Massachusetts Colleges with low acceptance rates

Colleges with the Lowest Acceptance Rate in Massachusetts for 2025

These are the most selective public and private four-year colleges in Massachusetts. The list is ranked by acceptance rate, lowest to highest and limited to schools which reject at least half of all applicants. Leading the list is Harvard University which sent acceptance letters to only 3% of the 56,937 students who applied and rejected 97%.

Not all schools on the most selective list are overly academically challenging. Some schools with less rigorous test and high school GPA requirements may receive a large numbers of qualified applicants and the school does not have space to admit them all.

If you're looking for challenging colleges, explore rankings of Massachusetts colleges with the highest SAT scores, highest ACT scores and highest GPA's.


22 results

Harvard University
H
Cambridge, MA

Harvard University

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

3% Acceptance Rate

#4 Best Colleges in America

  • 30,386enrollment
  • $17,900net price
  • 1500-1580SAT range
  • 34-36ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M
Cambridge, MA

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

5% Acceptance Rate

#7 Best Colleges in America

  • 11,920enrollment
  • $21,519net price
  • 1510-1580SAT range
  • 34-36ACT range
  • 3.96Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Northeastern University
N
Boston, MA

Northeastern University

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

6% Acceptance Rate

#16 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 31,159enrollment
  • $34,770net price
  • 1460-1550SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.91Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Amherst College
A
Amherst, MA

Amherst College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

10% Acceptance Rate

#15 Best Colleges in America

  • 1,910enrollment
  • $17,965net price
  • 1360-1550SAT range
  • 31-35ACT range
  • 3.91Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 2

Tufts University
T
Medford, MA

Tufts University

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

10% Acceptance Rate

#6 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 13,274enrollment
  • $33,333net price
  • 1460-1550SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.91Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Williams College
W
Williamstown, MA

Williams College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

10% Acceptance Rate

#13 Best Colleges in America

  • 2,168enrollment
  • $16,988net price
  • 1470-1560SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.94Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 10

Boston University
B
Boston, MA

Boston University

Private 4 Year

10 reviews

11% Acceptance Rate

#9 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 36,624enrollment
  • $27,551net price
  • 1400-1520SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 3.79Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 4

Wellesley College
W
Wellesley, MA

Wellesley College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

14% Acceptance Rate

#18 Best Colleges in America

  • 2,418enrollment
  • $21,501net price
  • 1440-1550SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.86Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 8

Boston College
B
Chestnut Hill, MA

Boston College

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

16% Acceptance Rate

#7 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 15,280enrollment
  • $32,590net price
  • 1430-1540SAT range
  • 33-34ACT range
  • 3.86Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Babson College
B
Wellesley, MA

Babson College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

20% Acceptance Rate

#14 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 3,943enrollment
  • $30,220net price
  • 1380-1500SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.79Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 3

Smith College
S
Northampton, MA

Smith College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

20% Acceptance Rate

#8 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 2,830enrollment
  • $27,823net price
  • 1408-1540SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

College of the Holy Cross
H
Worcester, MA

College of the Holy Cross

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

21% Acceptance Rate

#10 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 3,035enrollment
  • $35,455net price
  • 1250-1420SAT range
  • 28-32ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Olin College of Engineering
O
Needham, MA

Olin College of Engineering

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

22% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 402enrollment
  • $40,370net price
  • 1480-1560SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.9Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Brandeis University
B
Waltham, MA

Brandeis University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

35% Acceptance Rate

#12 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 5,302enrollment
  • $44,668net price
  • 1390-1530SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.84Avg GPA

Mount Holyoke College
M
South Hadley, MA

Mount Holyoke College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

38% Acceptance Rate

#11 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 2,330enrollment
  • $35,782net price
  • 1350-1500SAT range
  • 31-33ACT range
  • 3.87Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Laboure College
L
Boston, MA
 

Laboure College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

41% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 717enrollment
  • -net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Clark University
C
Worcester, MA

Clark University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

42% Acceptance Rate

#17 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 4,124enrollment
  • $32,767net price
  • 1240-1400SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.69Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

The New England Conservatory of Music
N
Boston, MA

The New England Conservatory of Music

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

43% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 784enrollment
  • $49,544net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Dec 1