What SAT or ACT score do you need for Oregon?

As of November 2026: The University of Oregon is test-optional for current first-year applicants, and the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1130 to 1360 in fall 2023. For the ACT, the middle half of those who sent a score landed between 22 and 30.

Oregon lets first-year applicants choose whether to send a score. Here is what the bands mean, who sends one, and how we help families decide.

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

The SAT band at Oregon runs from 1130 to 1360. That is the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT score in fall 2023. On the ACT, the same middle half scored between 22 and 30.

Only 9 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT score. Just 5 percent sent an ACT score. Most students at Oregon enrolled without sending one of these tests, so a score is a choice your family makes.

Oregon admitted 85.1 percent of its applicants for fall 2023. Out of 39,400 applicants, 33,529 were admitted. Oregon says scores will not count toward its merit- or need-based awards, so the score question is about the admission file alone.

Does Oregon require the SAT or ACT?

This is the policy as the University of Oregon states it on its own admissions page.

College	Policy	Applies to	In the college's words	Source
University of Oregon	Test-optional	current first-year applicants (page does not state a specific entering term such as fall 2026 or fall 2027)	The University of Oregon is a 'test-optional' school, allowing first-year applicants to be considered for admission without submission of ACT or SAT scores.	Source

Test-optional means a student may send a score or leave it off. Oregon's page also says submitted scores will not be considered in merit- or need-based awards.

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

These figures describe the fall 2023 class, the latest federal numbers, along with federal price figures.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	39400
admits, fall 2023	33529
admit rate, percent	85.1
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1130
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1360
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	22
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	30
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	9
share who sent an ACT, percent	5
application fee, dollars	65
full price of a year, dollars	34793
average net price after aid, dollars	22182

Score bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023, not every admitted student.

Does Oregon require the SAT or ACT?

No, Oregon does not require an SAT or ACT score from first-year applicants. Yes, the University of Oregon is test-optional for current first-year applicants, so a student can apply without an SAT or ACT score.

In its own words, the University of Oregon is a "test-optional" school that lets first-year applicants be considered for admission without ACT or SAT scores. Its page speaks to current first-year applicants and does not name a specific entering term. We tell families to check that page again in the fall of senior year, right before they apply, so they are reading the policy as it stands that day.

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

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT score to Oregon scored between 1130 and 1360.

This band comes from the fall 2023 class, the latest federal numbers. It only counts students who enrolled and chose to send an SAT. Some of those students scored above 1360, and some scored below 1130. The band shows where the middle of that group landed, not a line a student must clear.

We use the band as a mirror. If your child's SAT score sits inside it or above it, that score looks like the scores of students who chose to send one and enrolled.

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

Enrolled first-years who sent an ACT score to Oregon scored between 22 and 30 in the middle half.

Like the SAT band, this one describes the fall 2023 class and only the students who sent an ACT. A score of 22 sits at the low end of the middle half, and a score of 30 sits at the high end.

Our students often find that one test fits them better than the other. That is why we want a real score on both before a family picks a lane.

How many Oregon students send a score?

Only 9 percent of enrolled first-years at Oregon sent an SAT score, and 5 percent sent an ACT score. 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.

Those are small shares. Most enrolled first-years did not send an SAT, and most did not send an ACT. That tells you a score is truly a choice at Oregon, not something nearly everyone hands in.

It also means the bands above come from a small group of students. We still find them useful, because they show what a sent score usually looked like. Just read them as a picture of the students who chose to send, not of the whole class.

Should my child send a score to Oregon?

We tell families that an SAT score inside or above the 1130 to 1360 band, or an ACT score inside or above the 22 to 30 band, is one to send to Oregon. A score below the band is one to think hard about, since your child can apply without it.

Scholarships are a separate matter at Oregon. Oregon's own page says submitted scores will not be considered in merit- or need-based awards. So at Oregon, the choice to send is about the admission file only, and we tell families to decide on that basis.

Our advice is to keep the bigger list in mind. Many families apply to several colleges, and other colleges may treat scores in a different way. A strong score gives your child more choices across that whole list, even if it plays a smaller part at Oregon.

How hard is it to get into Oregon?

Oregon admitted 85.1 percent of its applicants for fall 2023.

That year, 39,400 students applied and 33,529 were admitted. Most applicants got in.

Even so, we tell families not to treat any application as a sure thing. Our rule is to put the same care into every part of the file -- grades, courses, and the essay -- for Oregon as for any other college on the list.

What does it cost to apply to and attend Oregon?

The application fee at Oregon is $65, the full price of a year is $34,793, and the average net price after aid is $22,182.

The full price is the sticker cost of a year. The average net price is what families paid on average after grants and scholarships. Your own number may be higher or lower than that average.

Oregon publishes a net price calculator, as every US college must. We tell families to sit down together and run it with their own income details. Since Oregon says scores will not count toward its awards, a test score will not change that estimate at Oregon.

What should we do this month?

Start with a free full-length mock SAT and a free full-length mock ACT from Test Prep Gurus, then compare each result with Oregon's bands of 1130 to 1360 on the SAT and 22 to 30 on the ACT. That gives your family a real starting point instead of a guess.

Once you know which test fits your child better, plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Our students prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just one section, so each score they bring home is one they can stand behind.

To book the free mock SAT and free mock ACT, call us at 949.229.5359 or visit https://www.prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step. We will go over the results with you and help you map out the next steps.

Questions parents ask

Is the University of Oregon test-optional?
Yes, the University of Oregon is test-optional for current first-year applicants, so a student can apply without an SAT or ACT score.

Does Oregon require an SAT or ACT score?
No, Oregon does not require an SAT or ACT score from first-year applicants.

What SAT score do students at Oregon have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT score to Oregon scored between 1130 and 1360.

Do SAT or ACT scores count for scholarships at Oregon?
Oregon's own page says submitted scores will not be considered in merit- or need-based awards.

How many Oregon students send a test score?
Only 9 percent of enrolled first-years at Oregon sent an SAT score, and 5 percent sent an ACT score.

How hard is it to get into Oregon?
Oregon admitted 85.1 percent of its applicants for fall 2023.

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 University of Oregon's own admissions page, which applies it to current first-year applicants and does not name a specific entering term. The SAT and ACT bands describe the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023, the latest federal file, so they do not cover students who applied or enrolled without a score. Applicant and admit counts come from the same federal file, and prices come from the College Scorecard.