Public
Accredited · Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Cortland, New York
50.7% Acceptance Rate
State University of New York at Cortland — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
50.7%Acceptance Rate
3.7Avg GPA
1165Avg SAT
$26,413Annual Cost
$60,236Grad Salary
26.9%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
50.7%
Avg GPA
3.7
Avg SAT
1165
Selectivity
Somewhat Selective
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
SAT Middle 50%
1125–1195
Avg Net Price
$19,951
Need-Based Aid
26.9% receive Pell
SUNY Cortland, established in 1868, is a premier public college for teacher education, exercise science, and outdoor recreation. Known for its physical education legacy and extensive study abroad network.
The 191-acre campus includes the state-of-the-art Park Center for athletics, the Brauer Museum of Outdoor Education, and the SUNY Cortland Downtown Gallery. Its location near the Finger Lakes provides exceptional outdoor education laboratories.
State University of New York at Cortland Acceptance Rate
State University of New York at Cortland takes a broad view of applicants, admitting about 50.7% each year.
What SUNY Cortland 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 — 50.7% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.70 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.50 – 3.69
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.25
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
State University of New York at Cortland Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
State University of New York at Cortland follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline, though the priority deadline of December 1 is recommended for the best chances of admission and financial aid.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 127 days left — Rolling
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
SUNY Cortland 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.
Rolling
December 1
Early Action
November 15
Decision by: January 1
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
SUNY Cortland GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at SUNY Cortland is 3.7. That makes admissions here highly selective. Most admitted students carry mostly A's with the occasional B.
Between 3.40 and 3.7? 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 3.90–4.10.SUNY Cortland GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Highly selective; GPA is within the typical admitted range.
Recommended Strategy: Standardized Test Scores (SAT/ACT) in the top 5th percentile.
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.70 – 4.00
Competitive Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.50 – 3.69
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.30 – 3.49
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.29
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Acceptance rate: approximately 51?60% depending on source and year (Niche 60%; other sources 51%); Early Action deadline November 15 (notification by January 1); rolling admissions otherwise, but applications may close when maximum offers are extended - there is no guaranteed open window beyond November 15; Common App and SUNY Application both accepted ($50 application fee).
- No supplemental essays beyond the standard Common App / SUNY personal statement (250?650 words, choose one of seven prompts) and a SUNY-specific additional context statement (up to 250 words); at least one letter of recommendation required (teacher or counselor); test-optional - scores considered if submitted but not required; mid-50% ACT 22?27, SAT 1090?1240 for submitters.
- Sport management ranked #23 nationally (Niche 2025, top 5%), oldest sport management department in the SUNY system (est. 1985), 5,000+ alumni in the field; Cortland is the largest teacher education program at any public university in New York State (#12 nationally in subject-specific education, College Factual 2025); kinesiology offers a direct 3+2 Applied Kinesiology BS / Athletic Training MS pipeline and a 3+3 Exercise Science BS / DPT program (with SUNY Upstate Medical University).
- SUNY Cortland's Athletics Department holds 26 Division III national championships across 11 sports and 108 individual national titles; 17 of 22 teams won SUNYAC championships in 2025 (all-time conference record); the Student Life Center (148,800 sq ft) is recognized by the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association as the nation's most outstanding recreation facility; the annual Cortaca Jug football rivalry with Ithaca College set the all-time single-game Division III attendance record (45,161) at MetLife Stadium in 2019.
- 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 SUNY Cortland
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on State University of New York at Cortland'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.
State University of New York at Cortland (SUNY Cortland) Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if SUNY Cortland is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into SUNY Cortland Without SAT or ACT?
SUNY Cortland 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.
State University of New York at Cortland Average SAT Score: 1165
The average SAT score of admitted students at State University of New York at Cortland 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? State University of New York at Cortland 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 SUNY Cortland. 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 State University of New York at Cortland (SUNY Cortland) with a 1200 SAT?
A 1200 SAT puts you ahead of most of SUNY Cortland'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 SUNY Cortland
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
SUNY Cortland is accessible to students who show core competency. Focus on proving readiness for college-level work and locking in financial aid.
Apply by November 15 for Early Action - Applications Can Close Without Warning Under Rolling Admissions
SUNY Cortland uses rolling admissions with no general hard deadline other than November 15 for Early Action (notification by January 1). The critical language in Cortland's own admissions materials is that "first-year applications may close once the maximum number of admission offers has been extended." This is not a formality - it means a student who applies in February or March may find the application has closed entirely, not merely that their chances have dimmed. Students who identify Cortland as a target school should apply in August or September at the latest, not in the common mid-year rush. EA applicants receive decisions by January 1 using identical review criteria to regular applicants; there is no selectivity penalty for EA.
Sport Management, Kinesiology, and Education Applicants Are Competing for Limited Seats in Nationally Ranked Programs
SUNY Cortland's sport management department is the oldest in the SUNY system (enrolling students since 1985) and ranked #23 nationally out of 448 schools by Niche in 2025 - top 5% nationally - with 5,000+ alumni in the field and a required fieldwork component within Cortland's own Division III athletics department. The kinesiology department's four majors represent one of the largest undergraduate enrollments at Cortland. Cortland is also the largest teacher education program among public universities in New York State, ranked #12 nationally in subject-specific education by College Factual 2025. A student applying to these programs with a perfunctory application is competing against students who specifically chose Cortland for these programs. The personal statement and recommendation letter carry real weight in this context.
BFA Applicants in Musical Theatre or Studio Art Must Complete a Separate Nomination and Audition/Portfolio Process
SUNY Cortland offers a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre and a B.F.A. in Studio Art - both of which require a separate special talent admission pathway beyond the general Common App or SUNY Application. Only applicants nominated by a SUNY Cortland faculty or staff member are eligible for special talent consideration, and this nomination must occur before an admissions decision is made. Musical theatre applicants must complete an audition process; studio art applicants must submit a portfolio per department guidelines. Students applying to these BFA programs who do not know about the nomination requirement will simply not be evaluated for them - they will be processed as general applicants and placed into whatever major they listed without any special talent review. Faculty contact and the nomination process must begin well before the application deadline.
Use the Personal Statement to Address Cortland's Specific Program Strengths - Not Generic College Ambitions
SUNY Cortland accepts both the Common App and the SUNY Application; both use the same seven-prompt personal essay format (250?650 words, choice of one prompt). The SUNY Supplemental Form also requires an additional brief statement (up to 250 words) explaining academic performance context or history gaps. At a school that explicitly bases decisions on "academic merit, potential and other talents and interests," the personal statement is the primary opportunity to connect the student's background to Cortland's specific program strengths. A student in kinesiology who names the 3+2 Applied Kinesiology/Athletic Training program (leading directly to an MS without a separate graduate admissions process) or the 3+3 Exercise Science/Doctor of Physical Therapy track (with SUNY Upstate Medical University) is making a specific, non-transferable argument about fit that no other SUNY school can replicate.
Expert Insight:
The most consequential misunderstanding about SUNY Cortland's rolling admissions is the belief that "rolling" means applications are always open. Cortland's own language explicitly reserves the right to close applications once maximum admission offers have been extended. A student who is waitlisted at their first-choice school in April and turns to Cortland as a late backup may find the application no longer accepting submissions. The correct counseling move is to treat Cortland's November 15 Early Action deadline as the functional operating deadline - not as an advantage to seek, but as the outer edge of reliable access. Students who apply in September or October are not being premature; they are protecting their ability to actually receive a decision.
SUNY Cortland Profile
Full Name
State University of New York at Cortland (SUNY Cortland)
City
Cortland
State
New York
ZIP Code
13045-0900
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSACHE)
Is a SUNY Cortland Degree Worth It?
Whether SUNY Cortland 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 $68,000, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.34%.
How much does a degree from SUNY Cortland Cost?
The sticker price is $26,413/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is closer to $19,951.
26.9% of students receive a Pell Grant and 60.2% take federal loans at SUNY Cortland — file your FAFSA early and list SUNY Cortland as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a SUNY Cortland Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $60,236 — about 48% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than State University of New York at Cortland. 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 State University of New York at Cortland. 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 State University of New York at Cortland. 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 SUNY Cortland
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About SUNY Cortland Admissions
Median graduate earnings at State University of New York at Cortland run about $60,236 a year.
At about $26,413 a year, State University of New York at Cortland is on the more affordable end.
About 26.9% receive a Pell Grant at State University of New York at Cortland — moderate odds, largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 50.7%, State University of New York at Cortland's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at State University of New York at Cortland average a 3.7 GPA.
State University of New York at Cortland doesn't publish a hard GPA floor — but landing at or above 3.4 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.3, State University of New York at Cortland 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 State University of New York at Cortland — aim above 1165, ideally within the 1125–1195 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for State University of New York at Cortland is December 1 for Rolling applicants. Rolling Admissions is also offered, so applying early improves your chances.
The application fee is 50. Fee waivers may be available — check with admissions.
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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