Santiago Mallea
Content Writer At Gradehacker
Do you want to continue your education by enrolling in an affordable university with an open admissions policy? If so, you need a list of the best colleges with the highest acceptance rate.
If you think that finding a high-quality institution is hard, you’re not the first. We know that sometimes, colleges ask for requirements that not everybody can meet.
It may seem as if the American educational system only lets people with the best scores and more experience access better education, and for a tuition cost that most can only afford by acquiring debt.
And while it is true that many “elite schools” ask for remarkable high GPAs or incredible working experiences that only a few people can have, it’s also a reality that there are many colleges that have opened their doors to students looking for higher education and better life quality.
So, you need a list of the best colleges with the highest acceptance rate that also have tuition costs you can afford. Well, lucky you, because you’ve found it.
Here at Gradehacker, we are the non-traditional student’s most trusted resource. We know how important finding the perfect college is, and many of our clients ask us which institutions they can enroll in by just meeting basic requirements and without spending all their savings on it.
That’s why we are listing in no particular order the colleges with the highest acceptance rate that are also affordable.
Let’s begin!
Broward College is a public school in Florida, with a 100% acceptance rate according to U.S. News & World Report.
They offer a wide range of academic programs. While most are associate degree courses, some are bachelors level.
Their courses are flexible, as not only can you choose how many classes you take per semester, but you can also choose to take them online or on-campus. In case this decision is something that troubles you, go ahead and read our comparison between studying in person vs. online learning.
Degree Programs
At Broward College, you can study:
- Arts, Humanities, Communication, and Design (AHCD)
- Business
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
- Health Science (Nursing)
- Industry, Manufacturing, Construction, and Transportation (IMCT)
- Public Safety
- Social Behavioral Sciences and Human Sciences
- Education
You can see their full list of degrees and program options here.
Requirements
Their application fee costs between $35 and $75, depending on your immigration and citizen status. To enroll in Broward, you need to:
- Submit your official ACT or Standardized Test Scores (SAT)
- Submit your official transcripts from high school to show there is no coursework in progress
- Complete Broward's online orientation
- If English is your second language, take the levels of English Proficiency (LOEP) test
You can follow the steps to start your application here.
Cost
As a public institution, their prices are lower than private colleges.
Associate Degree programs and Technical Certificates cost:
- In-state on campus: $117 per credit hour
- In-state online: $122 per credit hour
- Out-of-state on campus: $373 per credit hour
- Out-of-state online: $243 per credit hour
Baccalaureate Courses cost:
- In-state on campus: $130 per credit hour
- In-state online: $135 per credit hour
- Out-of-state on campus: $589 per credit hour
- Out-of-state online: $319 per credit hour
Health Sciences programs may have additional costs. You can see their general tuition and costs here.
One big plus for Broward College is that they offer financial aid and scholarships for all students.
Granite State College is a public institution in New Hampshire with an admission rate of 100%. Its mission is to help adults of all ages access public and affordable higher education, throughout the state and beyond.
Their academic programs are designed for working adults, and while most of their courses are in-person, they offer other flexible options like fully online, hybrids, and weekend classes.
Degree Programs
At Granite State College, you will find academic programs for:
- Business, Management, and Finance
- Communications and Media
- Education
- Human Services and Public Safety
- Health Care and Nursing
- Liberal Arts
- Technology
You can find their entire list of degree programs here.
They offer teacher certifications, Associate, Bachelor’s, and Master’s degrees. All of their graduate programs have the possibility of taking it 100% online. Most undergraduate courses don’t have this option available but it’s worth mentioning that their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) degree is one of the few exceptions that can be done from your home.
If you are a nursing student looking for more tips, check out what the best online nursing schools are, or find out the best colleges for an online BSN program.
Requirements
To apply for Granite State College, you have to:
- Have a high school diploma, homeschool equivalent, or GED
- Fill out their free admission form
- If you already have college credits, send your transcripts
You can see how to apply for graduate or post-baccalaureate courses here.
Cost
Residents will have to pay:
- 314 per credit for undergraduate students
- 545 per credit for graduate students
Non-residents will have to pay:
- 370 per credit for undergraduate students
- 595 per credit for graduate students
St. Petersburg College is a public school in Florida with a college acceptance rate of 100%. They don’t want their prospective students to live with debt to cover their education, and to achieve that, not only do they offer many alternatives to make college more affordable, but also its tuition costs are about 50% less than other state universities.
They offer over 110 academic degrees and graduate programs, with courses that range from certificate programs to bachelor’s degrees. Most of their classes can be done entirely online, and according to U.S News & World Report, they are listed among the top-ranked Florida colleges for offering the Best Online Bachelor’s Program Overall in 2022.
Degree Programs
At St. Petersburg College, you can find degrees in the fields of:
- Arts, Humanities, and Design
- Public Safety, Public Policy, and Legal Studies
- Communications
- Education
- Engineering, Manufacturing, and Building Arts
- Science and Mathematics
- Business
- Technology
- Social Behavioral Sciences and Human Sciences
- Health Sciences and Veterinary Technology
You can see all of their available programs and online courses here.
Requirements
If you want to apply, you’ll have to:
- Send your high-school transcripts or equivalent
- Send your college transcripts (if you have)
- Send your SAT or ACT scores (or take the College Placement Test if needed)
- Fill out their $40 online application form
Cost
Lower Division Courses:
- 111 per credit hour for Florida residents
- 386 per credit hour for out-of-state residents
Upper-Division Courses:
- 122 per credit hour for Florida residents
- 425 per credit hour for out-of-state residents
Here, you can see how to apply for the financial aid options and scholarships they provide.
Wilmington University is a private school in New Castle, Delaware, with a college acceptance rate of 99%. Unlike most educational institutions, they don’t differentiate between in-state and out-of-state students and offer an affordable in-state tuition rate for both in-person and online students.
They offer a wide range of academic programs in all major fields, with most of them being available online. Plus, besides offering certificates, associates, and bachelor’s degrees, you can also find doctorate programs!
Degree Programs
At Wilmington University, you will find courses in:
- Art, Communication, and Marketing
- Business, Management, Administration, and FInance
- Education
- Health and Nursing
- Human Services
- Law, Public Policy, Criminal Justice, and Security
- Information Technology
- STEM
Their many online courses go from minor diplomas and certificates to undergraduate and graduate programs, and you can see the full list of available options here.
Requirements
Wilmington University has an open admissions policy, meaning that in most cases, no STA scores or minimum GPA are required for college admission.
So, to apply you’ll need to:
- Have graduated from an accredited high school or have successfully completed a GED program
- Complete their online application with a $35 application fee
- Submit official transcripts from any schools you’ve attended
- Submit a copy of your immunization records to the Admissions office
Cost
As we already mentioned, Wilmington University does not differentiate its tuition between in-state and out-of-state. So, their tuition cost is:
- 399 for Undergraduate Courses
- 512 for Graduate Courses
- 679 for Doctoral Courses
You can see their additional fees and check out their student financial services.
Wayne State College is a public institution in Nebraska with a 100% acceptance rate. It’s recognized as one of the best colleges in Nebraska by Colleges of Distinction and ranked 11 in the list of America’s Cheapest Online Colleges of 2022 according to Intelligent.com.
They offer over 130 programs of study, with both Bachelor’s and Master’s levels, and include many opportunities to get hands-on experience.
One of their best pros is that they have their own state college Tuition Guarantee, which lets Pell-qualified students attend tuition-free. It’s a great option for first-time, degree-seeking undergraduate students, and if you want more information on this aid you can read their additional requirements here.
Degree Programs
At Wayne State College, you can find programs in the fields of:
- Arts and Humanities
- Business and Technology
- Education and Behavioral Sciences
- Science, Health, and Criminal Justice
You can explore their entire list of academic programs here.
Their online options may not be as numerous as the other educational institutions on this list, but they are nationally ranked for quality and affordability.
While they only have three online programs for Bachelor’s degrees (Criminal justice, Business Management, and Human Resource Management), they have more options for Master’s Degrees. These are:
- Curriculum and Instruction Master's
- School Administration Master's
- Special Education Master's
- Business Administration Master's
- Organizational Management Master's
- Interdisciplinary Studies Master's
You can find their specific Bachelor’s and Master’s online degrees here.
Requirements
To enroll in Wayne State, you must:
- Have graduated from an accredited high school
- Complete their free Admissions Application
- Send your high school transcripts
Even though it’s not required, they encourage prospective students to submit their ACT or SAT scores as this helps determine which college courses they should take in their first year.
Cost
Undergraduate Tuition Rates:
- 186 per credit hour for in-state students
- 187 per credit hour for out-of-state students
- 299 per credit hour for online students
Graduate Tuition Rates:
- 232 per credit hour for in-state students
- 348 or $465 per credit hour for out-of-state students
- 380 per credit hour for online students
See the list of fees and tuition specifications for out-of-state students here.
They have their own scholarships and they also offer different types of financial aid.
Colorado Mountain College is a public university with a student admission rate of 100%. They are committed to bringing affordable and high-quality education to help prospective students with less student loan debt.
If you want more information on how serious the student loan crisis is, read our article and find out how dangerous it has become!
This college provides hands-on assignments, fieldwork, and internships that connect their undergraduate students with real-life experience for a real-world job.
They have 11 campuses throughout Colorado and offer a wide range of certificate programs and associate degrees. However, you can only enroll in seven Bachelor’s programs: Business, Ecosystem Science & Stewardship, Education, Human Services, Leadership & Management, Nursing, and Sustainability.
Degree Programs
At Colorado Mountain College, you can study:
- Applied Technology
- Science and Math
- Business
- Education
- Culinary, Hospitalism, and Tourism
- Environmental Science
- Human Services
- Veterinary Technology
- First Response and Public Services
- Liberal Arts
- Nursing and Health Sciences
- Arts, Digital Media, and Communications
You can find all of their associate programs and courses here.
Requirements
To complete their college application process, you need to:
And that’s it! Here is a more thorough step-by-step guide of what you need to do but Colorado Mountain College’s requirements are as simple as that.
Cost
Bachelor and Associate programs costs:
- 95 per credit hour for in-district students
- 195 per credit hour for in-state students
- 293 per credit hour for western state students
- 480 per credit hour for out-of-state students
Time to Enroll And Start!
It’s not always easy to have the hard-to-meet requirements that some “elite colleges” ask for. But there is no reason why anyone shouldn’t be able to receive a high-quality education only because their GPA is not as high as these schools want it to be.
Thanks to this list, you can now go ahead and find a college with an open admission policy that lets you pursue your future career for an affordable price and with the possibility of studying from home.
But if you are not sure about these universities, keep searching! We based our research on the top 100 list of U.S. News & World Report, so if you want to look for more options, you can start there!
And if you want to find more tips on how to better manage your school finances, check out our related articles:
