Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Loudonville, New York
70.6% Acceptance Rate
Siena College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
70.6%Acceptance Rate
3.53Avg GPA
1238Avg SAT
28Avg ACT
$62,329Annual Cost
$76,079Grad Salary
23.4%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
70.6%
Avg GPA
3.53
Avg SAT
1238
Avg ACT
28
Selectivity
Somewhat Selective
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
SAT Middle 50%
1093–1360
ACT Middle 50%
26–29
Need-Based Aid
23.4% receive Pell
Siena College is a private, Franciscan, liberal arts institution in New York known for its commitment to academic excellence, social justice, and community service. Offering a wide range of undergraduate programs, the college fosters a supportive and engaged campus community that encourages critical inquiry and personal growth. Its focus on preparing students for leadership in a variety of fields makes it a high-value choice for those seeking a transformative, values-based education that balances academic rigor with active community participation.
Siena College Acceptance Rate
Siena College takes a broad view of applicants, admitting about 70.6% each year.
What Siena 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 — 70.6% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.53 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.33 – 3.52
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.08
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Siena College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for Siena College is November 15 for Early Decision I applicants, with additional plans listed below. Admission decisions are typically released by December 15.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 100 days left — Early Decision I
Early Decision I
November 15
Decision by: December 15
Regular Decision
February 1
Decision by: March 15
Early Action
December 1
Decision by: January 15
💡 The scholarship deadline (February 15, 2027) 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.
Siena College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Siena College is 3.53. That makes admissions here highly selective. Most admitted students carry mostly A's with the occasional B.
Between 3.23 and 3.53? A strong standardized test score is worth prioritizing.
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 3.73–3.93.Siena College 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
3.53 – 4.00
Target/Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.33 – 3.52
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.13 – 3.32
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.12
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Siena University is a private Franciscan institution in Loudonville, NY, with roughly 3,000 undergraduates, a 12:1 student-faculty ratio, and an 89% freshman retention rate.
- The freshman application priority deadline is March 1 of senior year; a completed essay, official transcript, and at least one recommendation are all required components.
- Siena's name change to "University" reflects an expansion of graduate programming (including a new MSW), not a change to undergraduate admissions selectivity or the school's liberal arts undergraduate focus.
- 80% of Saints live on campus, and the school reports a 76.5% four-year graduation rate - relevant context for families weighing residential experience and time-to-degree against the Siena Guarantee's four-year completion backstop.
- 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 Siena College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Siena 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.
Siena College Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Siena College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Siena College Without SAT or ACT?
Siena College considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
Siena College Average SAT Score: 1238
The average SAT score of admitted students at Siena College is 1238 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1238 — Slightly Competitive
This sits close to the national average SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1360 SAT or 29 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Siena 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 1093, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Siena 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 | 617 | 553 | 680 |
| SAT Reading | 610 | 540 | 680 |
| SAT Composite | 1238 | 1093 | 1360 |
Below 1093, you're behind most admitted students; at 1360 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 Siena College with a 1350 SAT?
A 1350 SAT puts you ahead of most of Siena 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.
Siena College ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Siena College is 28.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 28 — 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 | 27 | 22 | 31 |
| ACT Composite | 28 | 26 | 29 |
Can I get into Siena College with a 29 ACT?
A 29 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Siena 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 Siena College.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Siena College
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Siena College is accessible to students who show core competency. Focus on proving readiness for college-level work and locking in financial aid.
Submit your personal essay as a genuine writing sample - it's a hard requirement, not a formality
Unlike many test-optional peer schools, Siena requires a written essay or personal statement from every freshman applicant alongside a letter of recommendation, and the priority deadline is March 1 of senior year. Because Siena's average admitted SAT is around 1160 and the school is only moderately selective, a distinctive, well-crafted essay carries real relative weight in differentiating an application, not just checking a box.
Confirm eligibility for the Siena Guarantee before finalizing your decision
Siena's admissions guarantee provides at least $14,250/year (minimum $57,000 over four years) in scholarships to any admitted student who submits the FAFSA, plus a four-year graduation guarantee where Siena covers additional costs if a student doesn't finish on time. Students and families should be told explicitly that simply being admitted and filing FAFSA - no separate scholarship application - triggers this guarantee, since many applicants don't realize it's automatic rather than competitive.
Understand that Siena just became a university - don't let outdated "Siena College" references cause confusion
Siena officially transitioned from "Siena College" to "Siena University" on September 18, 2025, following New York State Board of Regents approval - a change driven partly by the school's expanding graduate programs, including a new Master of Social Work. Families researching this school should verify they're looking at current (2025-26 onward) admissions pages, since older cached content and some third-party sites still reference the prior name.
Leverage Siena's Franciscan identity and liberal arts core in application framing, not generic "well-roundedness" language
Siena is a Franciscan institution with a defined liberal arts core curriculum, and admissions materials emphasize community, respect, and inclusivity as explicit institutional values alongside academics - not just marketing language, but a lens reflected in the required essay and recommendation review. Students should tailor their essay to genuine values-alignment (community engagement, service, collaborative work) rather than a generic achievement-listing approach that would read the same at any school.
Expert Insight:
The most common misstep is treating Siena's essay and recommendation requirements as pro forma at a moderately selective school (roughly 71% acceptance) - because Siena is not hyper-selective, applicants sometimes under-invest in these required components, when in fact a distinctive essay is one of the few differentiators in a file built mostly around a solid-but-unremarkable GPA and test score range.
Siena College Profile
Full Name
Siena College
City
Loudonville
State
New York
ZIP Code
12211-1462
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSACHE)
Is a Siena College Degree Worth It?
Whether Siena College 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 $72,200, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.1%.
How much does a degree from Siena College Cost?
The sticker price is $62,329/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
23.4% of students receive a Pell Grant and 66.9% take federal loans at Siena College. File your FAFSA early and list Siena College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Siena College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $76,079. That's about 87% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Siena College. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, 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 |
| California Lutheran University | Thousand Oaks, CA | 1224 | 26 |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael, CA | 1194 | 26 |
| Eastern Connecticut State University | Willimantic, CT | 1200 | NA |
| University of Hartford | West Hartford, CT | 1207 | 29 |
| University of New Haven | West Haven, CT | 1190 | NA |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Siena College. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Redlands | Redlands, CA | 1231 | 28 |
| University of South Florida | Tampa, FL | 1235 | 27 |
| Oglethorpe University | Atlanta, GA | 1230 | 27 |
| Bradley University | Peoria, IL | 1237 | 28 |
| University of Illinois Chicago | Chicago, IL | 1242 | 29 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Siena College. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 1287 | 28 |
| Auburn University | Auburn, AL | 1318 | 28 |
| University of the Pacific | Stockton, CA | 1303 | 27 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego, CA | 1278 | 26 |
| University of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | 1313 | 29 |
Degree Programs at Siena College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Siena College Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Siena College run about $76,079 a year.
At about $62,329 a year, Siena College's cost is on the higher end; look closely at aid options.
Siena College's Pell Grant rate of 23.4% sits below the national average. Merit-based aid is worth checking regardless of income.
At 70.6%, Siena College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Siena College average a 3.53 GPA.
Siena College doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.23 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.13, Siena 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 Siena College — aim above 1238, ideally within the 1093–1360 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for Siena College is November 15 for Early Decision I applicants. Admission decisions are released by December 15.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is February 15, 2027. 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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