Admission & test scores

Oberlin College SAT scores and acceptance rate

Admitted students scored 1360–1520 on the SAT, with an ACT midpoint of 32. Oberlin College admits 34% of applicants — selective. 91% of first-year students return for a second year.

SAT range1360–1520middle half of admits
ACT midpoint32admitted students
Acceptance rate34%selective
First-year retention91%return for year two

Reading the score band These are the scores admitted students had — not a cut-off.

25th percentile
1360
Average
1447
75th percentile
1520

A quarter of admitted students scored below 1360 and a quarter above 1520. Being under the lower figure does not rule you out — it means the rest of the application has to carry more weight — and being above the upper one does not secure a place at a selective university. This intake sits inside a student body of about 2,887.

Universities with similar scores Useful for building a realistic application list.

UniversityAvg SATACTAcceptanceIn-state tuition
Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, New Jersey 1446 33 48% $63,462
Occidental College Los Angeles, California 1452 32 44% $66,274
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, Illinois 1440 32 42% $16,004
Simpson College Indianola, Iowa 1440 24 86% $47,656
SOKA University of America Aliso Viejo, California 1440 26 43% $38,728
Lehigh University Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 1440 32 26% $64,980

Getting in is the first question, not the last

Admission data says nothing about what the degree costs or returns. Before accepting an offer, read the net price for your family's income and the earnings of previous graduates — a place at a selective university financed with heavy borrowing can be a worse outcome than a place at a less selective one that costs little.

Oberlin College admission: common questions

What SAT score do you need for Oberlin College?
The middle half of admitted students scored between 1360 and 1520 on the SAT, with an average of 1447. A score inside that band is competitive; below it you would be relying on the rest of the application.
What ACT score does Oberlin College require?
The ACT midpoint of admitted students is 32.
How hard is it to get into Oberlin College?
Oberlin College admits 34% of applicants, which is selective. Of those who enrol, 91% return for a second year.
Does Oberlin College require SAT or ACT scores?
This page reports what admitted students scored, not what the university requires. Many US universities went test-optional and have not returned to a requirement — always check the admissions page before deciding to skip a test.

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard — SAT/ACT scores of admitted students, acceptance rate and first-year retention as most recently published. Scores describe past intakes and are not an entry requirement.