College lists built from the data
Each list sorts the colleges on AdmitFacts by a single stored number, lowest first, and is rebuilt from the data whenever the federal files are updated.
Nothing on these lists is chosen by hand, and no college pays to appear or to move up.
The admit rate list uses fall 2023 from IPEDS, the tuition list uses out-of-state tuition and fees for 2025-26, and the net price list uses the average that families earning up to $30,000 paid in 2024-25.
Below are the first colleges on each list with the number it ranks by.
Open a list for its full ranking, or a college for its sources, trend and cost by family income.
Lowest acceptance rates, fall 2023
This list ranks the colleges on AdmitFacts by the share of applicants they admitted for fall 2023, lowest first.
| College | Admit rate, fall 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard MA | 3.5% |
| 2 | Stanford CA | 3.9% |
| 3 | Columbia University NY | 4.2% |
| 4 | Yale CT | 4.5% |
| 5 | Princeton NJ | 4.5% |
Lowest out-of-state tuition, 2025-26
This list ranks the colleges on AdmitFacts by the tuition and fees they charge students from other states for 2025-26, lowest first.
| College | Out-of-state tuition | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naval Academy MD | $0 |
| 2 | Western Carolina NC | $8,685 |
| 3 | Eastern Kentucky KY | $12,300 |
| 4 | NIU IL | $13,792 |
| 5 | City Tech NY | $15,282 |
Lowest net price for families earning up to $30,000
This list ranks the colleges on AdmitFacts by the average net price paid by students from families earning $0 to $30,000 a year, lowest first.
| College | Net price, $0 to $30,000 | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brown University RI | $39 |
| 2 | University of Chicago IL | $394 |
| 3 | UIUC IL | $871 |
| 4 | Stanford CA | $1,067 |
| 5 | UMD MD | $1,141 |