Best Test-Optional U.S. Colleges
CollegeSimply ranks 1045 four-year colleges that do not require SAT or ACT scores for admission. These are the highest-ranked test-optional schools in the U.S., sorted by academic quality and student outcomes. Policies can vary by applicant and year, so confirm requirements on each school's website before applying.
Princeton University leads our 2027 test-optional rankings, ranked #1 nationally. The top rated public option is University of Michigan Ann Arbor. Also highly ranked: Duke University, Stanford University and Harvard University.
Without test scores, your GPA, activities, recommendation letters, and essays carry more weight. Compare acceptance rates, tuition, and enrollment across the full list below. Filter by state or sort by selectivity to build your list. You can also explore matches by GPA on our college search by GPA. See our ranking methodology for how schools are scored.
San Francisco State University
- Public 4 Year
- San Francisco, CA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
SF State is a large public university known for undergraduate ethnic studies, cinema, and creative writing. The urban campus borders Lake Merced in southwestern San Francisco.
- SAT Range 930-1130
- Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $13,168
University of the Incarnate Word
- Private 4 Year
- San Antonio, TX
-
| 0 reviews
UIW is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and the health sciences. The urban campus is in San Antonio.
- SAT Range 900-1140
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 98%
- Net Price $23,363
Neumann University
- Private 4 Year
- Aston, PA
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Neumann is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and education. The suburban Aston campus follows a Franciscan tradition just outside Philadelphia.
- SAT Range 905-1085
- Avg GPA 3.23
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $28,469
Concordia University Nebraska
- Private 4 Year
- Seward, NE
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Concordia Nebraska is a private Lutheran university known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and theology. Students live on a residential campus in the small college town of Seward.
- SAT Range 1040-1235
- Avg GPA 3.52
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $24,158
Salem State University
- Public 4 Year
- Salem, MA
-
| 0 reviews
- Jun 1 application deadline
Salem State is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and social work. The campus sits in the historic coastal city of Salem north of Boston.
- SAT Range 990-1160
- Avg GPA 3.17
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $17,541
Savannah College of Art and Design
- Private 4 Year
- Savannah, GA
-
4.2 | 4 reviews
SCAD is a private art and design college known for undergraduate fashion, graphic design, and animation. The campus occupies renovated historic buildings in downtown Savannah.
- SAT Range 1030-1270
- Avg GPA 3.56
- Acceptance Rate 83%
- Net Price $50,821
Eastern Michigan University
- Public 4 Year
- Ypsilanti, MI
-
4.8 | 4 reviews
EMU is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The campus is in Ypsilanti, just east of Ann Arbor.
- SAT Range 920-1170
- Avg GPA 3.37
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $15,742
Central Michigan University
- Public 4 Year
- Mount Pleasant, MI
-
5.0 | 3 reviews
Central Michigan is a public university known for undergraduate education, business, and health professions. Most students live on a residential campus in the college town of Mount Pleasant.
- SAT Range 960-1200
- Avg GPA 3.47
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $17,575
University of Mary Hardin Baylor
- Private 4 Year
- Belton, TX
-
| 0 reviews
Mary Hardin-Baylor is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The residential campus is in Belton in Central Texas.
- SAT Range 960-1200
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $27,651
Cleveland State University
- Public 4 Year
- Cleveland, OH
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Cleveland State is a public university known for undergraduate urban affairs, engineering, and business. The urban campus sits in downtown Cleveland.
- SAT Range 880-1130
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $16,230
University of New Orleans
- Public 4 Year
- New Orleans, LA
-
3.5 | 2 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
UNO is a public university known for undergraduate naval architecture, marine engineering, and hospitality. The urban campus sits on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain.
- SAT Range 935-1241
- Avg GPA 3.21
- Acceptance Rate 74%
- Net Price $12,258
Marian University
- Private 4 Year
- Fond Du Lac, WI
-
| 0 reviews
Marian is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The small campus lies in Fond du Lac at the southern end of Lake Winnebago.
- SAT Range 800-1080
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.16
- Acceptance Rate 75%
- Net Price $22,697
California State Polytechnic University Humboldt
- Public 4 Year
- Arcata, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- Apr 30 application deadline
Cal Poly Humboldt is a public polytechnic university known for undergraduate environmental science, forestry, and marine biology. The campus is set among coastal redwoods in far northern California.
- SAT Range 970-1190
- Avg GPA 3.33
- Acceptance Rate 98%
- Net Price $14,090
New Mexico State University Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Las Cruces, NM
-
| 0 reviews
New Mexico State is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture and engineering. The main campus lies in Las Cruces near the Organ Mountains.
- SAT Range 870-1110
- Avg GPA 3.55
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $10,719
Minnesota State University Mankato
- Public 4 Year
- Mankato, MN
-
3.7 | 3 reviews
Minnesota State Mankato is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus sits on a bluff overlooking the Minnesota River valley in southern Minnesota.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.37
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $18,861
Lee University
- Private 4 Year
- Cleveland, TN
-
| 0 reviews
Lee is a private Christian university known for undergraduate music and education. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in Cleveland, Tennessee.
- SAT Range 1040-1230
- Avg GPA 3.73
- Acceptance Rate 71%
- Net Price $20,416
The University of Tennessee Chattanooga
- Public 4 Year
- Chattanooga, TN
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
UTC is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, business, and nursing. The urban campus borders the Tennessee River in downtown Chattanooga.
- SAT Range 1013-1210
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $15,347
Fisher College
- Private 4 Year
- Boston, MA
-
| 0 reviews
Fisher is a private college known for undergraduate business, criminal justice, and hospitality management. The compact urban campus sits in Boston's Back Bay.
- SAT Range 800-1070
- Avg GPA 2.72
- Acceptance Rate 71%
- Net Price $28,596