The admission rate for applicants to ESF is 70 percent (Fall 2019). ESF is ranked at 54th in the 2020 "US News & World Report" rankings of the top public national universities. Furthermore, ESF is ranked 118th in the 2020 "US News & World Report" list of the best National Universities (both public and private). U.S. News & World Report ranked ESF as 64th best graduate school in Environmental/ Environmental Health Engineering category in 2016. The "Washington Monthly College Guide" ranked ESF No. 49 among the nation's top service-oriented colleges and universities for 2012 (and 6th in "community service participation and hours served").