New York Colleges with low acceptance rates

Colleges with the Lowest Acceptance Rate in New York for 2025

These are the most selective public and private four-year colleges in New York. 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 Columbia University in the City of New York which sent acceptance letters to only 4% of the 57,613 students who applied and rejected 96%.

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 New York colleges with the highest SAT scores, highest ACT scores and highest GPA's.
New York Low Acceptance % Public Private 4 year

27 results

Columbia University in the City of New York
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C
New York, NY

Columbia University in the City of New York

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

4% Acceptance Rate

#22 Best Colleges in America

  • 35,279enrollment
  • $20,869net price
  • 1490-1570SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.91Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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Barnard College
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B
New York, NY

Barnard College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

8% Acceptance Rate

#5 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 3,353enrollment
  • $27,738net price
  • 1453-1550SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 3.85Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 4

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Cornell University
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C
Ithaca, NY

Cornell University

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

8% Acceptance Rate

#19 Best Colleges in America

  • 26,264enrollment
  • $26,455net price
  • 1480-1560SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.9Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 2

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The Juilliard School
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J
New York, NY

The Juilliard School

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

9% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,028enrollment
  • $42,468net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Dec 1

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New York University
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N
New York, NY

New York University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

9% Acceptance Rate

#6 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 57,335enrollment
  • $30,730net price
  • 1480-1570SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.79Avg GPA

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Colgate University
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C
Hamilton, NY

Colgate University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

12% Acceptance Rate

#4 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 3,146enrollment
  • $26,954net price
  • 1430-1530SAT range
  • 33-34ACT range
  • 3.77Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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Hamilton College
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H
Clinton, NY

Hamilton College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

12% Acceptance Rate

#25 Best Colleges in America

  • 2,048enrollment
  • $26,021net price
  • 1410-1550SAT range
  • 32-35ACT range
  • 3.87Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

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United States Military Academy
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A
West Point, New York

United States Military Academy

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

14% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 4,508enrollment
  • -net price
  • 1200-1430SAT range
  • 28-33ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 31

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Vassar College
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V
Poughkeepsie, NY

Vassar College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

18% Acceptance Rate

#7 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 2,456enrollment
  • $29,733net price
  • 1435-1550SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.86Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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

Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

19% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 983enrollment
  • $28,199net price
  • 1400-1520SAT range
  • 33-34ACT range
  • 3.75Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 8

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Webb Institute
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W
Glen Cove, NY

Webb Institute

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

20% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 105enrollment
  • $21,488net price
  • 1390-1525SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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Skidmore College
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S
Saratoga Springs, NY

Skidmore College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

23% Acceptance Rate

#8 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 2,776enrollment
  • $32,368net price
  • 1300-1460SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.75Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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American Musical and Dramatic Academy
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A
New York, NY

American Musical and Dramatic Academy

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

25% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,511enrollment
  • $46,130net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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United States Merchant Marine Academy
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U
Kings Point, NY

United States Merchant Marine Academy

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

32% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 961enrollment
  • $5,173net price
  • 1140-1300SAT range
  • 23-29ACT range
  • 3.6Avg GPA

Applications Due Mar 1

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Davis College
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D
Johnson City, NY
 

Davis College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

33% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 137enrollment
  • $14,320net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.18Avg GPA

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Yeshiva Shaarei Torah of Rockland
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Y
Suffern, NY
 

Yeshiva Shaarei Torah of Rockland

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

35% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 141enrollment
  • $18,501net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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University of Rochester
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R
Rochester, NY

University of Rochester

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

36% Acceptance Rate

#9 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 12,160enrollment
  • $40,900net price
  • 1400-1540SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.75Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

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SUNY at Binghamton
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B
Vestal, NY

SUNY at Binghamton

Public 4 Year

4 reviews

38% Acceptance Rate

#23 Best Public Universities in America

  • 18,456enrollment
  • $18,860net price
  • 1320-1490SAT range
  • 29-34ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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