What SAT or ACT score do you need for Rutgers?

As of November 2026: Rutgers University-New Brunswick is test-optional through 2027, and the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT in fall 2023 scored between 1270 and 1480. Our rule is to send a score inside or above that band and to think hard about a score below it.

Rutgers-New Brunswick does not require a test score through 2027. Here is what the score bands mean, who sends a score, and what we tell families to do this month.

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

The Rutgers SAT band runs from 1270 to 1480. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT in fall 2023 scored between 1270 and 1480. On the ACT, the middle half scored between 28 and 33.

51 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT. In the fall 2023 class, 51 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT and 5 percent sent an ACT. Sending a score is common at Rutgers, but it is far from universal.

Rutgers admitted 65.3 percent of applicants. For fall 2023, 43,347 students applied and 28,306 were admitted. That is a real chance for a prepared student, and it still calls for a careful application.

Does Rutgers require the SAT or ACT?

Here is the test policy as Rutgers University-New Brunswick states it on its own admissions page.

College	Policy	Applies to	In the university's words	Exception	Source
Rutgers University-New Brunswick	Test-optional	through 2027 (per page: "maintains test-optional and test-blind policies through 2027")	The SAT and ACT test submissions are optional for undergraduate applicants.	Rutgers-Camden BS/DO and Rutgers-Newark 7-year BA/MD joint-degree programs require at least one test score.	Source

Test-optional means a family may send a score or leave it off.

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

These are the fall 2023 numbers for Rutgers University-New Brunswick, with prices from the College Scorecard.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	43347
admits, fall 2023	28306
admit rate, percent	65.3
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1270
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1480
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	28
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	33
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	51
share who sent an ACT, percent	5
application fee, dollars	70
full price of a year, dollars	36993
average net price after aid, dollars	24406

Score bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in the fall 2023 class. They do not describe every applicant or every admitted student.

Does Rutgers require the SAT or ACT?

No, Rutgers University-New Brunswick does not require the SAT or ACT; it is test-optional through 2027. The admissions page puts it plainly: "The SAT and ACT test submissions are optional for undergraduate applicants." Your child may send a score or leave it off.

There is an exception for families looking beyond New Brunswick. The Rutgers-Camden BS/DO and Rutgers-Newark BA/MD joint-degree programs require a test score. If your child is aiming at either program, a score is part of the plan, not a choice.

For high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027, we tell families to read the Rutgers admissions page again before they submit. The stated policy runs through 2027, and it is always smart to check the source yourself.

What SAT score do enrolled first-years carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1270 and 1480. These numbers come from the fall 2023 class, the latest federal figures we have.

Read that band with care. It describes students who enrolled and chose to send an SAT. It does not describe everyone who applied or everyone who got in. Some enrolled students who sent a score were below 1270, and some were above 1480.

We use the band as a yardstick, not a gate. A score near 1480 sits at the top of the middle group. A score near 1270 sits at the bottom of it. Either one is inside the band.

What ACT score do they carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored between 28 and 33. Like the SAT band, this comes from the fall 2023 class.

Far fewer Rutgers students sent an ACT than an SAT, so this band rests on a smaller group. That does not make the ACT a worse choice. It just means most senders picked the SAT.

Our students often sit both tests early and then choose the one that fits them better. Some students find the pace of the ACT easier. Others do better with the SAT. A mock of each is the fastest way to find out.

How many send a score?

In the fall 2023 class, 51 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT and 5 percent sent an ACT. Sending a score is common at Rutgers, but it is far from universal. 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.

For parents, this should be calming. Leaving a score off is a normal choice at Rutgers. Sending a strong score is also a normal choice. Neither path is unusual, so the decision can rest on the score itself.

Should my child send a score to Rutgers?

Our rule is simple: send an SAT of 1270 or higher, or an ACT of 28 or higher, because that score sits inside or above the band. A score in that range shows the same strength as the middle of the sending group.

A score below 1270 on the SAT or below 28 on the ACT is one to think hard about, because Rutgers is test-optional. When the score sits below the band, we often tell families to leave it off and let grades and courses speak. If there is time before the deadline, another sitting may lift the score into the band.

The joint-degree programs are different. A score is required there, so every applicant to those programs sends one. For those students, the goal is the best score they can reach, not the choice to send.

How hard is it to get in?

Rutgers admitted 65.3 percent of applicants for fall 2023. That year, 43,347 students applied and 28,306 were admitted.

We tell families that a rate like this means a prepared student has a real chance. It does not mean the application can be rushed. Strong grades, a clear essay and, when it fits, a score inside the band all help your child stand out in a large pool.

What does it cost to apply and attend?

The application fee at Rutgers is $70. The full price of a year is listed at $36,993, and the average net price after aid is $24,406.

Your own price may be higher or lower than that average. Rutgers publishes a net price calculator, as every US college does. We tell families to run it with their own income and savings before they settle on a final list.

What should we do this month?

Sit a full-length mock SAT and a full-length mock ACT this month, then compare the scores with the Rutgers bands of 1270 to 1480 and 28 to 33. That comparison tells you whether your child already has a score to send or has room to grow.

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.

Plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Our students prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just the part that feels weakest. That way every section can rise together, and the score your child sends is the best picture of what they can do.

Questions parents ask

Does Rutgers require the SAT or ACT?
No, Rutgers University-New Brunswick does not require the SAT or ACT; it is test-optional through 2027.

What SAT score do Rutgers students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1270 and 1480.

What ACT score do Rutgers students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored between 28 and 33.

Should my child send an SAT score below 1270 to Rutgers?
A score below 1270 on the SAT or below 28 on the ACT is one to think hard about, because Rutgers is test-optional.

Do any Rutgers programs require a test score?
The Rutgers-Camden BS/DO and Rutgers-Newark BA/MD joint-degree programs require a test score.

How much does it cost to apply to Rutgers?
The application fee at Rutgers is $70.

Ready to plan the next test date? Free mock SAT and free mock ACT at Test Prep Gurus, then a plan built on the result: prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step or 949.229.5359.

Method and sources: The policy comes from the Rutgers University-New Brunswick first-year admissions page, which says SAT and ACT submissions are optional and states the policy through 2027. The score bands describe enrolled first-years in the fall 2023 class who sent that test, from the latest federal file; they do not describe all applicants or all admitted students. Applicant and admit counts are also from fall 2023, and prices come from the College Scorecard.