Walsh University — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
Walsh University, established in 1960, is Ohio's Catholic university known for its physical therapy and business programs. The North Canton campus includes the new Marlene and Joe Toot Global Learning Center. Walsh's 'Foundations' curriculum emphasizes ethical leadership.
Walsh University Acceptance Rate
Walsh University (Walsh College) runs an open-access admission policy — with a 78.2% 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 — worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Recommended Academic Profile
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Walsh University Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Walsh University follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
Walsh 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.
💡 The scholarship deadline (2026/12/01 (competitive scholarship priority)) 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.
Walsh College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Walsh College is 3.38. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 3.08–3.38 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
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 3.58–3.78.Walsh College 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:
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Acceptance rate roughly 71-80%; test-optional with specific exclusions (D2 athletes, homeschoolers, some international students).
- 15+ credits of Catholic theology/philosophy required for all undergrads, plus a service-learning course.
- Became an independent Catholic university in 2021.
- Popular majors: Nursing, Kinesiology/Exercise Science, Psychology.
- 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 Walsh College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Walsh University's verified institutional data
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Walsh University (Walsh College) Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Walsh College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Walsh College Without SAT or ACT?
Walsh University Average SAT Score: 1210
The average SAT score of admitted students at Walsh University is 1210 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
This sits close to the national average SAT score.
If your score is below 1056, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Walsh 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 | 587 | 548 | 625 |
| SAT Reading | 549 | 508 | 590 |
| SAT Composite | 1210 | 1056 | 1215 |
Below 1056, you're behind most admitted students; at 1215 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 1200
Can I get into Walsh University (Walsh College) with a 1200 SAT?
A 1200 SAT puts you ahead of most of Walsh 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.
Walsh University (Walsh College) ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Walsh College is 25.
ACT Competitiveness
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 | 23 | 19 | 27 |
| ACT Composite | 25 | 21 | 28 |
Can I get into Walsh University with a 28 ACT?
A 28 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Walsh College's admitted students — a strong position, though the ACT is only one benchmark among several 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 (Science, especially, 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 Walsh College.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Walsh College
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Getting into Walsh College isn't the hard part — building a solid academic foundation and securing aid early is where the real strategy lives.
Walsh's personal essay is recommended for standard applicants but required if you apply under the test-optional policy. If you're skipping the SAT/ACT, budget real time for the essay, since it's now load-bearing for your file.
Recruited NCAA Division II athletes, homeschooled students, and international students without U.S. transcripts (with less than two years of U.S. high school) are excluded from test-optional. Check your category against this list early, not at submission time.
Every Walsh undergraduate completes at least 15 credits across Catholic theology and philosophy plus a service-learning course, regardless of faith background or major. Factor this into your four-year course plan from day one, especially if you're in a credit-heavy major like nursing.
Walsh became an independent Catholic university in 2021, separating governance from its founding religious order while strengthening its Catholic identity emphasis (mandatum-holding theology faculty, trustee composition). Mention genuine interest in mission-driven education if applying, since this shift reflects real institutional priorities.
Applicants sometimes treat the "recommended" personal essay as skippable across the board. It isn't uniformly optional: test-optional applicants who skip it are submitting an incomplete file under Walsh's own stated policy.
Walsh College Profile
Is a Walsh College Degree Worth It?
Walsh 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 $58,600, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.9%.
How much does a degree from Walsh College Cost?
The sticker price is $45,817/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is typically much lower.
23.3% of students receive a Pell Grant and 52.9% take federal loans at Walsh College — file your FAFSA early and list Walsh College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Walsh College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $59,764 — about 47% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Walsh University. 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 Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | 1174 | 25 |
| Harding University | Searcy, AR | 1187 | 25 |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael, CA | 1194 | 26 |
| Eastern Connecticut State University | Willimantic, CT | 1200 | NA |
| University of New Haven | West Haven, CT | 1190 | NA |
| Nova Southeastern University | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 1182 | 25 |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, GA | 1178 | 25 |
| Spelman College | Atlanta, GA | 1184 | 24 |
| Hawaii Pacific University | Honolulu, HI | 1180 | 25 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Walsh University. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Mobile | Mobile, AL | 1220 | 24 |
| Samford University | Birmingham, AL | 1203 | 26 |
| Ouachita Baptist University | Arkadelphia, AR | 1212 | 25 |
| Eastern Connecticut State University | Willimantic, CT | 1200 | NA |
| University of Hartford | West Hartford, CT | 1207 | 29 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Walsh University. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | 1251 | 26 |
| The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 1287 | 28 |
| University of Arizona | Tucson, AZ | 1261 | 26 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | Prescott, AZ | 1256 | 27 |
| Biola University | La Mirada, CA | 1258 | 27 |
Degree Programs at Walsh College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Walsh College Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Walsh University run about $59,764 a year.
Walsh University costs roughly $45,817 a year — most students combine this with scholarships or aid.
Walsh University's Pell Grant rate of 23.3% sits below the national average — merit-based aid is worth checking regardless of income.
At 78.2%, Walsh University's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Walsh University average a 3.38 GPA.
Walsh University doesn't publish a hard GPA floor — but landing at or above 3.08 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.98, Walsh University 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 Walsh University — aim above 1210, ideally within the 1056–1215 range admitted students typically fall in.
Walsh University follows Rolling Admissions — applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is 2026/12/01 (competitive scholarship priority). 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.
