17 Safety Business Schools You Have To Include In Your List

The average acceptance rate at some of the top business schools in the US is around 18% only. Being selective, it’s a must to have a high GPA and, in test-required or test-optional institutions, SAT and ACT scores, too, if you want to get in.

Unfortunately, not everyone has Ivy-worthy figures on their college applications.

Worry not if you want to earn a business-related degree but your grades and scores can make you scream it’s none of your business! each time someone spots them and raises an eyebrow. That’s because there are many good business schools out there that you can add to your college list as safety schools — your chances of getting into them are high.

Some of them have lower minimum GPA or standardized test score range requirements than most other business schools, while others have acceptance rates as high as more than 80% or, in some instances, even 90%.

Let’s take a look at some safety business schools you might want to look into:

Boise State University

• Location: Boise, Idaho
• Acceptance rate: 83%
• Tuition and fees: $8,364 (in-state) and $25,701 (out-of-state)
• Average GPA: 3.5
• SAT range: 980 to 1200
• ACT range: 20 to 27
• Alumni average starting salary: $33,300 per year

Ranked #86 in Best Business Schools by US News, Boise State University offers bachelor’s degree programs in business administration, entrepreneurship management, human resource management and international business, all of which are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Since 2017, the public research university has also been offering a fully-accredited undergraduate degree in management online — Boise conferred a total of 86 of the said degree in 2021.

Besides business, other popular majors at the institution include communications, liberal arts and humanities, and nursing.

Boler College of Business at John Carroll University

• Location: University Heights, Ohio
• Acceptance rate: 88%
• Tuition and fees: $47,290
• Average GPA: 3.7
• SAT range: 1120 to 1340
• ACT range: 24 to 30
• Alumni average starting salary: $41,700 per year

According to John Carroll University, the Boler College of Business is in the top 11% of business programs in the US and top 5% of business programs globally, thanks to the dual AACSB accreditation of its business and accounting degrees.

What makes the Boler College of Business different is that it offers a part-time MBA.

Simply put, the business school at John Carroll University, which is a private Jesuit institution and ranked #2 in Regional Universities Midwest by US News, allows working adults with not less than 2 years of industry experience and a full-time 1 year accelerated program for recent graduates to get their hands on an MBA.

Frank G. Zarb School of Business at Hofstra University

• Location: Hempstead, New York
• Acceptance rate: 68%
• Tuition and fees: $53,330
• Average GPA: 3.7
• SAT range: 1180 to 1370
• ACT range: 27 to 31
• Alumni average starting salary: $40,900 per year

At Hofstra University, which is the largest private postsecondary institution in Long Island, New York and is ranked by US News #166 in National Universities 2023, the Frank G. Zarb School of Business has 5 departments that offer undergraduate majors and minors as well as graduate degree programs across all disciplines of business.

They are accounting, finance, information systems and business analytics, management and entrepreneurship, marketing and international business, and legal studies.

Other popular majors at Hofstra other than business-related ones include radio and television, psychology, and public health.

Gatton College of Business and Economics at the University of Kentucky

• Location: Lexington, Kentucky
• Acceptance rate: 94%
• Tuition and fees: $12,859 (in-state) and $32,276 (out-of-state)
• Average GPA: 3.6
• SAT range: 1083 to 1330
• ACT range: 22 to 29
• Alumni average starting salary: $43,800 per year

US News ranks Gatton College of Business and Economics at the University of Kentucky, which is made up of 16 colleges, #63 in Best Business Schools and #68 in Part-time MBA.

Majors offered by the business school are accounting, economics, finance, management, marketing and online general business.

On the other hand, undergraduate students can choose from available minors such as business, business analytics, economics and international business. Business-related certificates are offered as well.

Some other highly ranked programs at the University of Kentucky include education, engineering and law.

Jack C. Massey College of Business at Belmont University

• Location: Nashville, Tennessee
• Acceptance rate: 88%
• Tuition and fees: $39,850
• Average GPA: 3.8
• SAT range: 1150 to 1340
• ACT range: 24 to 30
• Alumni average starting salary: $36,900 per year

Belmont University’s business school, which is the Jack C. Massey College, offers a total of 13 undergraduate majors.

Some of them include accounting, business analytics, entrepreneurship, finance, general management, health care administration, international business and marketing, all of which are AACSB-accredited.

The business school takes pride in the fact that it has a 98% 6-month placement rate.

Other popular majors at Belmont University, which is ranked #182 in National Universities by US News, include nursing, music management, liberal arts and humanities, music, and arts, entertainment and media management.

La Salle University

• Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Acceptance rate: 84%
• Tuition and fees: $33,890
• Average GPA: 3.5
• SAT range: 1050 to 1250
• ACT range: 21 to 29
• Alumni average starting salary: $45,100 per year

A private, Catholic university founded in March 1863 as an all-male institution, La Salle University is ranked by US News #127 in Best Business Schools 2023 and #246 in Part-time MBA 2023.

In Pennsylvania, it’s only La Salle University that offers a 4-Year BS/MBA in accounting program, which makes it possible for students to complete their undergraduate degree in just 3 years and proceed directly to a full-time MBA program in their senior year of college, thus allowing those who wish to earn a graduate degree to save their resources.

While there are several full-time day programs to choose from, adult learners can also choose between 2 evening programs. And they are accounting and business administration.

Louisiana Tech University

• Location: Ruston, Louisiana
• Acceptance rate: 66%
• Tuition and fees: $10,635 (in-state) and $19,548 (out-of-state)
• Average GPA: 3.6
• SAT range: 1070 to 1280
• ACT range: 22 to 27
• Alumni average starting salary: $37,800 per year

Undergraduate students attending Louisiana Tech University, which is ranked #95 in Best Business Schools and #163 in Top Public Schools by US News, can choose from a variety of degrees. They range from accounting, business administration, business economics, computer information systems, finance, management to marketing.

Those who have a bachelor’s degree may also choose to work on a business foundations certificate program.

Computer science and engineering are other highly-ranked undergraduate programs at Louisiana Tech University. Some top majors include biology, liberal arts and humanities, nursing, and psychology.

Michael F. Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma

• Location: Norman, Oklahoma
• Acceptance rate: 85%
• Tuition and fees: $9,312 (in-state) and $25,880 (out-of-state)
• Average GPA: 3.7
• SAT range: 1150 to 1340
• ACT range: 23 to 29
• Alumni average starting salary: $46,800 per year

The University of Oklahoma’s Michael F. Price College of Business offers a variety of majors for undergraduate business students to choose from.

Some of them are accounting, economics, energy management, finance, healthcare business, international business, management, management information systems, sports business, and supply chain management.

It also has study abroad opportunities through faculty-led programs in countries such as Italy, Spain, France, Costa Rica and the UK. Participants may also choose to start their own business via the First Fidelity Bank Integrated Business Core.

Other than business ones, other popular programs at University of Oklahoma are computer science and engineering.

Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business at Purdue University

• Location: West Lafayette, Indiana
• Acceptance rate: 69%
• Tuition and fees: $9,992 (in-state) and $28,794 (out-of-state)
• Average GPA: 3.7
• SAT range: 1190 to 1430
• ACT range: 26 to 33
• Alumni average starting salary: $47,200 per year

Purdue University, which is a land-grant public institution ranked #51 in National Universities 2023 and #18 in Top Public Schools 2023 by US News, is popular for its undergraduate engineering programs.

But it also tends to attract degree-seeking students who are interested in working on top-notch business-related areas of study through the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, which offers a number of undergraduate degree programs and undergraduate majors as well as time-saving combined business degree programs.

There are also online programs available, including MS economics and MS human resource management.

Quinnipiac University School of Business

• Location: Hamden, Connecticut
• Acceptance rate: 88%
• Tuition and fees: $51,790
• Average GPA: 3.4
• SAT range: 1130 to 1310
• ACT range: 24 to 30
• Alumni average starting salary: $50,100 per year

The claim to fame of Quinnipiac University School of Business is that it has a placement rate of 99.7% — the percentage of graduates who, 6 months after earning their respective business-related degrees, become a part of the workforce, starting their own money-making ventures or pursuing graduate studies.

Undergraduate students can choose from a total of 28 degree programs. Meanwhile, those who wish to go straight from working on a bachelor’s degree to earning a master’s degree quickly can choose from 8 dual-degree programs.

Quinnipiac University School of Business, a private institution, is ranked by US News #124 in Best Business Schools.

SJ School of Business and Management at Loyola University Maryland

• Location: Baltimore, Maryland
• Acceptance rate: 84%
• Tuition and fees: $53,430
• Average GPA: 3.6
• SAT range: 1160 to 1360
• ACT range: 27 to 30
• Alumni average starting salary: $48,600 per year

The “SJ” in the SJ School of Business and Management stands for “Joseph Selinger”, who was an American Catholic priest and Jesuit. And the said institution is the business school of Loyola University Maryland, a private Jesuit university founded back in 1852 — that time, it was known as Loyola College in Maryland.

A couple of accelerated degree programs are available at the SJ School of Business and Management: BA/MA in emerging media program and BA/MTS program. It also has a combined BA/BS-MAT program.

US News ranks it #124 in Best Business Schools and #102 in Part-time MBA.

Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa

• Location: Iowa City, Iowa
• Acceptance rate: 86%
• Tuition and fees: $9,942 (in-state) and $31,904 (out-of-state)
• Average GPA: 3.8
• SAT range: 1130 to 1350
• ACT range: 22 to 29
• Alumni average starting salary: $45,100 per year

At the University of Iowa’s business school, which is the Tippie College of Business, undergraduate students can choose from a total of 7 majors.

They are accounting, business analytics and information systems, economics, finance, management marketing, and risk management and insurance.

Double majoring is also welcomed, such as pairing accounting with finance or business analytics.

Tippie College of Business also allows undergraduates to work on joint degrees, which is done with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering at the University of Iowa, which US News ranks #83 in National Universities.

University of Kansas Business School

• Location: Lawrence, Kansas
• Acceptance rate: 92%
• Tuition and fees: $11,166 (in-state) and $28,035 (out-of-state)
• Average GPA: 3.7
• SAT range: 1090 to 1330
• ACT range: 21 to 29
• Alumni average starting salary: $43,500 per year

US News ranks the University of Kansas Business School #78 in Best Business Schools 2023.

Available degree programs include accounting, analytics, business administration, finance, information and operations management, finance, management and entrepreneurship, and marketing.

In 2022, there were a total of 2,921 undergraduate students attending the University of Kansas Business School.

The institution is proud to say that up to 89.75% of its graduates are placed within 6 months after being conferred with their degrees, some of whom got employed or started their own businesses or were admitted to graduate schools.

University of Oregon Lundquist College of Business

• Location: Eugene, Oregon
• Acceptance rate: 93%
• Tuition and fees: $14,516 (in-state) and $41,700 (out-of-state)
• Average GPA: 3.7
• SAT range: 1110 to 1330
• ACT range: 22 to 30
• Alumni average starting salary: $37,100 per year

The Lundquist College of Business at the University of Oregon, which is a public research university and has a US News ranking of #105 in National Universities 2023 and #48 in Top Public Schools 2023, offers a couple of 3+1 pathways.

Simply put, the accounting 3+1 pathway allows individuals to earn a master’s degree in accounting as well as all the credits they will need to sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam.

On the other hand, the finance 3+1 pathway makes it possible for students to earn an MS degree in finance and accelerate their careers as financial analysts.

The school is proud to say that it has the first of its kind MS in sports product management program.

University of South Dakota Beacom School of Business

• Location: Vermillion, South Dakota
• Acceptance rate: 87%
• Tuition and fees: $9,432 (in-state) and $12,942 (out-of-state)
• Average GPA: 3.4
• SAT range: 1050 to 1290
• ACT range: 19 to 25
• Alumni average starting salary: $37,900 per year

In South Dakota, the Beacom School of Business at the University of South Dakota is considered the flagship business school.

As such, the institution is committed to helping local businesses and in the state and region to attain success — and its executive education program allows its graduates to make it happen.

Also making it a possibility is the fact that the school’s faculty work closely with business leaders to be able to design academic programs vital to the attainment of their respective business goals and objectives.

According to the Beacom School of Business, over 30 global and regional companies recruit its on-campus students yearly.

University of Texas at San Antonio Carlos Alvarez College of Business

• Location: San Antonio, Texas
• Acceptance rate: 90%
• Tuition and fees: $10,966 (in-state) and $26,352 (out-of-state)
• Average GPA: 3.4
• SAT range: 1020 to 1220
• ACT range: 18 to 26
• Alumni average starting salary: $37,500 per year

The University of Texas at San Antonio Carlos Alvarez College of Business, or simply UTSA Carlos Alvarez College of Business, takes pride in the fact that it’s one of the largest business schools in the country. It has a diverse campus, too, with around 27% of its student population consisting of minorities.

Undergraduate students can choose from a number of majors. Some examples include accounting, actuarial science, cyber security, economics, finance, information systems, and operations and supply chain management.

Also available are undergraduate certificates, including business analytics and pathogenic outbreak investigations.

Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University

• Location: Boone, North Carolina
• Acceptance rate: 85%
• Tuition and fees: $7,970 (in-state) and $23,974 (out-of-state)
• Average GPA: 3.5
• SAT range: 1070 to 1280
• ACT range: 20 to 27
• Alumni average starting salary: $31,900 per year

According to Appalachian State University’s Walker College of Business, which has more than 3,600 undergraduates enrolled in various majors, its academic curriculum puts special emphasis on international experiences, sustainable business practices, entrepreneurial programs and real-world industry applications.

Some degree programs available include accounting, computer information systems, economics, international business, management, marketing, supply chain management, and sustainable business.

The Walker College of Business highly recommends its students complete an internship while enrolled.

Just Before You Apply to a Business School

Interested in working on a business-related degree but the selectivity level of many business schools intimidating you? Then consider adding some of the ones we talked about above to your college list — with high acceptance rates and lower-than-usual GPA and standardized test score requirements, your chances of getting in are high.

But don’t apply to any of them simply because you are likely to get an acceptance letter. Make sure that you check out the available programs as well as other important factors to determine whether or not it’s the best-fit business school for you.