What SAT or ACT score do you need for Penn State?

As of November 2026: Penn State is test-optional for first-year applicants for Spring, Summer and Fall terms, and the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1220 and 1400. For the ACT, the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent a score landed between 27 and 32.

Penn State lets most first-year applicants choose whether to send a score. Here is how to read its SAT and ACT bands, its costs and its dates, and what your family can do this month.

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

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT to Penn State scored 1220 to 1400. On the ACT, the middle half of senders scored 27 to 32. These bands come from the fall 2023 class, the latest federal numbers. They describe students who enrolled and chose to send a score.

At Penn State, 33 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT and 6 percent sent an ACT. Penn State is test-optional for Spring, Summer and Fall first-year terms. Sending a score is a real choice for most families here.

Penn State admitted 54.2 percent of applicants for fall 2023. That year, 85,956 students applied and 46,588 were admitted. The rate covers every applicant, with or without a score.

Does Penn State require the SAT or ACT?

Here is Penn State's test policy in its own words.

Policy	Applies to	What the college says	Note	Source
Test-optional	Spring, Summer, and Fall first-year application terms (page does not state an end date for the policy)	First-year Penn State applicants for Spring, Summer, or Fall are able to choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of their applications.	state-related university (not part of PASSHE). Exception: applicants to the Accelerated Premedical-Medical (BS/MD) Program must submit SAT or ACT scores by that program's own deadline.	Source

Test-optional means a score is read if one is sent, and no score is needed if one is not.

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

Bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in the fall 2023 class. Prices are for a year of college.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	85956
admits, fall 2023	46588
admit rate, percent	54.2
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1220
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1400
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	27
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	32
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	33
share who sent an ACT, percent	6
application fee, dollars	65
full price of a year, dollars	39694
average net price after aid, dollars	32875

Bands cover enrolled first-years who sent a score, not every student who got in.

Penn State deadlines for fall 2027 entry

These are the dates Penn State lists for students who start college in fall 2027.

Early action	Priority date	What the college says	Source
2026-11-01	2026-12-01	Apply by November 1 in order to receive a decision by December 24	Source

Dates not shown here are not listed.

Does Penn State require the SAT or ACT?

No, Penn State does not require an SAT or ACT score from first-year applicants for Spring, Summer or Fall. Its admissions page says these applicants "are able to choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of their applications." The page does not give an end date for this policy.

There is one exception. Applicants to the Accelerated Premedical-Medical (BS/MD) Program must submit SAT or ACT scores by that program's own deadline. If your child is aiming for that program, plan a test date early enough to meet it.

Penn State is a state-related university. It is not part of PASSHE, the state system. We tell families not to mix up its rules with the rules at PASSHE schools.

What SAT score do enrolled first-years at Penn State have?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT to Penn State scored between 1220 and 1400. That is the fall 2023 class, the latest federal numbers. These are students who enrolled and chose to send a score. They are not every student who got in, and they are not every student on campus.

Read the band this way. A score of 1400 or higher sits at or above the top of the band. A score of 1220 sits at the bottom. A score below 1220 is lower than the middle half of students who sent an SAT.

We tell families not to treat 1220 as a line to clear. It describes who sent a score. It is not a rule the college sets.

What ACT score do enrolled first-years at Penn State have?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored between 27 and 32. Fewer students sent an ACT than an SAT, so this band rests on a smaller group.

The same reading applies. A 32 or higher sits at or above the top. A 27 sits at the bottom. A score below 27 is lower than the middle half of students who sent an ACT.

If your child takes both tests, compare each result with its own band. Some of our students find they sit much higher in one band than the other. That tells you which test to focus on.

How many Penn State students send a score?

At Penn State, 33 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT and 6 percent sent an ACT. Some students may have sent both, so we do not add these together. At a selective test-optional college like this one, we tell families it is nearly always good to have a score: a strong one bolsters the odds of getting in, and most merit scholarships are keyed to a score.

These shares show that plenty of students enrolled without sending an SAT. At Penn State, not sending a score is a normal choice. Sending a strong one is also a normal choice.

Should my child send a score to Penn State?

Our rule is simple: a score inside or above the band is one to send, and a score below the band is one to think hard about. For the SAT, that means 1220 or higher is one to send. For the ACT, it means 27 or higher.

At a test-optional college, a score below the band is a choice, not a requirement. Thinking hard means asking a plain question. Can your child raise the score before the date you plan to apply? A retake after focused prep can move a score into the band.

If your child is applying to the BS/MD program, there is no choice to make. That program requires a score, so your child sends one.

How hard is it to get into Penn State?

Penn State admitted 54.2 percent of applicants for fall 2023. That year, 85,956 students applied and 46,588 were admitted.

That rate covers every applicant, with or without a score. We tell families to read it as a college where a well-built application has a real chance. We also tell them to apply early when they can, so there is time to plan the next step.

What does it cost to apply to and attend Penn State?

The application fee at Penn State is $65. The full price of a year at Penn State is $39,694, and the average net price after aid is $32,875.

The average net price is what families paid on average after grants and scholarships. Your own number may be higher or lower. Penn State publishes a net price calculator, as every US college must.

We tell families to run that calculator together with their child before the application goes in. That way cost is not a surprise in the spring.

When are the Penn State deadlines for fall 2027?

Penn State lists November 1, 2026 as its early action date for high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027. Its page says, "Apply by November 1 in order to receive a decision by December 24."

If your child missed that date, the next date Penn State lists is a priority date of December 1, 2026. Other rounds are not listed.

If your child plans to send a score, the test date has to fall early enough for the score to arrive by the date you aim for. Build your test plan backward from that date.

What should we do this month?

Sit a full-length mock SAT and a full-length mock ACT this month, then compare each score with Penn State's bands of 1220 to 1400 and 27 to 32. 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.

If the mock lands inside or above the band, your child has a score to protect. If it lands below, plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts.

Our rule is to prepare for the whole test every sitting. Do not prep only the math for this test and only the reading for the next. Train for every section, every time. Then sit down with your child and decide together whether the score goes to Penn State.

Questions parents ask

Does Penn State require the SAT or ACT?
No, Penn State does not require an SAT or ACT score from first-year applicants for Spring, Summer or Fall.

What SAT score do students at Penn State have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT to Penn State scored between 1220 and 1400.

What ACT score do students at Penn State have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored between 27 and 32.

Should my child send a score that is below Penn State's band?
Our rule is simple: a score inside or above the band is one to send, and a score below the band is one to think hard about.

How much does Penn State cost?
The full price of a year at Penn State is $39,694, and the average net price after aid is $32,875.

When is the Penn State early action deadline?
Penn State lists November 1, 2026 as its early action date for high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027.

Method and sources: The policy comes from Penn State's own admissions page and applies to first-year applicants for Spring, Summer and Fall terms. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in the fall 2023 class, the latest federal file, and they do not cover students who sent no score. Applicant, admit and score-sending figures are from the same federal file, and prices come from the College Scorecard.