Public Schools Acceptance Rates

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Public Schools Acceptance Rates 2025: Admissions Statistics

Getting into a top U.S. college has become tougher than ever. Over the past few years, acceptance rates at selective schools have plummeted, and the trend hasn’t slowed.

For the Class of 2028, Ivy League schools averaged just a 5% acceptance rate. Some institutions have dipped even lower—Caltech, for instance, admitted only 2.3% of its applicants.

Despite this growing selectivity, public schools acceptance rates have remained relatively higher. Public universities, which receive state funding and serve larger applicant pools, tend to admit more students overall.

This doesn’t mean you’re settling, though. In fact, many public universities offer academic opportunities that rival or even surpass those at private colleges. From cutting-edge research labs to nationally ranked programs, public universities continue to be strong options for high-achieving students.

To give you a clearer picture of public schools acceptance rate trends, we’ve compiled admissions data from these schools. Let’s take a closer look at how they compare and where you might have a real shot.

Public Schools Latest Acceptance Rates

The table below shows the overall, regular, and early admission rates for top public universities across the country. We based our rankings on U.S. News & World Report’s Top Public Universities 2025 list.

For consistency, we pulled each school’s acceptance rate data directly from its corresponding U.S. News page. This ensures that you’re looking at the most reliable and up-to-date information available.

Ranking	Public Schools	Overall	Early	Regular
1	University of California – Los Angeles	9%	No Early Admissions	9%
2	University of California – Berkeley	11%	No Early Admissions	11.0%
3	University of Michigan – Ann Arbor	15.6%	13.2%	18.0%
4	University of Virginia	23% In-state; 12.5% Out-of-State	24.8%	9.3%
5	University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill	16.4%	23.1%	TBA
6	University of California – San Diego	25.0%	No Early Admission	TBA
7	University of Florida	19.8%	TBA	TBA
7	University of Texas – Austin	24.6%	7.8%	7.8%
9	Georgia Institute of Technology	12.7%	32.7%	3.3%
9	University of California – Davis	42%	No Early Admissions	TBA
9	University of California – Irvine	28.8%	No Early Admissions	TBA
9	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	42.4%	13.2%	TBA
13	University of California – Barbara	28%	No Early Admissions	TBA
13	University of Wisconsin-Madison	43%	50.0%	43.0%
15	The Ohio State University	51%	60.4%	TBA
15	Rutgers University – New Brunswick	65%	35.1%	35.1%
17	University of Maryland – College Park	43.5%	63.0%	4.0%
18	Purdue University – Main Campus	50%	60.2%	3.3%
18	University of Georgia	37%	31.4%	36.0%
18	University of Washington	43%	No Early Admission	TBA
21	Texas A&M University	63%	No Early Admission	TBA
21	Virginia Tech	57%	No Early Admission	57.0%
23	Florida State University	25%	TBA	TBA
23	University of Minnesota – Twin Cities	77%	TBA	TBA
23	William & Mary	33%	47.0%	33.0%
26	North Carolina State University	40%	No Early Admission	39.5%
26	Stony Brook University – SUNY	49%	TBA	49%
26	University of California – Merced	91.7%	No Early Admission	TBA
26	University of Massachusetts – Amherst	58%.	TBA	TBA
30	Michigan State University	84.8%	TBA	84.8%
30	Pennsylvania State University	54.2%	70.0%	54.0%
32	University of Connecticut	54%	60.0%	54.5%
32	University of Pittsburgh	50%	No Early Admission	TBA
34	Binghamton University	38%	51.6%	3.3%
34	Indiana University – Bloomington	80%	TBA	TBA
36	Colorado School of Mines	60%	TBA	60.0%
36	University at Buffalo – SUNY	69%	81.5%	69.0%
36	University of California-Riverside	76.4%	No Early Admissions	TBA
39	Clemson University	38.1%	13.2%	TBA
39	Rutgers University-Newark	79%	TBA	79.0%
39	University of Illinois-Chicago	79%	89.1%	79.0%
42	New Jersey Institute of Technology	67%	TBA	66.9%
42	University of California-Santa Cruz	61%	No Early Admissions	TBA
44	University of Delaware	64%	64.0%	TBA
45	University of South Florida	41%	TBA	TBA
46	Florida International University	59%	TBA	59.0%
46	Rutgers University-Camden	78%	78.0%	78.0%
46	Temple University	83%	93.2%	TBA
46	University of Iowa	85%	86.0%	12.0%
51	Auburn University	50%	44.0%	TBA

Competitiveness varies widely across public schools. Some have acceptance rates on par with top private schools. Others admit the majority of their applicants and focus more on access than selectivity.

You’ll also notice that early admission rates, when available, are typically higher than regular admission rates. This happens for several reasons. Early applicant pools tend to be smaller and more self-selecting. Students who apply early often have stronger academic records and show a high level of interest in attending.

Colleges, in turn, reward this demonstrated interest by accepting a higher percentage of early applicants. Strategic admissions planning also plays a role—many students work with counselors to make their early application as polished as possible.

That said, not all public universities offer early options. The University of California system, for example, only accepts applications during a single window in the fall.

What Is the Hardest Public University to Get Into?

UCLA is currently the hardest public university to get into. For the Class of 2028, it received 146,276 freshman applications—the most of any college in the U.S. Out of those, only 13,114 students were admitted. That puts UCLA’s acceptance rate at just 9%. With strong academic programs, global name recognition, and its location in Los Angeles, it continues to be one of the most sought-after public institutions in the country.

Here are the 10 hardest public universities to get into based on the most recent data:

Public schools acceptance rates, especially at these top institutions, show that getting in is no longer a guarantee—even for in-state students. However, geography and state residency still play a major role, particularly at UC campuses and flagship state schools that prioritize local applicants.

What's the Difference Between Public and Private Universities?

Public universities are funded primarily by state governments, which is why they often serve larger student populations. Their mission includes making higher education more accessible to residents of their home state.

Because of this, public schools acceptance rates tend to be higher than those at private institutions. They’re built to admit more students and educate them at scale.

Private universities, on the other hand, rely on tuition, donations, and endowments rather than state funding. This financial model allows them to limit their class sizes and maintain low student-to-faculty ratios. While this can translate to more personalized attention, it also means fewer seats are available, driving down acceptance rates.

One major difference you’ll notice right away is the cost. Here’s a look at the latest average tuition for public and private universities:

Public universities offer discounted tuition for in-state residents, which can make a big financial difference. On average, in-state tuition at a four-year public institution is $9,750 per year. Compare that to a private nonprofit four-year university, where the average annual tuition reaches $38,421. That’s nearly four times the cost.
Out-of-state students at public universities typically pay more—often close to or above $28,000 annually—which brings them closer to private school price tags. Still, public universities sometimes offer merit-based scholarships or tuition reciprocity programs to help offset that cost, especially for strong applicants.

Cost plays a major role in where students apply, which also influences public schools acceptance rates. Schools with lower tuition tend to attract larger pools of in-state applicants.

How many public universities are in the U.S.?

According to the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics (2020–2021), there are 1,892 public universities in the U.S. That number includes a wide range of four-year institutions—from large state flagships with national reputations to smaller regional colleges that mostly serve local students.

College Admissions Chances Calculator

If you’re wondering how your academic profile stacks up at top public universities, our College Admissions Chances Calculator can help. This free tool gives you a quick estimate of your chances based on several key factors: GPA, SAT or ACT scores, extracurricular activities, and other achievements.

It’s not a guarantee, of course, but it gives you a useful starting point. You’ll see how your stats compare to the average admitted student at your target schools. That context can help you build a smarter college list and better understand how public schools acceptance rates might apply to your situation.

Private Consulting Program

If you want a deeper, more customized strategy, we offer a Private Consulting Program. This one-on-one service gives you detailed guidance through every part of the college admissions process. From personal statement feedback to refining your activities list and preparing for interviews, you’ll get support that’s tailored to your goals.

This kind of targeted help can make a real difference, especially if you’re applying to selective schools with low public schools acceptance rates. If you’re serious about strengthening your application, you can schedule a free consultation to learn more.

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