The following list includes four-year colleges and universities as classified by their selectivity according to criteria developed Barron’s Profile of American Colleges (2015). The list does not include schools designated as “competitive,” “less competitive,” “non-competitive,” and “special.” Please note that “plus” designations have been collapsed (i.e., schools designated as “highly competitive plus” are included with those designated as “highly competitive”).

For selectivity categories, 1 indicates “most competitive,” 2 is “highly competitive,” and 3 is “very competitive.”

College Name City and State Selectivity

ALABAMA

Auburn University Auburn, AL 3

Samford University Birmingham, AL 3

Spring Hill College Mobile, AL 3

University of Mobile Mobile, AL 3

ALASKA

Alaska Pacific University Anchorage, AK 3

ARIZONA

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott Campus Prescott, AZ 3

Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ 3

ARKANSAS

Hendrix College Conway, AR 2

John Brown University Siloam Springs, AR 3

Lyon College Batesville, AR 3

Ouachita Baptist University Arkadelphia, AR 3

University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Fayetteville, AR 3

University of Central Arkansas Conway, AR 3

CALIFORNIA

Biola University La Mirada, CA 3

California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA 1

California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA 2

Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA 1

Concordia University - Irvine Irvine, CA 3

Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CA 1

La Sierra University Riverside, CA 3

Mills College Oakland, CA 2

Mount St. Mary's College/Chalon Campus Los Angeles, CA 3

Pacific Union College Angwin, CA 3

Pepperdine University Malibu, CA 2

Pitzer College Claremont, CA 1

Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego, CA 3

Pomona College Claremont, CA 1

San Diego State University San Diego, CA 3

Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA 1

Stanford University Stanford, CA 1

University of California at Berkeley Berkeley, CA 1

University of California at Davis Davis, CA 2

University of California at Irvine Irvine, CA 3

University of California at Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 1

University of California at San Diego La Jolla, CA 3

University of California at Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 2

University of California at Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA 3

University of La Verne La Verne, CA 3

University of Redlands Redlands, CA 3

University of San Diego San Diego, CA 2

University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA 3

University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 1

University of the Pacific Stockton, CA 3

Vanguard University of Southern California Costa Mesa, CA 3

Westmont College Santa Barbara, CA 2

COLORADO

Colorado Christian University Lakewood, CO 3

Colorado College Colorado Springs, CO 1

Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO 2

Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO 3

United States Air Force Academy Colorado Springs, CO 1

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Colorado Springs, CO 3

University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO 3

CONNECTICUT

Connecticut College New London, CT 1

Fairfield University Fairfield, CT 3

Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT 3

Sacred Heart University Fairfield, CT 3

Trinity College Hartford, CT 2

United States Coast Guard Academy New London, CT 2

University of Connecticut Storrs, CT 2

Wesleyan University Middletown, CT 1

Yale University New Haven, CT 1

DELAWARE

University of Delaware Newark, DE 3

FLORIDA

Eckerd College St. Petersburg, FL 3

Flagler College St. Augustine, FL 3

Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, FL 3

Florida International University Miami, FL 3

Florida Southern College Lakeland, FL 3

Florida State University Tallahassee, FL 2

New College of Florida Sarasota, FL 2

Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FL 3

Rollins College Winter Park, FL 2

Stetson University DeLand, FL 3

University of Central Florida Orlando, FL 3

University of Florida Gainesville, FL 2

University of Miami Coral Gables, FL 1

University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL 3

University of South Florida/St. Petersburg St. Petersburg, FL 3

University of Tampa Tampa, FL 3

GEORGIA

Agnes Scott College Decatur, GA 3

Berry College Mount Berry, GA 2

Covenant College Lookout Mountain, GA 3

Emory University Atlanta, GA 1

Fort Valley State University Fort Valley, GA 3

Georgia College and State University Milledgeville, GA 3

Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA 1

Georgia State University Atlanta, GA 3

Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA 3

Mercer University Macon, GA 3

Oglethorpe University Atlanta, GA 3

Southern Polytechnic State University Marietta, GA 3

Spelman College Atlanta, GA 3

University of Georgia Athens, GA 3

HAWAII

Brigham Young University/Hawaii Laie, HI 3

University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, HI 3

IDAHO

The College of Idaho Caldwell, ID 3

ILLINOIS

Augustana College Rock Island, IL 2

Bradley University Peoria, IL 3

DePaul University Chicago, IL 3

Illinois College Jacksonville, IL 3

Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL 2

Illinois State University Normal, IL 3

Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL 3

Knox College Galesburg, IL 3

Lake Forest College Lake Forest, IL 3

Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL 3

North Central College Naperville, IL 3

Northwestern University Evanston, IL 1

Roosevelt University Chicago, IL 3

Shimer College Chicago, IL 3

University of Chicago Chicago, IL 1

University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL 3

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Urbana, IL 2

Wheaton College Wheaton, IL 2

INDIANA

Butler University Indianapolis, IN 3

DePauw University Greencastle, IN 3

Earlham College Richmond, IN 3

Goshen College Goshen, IN 3

Hanover College Hanover, IN 3

Indiana University Bloomington Bloomington, IN 2

Indiana Wesleyan University Marion, IN 3

Manchester University North Manchester, IN 3

Purdue University/West Lafayette West Lafayette, IN 2

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Terre Haute, IN 1

Saint Mary's College Notre Dame, IN 3

Taylor University Upland, IN 3

Trine University Angola, IN 3

University of Evansville Evansville, IN 3

University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN 1

Valparaiso University Valparaiso, IN 3

Wabash College Crawfordsville, IN 3

IOWA

Central College Pella, IA 3

Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA 3

Cornell College Mount Vernon, IA 2

Dordt College Sioux Center, IA 3

Drake University Des Moines, IA 3

Grinnell College Grinnell, IA 2

Loras College Dubuque, IA 3

Luther College Decorah, IA 3

Maharishi University of Management Fairfield, IA 3

Simpson College Indianola, IA 3

University of Iowa Iowa City, IA 3

Wartburg College Waverly, IA 3

KANSAS

Benedictine College Atchison, KS 3

Kansas State University Manhattan, KS 3

Ottawa University Ottawa, KS 3

KENTUCKY

Asbury University Wilmore, KY 3

Bellarmine University Louisville, KY 3

Berea College Berea, KY 2

Brescia University Owensboro, KY 3

Centre College Danville, KY 2

Kentucky Wesleyan College Owensboro, KY 3

Lindsey Wilson College Columbia, KY 3

Transylvania University Lexington, KY 3

University of Louisville Louisville, KY 3

LOUISIANA

Dillard University New Orleans, LA 3

Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA 3

Loyola University New Orleans New Orleans, LA 3

Tulane University New Orleans, LA 1

University of New Orleans New Orleans, LA 3

MAINE

Bates College Lewiston, ME 1

Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME 1

Colby College Waterville, ME 1

College of the Atlantic Bar Harbor, ME 2

MARYLAND

Coppin State University Baltimore, MD 3

Goucher College Baltimore, MD 3

Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD 1

Loyola University Maryland Baltimore, MD 3

McDaniel College Westminster, MD 3

Morgan State University Baltimore, MD 3

Salisbury University Salisbury, MD 3

St. John's College-Annapolis Annapolis, MD 2

St. Mary's College of Maryland St. Mary’s City, MD 2

Towson University Towson, MD 3

United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD 1

University of Maryland College Park, MD 2

University of Maryland/Baltimore County Baltimore, MD 3

Washington College Chestertown, MD 3

MASSACHUSETTS

Amherst College Amherst, MA 1

Assumption College Worcester, MA 3

Babson College Babson Park, MA 2

Bard College at Simon's Rock Great Barrington, MA 2

Bentley University Waltham, MA 2

Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA 1

Boston University Boston, MA 2

Brandeis University Waltham, MA 2

Clark University Worcester, MA 2

College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MA 1

Elms College Chicopee, MA 3

Emerson College Boston, MA 2

Emmanuel College Boston, MA 3

Gordon College Wenham, MA 3

Hampshire College Amherst, MA 1

Harvard University/Harvard College Cambridge, MA 1

Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology Brookline, MA 3

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA 1

Mount Holyoke College South Hadley, MA 2

Northeastern University Boston, MA 1

Simmons College Boston, MA 3

Smith College Northampton, MA 1

Stonehill College Easton, MA 3

Tufts University Medford, MA 1

University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst, MA 3

Wellesley College Wellesley, MA 1

Wheaton College Norton, MA 2

Williams College Williamstown, MA 1

Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, MA 2

MICHIGAN

Albion College Albion, MI 3

Alma College Alma, MI 3

Calvin College Grand Rapids, MI 3

Concordia University, Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 3

Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI 3

Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI 2

Hope College Holland, MI 3

Kalamazoo College Kalamazoo, MI 2

Kettering University Flint, MI 2

Lawrence Technological University Southfield, MI 3

Madonna University Livonia, MI 3

Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 3

Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI 3

Northern Michigan University Marquette, MI 3

Oakland University Rochester, MI 3

University of Michigan/Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 2

University of Michigan/Dearborn Dearborn, MI 3

MINNESOTA

Bethel University St. Paul, MN 3

Carleton College Northfield, MN 1

College of Saint Benedict St. Joseph, MN 3

Gustavus Adolphus College St. Peter, MN 2

Hamline University St. Paul, MN 3

Macalester College St. Paul, MN 1

St. Olaf College Northfield, MN 2

University of Minnesota/Morris Morris, MN 3

University of Minnesota/Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN 2

University of Saint Thomas St. Paul, MN 3

MISSISSIPPI

Millsaps College Jackson, MS 3

Mississippi College Clinton, MS 3

University of Mississippi University, MS 3

MISSOURI

Central Methodist University Fayette, MO 3

College of the Ozarks Point Lookout, MO 3

Drury University Springfield, MO 3

Maryville University of Saint Louis St. Louis, MO 3

Missouri State University Springfield, MO 3

Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO 3

Saint Louis University St. Louis, MO 3

Stephens College Columbia, MO 3

Truman State University Kirksville, MO 2

University of Missouri - St. Louis St. Louis, MO 3

University of Missouri/Columbia Columbia, MO 1

Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, MO 1

Westminster College Fulton, MO 3

William Jewell College Liberty, MO 3

MONTANA

Montana State University Bozeman, MT 3

Montana Tech of The University of Montana Butte, MT 3

NEBRASKA

Clarkson College Omaha, NE 3

Concordia University Nebraska Seward, NE 3

Creighton University Omaha, NE 3

Doane College Crete, NE 3

Union College Lincoln, NE 3

University of Nebraska at Lincoln Lincoln, NE 3

NEVADA

Sierra Nevada College Incline Village, NV 3

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Dartmouth College Hanover, NH 1

Rivier University Nashua, NH 3

Saint Anselm College Manchester, NH 3

University of New Hampshire Durham, NH 3

NEW JERSEY

College of New Jersey Ewing, NJ 2

Drew University/College of Liberal Arts Madison, NJ 3

New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ 3

Princeton University Princeton, NJ 1

Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Pomona, NJ 3

Rowan University Glassboro, NJ 3

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey/New Brunswick Piscataway, NJ 3

Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ 2

NEW MEXICO

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Socorro, NM 2

St. John's College, Santa Fe Santa Fe, NM 2

NEW YORK

Adelphi University Garden City, NY 3

Alfred University Alfred, NY 3

Bard College Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 2

Barnard College New York, NY 1

Binghamton University/The State University of New York Binghamton, NY 2

Canisius College Buffalo, NY 3

City University of New York/Baruch College New York, NY 3

Clarkson University Potsdam, NY 2

Colgate University Hamilton, NY 1

College of Mount Saint Vincent Riverdale, NY 1

Columbia University/City of New York New York, NY 1

Columbia University/School of General Studies New York, NY 1

Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art New York, NY 1

Cornell University Ithaca, NY 1

CUNY/City College New York, NY 2

Eugene Lang College/The New School for Liberal Arts New York, NY 3

Fordham University Bronx, NY 2

Hamilton College Clinton, NY 1

Hobart and William Smith Colleges Geneva, NY 3

Hofstra University Hempstead, NY 3

Houghton College Houghton, NY 3

Hunter College New York, NY 3

Ithaca College Ithaca, NY 2

Le Moyne College Syracuse, NY 3

Manhattan College Riverdale, NY 3

Manhattanville College Purchase, NY 3

Marymount Manhattan College New York, NY 3

Medaille College Buffalo, NY 3

Metropolitan College of New York New York, NY 3

Nazareth College of Rochester Rochester, NY 3

New York Institute of Technology Old Westbury, NY 3

New York University New York, NY 1

Oswego / State University of New York Oswego, NY 3

Pace University New York, NY 3

Polytechnic Institute of New York University Brooklyn, NY 2

Queens College/The City University of New York Flushing, NY 3

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY 1

Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY 3

Sarah Lawrence College Bronxville, NY 2

Siena College Loudonville, NY 3

Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY 2

St. Joseph's College, New York/Suffolk Campus Patchogue, NY 3

St. Lawrence University Canton, NY 2

State University of New York / College of Environmental Science and Forestry Syracuse, NY 2

Stony Brook University / State University of New York Stony Brook, NY 2

SUNY College at Geneseo Geneseo, NY 2

SUNY Fredonia/The State University of New York at Fredonia Fredonia, NY 3

SUNY Oneonta / State University of New York Oneonta, NY 3

SUNY Plattsburgh / State University of New York Plattsburgh, NY 3

Syracuse University Syracuse, NY 2

The College at Brockport/State University of New York Brockport, NY 3

The College of New Rochelle New Rochelle, NY 3

The State University of New York College of Agriculture and Tech at Cobleskill Cobleskill, NY 3

Touro College New York, NY 3

Union College Schenectady, NY 1

United States Merchant Marine Academy Kings Point, NY 2

United States Military Academy West Point, NY 1

University at Albany / SUNY Albany, NY 3

University at Buffalo / The State University of New York Buffalo, NY 3

University of Rochester Rochester, NY 1

Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY 1

Wagner College Staten Island, NY 3

Webb Institute Glen Cove, NY 1

Wells College Aurora, NY 3

Yeshiva University New York, NY 3

NORTH CAROLINA

Appalachian State University Boone, NC 3

Davidson College Davidson, NC 1

Duke University Durham, NC 1

Elon University Elon, NC 2

Montreat College Montreat, NC 3

North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC 2

Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte, NC 3

Salem College Winston Salem, NC 3

University of North Carolina at Asheville Asheville, NC 3

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 1

University of North Carolina at Wilmington Wilmington, NC 3

Wake Forest University Winston Salem, NC 1

Warren Wilson College Asheville, NC 3

OHIO

Baldwin Wallace University Berea, OH 3

Capital University Columbus, OH 3

Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH 1

Cedarville University Cedarville, OH 3

College of Wooster Wooster, OH 3

Denison University Granville, OH 2

Franciscan University of Steubenville Steubenville, OH 3

Hiram College Hiram, OH 3

Kenyon College Gambier, OH 1

Marietta College Marietta, OH 3

Miami University Oxford, OH 2

Notre Dame College South Euclid, OH 3

Oberlin College Oberlin, OH 1

Ohio Northern University Ada, OH 3

Ohio State University at Marion Marion, OH 1

Ohio University Athens, OH 3

The Ohio State University Columbus, OH 1

University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH 3

University of Dayton Dayton, OH 3

Wittenberg University Springfield, OH 3

Xavier University Cincinnati, OH 3

OKLAHOMA

Northeastern State University Tahlequah, OK 3

Oklahoma Baptist University Shawnee, OK 3

Oklahoma Christian University Oklahoma City, OK 3

Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City, OK 3

Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK 3

University of Oklahoma Norman, OK 3

University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Chickasha, OK 3

University of Tulsa Tulsa, OK 2

OREGON

Lewis & Clark College Portland, OR 3

Reed College Portland, OR 1

University of Oregon Eugene, OR 3

University of Portland Portland, OR 3

Willamette University Salem, OR 3

PENNSYLVANIA

Allegheny College Meadville, PA 2

Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr, PA 1

Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA 1

Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA 1

Chatham University Pittsburgh, PA 3

Dickinson College Carlisle, PA 2

Drexel University Philadelphia, PA 2

Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA 3

Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown, PA 3

Elizabethtown College School of Continuing and Professional Studies Elizabethtown, PA 3

Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster, PA 1

Gettysburg College Gettysburg, PA 2

Grove City College Grove City, PA 2

Haverford College Haverford, PA 1

Juniata College Huntingdon, PA 3

Lafayette College Easton, PA 2

Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA 1

Messiah College Mechanicsburg, PA 3

Moravian College Bethlehem, PA 3

Muhlenberg College Allentown, PA 2

Penn State University/University Park University Park, PA 3

Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia, PA 3

Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA 1

Temple University Philadelphia, PA 3

University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 1

University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA 2

University of Scranton Scranton, PA 3

University of the Sciences Philadelphia, PA 3

Ursinus College Collegeville, PA 3

Villanova University Villanova, PA 1

Washington and Jefferson College Washington, PA 3

RHODE ISLAND

Brown University Providence, RI 1

Bryant University Smithfield, RI 3

Providence College Providence, RI 2

Salve Regina University Newport, RI 3

SOUTH CAROLINA

Clemson University Clemson, SC 2

College of Charleston Charleston, SC 3

Furman University Greenville, SC 2

Presbyterian College Clinton, SC 3

University of South Carolina at Columbia Columbia, SC 3

Winthrop University Rock Hill, SC 3

Wofford College Spartanburg, SC 3

SOUTH DAKOTA

Augustana College Sioux Falls, SD 3

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, SD 3

TENNESSEE

Belmont University Nashville, TN 3

Christian Brothers University Memphis, TN 2

Freed-Hardeman University Henderson, TN 3

Lipscomb University Nashville, TN 3

Maryville College Maryville, TN 3

Rhodes College Memphis, TN 2

Sewanee: The University of the South Sewanee, TN 2

Union University Jackson, TN 3

University of Tennessee at Knoxville Knoxville, TN 3

University of Tennessee at Martin Martin, TN 3

Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 1

TEXAS

Abilene Christian University Abilene, TX 3

Austin College Sherman, TX 2

Baylor University Waco, TX 2

Rice University Houston, TX 1

Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX 1

Southwestern University Georgetown, TX 3

St. Edward's University Austin, TX 3

Texas A&M University College Station, TX 3

Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX 2

Texas State University San Marcos, TX 3

Trinity University San Antonio, TX 2

University of Dallas Irving, TX 3

University of Houston Houston, TX 3

University of St. Thomas - Houston Houston, TX 3

University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 2

University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX 2

UTAH

Brigham Young University Provo, UT 2

University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT 3

Westminster College Salt Lake City, UT 3

VERMONT

Bennington College Bennington, VT 2

Champlain College Burlington, VT 3

Goddard College Plainfield, VT 3

Marlboro College Marlboro, VT 3

Middlebury College Middlebury, VT 1

Saint Michael's College Colchester, VT 3

University of Vermont Burlington, VT 3

VIRGINIA

Christendom College Front Royal, VA 3

Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA 3

College of William & Mary Williamsburg, VA 1

Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg, VA 3

George Mason University Fairfax, VA 3

Hollins University Roanoke, VA 3

James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA 3

Randolph College Lynchburg, VA 3

University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA 3

University of Richmond Richmond, VA 1

University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA 1

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA 2

Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA 1

WASHINGTON

Gonzaga University Spokane, WA 2

Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma, WA 3

Seattle Pacific University Seattle, WA 3

Seattle University Seattle, WA 3

University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA 2

University of Washington Seattle, WA 3

Western Washington University Bellingham, WA 3

Whitman College Walla Walla, WA 1

Whitworth University Spokane, WA 3

WASHINGTON, D.C.

American University Washington, D.C. 2

George Washington University Washington, D.C. 1

Georgetown University Washington, D.C. 1

The Catholic University of America Washington, D.C. 3

WISCONSIN

Beloit College Beloit, WI 2

Lawrence University Appleton, WI 2

Marquette University Milwaukee, WI 3

Milwaukee School of Engineering Milwaukee, WI 3

St. Norbert College De Pere, WI 3

University of Wisconsin/Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI 3

University of Wisconsin/La Crosse La Crosse, WI 3

University of Wisconsin/Madison Madison, WI 2

Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee, WI 3