Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools
Augusta, Georgia
83.4% Acceptance Rate
Paine College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
83.4%Acceptance Rate
2.81Avg GPA
876Avg SAT
$27,310Annual Cost
$33,338Grad Salary
71.3%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
83.4%
Avg GPA
2.81
Avg SAT
876
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools
SAT Middle 50%
836–906
Need-Based Aid
71.3% receive Pell
Paine College Paine College, founded in 1882 in Augusta, Georgia, is a private historically black college affiliated with the United Methodist Church and Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. The 57-acre campus offers liberal arts programs with particular strengths in business administration and biology. Paine maintains a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and is known for its close-knit community and personalized attention. Campus landmarks include the historic Gilbert-Lambuth Memorial Chapel and the newly renovated Candler Memorial Library.
Paine takes pride in its legacy of educating African-American leaders and its commitment to service-learning. Campus life includes NCAA Division II athletics and student organizations focused on social justice. The college has faced financial challenges but remains dedicated to its mission. Recent initiatives include partnerships with local industries and healthcare providers. Paine's combination of academic programs, HBCU heritage, and Christian values creates a distinctive environment for nurturing scholars and leaders.
Paine College Acceptance Rate
Paine College runs an open-access admission policy — with a 83.4% 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 — worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 83.4% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
2.81 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.61 – 2.80
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.36
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Paine College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for Paine College is December 1 for Spring applicants, with additional plans listed below.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 125 days left — Spring
Spring
December 1
Summer
May 1
Fall
July 1
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Paine College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Paine College is 2.81. That makes admissions here moderately selective. Most admitted students carry a blend of A's, B's, and the occasional C.
A stronger SAT or ACT score can comfortably offset a GPA on the lower end of this range.
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 3.01–3.21.Paine College GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Holistic review is critical for admission.
Recommended Strategy: Requires Contextual Factors (Leadership, hardship, or talent).
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
2.81 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.61 – 2.80
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.41 – 2.60
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.40
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Paine is currently accredited by TRACS (a nationally recognized accreditor), not SACSCOC - some third-party sites still list it incorrectly; verify directly at paine.edu/about/accreditation.
- A free CSRA Chemistry summer course, open to all, functions as an academic bridge for STEM-interested applicants.
- Governed jointly by the United Methodist Church and the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church - described as the oldest interracial board in the nation.
- Reported acceptance rate varies widely across sources (roughly 44% to over 80%); the school is test-optional/test-blind, so GPA and transcript rigor carry most of the evaluative weight.
- 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 Paine College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Paine 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.
Paine College Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Paine College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Paine College Without SAT or ACT?
Paine College neither requires nor recommends test scores. Submit yours only if it's above the state or national average — otherwise, leaving it off works in your favor.
Paine College Average SAT Score: 876
The average SAT score of admitted students at Paine College is 876 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 876 — Accessible
This average is on the lower end nationally, making a strong score here a genuine advantage.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (906 SAT) to stand out. Below average? Paine 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 836, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Paine 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 | - | - | - |
| SAT Reading | - | - | - |
| SAT Composite | 876 | 836 | 906 |
Below 836, you're behind most admitted students; at 906 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 900
Can I get into Paine College with a 900 SAT?
A 900 SAT puts you ahead of most of Paine 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.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Paine College
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Paine College takes a broad view of applicants. Your energy is best spent proving readiness for coursework and maximizing your financial aid package.
Get ahead of the accreditation confusion before a family finds it themselves
Paine spent years in a public legal fight with its former regional accreditor (SACSCOC), ultimately settling into national accreditation through TRACS (Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools), which the college's own site now shows as "reaffirmed." Several third-party aggregators still list Paine under SACSCOC or reference the old dispute. A counselor should raise this directly and point families to paine.edu's own accreditation page before they encounter a stale or garbled version elsewhere and either panic unnecessarily or rely on outdated regional-accreditation claims.
Use the free CSRA Chemistry Course as an academic on-ramp, not just an extracurricular
Paine offers a free summer chemistry course open to all students through the CSRA partnership. For a STEM or pre-health-interested applicant worried about a thin high school science background, completing this course before enrolling does double duty - it strengthens actual preparation for college-level science and demonstrates real interest to the department, which matters more at a small college where faculty know applicants by name.
Lean on GPA trajectory, not test scores, since the school is test-optional/test-blind
With SAT/ACT submission optional and GPA doing most of the evaluative work, a student with an upward grade trend in core academic courses (especially junior/senior year) should make sure that trend is clearly visible on the transcript, since Paine's holistic review leans heavily on transcript rigor and progression rather than a compensating test score.
Ask specifically about CME/UMC-affiliated scholarship funds
Paine is jointly governed by the United Methodist Church and the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church - described as the oldest interracial board in the nation - which creates denomination-linked scholarship and funding sources not available at other HBCUs. A student with any CME or UMC church affiliation, or interest in ministry, should ask admissions directly about these funds rather than relying only on the general financial aid office to surface them.
Expert Insight:
Because Paine's accreditation status was contested in court for years before settling with TRACS, older news coverage and some databases still describe the college as unaccredited, "at risk," or accredited by SACSCOC - none of which reflects its current status. A family that stops at an old article or an outdated aggregator listing, rather than checking paine.edu directly, can end up with a materially wrong picture of the college's standing in either direction.
Paine College Profile
Full Name
Paine College
City
Augusta
State
Georgia
ZIP Code
30901-3182
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS)
Is a Paine College Degree Worth It?
At $27,310/year against a $33,338 median graduate salary, Paine College is worth weighing against your specific program and financial situation — the numbers below give you a real basis for that decision.
The average household income among admitted students is $51,000, with a graduate unemployment rate of 4.68%.
How much does a degree from Paine College Cost?
The sticker price is $27,310/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is typically much lower.
71.3% of students receive a Pell Grant and 73.6% take federal loans at Paine College — file your FAFSA early and list Paine College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Paine College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $33,338 — somewhat below the U.S. median graduate income of $40,595.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Paine College. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallaudet University | Washington, DC | 857 | 16 |
| Fort Valley State University | Fort Valley, GA | 864 | 18 |
| Virginia Union University | Richmond, VA | 860 | NA |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Paine College. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chamberlain University-Illinois | Addison, IL | 868 | 16 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Paine College. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama A & M University | Normal, AL | 947 | 17 |
| University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | Pine Bluff, AR | 916 | 16 |
| Bethune-Cookman University | Daytona Beach, FL | 913 | 17 |
| Johnson University Florida | Kissimmee, FL | 940 | NA |
| Warner University | Lake Wales, FL | 937 | 17 |
Degree Programs at Paine College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Paine College Admissions
Median earnings for Paine College graduates sit around $33,338 a year.
At about $27,310 a year, Paine College is on the more affordable end.
With 71.3% of Paine College students on a Pell Grant, need-based aid odds here are strong — an early FAFSA filing naming Paine College is the key move.
At 83.4%, Paine College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Paine College average a 2.81 GPA.
Paine College doesn't publish a hard GPA floor — but landing at or above 2.51 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.41, Paine 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 Paine College — aim above 876, ideally within the 836–906 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for Paine College is December 1 for Spring applicants.
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.