Public
Accredited · New England Commission on Higher Education
Amherst, Massachusetts
57.8% Acceptance Rate
University of Massachusetts-Amherst — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
57.8%Acceptance Rate
3.99Avg GPA
1393Avg SAT
31Avg ACT
$33,389Annual Cost
$71,631Grad Salary
20.3%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
57.8%
Avg GPA
3.99
Avg SAT
1393
Avg ACT
31
Selectivity
Somewhat Selective
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
New England Commission on Higher Education
SAT Middle 50%
1300–1480
ACT Middle 50%
29–33
Avg Net Price
$23,691
Need-Based Aid
20.3% receive Pell
University of Massachusetts-Amherst, founded in 1863, is the flagship campus of the UMass system and a leading public research university ranked among the nation's best.
The 1,450-acre campus features the Life Sciences Laboratories, the Isenberg School of Management, and the Fine Arts Center. As an R1 research institution, UMass Amherst provides undergraduate research opportunities across all disciplines through its 'Research Next' initiative.
University of Massachusetts-Amherst Acceptance Rate
University of Massachusetts-Amherst takes a broad view of applicants, admitting about 57.8% each year.
What UMass Amherst Admissions Looks For
- Whole-Person Review: Personal circumstances and career goals are weighed alongside grades.
- Flexible on GPA: Strong extracurriculars or work experience can offset an average transcript.
Selectivity at a Glance
Somewhat Selective
Selectivity scale: Somewhat Selective — 57.8% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.99 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.79 – 3.98
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.54
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
University of Massachusetts-Amherst Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for University of Massachusetts-Amherst is January 15 for Regular Decision applicants, with additional plans listed below. Admission decisions are typically released by March 5.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 172 days left — Regular Decision
Regular Decision
January 15
Decision by: March 5
Early Action
November 5
Decision by: January 25
💡 The scholarship deadline (2025/11/05 (Chancellor's/merit priority)) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
UMass Amherst GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at UMass Amherst is 3.99. That makes admissions here extremely selective. Most admitted students carry straight A's, with very little room for a B.
If your GPA sits between 3.69 and 3.99, a high SAT or ACT score is the most reliable way to compensate.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently — for an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 4.19–4.39.UMass Amherst GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Extreme selectivity; requires elite academic standing.
Recommended Strategy: High Course Rigor (AP/IB/Honors) to validate the grade.
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.99 – 4.00
Academic Target
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.79 – 3.98
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.59 – 3.78
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.58
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Three required supplemental essays, each capped at 100 words - extremely tight, so content must be non-repetitive
- Member of the Five College Consortium (with Amherst, Smith, Mount Holyoke, and Hampshire), allowing free cross-registration for undergraduates
- Commonwealth Honors College has no separate first-year application; non-selected students can apply after one full-time semester with 12+ graded credits
- Flagship Massachusetts public university; roughly 65-70% of first-years are in-state residents
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at UMass Amherst
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on University of Massachusetts-Amherst's verified institutional data
--%
Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
University of Massachusetts-Amherst (UMass Amherst) Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if UMass Amherst is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into UMass Amherst Without SAT or ACT?
UMass Amherst considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt — most applicants test 2–3 times.
University of Massachusetts-Amherst Average SAT Score: 1393
The average SAT score of admitted students at University of Massachusetts-Amherst is 1393 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1393 — Competitive
This average is solidly above the national mean, without being in elite-tier territory.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1480 SAT or 33 ACT) to stand out. Below average? University of Massachusetts-Amherst allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 1300, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at UMass Amherst. Retaking multiple times is completely normal — most competitive applicants sit for it two or three times. There's no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 705 | 650 | 760 |
| SAT Reading | 685 | 650 | 720 |
| SAT Composite | 1393 | 1300 | 1480 |
Below 1300, you're behind most admitted students; at 1480 or above, you're ahead of 75% of them. (25th/75th percentile = the score below which that share of admitted students fall.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1400
Can I get into University of Massachusetts-Amherst (UMass Amherst) with a 1500 SAT?
A 1500 SAT puts you ahead of most of UMass Amherst's admitted class — but admissions still weighs GPA, course rigor, and essays alongside it. A strong score opens the door; the rest of your profile decides what happens next.
University of Massachusetts-Amherst (UMass Amherst) ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at UMass Amherst is 31.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 31 — Very Competitive
An average of 31 is well above the national ACT mean.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 29 | 27 | 31 |
| ACT English | 32 | 29 | 35 |
| ACT Composite | 31 | 29 | 33 |
Can I get into University of Massachusetts-Amherst with a 33 ACT?
A 33 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of UMass Amherst's admitted students — a strong position, though the ACT is only one benchmark among several admissions weighs.
Unlike the SAT, the ACT scores four separate sections — English, Math, Reading, and Science — each on a 1–36 scale. A noticeably weak section (Science, especially, at STEM-focused schools) stands out to reviewers, so it's worth checking your section breakdown for outliers before applying.
Your ACT score clears the first filter, but GPA, course rigor, extracurricular depth, recommendations, and essays are what carry an application the rest of the way at UMass Amherst.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for UMass Amherst
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
UMass Amherst is accessible to students who show core competency. Focus on proving readiness for college-level work and locking in financial aid.
Keep each 100-word supplemental essay sharply distinct
Don't let "why UMass" and "why your major" responses overlap - admissions explicitly reads for non-repetitive content given the very tight word count.
Name the Five College Consortium directly if cross-registration interests you
UMass students can take courses tuition-free at Amherst, Smith, Mount Holyoke, and Hampshire - a genuinely rare benefit for a large public university.
Don't treat non-selection to Commonwealth Honors College as final
There's no separate first-year application, and you can still apply after one full-time semester with 12+ graded credits if not initially selected.
Name specific resources, not rankings, in your "why UMass" essay
Reference a research center, a specific class, or opportunity - admissions explicitly flags generic school-praise language as a common mistake.
Expert Insight:
Applicants sometimes waste their tight 100-word supplemental essay limits repeating information already covered elsewhere in the application (like intended major, covered in a separate prompt) - each short essay needs to reveal something distinctly new given how little space you have.
UMass Amherst Profile
Full Name
University of Massachusetts-Amherst (UMass Amherst)
City
Amherst
State
Massachusetts
ZIP Code
1003
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE)
Is a UMass Amherst Degree Worth It?
Whether UMass Amherst is worth it depends less on its reputation and more on your program choice, financial aid package, and career goals — here's the data to weigh it against.
The average household income among admitted students is $78,400, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.8%.
How much does a degree from UMass Amherst Cost?
The sticker price is $33,389/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is closer to $23,691.
20.3% of students receive a Pell Grant and 47.9% take federal loans at UMass Amherst — file your FAFSA early and list UMass Amherst as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a UMass Amherst Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $71,631 — about 76% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than University of Massachusetts-Amherst. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chapman University | Orange, CA | 1353 | 30 |
| Pepperdine University | Malibu, CA | 1367 | 29 |
| Westmont College | Santa Barbara, CA | 1367 | 32 |
| University of Colorado Boulder | Boulder, CO | 1353 | 31 |
| University of Denver | Denver, CO | 1344 | 31 |
| United States Air Force Academy | USAF Academy, CO | 1362 | 30 |
| Wheaton College | Wheaton, IL | 1363 | 30 |
| Centre College | Danville, KY | 1345 | 29 |
| St. John's College | Annapolis, MD | 1381 | 31 |
| Emerson College | Boston, MA | 1359 | 32 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as University of Massachusetts-Amherst. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado School of Mines | Golden, CO | 1403 | 31 |
| Trinity College | Hartford, CT | 1396 | 32 |
| American University | Washington, DC | 1392 | 31 |
| University of Florida | Gainesville, FL | 1397 | 31 |
| Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Terre Haute, IN | 1389 | 32 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than University of Massachusetts-Amherst. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeastern University Oakland | Oakland, CA | 1472 | 32 |
| Occidental College | Los Angeles, CA | 1461 | 33 |
| Colorado College | Colorado Springs, CO | 1445 | 33 |
| George Washington University | Washington, DC | 1433 | 33 |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | Atlanta, GA | 1447 | 31 |
Degree Programs at UMass Amherst
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About UMass Amherst Admissions
Median graduate earnings at University of Massachusetts-Amherst run about $71,631 a year.
University of Massachusetts-Amherst costs roughly $33,389 a year — most students combine this with scholarships or aid.
University of Massachusetts-Amherst's Pell Grant rate of 20.3% sits below the national average — merit-based aid is worth checking regardless of income.
At 57.8%, University of Massachusetts-Amherst's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at University of Massachusetts-Amherst average a 3.99 GPA.
University of Massachusetts-Amherst doesn't publish a hard GPA floor — but landing at or above 3.69 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.59, University of Massachusetts-Amherst becomes a harder reach — though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
A strong SAT score matters at University of Massachusetts-Amherst — aim above 1393, ideally within the 1300–1480 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for University of Massachusetts-Amherst is January 15 for Regular Decision applicants. Admission decisions are released by March 5.
The application fee is 85. Fee waivers may be available — check with admissions.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is 2025/11/05 (Chancellor's/merit priority). Submit FAFSA before then for maximum consideration.
Yes — transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most — along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.
Explore Other Options
Acceptance Rate of all Massachusetts Colleges
Average SAT Score of Massachusetts Colleges
Average ACT Score
Admissions deadlines of Colleges in Massachusetts
Bachelor Programs in Massachusetts
Test Optional Colleges in Massachusetts
SAT Score Wise Best Colleges
ACT Score Wise Best Colleges
Rolling Admissions Colleges in Massachusetts