Last Updated on October 1, 2026
Quick answer: College acceptance rates for the Class of 2030 stayed extremely low at the most selective U.S. schools, which admitted roughly 4% to 6% of applicants, including Yale at 4.2%, MIT at 4.6%, and Duke at 4.7%. Many schools reported record pools again, so a balanced list of reach, target, and likely schools remains essential.
Every spring, admissions offices release new numbers, and every spring the headlines focus on record lows. The figures matter, but they are easier to use once you know where they come from and what they leave out. Below are the most recent acceptance rates published by top national universities and liberal arts colleges, the trends behind them, and how to turn the data into a smarter college list.
We update these figures as each school releases new numbers.
Acceptance Rates at Top National Universities
Where a school announced results for the Class of 2030 (students admitted in spring 2026), we use that figure. Where it did not, we use the Class of 2029 figure from the school’s Common Data Set, a standardized report colleges publish each year. Rates equal admitted students divided by total applicants.
| School | Acceptance rate | Class | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard University | 4.2% | 2029 | [1] |
| Yale University | 4.2% | 2030 | [2] |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 4.6% | 2030 | [3] |
| Duke University | 4.7% | 2030 | [4] |
| Brown University | 5.6% | 2030 | [5] |
| Dartmouth College | 5.8% | 2030 | [6] |
| Johns Hopkins University | 6.1% | 2029 | [7] |
| Northwestern University | 7.5% | 2029 | [8] |
| Rice University | 8.0% | 2029 | [9] |
| University of Notre Dame | About 9% | 2030 | [10] |
| UC Berkeley | 10.5% | Fall 2026 | [11] |
| UCLA | 10.8% | Fall 2026 | [12] |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 11.1% | 2029 | [13] |
| University of Southern California | 11.7% | Fall 2026 | [14] |
| Washington University in St. Louis | 12.2% | 2030 | [15] |
| Emory University | 12.3% | 2030 | [16] |
| University of Virginia | 12.5% | 2030 | [17] |
| University of Michigan | 16.4% | 2029 | [18] |
| UNC Chapel Hill | 16.7% | 2029 | [19] |
A few patterns jump out. Duke admitted 2,930 of 61,935 applicants for the Class of 2030, for a rate of 4.7% [4]. MIT admitted 1,299 of 28,349 applicants, a much smaller pool than Duke’s but a similar outcome [3]. Public flagships are no longer the reliable fallbacks many families assume: UC Berkeley and UCLA each admitted about one in ten first-year applicants for fall 2026 [11], [12], and UVA admitted 12.5% after its applications rose 27.4% [17].
Acceptance Rates at Top Liberal Arts Colleges
Liberal arts colleges receive fewer applications than large universities, but their classes are also much smaller, so their rates can be just as low.
| School | Acceptance rate | Class | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowdoin College | 6.5% | 2030 | [20] |
| Swarthmore College | 7.4% | 2030 | [21] |
| Colby College | About 8% | 2030 | [22] |
| Middlebury College | 17% | 2030 (includes February admits) | [23] |
Bowdoin admitted 962 of 14,727 applicants, and Swarthmore admitted 969 of 13,029 [20], [21]. Colby drew a record 21,065 applications [22]. Middlebury’s figure includes students admitted for its February start, so its rate reads higher than a fall-only number would [23]. Several other highly selective liberal arts colleges, including Williams, Amherst, and Pomona, admit well under 10% of applicants, so treat this group with the same care you would give the Ivy League. Our guide to liberal arts colleges covers how these schools differ from universities.
Admissions Trends Behind the Numbers
Application pools keep growing
Several schools reported their largest or second-largest applicant pools on record for the Class of 2030. Duke and Vanderbilt each described record totals, with Vanderbilt receiving more than 54,000 applications [4], [24]. Yale’s pool grew 9.4% to become its second-largest ever [2], and Dartmouth’s was its second-largest as well, marking its sixth consecutive year at or below 6% [6]. Tufts and Colby also reported record pools [25], [22].
Early rounds admit at higher rates
Rates vary sharply by round. Vanderbilt admitted 11.9% of its 7,727 Early Decision applicants but only 2.8% of its Regular Decision pool [24]. Early pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacy applicants, so the gap does not mean early applications are easy. It does show why your early strategy deserves careful thought, and our breakdown of Early Decision pros and cons can help you weigh it.
Public universities are more selective
Large public universities now admit a smaller share of applicants than many private colleges did a decade ago. UCLA received 146,692 first-year applications and UC Berkeley received 133,154 for fall 2026 [11], [12]. Michigan admitted 16.4% of 109,112 applicants for the Class of 2029, and UNC Chapel Hill admitted 16.7% of 76,247 [18], [19]. Out-of-state applicants often face lower rates than in-state applicants at these schools, so check whether a university reports separate figures by residency before you list it as a target.
Fewer schools announce rates
More schools are choosing not to publicize acceptance rates when decisions go out. Stanford no longer announces its application numbers at decision time, a change meant to reduce the focus on selectivity, and instead reports them in its Common Data Set months later [26]. Harvard’s most recent published figure also comes from its Common Data Set: 4.2% for the Class of 2029 [1]. Other schools share only partial data, such as an admit count without a rate. When a number is missing, the Common Data Set is usually the most reliable place to find it.
How to Find and Read a Common Data Set
The Common Data Set is a shared template that most colleges complete each year and post on their institutional research website. Because every school answers the same questions in the same format, it is the easiest way to compare colleges on equal terms. Search for the school’s name plus “Common Data Set,” then open the most recent year.
Section C1 is where admissions numbers live. It lists how many first-year students applied, how many were admitted, and how many enrolled. Divide admitted students by applicants to get the acceptance rate, and divide enrolled students by admitted students to get the yield rate, which tells you how often admitted students choose to attend. Our guide to college yield rates explains why that number matters.
Other parts of Section C are just as useful for planning. C2 shows how many students were offered a place on the waitlist and how many were eventually admitted from it. C9 through C12 report the middle 50% of test scores and the share of students in the top tenth of their high school class. Section C7 lists how much weight the school gives to factors such as rigor of coursework, essays, recommendations, interviews, and extracurricular activities.
Keep in mind that the Common Data Set usually runs a year behind. Each new version describes the class that enrolled the previous fall, so pair it with the school’s latest press release when one is available.
What College Acceptance Rates Do and Don’t Tell You
An acceptance rate describes a whole applicant pool, not your individual chances. A 5% rate does not mean each student has a one-in-twenty shot. Applicants who are well matched to a school’s academic programs, who present a clear story, and who apply thoughtfully in the right round often have better odds than the headline suggests, while applicants who are a poor fit face longer odds.
Rates also reflect how many students apply, not only how selective a school has become. A college that attracts thousands of extra applications through broader outreach will see its rate fall even if its admitted class barely changes. That is why comparing schools on rate alone can mislead you.
Use acceptance rates for one job: sorting schools into reach, target, and likely categories. For schools with rates under about 15%, nearly every applicant should treat admission as a reach, regardless of grades and scores.
How to Build a College List With This Data
Once you have current figures, you can use them to build a list that gives you real choices in the spring. Our guide on how to make a college list walks through the process in detail, but a few principles apply here.
- Include several schools in each category. A list made up mostly of schools with single-digit rates leaves you exposed, however accomplished you are.
- Check each school’s own data. Common Data Set reports and admissions office announcements are updated every year and are more reliable than third-party estimates.
- Look beyond the rate. Admitted-student profiles, program size, and whether a school offers Early Decision or Early Action all affect your odds.
- Prioritize fit. Choose schools where you would be glad to enroll, not just schools with impressive numbers.
Because grades and test scores look similar across much of the applicant pool at highly selective schools, the rest of your application carries real weight [27]. Start planning extracurriculars in ninth grade so you have time to deepen your involvement and take on leadership. Projects that show initiative, such as starting a nonprofit, research, or a meaningful job, give admissions officers a clearer picture of who you are.
Your essays matter just as much. Start brainstorming your personal statement in the spring of junior year so you have time to draft, revise, and choose a topic that shows how you think. The newest acceptance rates are a reason to plan carefully, not a reason to give up on the schools you love.
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