Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Buffalo, New York
86.7% Acceptance Rate
Villa Maria College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
86.7%Acceptance Rate
2.87Avg GPA
890Avg SAT
$33,719Annual Cost
$38,857Grad Salary
60.9%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
86.7%
Avg GPA
2.87
Avg SAT
890
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
SAT Middle 50%
850–920
Need-Based Aid
60.9% receive Pell
Villa Maria College is a private, career-focused institution in New York that emphasizes creativity and professional development. Admissions are personalized and holistic; the college looks beyond standardized scores to evaluate a student's portfolio or evidence of creative potential. Applicants are encouraged to emphasize their specific career aspirations and their readiness to contribute to the college's small, supportive, and arts-centered community.
Villa Maria College Acceptance Rate
Villa Maria College (Villa) runs an open-access admission policy. With a 86.7% 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. They are worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 86.7% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
2.87 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.67 – 2.86
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.42
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Villa Maria College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Villa Maria College 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
Villa 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.
Villa GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Villa is 2.87. That makes admissions here moderately selective. Most admitted students carry a blend of A's, B's, and the occasional C.
A stronger SAT or ACT score can comfortably offset a GPA on the lower end of this range.
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 3.07–3.27.Villa 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
2.87 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.67 – 2.86
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.47 – 2.66
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.46
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Physical Therapist Assistant program (most popular major) currently holds CAPTE Probationary Accreditation status - verify current status and remediation plan directly
- Direct PTA admission requires an 85+ HS average (or 2.8+ college GPA) plus biology and chemistry/physics; LBG/PTA alternate track exists for students missing prerequisites
- Music program holds separate NASM accreditation, distinct from the college's regional accreditation
- PTA program reports a 100% job placement rate among graduates who passed their licensure exam, per the college's own disclosure
- 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 Villa
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Villa Maria 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.
Villa Maria College (Villa) Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Villa is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Villa Without SAT or ACT?
Villa 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.
Villa Maria College Average SAT Score: 890
The average SAT score of admitted students at Villa Maria College is 890 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 890 — Accessible
This average is on the lower end nationally, making a strong score here a genuine advantage.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (920 SAT) to stand out. Below average? Villa Maria 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 850, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Villa. 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 | 890 | 850 | 920 |
Below 850, you're behind most admitted students; at 920 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 900
Can I get into Villa Maria College (Villa) with a 900 SAT?
A 900 SAT puts you ahead of most of Villa'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 Villa
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Villa is accessible to students who show core competency. Focus on proving readiness for college-level work and locking in financial aid.
Confirm Current CAPTE Status Before Committing to the PTA Program
Villa Maria's Physical Therapist Assistant program - the college's single most popular major - currently holds Probationary Accreditation status from CAPTE (Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education), per the program's own disclosure. Before a family commits, have them review CAPTE's "Recent Actions and Updates" page directly and ask the program director (listed contact: Dr. Ann Rivera) specifically what triggered probation and what the remediation timeline looks like - this affects eligibility to sit for state licensure, not just institutional reputation.
Use the LBG/PTA Track as a Backdoor If Missing Science Prerequisites
Direct PTA admission requires an 85+ high school average (or 2.8+ college GPA) plus biology and chemistry or physics coursework. A student who wants the PTA track but is missing these prerequisites isn't excluded outright - they can apply through the Liberal Arts General Studies (LBG)/PTA alternate track instead. Counselors should raise this option proactively rather than letting a student assume they're locked out for lacking a specific science course.
Verify NASM Status Directly for Music Industry Applicants
Villa Maria's Music program holds its own specialized NASM (National Association of Schools of Music) accreditation, separate from the college's regional accreditation. A Music Industry applicant should confirm current NASM standing directly with the department and ask whether any audition or portfolio component factors into admission, since this is a program-specific accreditation with its own standards.
Ask Explicitly Whether Portfolio Work Factors Into BFA Admission or Scholarships
For BFA-track programs (Animation, Interior Design, Fashion Design and Merchandising), a general liberal-arts admission review doesn't necessarily capture how these specific departments evaluate creative work. A prospective student should ask admissions directly whether a portfolio submission is used in program placement or merit scholarship decisions for their specific major, rather than assuming the general application process covers it.
Expert Insight:
Villa Maria's most popular major (PTA) currently carries CAPTE Probationary Accreditation status. This is a program-specific status, distinct from the college's overall institutional accreditation - but it is real and active. Don't let a family treat this as a routine, risk-free program choice without directing them to CAPTE's own recent-actions page for the current, specific reason and remediation status.
Villa Profile
Full Name
Villa Maria College (Villa)
City
Buffalo
State
New York
ZIP Code
14225-3999
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSACHE)
Is a Villa Degree Worth It?
Villa 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 $48,600, with a graduate unemployment rate of 5.16%.
How much does a degree from Villa Cost?
The sticker price is $33,719/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
60.9% of students receive a Pell Grant and 58.5% take federal loans at Villa. File your FAFSA early and list Villa as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Villa Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $38,857. That's somewhat below the U.S. median graduate income of $40,595.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Villa Maria College. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallaudet University | Washington, DC | 857 | 16 |
| Fort Valley State University | Fort Valley, GA | 864 | 18 |
| Virginia Union University | Richmond, VA | 860 | NA |
| Chamberlain University-Illinois | Addison, IL | 868 | 16 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Villa Maria College. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bennett College | Greensboro, NC | 890 | NA |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Villa Maria College. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama A & M University | Normal, AL | 947 | 17 |
| Johnson University Florida | Kissimmee, FL | 940 | NA |
| Warner University | Lake Wales, FL | 937 | 17 |
| Gordon State College | Barnesville, GA | 950 | 18 |
| Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | Saint Mary of the Woods, IN | 966 | 17 |
Degree Programs at Villa
Bachelor Degree Programs
Associate Degree Programs
UG Certificate or Diploma Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Villa Admissions
Median earnings for Villa Maria College graduates sit around $38,857 a year.
Villa Maria College costs roughly $33,719 a year, and most students combine this with scholarships or aid.
With 60.9% of Villa Maria College students on a Pell Grant, need-based aid odds here are strong. An early FAFSA filing naming Villa Maria College is the key move.
At 86.7%, Villa Maria College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Villa Maria College average a 2.87 GPA.
Villa Maria College doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 2.57 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.47, Villa Maria 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 Villa Maria College — aim above 890, ideally within the 850–920 range admitted students typically fall in.
Villa Maria College 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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