROTC (Army, Navy, and Air Force), undergraduate research, and teacher certification, in addition to a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 4%
33,767 Incoming Undergraduate Applicants in Total (Fall 2022).
A globally renowned institution of higher education, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is ranked ninth among the top colleges in the United States. Established in 1861, MIT is a private land-grant research institution. Over the years, it has made substantial contributions to the development of numerous contemporary scientific and technological fields. MIT received a substantial number of applications for the Fall 2022 semester, 33,767; however, acceptance rates remained at a mere 4%.
The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the university is 4,657, resulting in a faculty-to-student ratio of 3 to 1. Furthermore, the institution offers its students an extensive array of distinctive educational opportunities, including study abroad programs, teacher certification initiatives, and ROTC (Army, Navy, and Air Force) training.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 7%
69,195: the total number of undergraduate applicants (fall 2022).
Cornell University, a private research institution established in 1865 and situated in Ithaca, New York, is regarded as one of the ten most arduous colleges to gain admission to in the United States. The IVY League includes Cornell University, one of the top ten colleges in the United States. In total, 10,097 undergraduates are enrolled, representing a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 5%
Fifty thousand undergraduate applicants in total (Fall 2022).
Yale University, which is ranked seventh on the list, is widely recognized as one of the preeminent academic establishments and most selective universities in the United States. It operates from its location in New Havens, Connecticut, and is an IVY League member. Established in 1701, it is also among the earliest universities in the nation.
Yale, a prestigious private institution with a global reputation, annually receives hundreds of thousands of undergraduate applications. However, it only accepts a select few. Only 5% of the more than 50,000 applications that were submitted were approved for the Fall 2022 term. Yale University has 6,645 undergraduate students and 5,875 full-time faculty members, per the most recent data from the NCES.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 5%
Fifty-six thousand undergraduate applicants in total (Fall 2022).
Brown University, an esteemed private research institution, is located in Providence, Rhode Island. Founded in 1764, it is among the oldest institutions in the United States. The global recognition of Brown University is attributable to its status as an IVY League institution, its distinguished faculty, and its impeccable academic standing. Only 5% of the 50,649 applications submitted for the Fall 2022 academic year were accepted, placing the institution among the top ten most difficult to gain admission to in the United States.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 7%
Ninety-one is the total number of undergraduate applicants (fall 2022).
Northeastern University, a private institution established in 1898 and located in Boston, Massachusetts, is positioned fifth on the aforementioned list. The university is widely recognized and highly competitive within the nation due to its acclaimed experiential learning curriculum. For the academic year 2023–2024, the annual tuition at this institution was $63,141.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 4%
Attainment of the Overall Undergraduate Applicants in Fall 2022: 56,378
Established in 1885, Stanford University is a renowned private research institution situated in Stanford, California. Stanford is not only one of the most challenging colleges in California or the nation but also one of the most difficult institutions to gain admission to globally. It is widely recognized for its state-of-the-art facilities, distinguished faculty, exceptional scholarly and research accomplishments, and vibrant and intellectually stimulating community. It is ranked among the United States’ top ten universities.
Social sciences and computer sciences are two of the most popular majors at this institution. In addition, Standford University was attended by Sandra Day O’Connor, the inaugural female justice of the United States Supreme Court. For the Fall 2022 term, the college received nearly 56,000 applications; however, acceptance rates remained at a mere 4%.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 4%
60,879, the total number of undergraduate applicants (fall 2022).
Columbia Institution, located in New York City, is a private research establishment that is alternatively known as Columbia University in the city. Columbia University was established in 1754, making it one of the oldest academic institutions in the state of New York. It is globally recognized as an IVY League establishment, renowned for its exceptional faculty, distinguished researchers, and adherence to academic principles.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 9%
149,801 Incoming Undergraduate Applicants in Total (Fall 2022).
Among the top six most arduous colleges to gain admission to in the United States, the University of California, Los Angeles, established in 1919, holds the second position. In the autumn of 2022, UCLA received the highest number of undergraduate applications among the 29 universities included in this list, totaling 149,801 applicants. In contrast, UCLA achieved a meager acceptance rate of 9% for the session, notwithstanding the substantial pool of candidates.
Academic rigor and exceptional research opportunities are hallmarks of the college. Additionally, it is widely recognized for being among the largest employers in the Greater Los Angeles region. Prominent individuals who have graduated from UCLA include Bhagwan Chowdhry, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Susan Wojcicki, and Eli Broad.
Rate of Acceptance (Fall 2022): 3%
61,221 Incoming Undergraduate Applicants in Total (Fall 2022).
Harvard is the most prestigious university in the United States, with the lowest acceptance rate, which renders admission the most difficult to attain. University of Cambridge, Massachusetts, is the location of the nation’s earliest institution. It came into existence in 1636. Harvard University is rated among the most academically rigorous institutions globally and is an IVY League institution.
It is globally recognized for its exceptional faculty, specialized curriculum, state-of-the-art facilities, and academic prowess. Prominent individuals who have graduated from Harvard include Rashida Jones, Priscilla Chan, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Barack Obama, John F. Kennedy, and Robert Frost.
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