When it comes to applying for colleges, students may feel overwhelmed by the low acceptance rates that some of the best schools have. Even for students with stellar grades, many of these tough-to-get-into colleges can feel like a reach. However, there are plenty of amazing schools that have higher acceptance rates.
The 25 best schools below are colleges and universities that currently have over 80% acceptance rates for first-time, full-time undergraduate admissions. Even better? This list includes a great mix of private, public, small, mid-sized, and large colleges.
Top 25 Best Easier-to-Get-Into Colleges
Bloomington is the flagship and largest campus of Indiana University. Past students have included former Disney CEO, Bob Chapek, Hunger Games author, Suzanne Collins, and the co-founder of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales. A majority of incoming students are from Illinois and Indiana, but students will come from all over the country to attend.
Location
Bloomington, IN
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
45,328
Michigan State University is one of the largest universities when it comes to enrollment. Some alumni have included Magic Johnson, Le’Veon Bell, Dan Gilbert, and Sam Raimi. Athletes are known as Spartans and they compete in the Big 10 conference wearing green and white. 77.7% of the students on campus are undergraduates.
Location
East Lansing, MI
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
49,659
Miami University - Oxford’s motto is “Prodesse Quam Conspici” in Latin, which means “To accomplish without being conspicuous.” The 10th oldest public university in the United States (1809), they accept 89% of applicants. Athletes, known as the Miami RedHawks, compete in the Mid-American Conference and National Collegiate Hockey Conference.
Location
Oxford, OH
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
19,264
Thomas Aquinas College is an extremely small liberal arts college in California. The only major the school offers is Liberal Arts and Sciences. The college has an 89% first year retention rate, 77% four year graduation rate, and an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Thomas Aquinas College’s motto is “Fides Quaerens Intellectum” or “Faith Seeking Understanding.”
Location
Santa Paula, CA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
497
Wheaton College was founded by evangelical abolitionists in 1860 and would become a stop on the Underground Railroad. Business is by far the most popular major at the school. Athletic teams are known as The Thunder. They wear blue and orange and compete in the NCAA Division III in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin.
Location
Wheaton, IL
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
3,047
The University of New Hampshire-Main Campus’s motto is “Science, Arts, Industry.” Getting its start in 1866, it was originally known as the New Hampshire College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. Today, Business Administration and Management is by far the most popular major, followed by Psychology, Biomedical Sciences, and Speech Communication and Rhetoric.
Location
Durham, NH
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
14,001
James Madison University, although named after President Hames Madison, was originally known as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women in 1908. Even today, there are more women attending than men (58% to 42%). With a 91% first year retention rate, the most popular major is currently Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling.
Location
Harrisonburg, VA
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
22,166
Also known as SJU or St. Joe’s, Saint Joseph’s University dates back to 1851. Athletes are known as the Hawks and are in the NCAA Division I program, competing in the Atlantic-10 and Big 5. 99% of students attending receive institutional grant aid, $29,183 on average per student, and many will go onto major in Special Products Marketing Operations or Marketing.
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
6,464
The University of Iowa has a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio and 88% first year retention rate. The oldest university in the state, the school offers over 200 areas of study. The top major is Kinesiology and Exercise Science. Flannery O’Connor and Gene Wilder are famous alumni from the school. Athletes are known as Hawkeyes and their team is led by Herky the Hawk.
Location
Iowa City, IA
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
29,909
Accepting 84% of applicants, the Loyola University of Maryland offers institutional grant aid to 98% of those who attend ($31,592 on average per student). A majority of students attending are from the mid-east United States and the school boasts an 88% first year retention rate. The most popular major by far is Business Administration and Management.
Location
Baltimore, MD
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
5,140
The Boulder campus is the flagship school of the University of Colorado system. It was actually founded a few months before Colorado became a state in 1876. Athletes, called the Buffaloes, are part of the Pacific-12 Conference. They’ve won 28 national championships (a majority in skiing) and 10 athletes have gone on to be Olympic medalists.
Location
Boulder, CO
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
39,000
Founded in 1881, the school would become the first coeducational Catholic university in the world in 1909. 11 schools and colleges can be found at the Milwaukee campus, but the school also features more than 68 doctoral and master’s degree programs. Top areas of study include Biomedical Sciences and Finance.
Location
Milwaukee, WI
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
11,320
A sister school of the University of Notre Dame, the University of Portland was founded in 1901 and has the motto Veritas vos Liberabit, which is Latin for, “The truth will set you free.” The university accepts over 81% of applicants, 9.6% of which will go on to attend the school. All students receive institutional grant aid when attending – an average of $29,024 per student.
Location
Portland, OR
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
4,033
Almost all students attending the University of Puget Sound receive institutional grant aid to attend. The school has an acceptance rate of 88.6%, a first year retention rate of 88%, and a 9:1 student to faculty ratio. Although Washington is the university’s home state, more students actually come from California to attend (28.75% compared to 31.04%).
Location
Tacoma, WA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
2,173
Christopher Newport University, also known as CNU, is named after the captain of one of the ships that carried settlers to Jamestown – though the school wasn’t actually founded until 1960 and originally was only an extension of the College of William & Mary. Today, the most popular majors are Psychology, Biology, and Business Administration and Management.
Location
Newport News, VA
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
4,584
Founded as a female seminary in 1834, Wheaton College only started accepting men in 1988. Today, women still out number men making up 62% of the student body. The school accepts 82% of students who apply, has an 84% first year retention rate, and has a 12:1 student to faculty ratio. All students who attend receive institutional grant aid.
Location
Norton, MA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,701
The second oldest state maritime academy in the country, the Massachusetts Maritime Academy was founded in 1891. Their motto is “Discipline, Knowledge, Leadership.” The training ship used by students is known as the USTS Kennedy. There are only 7 undergraduate programs available, with many choosing Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.
Location
Buzzards Bay, MA
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
1,538
Home of the Bobcats and the mascot Boomer the Bobcat, Quinnipiac University is part of the NCAA Division I and has had several students go onto become professional athletes or coaches including Sam Anas, Bryce Van Brabant, John Delaney, and Iiona Maher. The school accepts 88.4% of applicants and offers 98% of students institutional grant aid.
Location
Hamden, CT
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
9,217
Founded in 1888 as St. Thomas College, the University of Scranton wouldn’t get its current name until 1938. A majority of students are from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, and it accepts just over 80% of applicants. 96% of these students also receive institutional grant aid to attend, and many will go on to major in Accounting or Registered Nursing.
Location
Scranton, PA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
4,692
A public research university, the University of Oklahoma - Norman offers up to the doctor’s degree level of education. They have an 89% first-year retention rate and a 76% 6-year graduation rate. Students come from all over to study at OU, but primarily from Oklahoma and Texas.
Location
Norman, OK
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
28,042
The University of Oregon is a non-selective school, accepting 93.8% of applicants. Athletes, known as the Ducks and wearing green and yellow, are in the NCAA Division I-FBS and compete in the Pacific-12 Conference. With an 87% first year retention rate, many students go onto major in Business/Commerce, Advertising, or Social Sciences.
Location
Eugene, OR
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
22,257
Often referred to as simply the Citadel, this school has a patriotic motto of “Honor, Duty, Respect.” Its campus is located on the Ashley River. Though a military college, the most popular majors include Business/Commerce, Mechanical Engineering, and Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration. The school colors are Citadel blue, navy, and white.
Location
Charleston, SC
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
3,693
The University of Texas at Dallas has a very inspiring motto: “A cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy.” 72.2% of the student body are studying for their bachelor’s degree, though the school offers up to doctoral degrees. UT Dallas athletic teams are known as the Comets, and their mascot is Temoc (comet spelled backwards).
Location
Richardson, TX
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
29,696
Samford University accepts about 84% of students and many will go on to major in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Registered Nursing, and Journalism. Samford has a long history; it was founded in 1841, originally was called Howard College, and was converted to a military hospital during the Civil War.
Location
Birmingham, AL
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
5,758
Butler University, home of the Bulldogs and Blue IV “Blue” Hink, was founded in 1855. Six colleges make up the school today which feature over 50 undergraduate programs. 98% of students who attend receive institutional grant aid from the school, an average of $22,705 per student. Finance, Marketing, and Public Relations are the most commonly chosen majors.
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
5,559
Should You Apply to a School That is Easy to Get Into?
If you are interested in a school with a high acceptance rate and it fits what you’re looking for in a college, you should apply!
For some, these schools present an opportunity to get a higher education even if their grades during high school weren’t great. They could be a target school for many of these students as a result.
However, these “easy to get into” schools can also be fantastic safety schools for students who have strong college applications. It is entirely possible that you don’t receive acceptance letters from your reach or match schools, so having one of these colleges in your back pocket as a safety school can pay off big time. You’ll still be heading to college!
Learn more about reach, target (or match), and safety schools. Then, check out our College Match Tool to make your “top colleges” list with a combo of the three.
Methodology
Colleges are ranked based on a combination of factors, including graduation rates, campus diversity, endowment per student, and other data as reported via the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for the most recently-available enrollment year. Some colleges may have been excluded from rankings based on certain criteria, including specialization and classification. Learn about our full methodology.
