Last Updated: Monday August 03, 2026  ·  Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard Nov 2025
Millikin University — Acceptance Rate and Admission Requirements
Non-Profit Private Accredited · Higher Learning Commission Decatur, Illinois 54.1% Acceptance Rate

Millikin University Acceptance Rate, GPA, and Admission Requirements

📍 Decatur, Illinois 62522-2084 🏛️ Main Campus 🌐 https://millikin.edu/

Millikin University — Admission Snapshot 2026

A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application

54.1%Acceptance Rate
3.4Avg GPA
1050Avg SAT
19Avg ACT
$41,297Annual Cost
$51,262Grad Salary
34.7%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
54.1%
Avg GPA
3.4
Avg SAT
1050
Avg ACT
19
Selectivity
Somewhat Selective
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
860–1170
ACT Middle 50%
14–24
Need-Based Aid
34.7% receive Pell

Millikin University is a private, comprehensive institution in Illinois that emphasizes Performance Learning, a model where students engage in hands-on, real-world application of their coursework. Offering a diverse array of undergraduate and graduate programs, the university fosters an environment of active learning, collaboration, and professional preparation. Its focus on student-centered education and career relevance makes it a high-value choice for individuals seeking to gain both academic knowledge and practical professional experience.

Millikin University Acceptance Rate

At 54.1%, admission to Millikin University is achievable for most students who meet the basic academic profile.

What Millikin University 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
Millikin University Selectivity Meter
Selectivity scale: Somewhat Selective — 54.1% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)

Recommended Academic Profile

Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.40 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.20 – 3.39
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.95
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support

Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).

Millikin University Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026

Millikin University 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 1 is recommended for the best chances of admission and financial aid.

Key Admission Dates

⏳ 86 days left — Early Action
🔄
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime

Millikin 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.

Early Action NEXT UP
November 1
November 1, 2026Scholarship Deadline
RollingAdmission Type

💡 The scholarship deadline (November 1, 2026) 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.

Millikin University GPA Requirement

The average GPA of admitted students at Millikin University is 3.4. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.

In the 3.10–3.4 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 3.60–3.80.

Millikin University GPA & Admission Outlook

Assessment: Selective; solid academic performance is expected.

Recommended Strategy: Focus on a Strong 'Spike' in extracurriculars or research.

Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:

Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.40 – 4.00
Target/Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.20 – 3.39
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.00 – 3.19
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.99
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors

Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here

  • ACT/SAT are encouraged but not required for first-year admission.
  • Transfer students make up nearly 20% of the student body; a 2.0+ cumulative GPA and transcripts from every prior institution are required.
  • Most scholarship deadlines are January 15 for first-years and April 1 for transfers - separate from admission deadlines.
  • 99% of Millikin graduates are employed or in grad school within six months, a stat directly tied to the Performance Learning model.
  • 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 Millikin University

Admission Chance Predictor

Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Millikin University'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.

Millikin University Test Requirements

Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Millikin University is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.

Can I Get Into Millikin University Without SAT or ACT?

Millikin University considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.

Millikin University Average SAT Score: 1050

The average SAT score of admitted students at Millikin University is 1050 on the 1600-point scale.

SAT Competitiveness

Millikin University SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1050 — Accessible

This average is on the lower end nationally, making a strong score here a genuine advantage.

SAT Math
490
SAT Reading
525
Composite
1050
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1170 SAT or 24 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Millikin 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 860, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Millikin 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

SAT score percentiles for Millikin University
SectionAverage25th Percentile75th Percentile
SAT Math490410570
SAT Reading525450600
SAT Composite10508601170

Below 860, you're behind most admitted students; at 1170 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 1050

Can I get into Millikin University with a 1150 SAT?

A 1150 SAT puts you ahead of most of Millikin 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.

Millikin University ACT Requirements

The average ACT score at Millikin University is 19.

ACT Competitiveness

Millikin University ACT Competitiveness
ACT 19 — Less Competitive

This average is slightly below the national ACT mean.

ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections

ACT score percentiles for Millikin University
SectionAverage25th Percentile75th Percentile
ACT Math191523
ACT English181223
ACT Composite191424

Can I get into Millikin University with a 24 ACT?

A 24 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Millikin University'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 Millikin University.

View a list of all colleges with an average ACT score of 19

Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Millikin University

Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation

Getting into Millikin University isn't the hard part. Building a solid academic foundation and securing aid early is where the real strategy lives.

Theatre & Dance applicants: apply to the university first, audition second

Admission to Millikin overall must happen before a student can access the GetAcceptd portal for a Theatre/Dance pre-screen or audition. Don't wait on the audition timeline to submit the general application - it gates everything else.

Illinois residents skip the pre-screen step

Out-of-state Theatre/Dance applicants must submit pre-screen video materials before being invited to audition; Illinois residents are exempt and can schedule an audition directly after admission. Confirm residency-based pathway early so timelines don't slip.

Frame every application around "Performance Learning"

Millikin's institutional identity centers on students doing real professional work from year one - running businesses, conducting research, touring musically - not classroom theory. Essays and interviews that describe a specific hands-on project the student wants to build at Millikin outperform generic "well-rounded student" narratives.

Track two different deadlines if auditioning

Scholarship-eligible and general admission deadlines diverge from Theatre & Dance's own prescreen/audition deadlines (e.g., a January 15 prescreen feeds a February on-campus audition slot). Missing the earlier prescreen date doesn't disqualify from Millikin, but it does remove that specific audition round.

Expert Insight:

Non-Illinois theatre/dance applicants frequently miss the prescreen deadline because they assume the general Millikin application deadline is the only one that matters - by the time they realize a separate GetAcceptd prescreen exists, the earliest audition round has closed.

Millikin University Profile

Full Name
Millikin University
City
Decatur
State
Illinois
ZIP Code
62522-2084
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)

Is a Millikin University Degree Worth It?

Whether Millikin 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 $63,900, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.44%.

How much does a degree from Millikin University Cost?

The sticker price is $41,297/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.

34.7% of students receive a Pell Grant and 60.9% take federal loans at Millikin University. File your FAFSA early and list Millikin University as a choice to be considered for both.

How much does a Millikin University Graduate earn?

Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $51,262. That's about 26% above the U.S. median graduate income.

$41,297Annual Cost
34.7%Pell Grant
60.9%Federal Loan
$51,262Grad Salary (10yr)

Compare Similar Colleges

Less Competitive

Less Competitive Schools

These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Millikin University. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.

SchoolLocationSATACT
Faulkner University Montgomery, AL 1016 20
University of West Alabama Livingston, AL 1015 20
Central Baptist College Conway, AR 1022 20
University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton Morrilton, AR 1020 20
Williams Baptist University Walnut Ridge, AR 1018 19
Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO 1014 20
Colorado State University Pueblo Pueblo, CO 1005 22
Trinity Baptist College Jacksonville, FL 1007 20
College of Coastal Georgia Brunswick, GA 1001 18
Thomas University Thomasville, GA 1037 21
Same Competitive

Equally Competitive Schools

These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Millikin University. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.

SchoolLocationSATACT
Jacksonville State University Jacksonville, AL 1055 21
Marion Military Institute Marion, AL 1043 20
University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, AR 1049 21
Arkansas Tech University Russellville, AR 1050 21
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Magnolia, AR 1050 20
More Competitive

More Competitive Schools

These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Millikin University. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.

SchoolLocationSATACT
Auburn University at Montgomery Montgomery, AL 1090 21
University of South Alabama Mobile, AL 1119 23
Spring Hill College Mobile, AL 1090 22
Troy University Troy, AL 1086 22
Tuskegee University Tuskegee, AL 1121 22

Degree Programs at Millikin University

Bachelor Degree Programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Millikin University Admissions

Median graduate earnings at Millikin University run about $51,262 a year.

Millikin University costs roughly $41,297 a year, and most students combine this with scholarships or aid.

About 34.7% receive a Pell Grant at Millikin University. The odds are moderate and largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.

At 54.1%, Millikin University's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.

Admitted students at Millikin University average a 3.4 GPA.

Millikin University doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.1 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.

Below 3, Millikin 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 Millikin University — aim above 1050, ideally within the 860–1170 range admitted students typically fall in.

The application deadline for Millikin University is November 1. Rolling Admissions is also offered, so applying early improves your chances.

The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is November 1, 2026. 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.

SK

Sohaib Ahmad Khan

Sohaib Ahmad Khan is a leading career counselor and admission guidance expert who has guided over 50,000 students worldwide. He is the author of four books and developer of widely used career counseling and aptitude assessment systems. .

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