A college education is the single largest investment many Americans will make in their lifetimes. When accounting for interest on student loans and loss of potential income during school, the total cost of a bachelor’s degree can exceed $400,000.
With so much money at stake, it is important to choose the right school. What makes a school a good fit for any given student can depend on a number of factors, including financial aid packages, course offerings, and location, among others. For many, the right school is simply the most selective school they can get into.
A college degree opens up new job opportunities, increases earning potential, and reduces the likelihood of unemployment. But often, the name of the institution printed on the diploma can be as important as the diploma itself. Highly selective colleges and universities are often well regarded worldwide and can help open doors to more job opportunities.
Based on an index of admissions rates and SAT scores, Emory University ranks as the hardest school in Georgia to get into. In the 2020-2021 school year, a reported 19.2% of all 28,211 applicants were admitted. Additionally, the combined median math and critical reading SAT scores among students admitted in fall 2019 was 1445 out of a possible 1600.
Undergraduate enrollment at Emory University totaled 7,010 as of fall 2020. There are a reported nine students for every faculty member at the school, and the average earnings among working students 10 years after enrollment stands at $84,400.
All data used in this story is from the National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education. We only considered predominantly bachelor’s degree-granting colleges and universities with at least 1,000 applicants for the 2020-2021 academic year.
| State | School | Admission rate (%) | Median SAT score (out of 1600) | Faculty members per student |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | University of Alabama | 77.1 | 1364 | 19 |
| Alaska | University of Alaska | 67.0 | 1155 | 11 |
| Arizona | University of Arizona | 85.1 | 1235 | 15 |
| Arkansas | Harding University | 55.1 | 1165 | 14 |
| California | California Institute of Technology | 6.7 | 1545 | 3 |
| Colorado | Colorado School of Mines | 55.0 | 1310 | 17 |
| Connecticut | Yale University | 6.5 | 1515 | 4 |
| Delaware | University of Delaware | 66.0 | 1255 | 15 |
| Florida | University of Florida | 31.1 | 1390 | 17 |
| Georgia | Emory University | 19.2 | 1445 | 9 |
| Hawaii | Brigham Young University | 75.0 | 1170 | 16 |
| Idaho | University of Idaho | 74.4 | 1125 | 16 |
| Illinois | University of Chicago | 7.3 | 1535 | 5 |
| Indiana | University of Notre Dame | 19.0 | 1475 | 9 |
| Iowa | Grinnell College | 19.2 | 1450 | 8 |
| Kansas | Sterling College | 36.9 | 985 | 10 |
| Kentucky | Berea College | 33.0 | 1194 | 9 |
| Louisiana | Tulane University | 11.1 | 1440 | 8 |
| Maine | Colby College | 10.3 | 1450 | 10 |
| Maryland | Johns Hopkins University | 11.1 | 1510 | 6 |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 7.3 | 1540 | 3 |
| Michigan | University of Michigan | 26.1 | 1435 | 11 |
| Minnesota | Carleton College | 21.2 | 1450 | 8 |
| Mississippi | Mississippi College | 28.8 | 1145 | 15 |
| Missouri | Washington University | 16.0 | 1520 | 7 |
| Montana | Carroll College | 73.0 | 1180 | 11 |
| Nebraska | Creighton University | 64.0 | 1260 | 12 |
| Nevada | University of Nevada | 81.0 | 1140 | 18 |
| New Hampshire | Dartmouth College | 9.2 | 1500 | 7 |
| New Jersey | Princeton University | 5.6 | 1515 | 4 |
| New Mexico | Eastern New Mexico University | 50.6 | 1005 | 17 |
| New York | Columbia University | 6.7 | 1505 | 6 |
| North Carolina | Duke University | 7.7 | 1525 | 6 |
| North Dakota | University of Mary | 71.7 | 1164 | 11 |
| Ohio | Case Western Reserve University | 30.3 | 1425 | 11 |
| Oklahoma | University of Tulsa | 69.2 | 1225 | 10 |
| Oregon | Reed College | 42.3 | 1423 | 9 |
| Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania | 9.0 | 1505 | 6 |
| Rhode Island | Brown University | 7.7 | 1505 | 6 |
| South Carolina | Wofford College | 53.0 | 1270 | 12 |
| South Dakota | Augustana University | 71.4 | 1225 | 12 |
| Tennessee | Vanderbilt University | 11.6 | 1510 | 8 |
| Texas | Rice University | 10.9 | 1520 | 6 |
| Utah | Brigham Young University | 69.3 | 1315 | 21 |
| Vermont | Middlebury College | 22.0 | 1445 | 8 |
| Virginia | University of Virginia | 22.6 | 1430 | 15 |
| Washington | Whitman College | 54.1 | 1345 | 8 |
| West Virginia | West Virginia University Institute of Technology | 55.1 | 1030 | 13 |
| Wisconsin | University of Wisconsin | 57.2 | 1390 | 16 |
| Wyoming | University of Wyoming | 94.2 | 1170 | 14 |
by: Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St. via The Center Square
