Hardest Public Universities to Get Into

Public universities are usually more accessible than top private schools, but the service academies and the most selective state flagships are the exception. These are the 50 hardest public universities in the country, ranked by acceptance rate.

Schools

Median acceptance

40%

Most selective

U.S. Naval Academy

9% acceptance

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Your chances at these colleges

Estimated chance of admission for three typical students, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA; 2, 4 and 7 AP courses respectively; Regular Decision; no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook.

Which of the Hardest Public Universities can I get into with a 3.7 GPA and a 1300 SAT?

By CollegeCalcAI's model, a student with a 3.7 unweighted GPA and a 1300 SAT has a Likely or Safety estimate (45% or higher) at 33 of the 50 colleges here, including UC Santa Barbara, Southern University and San Diego State University. 8 more are Target (25 to 44%), such as Florida A&M University and Florida State University. The other 9 are Reach. Estimates assume Regular Decision and no hook; courses, activities and essays move them.

Estimated admission chance for three student profiles at each college: 3.3 GPA, 1150 SAT; 3.7 GPA, 1300 SAT; 4.0 GPA, 1500 SAT
College	3.3 GPA1150 SAT	3.7 GPA1300 SAT	4.0 GPA1500 SAT
U.S. Naval Academyadmits 9%	8%Reach	13%Reach	21%Reach
UCLAadmits 9%	8%Reach	11%Reach	18%Reach
University of California, Berkeleyadmits 11%	9%Reach	13%Reach	21%Reach
U.S. Military Academyadmits 12%	10%Reach	17%Reach	28%Target
Georgia Techadmits 14%	10%Reach	15%Reach	28%Target
U.S. Air Force Academyadmits 14%	10%Reach	19%Reach	32%Target
University of North Carolinaadmits 15%	11%Reach	18%Reach	32%Target
University of Michiganadmits 16%	11%Reach	17%Reach	33%Target
University of Virginiaadmits 17%	12%Reach	19%Reach	34%Target
Florida A&M Universityadmits 21%	25%Target	40%Target	51%Likely
Florida State Universityadmits 24%	16%Reach	35%Target	59%Likely
University of Floridaadmits 24%	15%Reach	31%Target	57%Likely
UC San Diegoadmits 27%	17%Reach	32%Target	59%Likely
University of Texas at Austinadmits 27%	17%Reach	33%Target	62%Likely
UC Irvineadmits 29%	18%Reach	40%Target	69%Likely
Cal Poly San Luis Obispoadmits 31%	19%Reach	43%Target	73%Safety
UC Santa Barbaraadmits 33%	21%Reach	45%Likely	76%Safety
William & Maryadmits 34%	22%Reach	43%Target	75%Safety
Southern Universityadmits 35%	54%Likely	72%Safety	82%Safety
San Diego State Universityadmits 36%	28%Target	61%Likely	84%Safety
Dickinson State Universityadmits 37%	51%Likely	73%Safety	84%Safety
Clemson Universityadmits 38%	25%Target	58%Likely	86%Safety
University of Georgiaadmits 38%	24%Reach	55%Likely	85%Safety
Binghamton Universityadmits 39%	26%Target	57%Likely	86%Safety
University of Washingtonadmits 39%	26%Target	54%Likely	85%Safety

Show all 50 colleges

Estimated admission chance for three student profiles at each college: 3.3 GPA, 1150 SAT; 3.7 GPA, 1300 SAT; 4.0 GPA, 1500 SAT (continued)
University of Central Floridaadmits 40%	31%Target	67%Likely	89%Safety
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluffadmits 41%	64%Likely	81%Safety	90%Safety
NC State Universityadmits 42%	30%Target	68%Likely	90%Safety
UC Davisadmits 42%	30%Target	68%Likely	90%Safety
University of Illinoisadmits 42%	28%Target	57%Likely	87%Safety
University of Tennesseeadmits 42%	35%Target	72%Safety	90%Safety
Chicago State Universityadmits 43%	67%Likely	83%Safety	91%Safety
University of South Floridaadmits 43%	38%Target	77%Safety	92%Safety
Texas A&M Internationaladmits 44%	64%Likely	86%Safety	93%Safety
Alcorn State Universityadmits 45%	72%Safety	87%Safety	94%Safety
Grambling State Universityadmits 45%	71%Safety	87%Safety	93%Safety
University of Marylandadmits 45%	32%Target	64%Likely	91%Safety
University of Wisconsinadmits 45%	32%Target	67%Likely	92%Safety
Auburn Universityadmits 46%	39%Target	78%Safety	94%Safety
Cal State Long Beachadmits 46%	47%Likely	83%Safety	94%Safety
Coppin State Universityadmits 46%	71%Safety	87%Safety	94%Safety
Delaware State Universityadmits 47%	76%Safety	89%Safety	95%Safety
Baruch Collegeadmits 48%	63%Likely	89%Safety	95%Safety
Governors State Universityadmits 48%	71%Safety	89%Safety	95%Safety
Stony Brook Universityadmits 49%	36%Target	78%Safety	96%Safety
North Carolina A&T State Universityadmits 50%	74%Safety	92%Safety	96%Safety
Purdue Universityadmits 50%	37%Target	77%Safety	96%Safety
Harris-Stowe State Universityadmits 50%	78%Safety	91%Safety	96%Safety
University of Connecticutadmits 52%	45%Likely	85%Safety	97%Safety
University of North Floridaadmits 53%	64%Likely	93%Safety	98%Safety

Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities or compare your own list with the free admissions API.

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40%median acceptance rate, hardest public universities to get into (50 schools)Source: CollegeCalcAI

<a href="https://collegecalcai.com/data/hardest-public-universities?utm_source=embed&utm_medium=statcard" style="display:inline-block;padding:16px 20px;border:1px solid #E5E9F0;border-radius:14px;text-decoration:none;font-family:system-ui,sans-serif;background:#fff">40%median acceptance rate, hardest public universities to get into (50 schools)Source: CollegeCalcAI</a>

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Acceptance rates and admitted test ranges reflect publicly reported data (U.S. Department of Education / NCES IPEDS / Common Data Sets) and are rounded. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.