Penn State SAT Scores: 2026 Range & Policy
Penn State reports a 1320–1460 SAT middle-50% range for University Park students offered admission for summer/fall 2026; the Commonwealth Campuses range is 1120–1360. Submitting scores is optional, and Penn State states that these ranges are not cutoffs or averages.
University Park, PA · Public · Doctoral / R1 research university
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 Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Latest official update: Penn State’s test-optional FAQ says the Schreyer Honors College and the Millennium Scholars Program do not require scores. The University Faculty Senate extended test-optional admission to fall 2026 in October 2024; the current Penn State pages checked on October 5, 2026 do not name a later end date, so confirm the policy for your entry term.
SAT/ACT policy
Penn State is test-optional: applicants choose whether scores are used in their evaluation, and there is no minimum score or GPA. If you elect to use them, you self-report each exam date in MyPennState, and Penn State uses the highest combined score from one single test date. It does not superscore, and it does not accept the ACT Science score. Applicants admitted without scores never need to send them.
Application deadlines
The application opens August 1. Penn State recommends a complete application by the November 1 Early Action deadline, with notification by December 24. After November 1, Regular Admission is rolling, with decisions from January, and University Park becomes more competitive. Nursing at University Park is due December 1, and the Accelerated Premedical-Medical Program requires scores by its October 13 deadline.
How to use your SAT score
- Use the range to judge flexibility, not eligibility. Penn State says placing near the upper end of both its GPA and score ranges increases the likelihood of your first-choice campus or major, while the lower end may call for flexible choices.
- Because Penn State counts the highest combined score from a single test date and does not superscore, a retake only helps if one sitting beats your best total.
- Apply by November 1. Decide on scores before submitting; the Test Optional answer can be changed only until Penn State issues its admission decision.
Admissions details checked October 5, 2026. Verify policies before applying: Penn State first-year class profile · Penn State Test Optional FAQs · Penn State first-year dates and deadlines · Penn State News: test-optional extension to fall 2026.
Penn State’s range is campus-specific
Penn State publishes separate middle-50% ranges: 1320–1460 at University Park and 1120–1360 at the Commonwealth Campuses. They describe students offered admission to their first-choice campus for summer/fall 2026, along with a 3.61–3.93 unweighted GPA range at University Park.
The midpoint of 1320–1460 is 1390, but that is arithmetic rather than a published average or median. The federal Scorecard range below is 1240–1420 and describes an earlier reporting period.
What happens if you choose to send a score
Penn State does not read scores entered in the Common Application or the STARS record. After you submit the application, you report SAT or ACT results in MyPennState, listing every exam date.
Only applicants who elected to use scores have official results sent by the testing agency, and only after deciding to attend (SAT code 2660). Penn State says scholarships based on academic performance no longer consider test scores.
Compare your SAT score
Penn State University Park’s summer/fall 2026 admitted range; Commonwealth Campuses are 1120–1360: 1320–1460.
This falls within the University Park range. Penn State says the range is not a cutoff, and the score is one part of the application if you choose to use it.
This compares a score with a reported interval. It does not estimate admission chances, account for your section split, or determine scholarship eligibility.
How Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus compares
- Its SAT rank in the stored federal dataset is #59 of 197 US colleges with published SAT ranges in this snapshot and #6 of 12 in PA.
- Its 61% acceptance rate is more selective than 61% of the 197 colleges in the same ranked pool.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry ($63,435) are $369 above the $63,066 median across that pool.
- Out-of-state students pay $21,146 more per year than in-state students ($41,790 vs $20,644).
Tuition and outcomes
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.
Colleges with similar SAT scores
Ranked by proximity to Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus's reported SAT midpoint. Similar scores do not imply similar programs, cost, or admission odds.
Scroll horizontally to view all columns →
| College | Location | SAT middle 50% | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield University | Fairfield, CT | 1260–1390 | 33% |
| University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT | 1210–1440 | 52% |
| University of Maryland-Baltimore County | Baltimore, MD | 1240–1420 | 72% |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | 1210–1450 | 88% |
| The University of the South | Sewanee, TN | 1260–1390 | 57% |
| Clemson University | Clemson, SC | 1240–1410 | 38% |
Questions about Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Is Penn State test-optional?
Yes. Penn State’s current first-year pages say submitting scores is not required, and the Faculty Senate extended test-optional admission to fall 2026 in October 2024. The pages checked on October 5, 2026 do not name a later end date, so confirm your entry term.
Does Penn State superscore the SAT?
No. Penn State uses the highest combined score from one single test date and says it does not utilize a superscore.
What is Penn State’s average SAT?
Penn State publishes middle-50% ranges, not an average: 1320–1460 for University Park and 1120–1360 for the Commonwealth Campuses, for students offered admission for summer/fall 2026.
When are Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus’s application deadlines?
The application opens August 1. Penn State recommends a complete application by the November 1 Early Action deadline, with notification by December 24. After November 1, Regular Admission is rolling, with decisions from January, and University Park becomes more competitive. Nursing at University Park is due December 1, and the Accelerated Premedical-Medical Program requires scores by its October 13 deadline.