The Best Test-Optional Colleges

Test optional schools do not require students to submit their ACT or SAT scores when applying for admission. The pandemic kickstarted the movement towards test optional admissions. However, standardized testing has been criticized for years, primarily because low-income students and students of color test far worse than wealthier students. Our list of test optional schools is taken from Fair Test, an advocate for fair and open testing. 

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#1 in Test Optional | #1 in National Universities

Stanford University

Stanford, California

Economic score 0.39

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $10,851

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $124,080

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 97%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#2 in Test Optional | #2 in National Universities

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey

Economic score 0.41

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $8,143

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $110,066

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 98%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#3 in Test Optional | #3 in National Universities
Economic score 0.43

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $16,550

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $128,566

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 92%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#4 in Test Optional | #4 in National Universities
Economic score 0.47

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $20,338

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $143,372

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 96%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#5 in Test Optional | #5 in National Universities

CUNY City College

New York, New York

Economic score 0.58

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $3,434

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $66,039

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 63%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#6 in Test Optional | #7 in National Universities

Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut

Economic score 0.74

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $18,535

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $100,533

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 97%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#7 in Test Optional | #8 in National Universities

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Economic score 0.82

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $19,500

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $101,817

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 98%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#8 in Test Optional | #9 in National Universities

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Economic score 0.87

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $26,138

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $111,371

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 96%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#9 in Test Optional | #11 in National Universities

Rice University

Houston, Texas

Economic score 0.95

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $15,091

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $89,718

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 94%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#10 in Test Optional | #13 in National Universities
Economic score 1.01

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $17,371

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $92,446

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 94%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#11 in Test Optional | #14 in National Universities

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Economic score 1.09

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $20,531

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $91,885

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 96%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#12 in Test Optional | #15 in National Universities

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee

Economic score 1.13

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $20,917

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $91,565

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 93%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#13 in Test Optional | #16 in National Universities

Columbia University

New York, New York

Economic score 1.14

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $23,497

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $102,491

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 94%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#14 in Test Optional | #17 in National Universities
Economic score 1.22

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $12,426

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $80,735

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 86%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#15 in Test Optional | #18 in National Universities
Economic score 1.23

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $16,792

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $83,648

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 93%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#16 in Test Optional | #19 in National Universities
Economic score 1.23

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $12,414

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $72,200

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 90%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#17 in Test Optional | #20 in National Universities

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Economic score 1.24

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $34,550

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $114,862

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 91%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#18 in Test Optional | #21 in National Universities
Economic score 1.29

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $15,637

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $82,511

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 93%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#19 in Test Optional | #22 in National Universities
Economic score 1.34

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $15,069

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $84,943

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 89%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#20 in Test Optional | #23 in National Universities

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York

Economic score 1.34

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $29,651

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $104,043

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 96%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

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