What SAT or ACT score do you need for Clemson?

As of November 2026: Clemson University is test-optional for fall, spring, and summer first-year applicants, and the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1230 to 1390 in the fall 2023 class. On the ACT, the middle half of those who sent a score landed between 28 and 32.

Clemson does not require a test score. Here is what enrolled first-years who sent one scored, how many sent one, and when we tell families to send.

By Nick Standlea, Test Prep Gurus. Figures may be quoted with attribution to Test Prep Gurus.

Clemson is test-optional. Clemson University says applicants are not required to send an SAT or ACT score. That applies to fall, spring, and summer first-year applicants. Families can change their test choice until Nov 1 for Early Action or Jan 10 for Regular Decision.

The SAT band is 1230 to 1390. That is the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT in the fall 2023 class. On the ACT, the middle half scored 28 to 32.

Clemson admitted 38.1 percent of applicants. For fall 2023, Clemson admitted 22,906 of 60,122 applicants. At a school this selective, we tell families a strong score is a real help.

Does Clemson require the SAT or ACT?

Clemson's test policy, in the university's own words.

Policy	Applies to	In Clemson's words	Good to know	Source
Test-optional	fall, spring, and summer first-year applicants (page does not state a specific admit year)	Clemson has adopted a test-optional policy. Applicants are not required to submit a standardized test score to be considered for admission	Applicants may change their test-optional preference until Nov 1 (Early Action) or Jan 10 (Regular Decision). Clemson superscores the SAT and ACT when scores are submitted. Undergrad enrollment 23,401 (IPEDS College Navigator).	Source

Test-optional means Clemson reads a score if one is sent.

Clemson: score bands, who sends a score, how many get in, what it costs

Score bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in the fall 2023 class.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	60122
admits, fall 2023	22906
admit rate, percent	38.1
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1230
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1390
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	28
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	32
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	39
share who sent an ACT, percent	21
application fee, dollars	70
full price of a year, dollars	35015
average net price after aid, dollars	22253

Bands, applicants and admits are from the fall 2023 class, the latest federal file. Prices are from the College Scorecard.

When are the Clemson deadlines for fall 2027 entry?

Clemson posts its application dates on its own admissions page.

Early Action	Regular	Where to check
--	--	Source

Dates not listed here are posted on Clemson's admissions page.

Does Clemson require the SAT or ACT?

No -- Clemson University does not require the SAT or ACT; it is test-optional for fall, spring, and summer first-year applicants. In Clemson's own words, "Applicants are not required to submit a standardized test score to be considered for admission." The page does not name a specific entry year.

So is Clemson test-optional? Yes -- an applicant can be considered for admission without sending an SAT or ACT score. Clemson superscores the SAT and ACT when scores are submitted. That means your child's best section scores across test dates can count together.

What SAT score do enrolled first-years carry at Clemson?

The middle half of enrolled first-years at Clemson who sent an SAT scored between 1230 and 1390 in the fall 2023 class. That is the latest federal count. A quarter of those students scored below 1230.

Keep in mind who these students are. They enrolled at Clemson, and they chose to send an SAT. This band is not a cutoff, and it is not a list of everyone who was admitted. It is a picture of the students who came and sent a score.

What ACT score do enrolled first-years carry at Clemson?

The middle half of enrolled first-years at Clemson who sent an ACT scored between 28 and 32 in the fall 2023 class. A quarter of those students scored below 28.

We tell families to look at both bands, not just one. Some of our students do better on the SAT, and some do better on the ACT. The right test is the one where your child lands highest against the band.

How many Clemson first-years send a test score?

At Clemson, 39 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT, and 21 percent sent an ACT. Read each share on its own.

These shares tell you that plenty of enrolled students chose to send a score. A test-optional policy does not mean scores go unused. When a score is sent, Clemson reads it.

Should my child send a score to Clemson?

If your child's SAT is 1230 or higher, or the ACT is 28 or higher, we tell families to send it to Clemson. A score inside or above the band is one to send.

At a selective test-optional school like Clemson, we tell families it is nearly always good to have a score. A strong score bolsters the odds of getting in, and most merit scholarships are keyed to one. That is our advice, not a Clemson rule.

If your child's score is below the band, think hard before sending it. That may be the time to prepare and take the test again. Families can change their test choice until Nov 1 for Early Action or Jan 10 for Regular Decision, so there is room to decide after a later test date.

How hard is it to get into Clemson?

Clemson admitted 22,906 of 60,122 applicants for fall 2023, an admit rate of 38.1 percent. That makes it a selective school.

Clemson is also a big campus, with 23,401 undergraduates. A large school can still be hard to get into, and that is the case here. We plan with our students as if every part of the application matters, and a strong score is the part a family can raise with steady work.

What does it cost to apply to and attend Clemson?

The application fee at Clemson is $70. The full price of a year is $35,015, and the average net price after aid is $22,253.

Your own price may be different from the average. Clemson publishes a net price calculator, as every US college must. We tell families to run it with their own numbers before the application goes in.

When are the Clemson deadlines?

Clemson lets applicants change their test choice until Nov 1 for Early Action and Jan 10 for Regular Decision. Those are the dates we plan around for test scores.

The full application dates for fall 2027 entry are posted on Clemson's admissions page. They apply to high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027. Check that page yourself and put each date on your family calendar.

What should we do this month?

Have your child sit a full-length mock SAT and a full-length mock ACT, then compare each result with the Clemson bands of 1230 to 1390 on the SAT and 28 to 32 on the ACT. Test Prep Gurus offers a free mock SAT and a free mock ACT. You can sign up at https://www.prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step or call us at 949.229.5359.

Once you know which test fits, plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Our rule is to prepare for the whole test every sitting, even with superscoring. A full plan gives your child the best shot at a score that is one to send.

Questions parents ask

Is Clemson test-optional?
Yes -- an applicant can be considered for admission without sending an SAT or ACT score.

Does Clemson require the SAT or ACT?
No -- Clemson University does not require the SAT or ACT; it is test-optional for fall, spring, and summer first-year applicants.

What SAT score do Clemson students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years at Clemson who sent an SAT scored between 1230 and 1390 in the fall 2023 class.

What ACT score do Clemson students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years at Clemson who sent an ACT scored between 28 and 32 in the fall 2023 class.

Should my child send a score to Clemson?
If your child's SAT is 1230 or higher, or the ACT is 28 or higher, we tell families to send it to Clemson.

Does Clemson superscore the SAT and ACT?
Clemson superscores the SAT and ACT when scores are submitted.

Method and sources: The policy comes from Clemson's own first-year admissions page, which applies it to fall, spring, and summer first-year applicants and does not name a specific entry year. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who submitted that test in the fall 2023 class, the latest federal file from IPEDS; applicant and admit counts are from the same year. Prices come from the College Scorecard and are averages, so a family's own price can differ.