Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Saint Petersburg, Florida
78.7% Acceptance Rate
Eckerd College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
78.7%Acceptance Rate
3.8Avg GPA
1256Avg SAT
27Avg ACT
$66,936Annual Cost
$51,819Grad Salary
16.2%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
78.7%
Avg GPA
3.8
Avg SAT
1256
Avg ACT
27
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
SAT Middle 50%
1150–1336
ACT Middle 50%
24–29
Need-Based Aid
16.2% receive Pell
Eckerd College, located on the waterfront in St. Petersburg, Florida, is a nationally ranked liberal arts college known for its marine science, environmental studies, and international education programs. The college offers a distinctive coastal learning environment.
The 188-acre campus includes the Galbraith Marine Science Laboratory with direct bay access, the James Center for Molecular and Life Sciences, and waterfront dormitories. Eckerd's signature 'Autumn Term' provides first-year students with unique experiential learning opportunities before regular classes begin.
Eckerd College Acceptance Rate
Eckerd College runs an open-access admission policy. With a 78.7% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in. They are worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 78.7% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.80 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.60 – 3.79
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.35
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Eckerd College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Eckerd College follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline, though the priority deadline of November 15 is recommended for the best chances of admission and financial aid.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 97 days left — Early Action
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
Eckerd College reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
Early Action
November 15
Decision by: December 15
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Eckerd College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Eckerd College is 3.8. 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 3.50 and 3.8, 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 4.00–4.20.Eckerd College GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Highly selective; GPA is within the typical admitted range.
Recommended Strategy: Standardized Test Scores (SAT/ACT) in the top 5th percentile.
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.80 – 4.00
Competitive Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.60 – 3.79
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.40 – 3.59
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.39
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Autumn Term (3 weeks, for credit) doubles as new-student orientation and faculty-mentor pairing
- 4-1-4 academic calendar includes a 3-week Winter Term frequently used for faculty-led travel/research
- Merit scholarships ($18k-$27k/year) are awarded automatically at admission based on unweighted GPA
- Test-optional; November 15 deadline for first-year applicants, though the college otherwise runs rolling admissions
- 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 Eckerd College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Eckerd College's verified institutional data
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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.
Eckerd College Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Eckerd College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Eckerd College Without SAT or ACT?
Eckerd College considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
Eckerd College Average SAT Score: 1256
The average SAT score of admitted students at Eckerd College is 1256 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1256 — Slightly Competitive
This sits close to the national average SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1336 SAT or 29 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Eckerd College allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 1150, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Eckerd College. 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 | 604 | 550 | 658 |
| SAT Reading | 639 | 600 | 678 |
| SAT Composite | 1256 | 1150 | 1336 |
Below 1150, you're behind most admitted students; at 1336 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 1250
Can I get into Eckerd College with a 1350 SAT?
A 1350 SAT puts you ahead of most of Eckerd College'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.
Eckerd College ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Eckerd College is 27.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 27 — Competitive
This average is solidly above the national mean without being elite-tier.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 24 | 21 | 27 |
| ACT English | 27 | 23 | 30 |
| ACT Composite | 27 | 24 | 29 |
Can I get into Eckerd College with a 29 ACT?
A 29 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Eckerd College's admitted students. That's a strong position, though the ACT is only one benchmark among several that 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, especially Science 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 Eckerd College.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Eckerd College
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Getting into Eckerd College isn't the hard part. Building a solid academic foundation and securing aid early is where the real strategy lives.
Choose your Autumn Term course as if choosing an advisor
The professor who teaches your Autumn Term class becomes your official faculty mentor for course planning. Treat this selection as picking a four-year advising relationship, not just a first class.
Signal genuine interest in hands-on, off-campus learning
Eckerd's 4-1-4 calendar includes a 3-week Winter Term often used for faculty-led travel and research. Mentioning specific interest in this kind of experiential study in your essay resonates with what Eckerd looks for.
Apply by November 15 to be considered for automatic merit scholarships
Scholarships ranging from $18,000 to $27,000 annually are awarded automatically at admission based on unweighted GPA - there's no separate scholarship application, but earlier files get fuller consideration.
Ask early about ROTC if you're interested
Eckerd has no ROTC unit of its own - participation requires affiliating with a host institution's program, which takes extra coordination most applicants don't plan for in advance.
Expert Insight:
Some students treat Autumn Term as throwaway orientation fluff and coast through it - but it's a real for-credit course that establishes your working relationship with your faculty mentor for the next four years, so disengaging here has lasting academic consequences.
Eckerd College Profile
Full Name
Eckerd College
City
Saint Petersburg
State
Florida
ZIP Code
33711-4700
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Is a Eckerd College Degree Worth It?
Eckerd College offers a rigorous academic environment, but 'worth it' is a personal calculation of cost, program fit, and outcomes. The figures below are a starting point.
The average household income among admitted students is $68,200, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.78%.
How much does a degree from Eckerd College Cost?
The sticker price is $66,936/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
16.2% of students receive a Pell Grant and 36.4% take federal loans at Eckerd College. File your FAFSA early and list Eckerd College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Eckerd College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $51,819. That's about 28% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Eckerd College. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Mobile | Mobile, AL | 1220 | 24 |
| John Brown University | Siloam Springs, AR | 1222 | 26 |
| Ouachita Baptist University | Arkadelphia, AR | 1212 | 25 |
| California Lutheran University | Thousand Oaks, CA | 1224 | 26 |
| University of Redlands | Redlands, CA | 1231 | 28 |
| University of Hartford | West Hartford, CT | 1207 | 29 |
| Quinnipiac University | Hamden, CT | 1212 | 27 |
| Florida Institute of Technology | Melbourne, FL | 1213 | 26 |
| Jacksonville University | Jacksonville, FL | 1211 | 26 |
| University of South Florida | Tampa, FL | 1235 | 27 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Eckerd College. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | 1251 | 26 |
| University of Arizona | Tucson, AZ | 1261 | 26 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | Prescott, AZ | 1256 | 27 |
| Biola University | La Mirada, CA | 1258 | 27 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach | Daytona Beach, FL | 1256 | 27 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Eckerd College. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama in Huntsville | Huntsville, AL | 1321 | 28 |
| The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 1287 | 28 |
| Auburn University | Auburn, AL | 1318 | 28 |
| Hendrix College | Conway, AR | 1336 | 29 |
| University of the Pacific | Stockton, CA | 1303 | 27 |
Degree Programs at Eckerd College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Eckerd College Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Eckerd College run about $51,819 a year.
At about $66,936 a year, Eckerd College's cost is on the higher end; look closely at aid options.
Eckerd College's Pell Grant rate of 16.2% sits below the national average. Merit-based aid is worth checking regardless of income.
At 78.7%, Eckerd College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Eckerd College average a 3.8 GPA.
Eckerd College doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.5 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.4, Eckerd College 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 Eckerd College — aim above 1256, ideally within the 1150–1336 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for Eckerd College is November 15. Admission decisions are released by December 15. Rolling Admissions is also offered, so applying early improves your chances.
The application fee is 50. Fee waivers may be available. Check with admissions.
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.