Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Higher Learning Commission
Lisle, Illinois
77.2% Acceptance Rate
Benedictine University — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
77.2%Acceptance Rate
3.26Avg GPA
1165Avg SAT
$46,548Annual Cost
$63,446Grad Salary
39.2%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
77.2%
Avg GPA
3.26
Avg SAT
1165
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
1125–1195
Need-Based Aid
39.2% receive Pell
Benedictine University is a private, Catholic, values-based institution in Illinois known for its commitment to academic excellence, service, and professional preparation. Offering a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs, the university fosters a supportive and engaged campus community that encourages critical inquiry and personal growth. Its focus on providing a high-value, well-rounded education makes it a meaningful choice for students seeking to align their academic pursuits with their ethical values.
Benedictine University Acceptance Rate
Benedictine University runs an open-access admission policy — with a 77.2% 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 — 77.2% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.26 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.06 – 3.25
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.81
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Benedictine University Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Benedictine University follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
Benedictine University 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.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Benedictine University GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Benedictine University is 3.26. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 2.96–3.26 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
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 3.46–3.66.Benedictine University 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
3.26 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.06 – 3.25
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.86 – 3.05
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.85
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- General first-year admission requires no personal essay or letter of recommendation and is test-optional/flexible with no application fee.
- Guaranteed Pre-Health Interview pathways exist with ATSU (PA, Mesa AZ campus, 3.0 GPA threshold), PHSU-Ponce (MD, bilingual-focused, 3.5 GPA threshold), and Midwestern University (Dental Medicine), each with its own early letter-of-intent deadline.
- Public Health is Benedictine's most cited flagship major; Nutrition & Dietetics holds specific ACEND accreditation.
- Benedictine holds federal AANAPISI (Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution) designation, relevant to specific grant/program funding.
- 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 Benedictine University
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Benedictine University'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.
Benedictine University Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Benedictine University is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Benedictine University Without SAT or ACT?
Benedictine University considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt — most applicants test 2–3 times.
Benedictine University Average SAT Score: 1165
The average SAT score of admitted students at Benedictine University is 1165 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1165 — Less Competitive
This average is slightly below the national mean SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1195 SAT) to stand out. Below average? Benedictine University allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 1125, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Benedictine University. 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 | 1165 | 1125 | 1195 |
Below 1125, you're behind most admitted students; at 1195 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 1150
Can I get into Benedictine University with a 1200 SAT?
A 1200 SAT puts you ahead of most of Benedictine University'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 Benedictine University
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Benedictine University takes a broad view of applicants. Your energy is best spent proving readiness for coursework and maximizing your financial aid package.
Target the Pre-Health Guaranteed Interview pipeline early, and hit its GPA thresholds precisely
Benedictine has formal guaranteed-interview partnerships with specific professional schools - including a Physician Assistant pathway through ATSU (Mesa, AZ campus only) requiring a 3.0 cumulative/science GPA, and an MD pathway through PHSU-Ponce (Puerto Rico) for bilingual students requiring a 3.5 cumulative/science GPA. Each has its own letter-of-intent deadline (April 15 for the PA endorsement letter; November 1/30 for PHSU). Meet with Benedictine's Director of Pre-Health Professions as a freshman to map which pathway fits your GPA trajectory and language background, since these deadlines fall years before a normal application timeline would.
If you're bilingual in Spanish, the PHSU-Ponce guaranteed pathway is a genuinely distinctive route into medical school
Benedictine's partnership with Ponce Health Sciences University specifically serves students fluent in English and Spanish, letting them complete prerequisites at Benedictine before transitioning to PHSU's medical program in Puerto Rico - with a stated mission of reducing health disparities in Spanish-speaking communities. If you're bilingual and interested in medicine, this pathway offers a guaranteed-interview route that most pre-med applicants elsewhere don't have access to.
Public Health and Nutrition & Dietetics: lean into Benedictine's flagship strength
Public Health is repeatedly cited as Benedictine's top and most distinctive major, and its Nutrition & Dietetics program carries specific accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. If either field is your interest, mention it specifically in any optional application materials - these are programs Benedictine has built specific institutional strength and reputation around, not generic offerings.
Check whether AANAPISI-specific funding applies to you
Benedictine holds federal AANAPISI (Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution) designation, which can unlock specific grant and program funding tied to that status. If you're an Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander student, ask financial aid directly about AANAPISI-linked scholarships or programs - this designation isn't always surfaced in general scholarship searches.
Expert Insight:
Because Benedictine's general admission is nearly open (95%+ acceptance, no essay or letter of recommendation required for first-year applicants), students sometimes assume every path through the university is equally low-friction - but the guaranteed pre-health interview pathways carry real, specific GPA floors (3.0?3.5 depending on pathway) and early deadlines that fall well before a typical senior-year application timeline, making early planning essential for anyone eyeing these routes.
Benedictine University Profile
Full Name
Benedictine University
City
Lisle
State
Illinois
ZIP Code
60532-0900
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Is a Benedictine University Degree Worth It?
Whether Benedictine University 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 $80,600, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.16%.
How much does a degree from Benedictine University Cost?
The sticker price is $46,548/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is typically much lower.
39.2% of students receive a Pell Grant and 49.4% take federal loans at Benedictine University — file your FAFSA early and list Benedictine University as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Benedictine University Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $63,446 — about 56% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Benedictine University. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntingdon College | Montgomery, AL | 1148 | 23 |
| University of South Alabama | Mobile, AL | 1119 | 23 |
| Tuskegee University | Tuskegee, AL | 1121 | 22 |
| Arkansas State University | Jonesboro, AR | 1119 | 22 |
| University of Central Arkansas | Conway, AR | 1117 | 22 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | 1155 | 22 |
| University of La Verne | La Verne, CA | 1116 | 22 |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | Denver, CO | 1119 | 24 |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | Colorado Springs, CO | 1140 | 25 |
| Western Colorado University | Gunnison, CO | 1130 | 25 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Benedictine University. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | 1174 | 25 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | 1155 | 22 |
| Toccoa Falls College | Toccoa Falls, GA | 1155 | 23 |
| Chaminade University of Honolulu | Honolulu, HI | 1155 | NA |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa | Honolulu, HI | 1157 | 24 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Benedictine University. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham-Southern College | Birmingham, AL | 1197 | 24 |
| University of Mobile | Mobile, AL | 1220 | 24 |
| Samford University | Birmingham, AL | 1203 | 26 |
| John Brown University | Siloam Springs, AR | 1222 | 26 |
| Ouachita Baptist University | Arkadelphia, AR | 1212 | 25 |
Degree Programs at Benedictine University
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Benedictine University Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Benedictine University run about $63,446 a year.
Benedictine University costs roughly $46,548 a year — most students combine this with scholarships or aid.
About 39.2% receive a Pell Grant at Benedictine University — moderate odds, largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 77.2%, Benedictine University's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Benedictine University average a 3.26 GPA.
Benedictine University doesn't publish a hard GPA floor — but landing at or above 2.96 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.86, Benedictine University 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 Benedictine University — aim above 1165, ideally within the 1125–1195 range admitted students typically fall in.
Benedictine University follows Rolling Admissions — applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
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.
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