Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Higher Learning Commission
Galesburg, Illinois
71.1% Acceptance Rate
Knox College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
71.1%Acceptance Rate
1250Avg SAT
26Avg ACT
$65,796Annual Cost
$54,820Grad Salary
29.7%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
71.1%
Avg SAT
1250
Avg ACT
26
Selectivity
Somewhat Selective
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
1120–1385
ACT Middle 50%
21–30
Need-Based Aid
29.7% receive Pell
Knox College, established in 1837, is Illinois' innovative liberal arts college with strengths in creative writing and sciences. The historic campus includes the Whitcomb Art Center. Knox's 'Prairie Fire' curriculum encourages interdisciplinary study.
Knox College Acceptance Rate
Knox College takes a broad view of applicants, admitting about 71.1% each year.
What Knox College 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 — 71.1% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Knox College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for Knox College is November 1 for Early Action I applicants, with additional plans listed below.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 86 days left — Early Action I
Early Action I
November 1
Early Decision I
November 1
Early Decision II
January 15
Regular Decision
February 1
💡 The scholarship deadline (Merit scholarship priority: 2026/11/01) 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.
Check Your Admission Chances at Knox College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Knox 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
⚠️ Note: Predicting based on regional averages as this institution does not publicly report full score datasets.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Knox College Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Knox College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Knox College Without SAT or ACT?
Knox College considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
Knox College Average SAT Score: 1250
The average SAT score of admitted students at Knox College is 1250 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1250 — Slightly Competitive
This sits close to the national average SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1385 SAT or 30 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Knox 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 1120, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Knox 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 | 648 | 590 | 705 |
| SAT Reading | 605 | 530 | 680 |
| SAT Composite | 1250 | 1120 | 1385 |
Below 1120, you're behind most admitted students; at 1385 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 Knox College with a 1400 SAT?
A 1400 SAT puts you ahead of most of Knox 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.
Knox College ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Knox College is 26.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 26 — 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 | 20 | 27 |
| ACT English | 26 | 20 | 31 |
| ACT Composite | 26 | 21 | 30 |
Can I get into Knox College with a 30 ACT?
A 30 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Knox 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 Knox College.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Knox College
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Knox College is accessible to students who show core competency. Focus on proving readiness for college-level work and locking in financial aid.
Treat the Trimester Calendar as Your Strategy, Not Just a Schedule
Knox runs on a three-term (trimester) academic year with approximately 10-week terms - not a semester system. Each term moves fast, so students who go in having already researched which faculty do what research, and which terms specific courses run, gain a real edge. Before applying, look at Knox's course catalog by term and identify two or three courses that connect directly to something in your Common App essay. Name them specifically in your application interview, which Knox strongly recommends even if it's not required.
Book the Interview - It Is Not Optional in Practice
Knox's admissions page lists the interview as optional, but also says it's "strongly recommended" and frames it as one of the most important ways they get to know you as an individual. At an acceptance rate around 70%, Knox is not trying to thin the herd with scores - they're trying to find students who actually want to be there. An applicant who skips the interview loses the single most persuasive channel available. Schedule it early, and treat it as a two-way conversation about specific Knox features you've actually investigated.
Show You Understand What "Human-Powered" Actually Means
Knox requires every student to complete a faculty-mentored experiential learning project of at least 40 hours - internship, collaborative research, or a community service program - before graduation. The college also distributes over $350,000 annually in student research grants. Your application should demonstrate that you're the kind of learner who will pursue one of these opportunities, not just receive a degree. Connect a specific academic interest to a named Knox faculty member's work or a specific program in your intended major area.
Understand the 3-2 and 3-3 Pathways Before You Write "Pre-Engineering" or "Pre-Law"
Knox offers a formal 3-2 engineering program with Columbia University and a 3-3 accelerated law program with the University of Chicago Law School. Students considering these tracks should reference them directly - they're not available at most small liberal arts colleges and signal to admissions that you've done serious homework on what Knox specifically enables. If engineering or law is part of your plan, build your personal essay around the liberal arts foundation you'll bring to that technical training, not just the end-goal profession.
Expert Insight:
Applicants frequently write generic "I love small classes and research opportunities" essays that could describe any liberal arts college. Knox reads thousands of these. The failure mode here is treating Knox as a backup school with a thin narrative - not connecting to anything specific: not the trimester structure, not the experiential learning requirement, not the 3-2 or 3-3 pathways, not Flunk Day, not the Green Oaks Field Station, not a faculty member's work. If your Knox essay could also work for Beloit or Kalamazoo without changing a word, rewrite it.
Knox College Profile
Full Name
Knox College
City
Galesburg
State
Illinois
ZIP Code
61401
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Is a Knox College Degree Worth It?
Knox 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 $71,900, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.12%.
How much does a degree from Knox College Cost?
The sticker price is $65,796/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
29.7% of students receive a Pell Grant and 72% take federal loans at Knox College. File your FAFSA early and list Knox College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Knox College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $54,820. That's about 35% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Knox 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 |
| Samford University | Birmingham, AL | 1203 | 26 |
| 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 |
| Eastern Connecticut State University | Willimantic, CT | 1200 | NA |
| University of Hartford | West Hartford, CT | 1207 | 29 |
| Quinnipiac University | Hamden, CT | 1212 | 27 |
| Howard University | Washington, DC | 1205 | 25 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Knox 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 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | Prescott, AZ | 1256 | 27 |
| Biola University | La Mirada, CA | 1258 | 27 |
| Eckerd College | Saint Petersburg, FL | 1256 | 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 Knox 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 |
| University of the Pacific | Stockton, CA | 1303 | 27 |
| University of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | 1313 | 29 |
Degree Programs at Knox College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Knox College Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Knox College run about $54,820 a year.
At about $65,796 a year, Knox College's cost is on the higher end; look closely at aid options.
About 29.7% receive a Pell Grant at Knox College. The odds are moderate and largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 71.1%, Knox College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
A strong SAT score matters at Knox College — aim above 1250, ideally within the 1120–1385 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for Knox College is November 1 for Early Action I applicants.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is Merit scholarship priority: 2026/11/01. 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.
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