The United States has many famous colleges and universities that are well-known worldwide. Because of their good reputation, these schools receive many more applications each year than they can accept. These institutions are not only very picky about who they accept, but they are also mostly located in New England and some Mid-Atlantic states.
Out of the top 50 schools on The Wall Street Journal’s list of best colleges in 2024, almost half are located in the Northeast. This is more than twice the number of schools in the Midwest, South, or West. Some Americans choose to attend the best college they can get into, while others take into account various factors, such as how far the college is from their home.
If you’re a college student who doesn’t live in the Northeast and want to save money on travel expenses, attending an Ivy League school may not be possible. However, there are still other choices available.
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24/7 Wall St. used data from the National Center for Education Statistics to find out which colleges and universities are the most difficult to get into in each state. The schools on this list were chosen based on two factors: the admissions rate (the percentage of applicants who are accepted) and the median SAT score of students admitted in the fall of 2022. Alaska and Wyoming were not included in this analysis because there was not enough data available for them.
While all of these schools are considered the most selective in their respective states, some are more difficult to gain admission to than others. Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island have Ivy League schools. These schools accept less than 10% of applicants. Meanwhile, in five states on this list, the most selective schools accept more than 70% of applicants.
The most selective colleges in every state
Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Admissions rate: 49.1%
- Median SAT scores: 690 in reading and writing, 740 in math
- Undergraduate students: 33,506 (48% receive financial aid)
- Avg. annual cost of attendance: $16,708
- Graduation rate: 88%
- Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $70,586
- Schools considered in state: 11
- Location: Madison, WI
West Virginia: West Virginia University Institute of Technology
- Admissions rate: 64.6%
- Median SAT scores: 520 in reading and writing, 510 in math
- Undergraduate students: 1,109 (58% receive financial aid)
- Avg. annual cost of attendance: $11,124
- Graduation rate: 29%
- Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $55,073
- Schools considered in state: 12
- Location: Beckley, WV
Virginia: Washington and Lee University
- Admissions rate: 17.0%
- Median SAT scores: 730 in reading and writing, 750 in math
- Undergraduate students: 1,857 (63% receive financial aid)
- Avg. annual cost of attendance: $27,417
- Graduation rate: 95%
- Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $84,232
- Schools considered in state: 33
- Location: Lexington, VA
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Vermont: Middlebury College
- Admissions rate: 12.7%
- Median SAT scores: 740 in reading and writing, 750 in math
- Undergraduate students: 2,837 (45% receive financial aid)
- Avg. annual cost of attendance: $29,047
- Graduation rate: 93%
- Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $69,022
- Schools considered in state: 6
- Location: Middlebury, VT
Texas: Rice University
- Admissions rate: 8.7%
- Median SAT scores: 750 in reading and writing, 790 in math
- Undergraduate students: 4,240 (63% receive financial aid)
- Avg. annual cost of attendance: $17,805
- Graduation rate: 94%
- Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $87,254
- Schools considered in state: 59
- Location: Houston, TX
Tennessee: Vanderbilt University
- Admissions rate: 6.7%
- Median SAT scores: 750 in reading and writing, 780 in math
- Undergraduate students: 7,111 (66% receive financial aid)
- Avg. annual cost of attendance: $22,204
- Graduation rate: 94%
- Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $84,415
- Schools considered in state: 26
- Location: Nashville, TN
South Carolina: Clemson University
- Admissions rate: 43.0%
- Median SAT scores: 660 in reading and writing, 660 in math
- Undergraduate students: 21,954 (76% receive financial aid)
- Avg. annual cost of attendance: $22,116
- Graduation rate: 83%
- Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $69,479
- Schools considered in state: 22
- Location: Clemson, SC
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