Public
Accredited · Higher Learning Commission
Lawton, Oklahoma
Cameron University — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
3.31Avg GPA
$18,742Annual Cost
$40,118Grad Salary
41.2%Pell Grant
Avg GPA
3.31
Selectivity
Open Enrollment
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
-40–30
Avg Net Price
$10,705
Need-Based Aid
41.2% receive Pell
Cameron University, founded in 1908, is a public university in Lawton, Oklahoma. It offers programs in criminal justice, engineering, and performing arts. The campus includes a military veterans center and partnerships with Fort Sill.
CU is unranked but serves a high population of military students. Its southwestern location supports defense and tribal nation-related careers.
Cameron University Acceptance Rate
Cameron University runs an open-access admission policy — with a 100% 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
Open Enrollment
Selectivity scale: Open Enrollment — rate not reported
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Slightly below-average GPA? A strong test score or clear leadership track record can still keep you competitive.
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.31 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.11 – 3.30
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.86
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Cameron University Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Cameron University 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
Cameron University 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 (February 1, 2026) 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.
Cameron University GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Cameron University is 3.31. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 3.01–3.31 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 3.51–3.71.Cameron University 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
3.31 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.11 – 3.30
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.91 – 3.10
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.90
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Admission is governed by Oklahoma State Regents formula requirements (ACT 19-20+ or SAT 890-990+, or top-50% class rank, or 3.0 unweighted GPA) - not holistic committee review, so students under the threshold should focus energy on the ACT retake or GPA documentation rather than essay polish.
- The PLUS Scholarship (full tuition up to 18 credit hours + room waiver + stipend) admits only about 25 students per year and is Cameron's true selective program - application opens January 5.
- $20 flat application fee, waived for active-duty military.
- Cameron is the only Oklahoma university offering associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees at one site, with a second physical campus in Duncan, OK.
- 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 Cameron University
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Cameron University'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
⚠️ Note: Predicting based on regional averages as this institution does not publicly report full score datasets.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Cameron University Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Cameron University is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Cameron University Without SAT or ACT?
Cameron University's test-score policy isn't published. As a default, submit your score only if it's at or above the state/national average — a below-average score can work against you.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Cameron University
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
Getting into Cameron University is the easy part — what matters next is using placement testing, advising, and available resources to set up a strong first year.
Treat the PLUS Scholarship Application as a Second, Higher-Stakes Admissions Process
Cameron's general admission is open/formula-based (ACT 20+/GPA 3.0+ for automatic admission per Oklahoma State Regents rules), so the real competitive filter at Cameron is the PLUS Scholarship - a four-year full-tuition-plus-room leadership program that only admits roughly 25 students per cycle from a much larger applicant pool. It requires its own resume, a one-page essay on why the student chose Cameron and how they'll contribute, and three separate references (two from school officials, one specifically evaluating leadership). Students should be advised: get admitted early, because the PLUS scholarship application opens January 5 and has its own committee-interview stage - this is functionally Cameron's honors-caliber selective admit, layered on top of an otherwise non-selective university.
Write the PLUS Essay Around Contribution, Not Gratitude
The PLUS essay prompt specifically asks how the applicant will contribute to the Cameron community if selected - not simply why they want to attend. Generic "I chose Cameron because of affordability/location" essays fail this prompt's actual ask. Counsel students to name a specific campus body (a student org, the Aggie leadership structure, a department they'll get involved in) and describe a concrete planned contribution tied to the required community/campus service component scholars must complete - reviewers are screening for students who understand PLUS is a service commitment, not just free tuition.
Leverage the Automatic Departmental Tuition Waiver Track for Declared Majors
Separate from PLUS, Cameron offers incoming freshmen in any declared major department-level tuition waivers simply for hitting a 20 ACT (or equivalent) and/or 3.0 GPA threshold - this is not competitively awarded, it's a rules-based waiver triggered automatically once a major is declared and thresholds are met. Students right at the GPA/ACT boundary should be coached to retake the ACT specifically to clear 20, since that single point can trigger an automatic waiver that has nothing to do with the general admissions decision, which is already close to guaranteed.
Use the Lawton/Duncan Dual-Campus and One-Site AA-to-Master's Pipeline as a Differentiator in Program-Fit Essays
Cameron is unusual in offering associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees at a single site (plus a satellite Duncan campus) - a structural feature most Oklahoma regional universities don't share. For students planning a 2+2 or straight-through associate-to-master's pathway (common in nursing, business, and criminal justice tracks), essays and advising conversations should explicitly reference this one-institution pipeline as the reason Cameron minimizes transfer credit loss compared to starting at a separate community college.
Expert Insight:
Because Cameron's general admission is close to automatic, families sometimes disengage from the application entirely and miss the January 5 PLUS scholarship opening or the priority scholarship-matching window - Cameron auto-matches admitted students to scholarships based on the data already in the general application, so an incomplete or late-submitted general application silently forfeits merit aid eligibility, even though the student will still be admitted.
Cameron University Profile
Full Name
Cameron University
City
Lawton
State
Oklahoma
ZIP Code
73505-6377
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Is a Cameron University Degree Worth It?
Whether Cameron University 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 $45,600, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.75%.
How much does a degree from Cameron University Cost?
The sticker price is $18,742/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is closer to $10,705.
41.2% of students receive a Pell Grant and 29.2% take federal loans at Cameron University — file your FAFSA early and list Cameron University as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Cameron University Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $40,118 — somewhat below the U.S. median graduate income of $40,595.
Degree Programs at Cameron University
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Cameron University Admissions
Median earnings for Cameron University graduates sit around $40,118 a year.
At about $18,742 a year, Cameron University is on the more affordable end.
About 41.2% receive a Pell Grant at Cameron University — moderate odds, largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
Admitted students at Cameron University average a 3.31 GPA.
Cameron University doesn't publish a hard GPA floor — but landing at or above 3.01 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.91, Cameron University becomes a harder reach — though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
Cameron University follows Rolling Admissions — applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
The application fee is 20. Fee waivers may be available — check with admissions.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is February 1, 2026. 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.
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