Average SAT Score for Penn State (2025-26 Data)
Key Takeaways
- The middle 50% of Penn State University Park's Fall 2025 first-year class scored 1280 to 1410 on the SAT, with a median of 1340 (Common Data Set 2025-26).
- By section, the middle 50% scored 630 to 710 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and 630 to 720 in Math.
- 28.60% of the Fall 2025 class submitted SAT scores and 4.98% submitted ACT scores; 29% of SAT submitters scored between 1400 and 1600.
- Penn State is test-optional for first-year applicants. If you send scores, it uses your highest combined score from one test date and does not superscore.
- Penn State's Early Action deadline is November 1, with a decision by December 24; its recommended deadline for all applications is December 1.
Table of Contents
The middle 50% of Penn State University Park’s Fall 2025 first-year class scored 1280 to 1410 on the SAT, with a median of 1340. On the sections, Reading and Writing ran 630 to 710 and Math 630 to 720. 28.60% of the class submitted SAT scores, because Penn State is test-optional (Penn State University Park Common Data Set 2025-26, section C9).
Those figures come from the Common Data Set, the standard report universities publish about their own entering class. Below: what the numbers mean, the full score breakdown, Penn State’s testing policy, and how to read your own score against them.
What does “middle 50%” mean for SAT scores?
The middle 50% is the range between the 25th and 75th percentile of enrolled students. At University Park, a quarter of the Fall 2025 SAT-submitting class scored 1280 or below, a quarter scored 1410 or above, and half scored in between. It describes students who enrolled, not every student who was admitted, and it covers only those who sent SAT scores.
Because fewer than a third of enrolled students submitted the SAT, the range describes a self-selected group: students with stronger scores are the ones most likely to send them. It is not a cut-off. Of the students who did submit, 29% scored between 1400 and 1600 and 64% between 1200 and 1399.
Penn State SAT scores for the Fall 2025 class
| Measure | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT total | 1280 | 1340 | 1410 |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing | 630 | 670 | 710 |
| SAT Math | 630 | 670 | 720 |
| Measure | Fall 2025 entering class |
|---|---|
| Students who submitted SAT scores | 28.60% (2,616 students) |
| Students who submitted ACT scores | 4.98% (456 students) |
| SAT submitters scoring 1400–1600 | 29% |
| SAT submitters scoring 1200–1399 | 64% |
Source for every figure: Penn State University Park Common Data Set 2025-26, section C9 (percentiles and submission rates) and the SAT composite score-range table that follows it, published by Penn State’s Office of Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research (Common Data Set page). These are University Park figures; Penn State’s other campuses publish their own. Retrieved 6 October 2026. The next Common Data Set, for the Fall 2026 class, will replace these figures.
Does Penn State require the SAT?
No. Penn State’s admissions page says: “For first-year applicants, Penn State is test-optional, so submitting scores is not required for your application,” and that applicants “are able to choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of their applications” (Penn State, how to apply). Its Common Data Set lists the SAT or ACT as “Not required for admission, but considered if submitted” (Common Data Set 2025-26, section C8). The exception is the Accelerated Premedical-Medical Program, which requires the SAT or ACT.
If you choose to send scores, you self-report them through your MyPennState account after you apply. Penn State “will use a student’s highest combined score from one single test date” and “does not utilize a superscore” (Penn State, how to apply). That makes your best single sitting the number that counts.
When are the Penn State application deadlines?
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Application opens (fall and summer) | August 1 |
| Early Action | Apply by November 1 for a decision by December 24 |
| Recommended submission deadline, all applications | December 1 |
Source: Penn State, how to apply, retrieved 6 October 2026. The page gives the dates without a year; for Fall 2027 entry, Early Action closes on November 1, 2026. Penn State admits on a rolling basis, so applying earlier than the December 1 recommended date is the safer plan.
How selective is Penn State for international students?
For the Fall 2025 class at University Park, 106,547 students applied, 58,952 were admitted and 9,148 enrolled. Of those, 12,365 applicants were international students, 8,010 were admitted and 706 enrolled (Common Data Set 2025-26, section C1, residency breakdown). By our calculation from those figures, that is an admit rate of about 55.3% overall and about 64.8% for international applicants.
How should you read your SAT score against these numbers?
Because Penn State is test-optional, the practical question is whether your score helps your application. A score at or above the class median of 1340 sits in the upper half of students who chose to submit; one below 1280 sits in the bottom quarter, and you may decide the rest of your application is stronger without it. Compare section by section as well, since Math (630 to 720) runs a little higher than Reading and Writing at the top. If you have a practice-test result, estimate your SAT score with our SAT score calculator to see where you stand.
If you have not sat a full test yet, start with a free full-length SAT practice test to get a baseline. For a structured plan to raise it, the SAT self-prep course covers both sections. And if Penn State is one of several US universities on your list, talk to an admissions counsellor about your university shortlist.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average SAT score for Penn State?
Penn State reports percentiles rather than an average. The median SAT score of its Fall 2025 first-year class at University Park was 1340, and the middle 50% scored 1280 to 1410 (Penn State University Park Common Data Set 2025-26, section C9).
What SAT score do you need for Penn State?
None is required, because Penn State is test-optional, and it does not state a minimum in its Common Data Set. For reference, a quarter of the Fall 2025 SAT submitters scored 1280 or below and a quarter scored 1410 or above.
Does Penn State require the SAT?
No. Penn State says it is test-optional for first-year applicants, who can choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. Its Common Data Set lists the tests as not required for admission, but considered if submitted. The Accelerated Premedical-Medical Program is the exception and requires the SAT or ACT.
Does Penn State superscore the SAT?
No. Penn State says it will use a student’s highest combined score from one single test date and does not utilize a superscore, so your best single sitting is the score that counts.
What SAT Math score do Penn State students have?
The middle 50% of the Fall 2025 SAT submitters at University Park scored 630 to 720 in Math, with a median of 670.
What SAT Reading and Writing score do Penn State students have?
The middle 50% of the Fall 2025 SAT submitters at University Park scored 630 to 710 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, with a median of 670.
How do I send my SAT score to Penn State?
If you choose to have scores used, Penn State lets you self-report SAT or ACT scores through your MyPennState account after you have submitted your application for admission.
What is the Penn State acceptance rate?
For the Fall 2025 class at University Park, 106,547 students applied and 58,952 were admitted (Common Data Set 2025-26, section C1). That is an admit rate of about 55.3% by our calculation.
How many international students does Penn State admit?
For the Fall 2025 class at University Park, 12,365 international students applied, 8,010 were admitted and 706 enrolled (Common Data Set 2025-26, section C1). That is an admit rate of about 64.8% for international applicants, by our calculation.
When are the Penn State application deadlines?
Applications open on August 1. Apply by November 1 for Early Action and a decision by December 24. Penn State’s recommended submission deadline for all applications is December 1, and it admits on a rolling basis.
