Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Staten Island, New York
83.5% Acceptance Rate
Wagner College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
83.5%Acceptance Rate
3.5Avg GPA
1234Avg SAT
25Avg ACT
$63,007Annual Cost
$74,360Grad Salary
22.7%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
83.5%
Avg GPA
3.5
Avg SAT
1234
Avg ACT
25
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
SAT Middle 50%
1150–1320
ACT Middle 50%
23–27
Need-Based Aid
22.7% receive Pell
Wagner College, founded in 1883 on Staten Island, New York, is a private liberal arts college ranked among the top regional universities in the North by U.S. News. Wagner is renowned for its 'Wagner Plan' curriculum that combines traditional liberal arts with experiential learning through internships, research, and community engagement. The college's 105-acre hilltop campus offers stunning views of New York Harbor and features Gothic architecture alongside modern facilities like the Spiro Sports Center and the new Horrmann Library. Wagner offers 40+ majors with particular strengths in business, nursing, and theater through its acclaimed Performing Arts Department.
Wagner's location provides easy access to Manhattan's professional and cultural opportunities while maintaining a traditional residential campus experience. The college's Seahawks compete in NCAA Division I athletics in the Northeast Conference. Wagner's arts programs benefit from partnerships with New York City theaters and media companies, while its nursing students gain clinical experience at top hospitals. The campus is home to unique programs like the Nicolais School of Business and the Evelyn L. Spiro School of Nursing, offering students personalized attention with a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
Wagner College Acceptance Rate
Wagner College runs an open-access admission policy. With a 83.5% 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 — 83.5% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.50 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.30 – 3.49
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.05
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Wagner College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for Wagner College is November 15 for Early Decision I applicants, with additional plans listed below.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 97 days left — Early Decision I
Early Decision I
November 15
Early Action
November 15
Early Decision II
January 15
Regular Decision
February 15
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Wagner College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Wagner College is 3.5. That makes admissions here highly selective. Most admitted students carry mostly A's with the occasional B.
Between 3.20 and 3.5? 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 3.70–3.90.Wagner 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
3.50 – 4.00
Target/Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.30 – 3.49
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.10 – 3.29
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.09
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Wagner's entire curriculum runs on the "Wagner Plan," a structured sequence of First-Year, Intermediate, and Senior Learning Communities paired with Reflective Tutorials that integrate NYC-based fieldwork into coursework at every level.
- Wagner does not use rolling admissions; decisions begin releasing in December, and each application is read at least twice.
- The PA program is a 5-year BS/MS requiring a November 15 application deadline, mandatory declared-major selection, and an on-campus interview; PA applicants cannot apply Early Action.
- The Honors Program requires a 400-500 word essay and endorsements from two Wagner faculty members for admission or readmission.
- 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 Wagner College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Wagner 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.
Wagner College Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Wagner College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Wagner College Without SAT or ACT?
Wagner College considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
Wagner College Average SAT Score: 1234
The average SAT score of admitted students at Wagner College is 1234 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1234 — Slightly Competitive
This sits close to the national average SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1320 SAT or 27 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Wagner 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 1150, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Wagner 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 | 610 | 570 | 650 |
| SAT Reading | 625 | 580 | 670 |
| SAT Composite | 1234 | 1150 | 1320 |
Below 1150, you're behind most admitted students; at 1320 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 Wagner College with a 1300 SAT?
A 1300 SAT puts you ahead of most of Wagner 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.
Wagner College ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Wagner College is 25.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 25 — Slightly Competitive
This sits close to the national average ACT score.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 24 | 20 | 27 |
| ACT English | 25 | 22 | 27 |
| ACT Composite | 25 | 23 | 27 |
Can I get into Wagner College with a 27 ACT?
A 27 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Wagner 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 Wagner College.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Wagner College
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Getting into Wagner College isn't the hard part. Building a solid academic foundation and securing aid early is where the real strategy lives.
Answer the three-factor essay with Wagner-specific reasons, not generic ones
Wagner's supplemental essay explicitly asks you to name the three most important factors that influenced your decision to apply and that set Wagner apart - a structured prompt that rewards specificity (a named Learning Community theme, the Staten Island/NYC location, a specific faculty member or program) over generic "great location" or "small classes" answers. Research an actual First-Year Learning Community title (they change yearly, e.g. "Exploring the Global Roots of New York City") and name it directly in your response.
Declare Physician Assistant as your major on the application itself - don't leave it to chance
Wagner's 5-year BS/MS PA program requires you to declare PA as your major directly on your application; students who don't are reviewed as Undecided candidates and won't be considered for the program's interview track. Submit your complete application by November 15 specifically, since the interview invitation and program-specific supplement are only sent after that deadline, and PA applicants are explicitly not eligible for Early Action.
Use the Reflective Tutorial structure to build a genuine NYC-based portfolio early
Every Wagner student completes a First-Year Learning Community pairing two courses with a Reflective Tutorial (RFT) that includes roughly 30 hours of experiential learning tied to New York City - research, service, or fieldwork woven directly into your first-semester coursework, not an add-on extracurricular. If you have a specific interest (urban policy, history, environmental work), ask admissions which Learning Community themes align with it, since your first-semester experience is structured around this pairing before you even declare a major.
If pre-health is your track, know that Wagner's Pre-Health Program requires a second, later application
Wagner's Pre-Health Program only grants conditional acceptance initially; full acceptance during your second year requires writing a one-page essay on your qualifications and securing two letters of recommendation. Treat your first year as a genuine trial period - building strong faculty relationships and academic performance specifically with this second application in mind, rather than assuming initial pre-health declaration guarantees continued status.
Expert Insight:
A specific and easy-to-miss risk in Wagner's PA application is failing to select Physician Assistant as your declared major on the initial application - because the Admissions Office reviews undeclared applicants under a separate Undecided track, a student who intends PA but forgets this step may never receive the required interview invitation, effectively losing eligibility for the program despite meeting academic qualifications.
Wagner College Profile
Full Name
Wagner College
City
Staten Island
State
New York
ZIP Code
10301-4495
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSACHE)
Is a Wagner College Degree Worth It?
Wagner 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 $80,200, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.95%.
How much does a degree from Wagner College Cost?
The sticker price is $63,007/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
22.7% of students receive a Pell Grant and 55.4% take federal loans at Wagner College. File your FAFSA early and list Wagner College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Wagner College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $74,360. That's about 83% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Wagner 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 |
| Harding University | Searcy, AR | 1187 | 25 |
| 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 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Wagner College. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Lutheran University | Thousand Oaks, CA | 1224 | 26 |
| 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 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Wagner 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 |
| 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 |
| Thomas Aquinas College | Santa Paula, CA | 1277 | 29 |
Degree Programs at Wagner College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Wagner College Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Wagner College run about $74,360 a year.
At about $63,007 a year, Wagner College's cost is on the higher end; look closely at aid options.
Wagner College's Pell Grant rate of 22.7% sits below the national average. Merit-based aid is worth checking regardless of income.
At 83.5%, Wagner College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Wagner College average a 3.5 GPA.
Wagner College doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.2 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.1, Wagner 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 Wagner College — aim above 1234, ideally within the 1150–1320 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for Wagner College is November 15 for Early Decision I applicants.
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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