College Research & Statistics
Data-driven answers to the biggest questions about college — backed by NCES, BLS, and federal sources. No opinions, just numbers.
22 data guides
Average ACT Score Statistics (2026)
The average ACT composite score is 19.5. See breakdowns by subject, state, demographics, and what the trends mean for your college applications.
12 min readAverage College GPA Statistics (2026)
The average college GPA is about 3.15. See how GPAs vary by major, institution type, and gender, plus what GPA employers actually look for.
12 min readAverage SAT Score Statistics (2026)
The average SAT score is 1028. See full breakdowns by state, demographics, section, and how scores have changed over the past decade.
12 min readBest Colleges for Low-Income Students
The colleges that enroll mostly low-income students yet launch graduates into $60,000+ careers, from federal data. The real economic mobility engines.
11 min readBest Value Colleges
The best value colleges by earnings against what you actually pay, from federal data on 2,733 schools. Public colleges take 97 of the top 100 spots.
11 min readCheapest Colleges in America
The cheapest colleges by net price, from federal data: public colleges that cost a few hundred dollars a year after aid, plus how to find a cheap degree.
10 min readCollege Acceptance Rates Statistics (2026)
College acceptance rates for 2026: most schools accept 60%+ of applicants. See rates by selectivity tier, trends over time, and why the data is misleading.
12 min readCollege Graduation Rates
What is the average college graduation rate, and which schools finish nearly everyone? An analysis of federal College Scorecard data on 5,018 schools.
11 min readCollege Net Price by State
Which states have the cheapest college? A CollegeHelpGuide analysis of average net price by state, and why your in-state public school costs less.
11 min readCollege ROI by Earnings and Debt
Which colleges pay off? We rank 4,400+ schools by earnings against debt using federal data, name the best values, and let you search them all.
16 min readCollege Statistics
Key U.S. college statistics from federal data: how many colleges there are, enrollment, average cost, debt, acceptance rates, and graduation outcomes.
12 min readColleges With the Least Student Debt
Which colleges leave graduates with the least federal debt? An analysis of College Scorecard data and what the low numbers actually mean.
11 min readEasiest College Majors Statistics (2026)
Which college majors are considered easiest? Data on GPA averages, study hours, and graduation rates by major, plus why 'easy' might be the wrong question.
12 min readEasiest Colleges to Get Into
The easiest colleges to get into by acceptance rate, from federal data, including big-name universities that admit 97%+ of applicants.
11 min readHardest College Majors Statistics (2026)
Hardest college majors ranked by GPA, study hours, and dropout rates. Engineering, physics, and nursing top the list. Full data.
12 min readHardest Colleges to Get Into
The hardest colleges to get into by acceptance rate, from federal data on 1,439 schools — plus why record-low rates are partly an illusion.
12 min readMost Expensive Colleges
The most expensive colleges by sticker price, from federal data, and why the priciest sticker often isn't the priciest school after aid.
11 min readMost Popular College Majors Statistics (2026)
Business is the most popular college major by a wide margin. See top majors by enrollment, growth trends, and what it means for jobs.
12 min readMost Regretted College Majors Statistics (2026)
About 44% of graduates regret their major choice. See which majors have the highest regret rates, why, and how to avoid becoming a statistic.
12 min readTest-Optional Colleges
Which colleges are test-optional, from federal data on 1,373 schools. Test-required is now rare, and even selective public universities have gone optional.
11 min readThe Gender Pay Gap by College
A CollegeHelpGuide analysis of College Scorecard data finds men out-earn women 6 years after entering college at 3,384 of 3,576 schools.
10 min readThe Largest Colleges in America
Which US colleges enroll the most students? A CollegeHelpGuide analysis of College Scorecard enrollment, and why the biggest names are online schools.
11 min read