# Bucknell University SAT Scores & Admissions | 1600.now

Source: https://1600.now/college/bucknell-university
Last updated: 2026-07-17

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Written by [Luke Finigan](https://1600.now/about)

Lewisburg, PA · Private non-profit · Liberal arts / baccalaureate college

SAT middle 50% (historical enrolled scores): 1310–1470 · Range midpoint ~1390

Acceptance rate: 29%

Enrollment: 3,876

ACT middle 50%: 30–33

The figures above are the stored federal Scorecard snapshot, imported April 25, 2026. Its fields can cover different reporting years. Current university profiles below can describe a different cohort or applicant group.

### Current admissions guidance for Bucknell University

Bucknell is a private university in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, with a reported 1310–1470 SAT middle-50% range in the federal College Scorecard snapshot. Its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and Freeman College of Management share one admissions process.

#### SAT/ACT policy

Bucknell is test-optional through the 2026–27 application cycle. Applicants receive full consideration without SAT or ACT scores, although enrolled students who took a test may later be asked to provide results for institutional research.

#### Application deadlines

Early Decision I applications are due November 1. Early Decision II and Regular Decision applications are due January 10.

#### How to use your SAT score

- A score near or above Bucknell's 1310–1470 range can strengthen the quantitative evidence in an application.
- Applicants may omit a score that does not match their classroom performance under the current policy.
- Apply Early Decision only after comparing costs because the plan is binding.

Admissions details checked July 17, 2026. Verify policies before applying: [Bucknell standardized testing policy](https://coursecatalog.bucknell.edu/admissions/standardizedtests/) · [Bucknell decision plans and deadlines](https://coursecatalog.bucknell.edu/admissions/decisionplans/).

### How Bucknell University compares

- Its SAT rank in the stored federal dataset is #38 of 197 US colleges with published SAT ranges in this snapshot and #4 of 12 in PA.
- Its 29% acceptance rate is more selective than 85% of the 197 colleges in the same ranked pool.
- Reported section midpoints skew 20 points toward Math (700 Math vs 680 Reading and Writing).
- Median earnings 10 years after entry ($93,807) are $30,741 above the $63,066 median across that pool.

National SAT rank: #38 of 197

SAT rank in PA: #4 of 12

More selective than: 85% of ranked colleges

Earnings vs national median: +$30,741

### What the numbers say about Bucknell University

- The reported middle 50% spans 160 points, from 1310 to 1470. A planning score near or above 1510 gives you a target above that historical range, not an admission guarantee.
- The reported section midpoints are 680 Reading and Writing and 700 Math. Use the lower section as the first place to look for recoverable points in your own score split.
- The Scorecard snapshot reports a 29% acceptance rate. That rate describes a past applicant pool and should not be read as your personal admission probability.
- Reported outcomes include a 86% completion rate and $93,807 in median earnings 10 years after entry. Compare those figures with cost and program fit, not in isolation.

[Understand a 1390 SAT score](https://1600.now/sat-score/1390) [Plan for a 1500](https://1600.now/how-to-get-1500-sat) [Verify current admissions policy](https://www.bucknell.edu/)

### Tuition and outcomes

Tuition (in-state): $67,812

Tuition (out-of-state): $67,812

Median earnings 10 years after entry: $93,807

4-year completion rate (150% time): 86%

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard. Documentation version September 2025; our snapshot imported April 25, 2026. Scorecard fields can come from different reporting years, and this snapshot does not encode one universal data year. SAT totals are rounded to the nearest valid 10 points. Tuition excludes room, board, fees, and books. [Read the methodology](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf).

### How your SAT score lines up

The Scorecard snapshot places the middle 50% of reported scores between **1310** and **1470**. This is descriptive data, not an admission threshold or probability estimate.

- **1510 SAT planning target:** Above the reported middle-50% range, not an admission guarantee.
- **1470 SAT (reported 75th percentile):** At the upper end of the reported middle-50% range.
- **1390 SAT (range midpoint):** Within the reported range; not a measured median.
- **1310 SAT (reported 25th percentile):** At the lower end of the reported middle-50% range.

At or above 1470

Strong relative score

At the upper end of the reported range. Consider submitting if the current policy accepts scores.

1310–1460

Within the reported range

Compare your exact position, section split, and the rest of your academic record.

Below 1310

Below the reported range

Check the current testing policy before deciding whether to withhold the score or retake.

[Compare to other colleges →](https://1600.now/what-sat-score-do-i-need)

### Colleges with similar SAT scores

Ranked by proximity to Bucknell University's reported SAT midpoint. Similar scores do not imply similar programs, cost, or admission odds.

| College | Location | SAT middle 50% | Acceptance rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Trinity College](https://1600.now/college/trinity-college) | Hartford, CT | 1300–1470 | 29% |
| [North Carolina State University at Raleigh](https://1600.now/college/north-carolina-state-university-at-raleigh) | Raleigh, NC | 1300–1470 | 42% |
| [Ohio State University-Main Campus](https://1600.now/college/ohio-state-university-main-campus) | Columbus, OH | 1310–1480 | 61% |
| [Colorado School of Mines](https://1600.now/college/colorado-school-of-mines) | Golden, CO | 1320–1480 | 61% |
| [The University of Texas at Austin](https://1600.now/college/the-university-of-texas-at-austin) | Austin, TX | 1250–1510 | 27% |
| [The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art](https://1600.now/college/the-cooper-union-for-the-advancement-of-science-and-art) | New York, NY | 1300–1500 | 21% |

### Questions about Bucknell University

#### What SAT score do I need for Bucknell University?

Bucknell University's Scorecard snapshot shows a middle-50% SAT range of 1310–1470, rounded to valid 10-point totals. 1510 is a planning target above the reported range, not an admission cutoff.

#### What is Bucknell University's acceptance rate?

Bucknell University's historical College Scorecard snapshot reports approximately 29%. This is a past institution-wide applicant pool, not an individual admission probability.

#### How much does it cost to attend Bucknell University?

Historical published tuition is approximately $67,812 per year (excludes room, board, fees).

#### Is Bucknell University test-optional?

Bucknell is test-optional through the 2026–27 application cycle. Applicants receive full consideration without SAT or ACT scores, although enrolled students who took a test may later be asked to provide results for institutional research.

#### When are Bucknell University's application deadlines?

Early Decision I applications are due November 1. Early Decision II and Regular Decision applications are due January 10.

Official site: [www.bucknell.edu](https://www.bucknell.edu/)
