It’s Nearly Impossible to Go to These Schools Without Financial Aid

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It’s Nearly Impossible to Go to These Schools Without Financial Aid

The U.S. is home to some of the world’s most renowned colleges and universities. With a reputation for fast-tracking graduates into rewarding careers, many top-ranked American schools review tens of thousands of applicants yearly. They can only accept a small portion of them.

Using National Center for Education Statistics data, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 50 hardest colleges and universities to get into. The schools on this list were identified using a two-part index composed of the admissions rate – the share of applicants who are offered admission – and the median SAT score among students admitted in the fall of 2022. Supplemental data on the average annual cost of attendance, median earnings 10 years after entry, and the graduation rate — or the share of students who graduate within eight years after entry — are from the U.S. Department of Education.

Why This Matters

It’s Nearly Impossible to Go to These Schools Without Financial Aid

Many employers require employees to have a college degree. In some industries, having a Bachelor’s degree is simply not enough; psychologists, public health consultants, and statisticians are just three groups where a Master’s degree is essentially required. Attending a top-tier college with high quality undergraduate and graduate programs offers benefits that expand beyond the working world. Median incomes among former students from the below schools 10 years after enrollment exceed the median income of all recent college graduates (outside of one school), and the typical graduate from many of these schools earns at least $90,000 a decade after enrolling. Understanding these schools can help potential students make more informed decisions about their academic futures.

Here are the 50 most selective colleges across the United States.

50. University of Virginia-Main Campus

Admissions rate: 18.7%
Median SAT scores: 730 in reading and writing, 760 in math
Undergraduate students: 17,041 (45% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $20,507
Graduation rate: 94%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $80,584
Location: Charlottesville, VA

49. Vassar College

Admissions rate: 18.7%
Median SAT scores: 740 in reading and writing, 750 in math
Undergraduate students: 2,500 (63% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $35,236
Graduation rate: 92%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $64,639
Location: Poughkeepsie, NY

48. Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

Admissions rate: 17.1%
Median SAT scores: 720 in reading and writing, 760 in math
Undergraduate students: 16,554 (71% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $14,820
Graduation rate: 90%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $96,375
Location: Atlanta, GA

47. 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
Location: Lexington, VA

46. Boston College

Admissions rate: 16.7%
Median SAT scores: 730 in reading and writing, 760 in math
Undergraduate students: 9,757 (44% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $38,412
Graduation rate: 92%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $96,325
Location: Chestnut Hill, MA

45. Carleton College

Admissions rate: 16.6%
Median SAT scores: 740 in reading and writing, 750 in math
Undergraduate students: 2,008 (64% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $31,800
Graduation rate: 93%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $70,334
Location: Northfield, MN

44. Tulane University of Louisiana

Admissions rate: 11.5%
Median SAT scores: 720 in reading and writing, 730 in math
Undergraduate students: 8,515 (66% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $42,217
Graduation rate: 68%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $59,812
Location: New Orleans, LA

43. Franklin W Olin College of Engineering

Admissions rate: 19.1%
Median SAT scores: 740 in reading and writing, 780 in math
Undergraduate students: 361 (95% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $21,474
Graduation rate: 95%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $116,968
Location: Needham, MA

42. Emory University-Oxford College

Admissions rate: 15.0%
Median SAT scores: 720 in reading and writing, 770 in math
Undergraduate students: 1,066 (59% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $31,883
Graduation rate: 91%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $81,802
Location: Oxford, GA

41. Bates College

Admissions rate: 13.7%
Median SAT scores: 730 in reading and writing, 750 in math
Undergraduate students: 1,821 (39% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $26,560
Graduation rate: 90%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $65,860
Location: Lewiston, ME

40. Colgate University

Admissions rate: 12.4%
Median SAT scores: 730 in reading and writing, 750 in math
Undergraduate students: 3,152 (47% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $24,489
Graduation rate: 90%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $86,737
Location: Hamilton, NY

39. Wellesley College

Admissions rate: 13.6%
Median SAT scores: 740 in reading and writing, 750 in math
Undergraduate students: 2,383 (61% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $21,561
Graduation rate: 93%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $75,784
Location: Wellesley, MA

38. Haverford College

Admissions rate: 14.2%
Median SAT scores: 740 in reading and writing, 760 in math
Undergraduate students: 1,420 (46% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $29,138
Graduation rate: 91%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $78,330
Location: Haverford, PA

37. 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
Location: Middlebury, VT

36. Grinnell College

Admissions rate: 10.8%
Median SAT scores: 730 in reading and writing, 750 in math
Undergraduate students: 1,714 (89% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $28,610
Graduation rate: 87%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $62,529
Location: Grinnell, IA

35. Hamilton College

Admissions rate: 11.8%
Median SAT scores: 730 in reading and writing, 760 in math
Undergraduate students: 2,049 (54% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $26,296
Graduation rate: 93%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $77,214
Location: Clinton, NY

34. Georgetown University

Admissions rate: 12.2%
Median SAT scores: 740 in reading and writing, 760 in math
Undergraduate students: 7,325 (39% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $24,570
Graduation rate: 95%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $101,797
Location: Washington, DC

33. University of Notre Dame

Admissions rate: 12.9%
Median SAT scores: 740 in reading and writing, 770 in math
Undergraduate students: 8,950 (60% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $32,369
Graduation rate: 97%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $93,220
Location: Notre Dame, IN

32. Emory University

Admissions rate: 11.4%
Median SAT scores: 730 in reading and writing, 770 in math
Undergraduate students: 7,050 (58% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $25,424
Graduation rate: 92%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $81,802
Location: Atlanta, GA

31. Harvey Mudd College

Admissions rate: 13.4%
Median SAT scores: 750 in reading and writing, 780 in math
Undergraduate students: 905 (65% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $30,026
Graduation rate: 93%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $128,215
Location: Claremont, CA

30. University of Southern California

Admissions rate: 12.0%
Median SAT scores: 740 in reading and writing, 780 in math
Undergraduate students: 20,619 (68% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $25,972
Graduation rate: 93%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $89,884
Location: Los Angeles, CA

29. Claremont McKenna College

Admissions rate: 10.4%
Median SAT scores: 740 in reading and writing, 770 in math
Undergraduate students: 1,414 (47% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $20,114
Graduation rate: 93%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $97,174
Location: Claremont, CA

28. New York University

Admissions rate: 12.5%
Median SAT scores: 750 in reading and writing, 780 in math
Undergraduate students: 28,556 (51% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $39,565
Graduation rate: 85%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $79,812
Location: New York, NY

27. Colby College

Admissions rate: 7.6%
Median SAT scores: 730 in reading and writing, 760 in math
Undergraduate students: 2,262 (43% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $17,739
Graduation rate: 90%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $84,482
Location: Waterville, ME

26. Tufts University

Admissions rate: 9.7%
Median SAT scores: 740 in reading and writing, 770 in math
Undergraduate students: 6,628 (40% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $35,683
Graduation rate: 94%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $74,430
Location: Medford, MA

25. Washington University in St Louis

Admissions rate: 11.8%
Median SAT scores: 750 in reading and writing, 780 in math
Undergraduate students: 7,713 (44% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $27,595
Graduation rate: 93%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $90,646
Location: Saint Louis, MO

24. Barnard College

Admissions rate: 8.8%
Median SAT scores: 745 in reading and writing, 760 in math
Undergraduate students: 3,016 (41% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $32,514
Graduation rate: 93%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $74,415
Location: New York, NY

23. Bowdoin College

Admissions rate: 9.2%
Median SAT scores: 750 in reading and writing, 770 in math
Undergraduate students: 1,948 (53% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $16,925
Graduation rate: 95%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $68,211
Location: Brunswick, ME

22. Northeastern University

Admissions rate: 6.8%
Median SAT scores: 730 in reading and writing, 770 in math
Undergraduate students: 15,645 (67% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $34,255
Graduation rate: 89%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $88,842
Location: Boston, MA

21. Carnegie Mellon University

Admissions rate: 11.3%
Median SAT scores: 750 in reading and writing, 790 in math
Undergraduate students: 6,880 (48% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $37,846
Graduation rate: 83%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $111,064
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

20. Amherst College

Admissions rate: 7.3%
Median SAT scores: 740 in reading and writing, 770 in math
Undergraduate students: 1,968 (61% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $17,304
Graduation rate: 94%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $81,855
Location: Amherst, MA

19. Williams College

Admissions rate: 8.5%
Median SAT scores: 750 in reading and writing, 780 in math
Undergraduate students: 2,129 (53% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $14,739
Graduation rate: 96%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $74,473
Location: Williamstown, MA

18. Pomona College

Admissions rate: 7.0%
Median SAT scores: 750 in reading and writing, 770 in math
Undergraduate students: 1,744 (56% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $9,170
Graduation rate: 95%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $74,305
Location: Claremont, CA

17. Swarthmore College

Admissions rate: 6.9%
Median SAT scores: 750 in reading and writing, 770 in math
Undergraduate students: 1,681 (59% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $20,780
Graduation rate: 95%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $80,398
Location: Swarthmore, PA

16. 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
Location: Houston, TX

15. Cornell University

Admissions rate: 7.5%
Median SAT scores: 750 in reading and writing, 780 in math
Undergraduate students: 15,451 (49% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $29,011
Graduation rate: 96%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $98,321
Location: Ithaca, NY

14. Northwestern University

Admissions rate: 7.2%
Median SAT scores: 750 in reading and writing, 780 in math
Undergraduate students: 8,691 (54% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $28,230
Graduation rate: 95%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $85,796
Location: Evanston, IL

13. 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
Location: Nashville, TN

12. University of Pennsylvania

Admissions rate: 6.5%
Median SAT scores: 750 in reading and writing, 790 in math
Undergraduate students: 10,644 (51% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $14,851
Graduation rate: 97%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $112,761
Location: Philadelphia, PA

11. Johns Hopkins University

Admissions rate: 7.3%
Median SAT scores: 760 in reading and writing, 790 in math
Undergraduate students: 5,727 (58% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $14,254
Graduation rate: 93%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $89,551
Location: Baltimore, MD

10. Princeton University

Admissions rate: 5.7%
Median SAT scores: 760 in reading and writing, 780 in math
Undergraduate students: 5,236 (61% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $11,080
Graduation rate: 98%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $110,433
Location: Princeton, NJ

9. University of Chicago

Admissions rate: 5.4%
Median SAT scores: 760 in reading and writing, 780 in math
Undergraduate students: 7,558 (55% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $22,690
Graduation rate: 95%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $78,439
Location: Chicago, IL

8. Dartmouth College

Admissions rate: 6.4%
Median SAT scores: 760 in reading and writing, 790 in math
Undergraduate students: 4,533 (52% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $33,023
Graduation rate: 96%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $95,540
Location: Hanover, NH

7. Duke University

Admissions rate: 6.3%
Median SAT scores: 760 in reading and writing, 790 in math
Undergraduate students: 6,883 (53% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $31,416
Graduation rate: 96%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $97,418
Location: Durham, NC

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

Admissions rate: 3.9%
Median SAT scores: 750 in reading and writing, 780 in math
Undergraduate students: 8,832 (57% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $12,836
Graduation rate: 94%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $97,540
Location: New York, NY

5. Brown University

Admissions rate: 5.1%
Median SAT scores: 760 in reading and writing, 780 in math
Undergraduate students: 7,125 (47% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $26,308
Graduation rate: 96%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $87,811
Location: Providence, RI

4. Yale University

Admissions rate: 4.6%
Median SAT scores: 760 in reading and writing, 780 in math
Undergraduate students: 6,535 (57% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $16,341
Graduation rate: 97%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $95,961
Location: New Haven, CT

3. Stanford University

Admissions rate: 3.7%
Median SAT scores: 760 in reading and writing, 790 in math
Undergraduate students: 7,645 (63% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $7,200
Graduation rate: 96%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $106,987
Location: Stanford, CA

2. Harvard University

Admissions rate: 3.2%
Median SAT scores: 760 in reading and writing, 790 in math
Undergraduate students: 7,938 (46% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $13,259
Graduation rate: 98%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $95,114
Location: Cambridge, MA

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Admissions rate: 4.0%
Median SAT scores: 760 in reading and writing, 800 in math
Undergraduate students: 4,629 (77% receive financial aid)
Avg. annual cost of attendance: $5,084
Graduation rate: 96%
Median annual earnings 10-yrs. after entry: $124,213
Location: Cambridge, MA

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