Admission & test scores

Occidental College SAT scores and acceptance rate

Admitted students scored 1380–1520 on the SAT, with an ACT midpoint of 32. Occidental College admits 44% of applicants — moderately selective. 90% of first-year students return for a second year.

SAT range1380–1520middle half of admits
ACT midpoint32admitted students
Acceptance rate44%moderately selective
First-year retention90%return for year two

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

25th percentile
1380
Average
1452
75th percentile
1520

A quarter of admitted students scored below 1380 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 1,877.

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

UniversityAvg SATACTAcceptanceIn-state tuition
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, New York 1456 33 63% $64,081
Oberlin College Oberlin, Ohio 1447 32 34% $67,366
Babson College Wellesley, Massachusetts 1457 32 17% $57,152
Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, New Jersey 1446 33 48% $63,462
Villanova University Villanova, Pennsylvania 1460 33 27% $67,776
Brandeis University Waltham, Massachusetts 1462 33 41% $68,080

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.

Occidental College admission: common questions

What SAT score do you need for Occidental College?
The middle half of admitted students scored between 1380 and 1520 on the SAT, with an average of 1452. A score inside that band is competitive; below it you would be relying on the rest of the application.
What ACT score does Occidental College require?
The ACT midpoint of admitted students is 32.
How hard is it to get into Occidental College?
Occidental College admits 44% of applicants, which is moderately selective. Of those who enrol, 90% return for a second year.
Does Occidental 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.
What it costs Student loan record Debt vs graduate salary Highest SAT universities Highest acceptance rates SAT & ACT preparation

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.