Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Higher Learning Commission
Marietta, Ohio
78.6% Acceptance Rate
Marietta College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
78.6%Acceptance Rate
3.54Avg GPA
1103Avg SAT
21Avg ACT
$52,360Annual Cost
$57,180Grad Salary
27.1%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
78.6%
Avg GPA
3.54
Avg SAT
1103
Avg ACT
21
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
990–1295
ACT Middle 50%
18–24
Need-Based Aid
27.1% receive Pell
Marietta College is a private, selective liberal arts institution in Ohio known for its commitment to academic excellence, experiential learning, and personalized education. With a supportive and engaged campus community, the college fosters critical inquiry, research, and professional preparation. Its focus on providing a high-value, well-rounded education makes it a meaningful choice for students seeking a traditional and formative liberal arts experience.
Marietta College Acceptance Rate
Marietta College runs an open-access admission policy. With a 78.6% 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 — 78.6% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.54 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.34 – 3.53
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.09
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Marietta College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Marietta College 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
⏳ 85 days left — Early Action I
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
Marietta College 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 I
November 1
Decision by: December 15
Regular Decision
February 1
Early Action II
December 15
Decision by: January 15
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Marietta College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Marietta College is 3.54. That makes admissions here highly selective. Most admitted students carry mostly A's with the occasional B.
Between 3.24 and 3.54? 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 3.74–3.94.Marietta 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
3.54 – 4.00
Target/Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.34 – 3.53
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.14 – 3.33
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.13
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Marietta's required essay prompt is currently: "What does college success mean to you?" - not a generic personal statement.
- Test-optional; rolling admission with decisions beginning the week of September 16.
- McDonough Leadership Program is a separate, competitive application (deadline May 1) open only to already-admitted students - it is not part of general admission.
- Petroleum Engineering is the largest program of its kind in the eastern U.S. and the only one offered at a liberal arts institution.
- 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 Marietta College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Marietta 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.
Marietta College Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Marietta College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Marietta College Without SAT or ACT?
Marietta College considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
Marietta College Average SAT Score: 1103
The average SAT score of admitted students at Marietta College is 1103 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1103 — Less Competitive
This average is slightly below the national mean SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1295 SAT or 24 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Marietta 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 990, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Marietta 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 | 573 | 490 | 655 |
| SAT Reading | 570 | 500 | 640 |
| SAT Composite | 1103 | 990 | 1295 |
Below 990, you're behind most admitted students; at 1295 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 1100
Can I get into Marietta College with a 1300 SAT?
A 1300 SAT puts you ahead of most of Marietta 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.
Marietta College ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Marietta College is 21.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 21 — Less Competitive
This average is slightly below the national ACT mean.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 21 | 17 | 25 |
| ACT English | 19 | 15 | 23 |
| ACT Composite | 21 | 18 | 24 |
Can I get into Marietta College with a 24 ACT?
A 24 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Marietta 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 Marietta College.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Marietta College
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Getting into Marietta College isn't the hard part. Building a solid academic foundation and securing aid early is where the real strategy lives.
Answer the Actual Prompt, Not a Generic Personal Statement
Marietta's required essay asks one specific question: "What does college success mean to you?" A recycled Common App personal statement that never directly engages this question reads as non-responsive to an admissions reader who is looking for a reflective answer to that exact prompt - coach students to name a concrete definition of success and tie it to something specific at Marietta (a major, a research opportunity, the Milone Center).
Plan the McDonough Application as a Second, Later Admissions Cycle
The McDonough Leadership Program (Marietta's flagship differentiator) is a separate, competitive application only open to students who have already been accepted to Marietta, with a May 1 deadline for entering first-years. Students interested in this track need to be told upfront that getting into Marietta does not get them into McDonough - it's a distinct cohort-based selection process requiring its own timeline.
Lead With Fit for Petroleum Engineering, Not Just Interest
Marietta's Petroleum Engineering program is the largest of its kind in the eastern U.S. and the only one housed at a liberal arts college - a genuinely unusual combination. Applicants to this major should explicitly address why a liberal-arts-embedded engineering program (rather than a standalone engineering school) fits their goals, and consider flagging interest in the Engineering Leadership Certificate (a McDonough track built specifically for Petroleum and Environmental Engineering majors) to stand out.
Apply Early to Maximize the Rolling Decision Window
Admission decisions go out on a rolling basis starting the week of September 16 and weekly after that. Since automatic merit scholarships ($14,000?$26,000/year) are tied to the GPA on file at the time of review, encourage students to submit as soon as transcripts are ready - an early decision also leaves more runway to prepare a strong May 1 McDonough application if that's a goal.
Expert Insight:
The most common miss at Marietta is treating "What does college success mean to you?" as an afterthought and submitting a repurposed, generic essay. Because this is Marietta's own specific prompt - not the open-ended Common App personal statement - an essay that doesn't directly engage the question stands out for the wrong reasons to a reader who is looking for a direct answer.
Marietta College Profile
Full Name
Marietta College
City
Marietta
State
Ohio
ZIP Code
45750
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Is a Marietta College Degree Worth It?
At $52,360/year against a $57,180 median graduate salary, Marietta College is worth weighing against your specific program and financial situation. The numbers below give you a real basis for that decision.
The average household income among admitted students is $58,700, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.34%.
How much does a degree from Marietta College Cost?
The sticker price is $52,360/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
27.1% of students receive a Pell Grant and 61.1% take federal loans at Marietta College. File your FAFSA early and list Marietta College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Marietta College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $57,180. That's about 41% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Marietta College. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn University at Montgomery | Montgomery, AL | 1090 | 21 |
| Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville, AL | 1055 | 21 |
| Spring Hill College | Mobile, AL | 1090 | 22 |
| Troy University | Troy, AL | 1086 | 22 |
| University of the Ozarks | Clarksville, AR | 1088 | 21 |
| Pacific Union College | Angwin, CA | 1093 | 22 |
| Fort Lewis College | Durango, CO | 1084 | 20 |
| Colorado Mesa University | Grand Junction, CO | 1070 | 23 |
| University of Northern Colorado | Greeley, CO | 1077 | 22 |
| Central Connecticut State University | New Britain, CT | 1091 | 24 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Marietta College. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Canyon University | Phoenix, AZ | 1095 | 22 |
| Pacific Union College | Angwin, CA | 1093 | 22 |
| University of Saint Joseph | West Hartford, CT | 1100 | NA |
| Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Tallahassee, FL | 1100 | 22 |
| Flagler College | Saint Augustine, FL | 1099 | 22 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Marietta College. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntingdon College | Montgomery, AL | 1148 | 23 |
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | 1174 | 25 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | 1155 | 22 |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | Colorado Springs, CO | 1140 | 25 |
| Lynn University | Boca Raton, FL | 1136 | 25 |
Degree Programs at Marietta College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Marietta College Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Marietta College run about $57,180 a year.
At about $52,360 a year, Marietta College's cost is on the higher end; look closely at aid options.
About 27.1% receive a Pell Grant at Marietta College. The odds are moderate and largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 78.6%, Marietta College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Marietta College average a 3.54 GPA.
Marietta College doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.24 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.14, Marietta 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 Marietta College — aim above 1103, ideally within the 990–1295 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for Marietta College is November 1 for Early Action I applicants. Admission decisions are released by December 15. Rolling Admissions is also offered, so applying early improves your chances.
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.