Public
Accredited · Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Alpine, Texas
95.6% Acceptance Rate
Sul Ross State University — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
95.6%Acceptance Rate
3.32Avg GPA
984Avg SAT
17Avg ACT
$23,759Annual Cost
$41,871Grad Salary
51.6%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
95.6%
Avg GPA
3.32
Avg SAT
984
Avg ACT
17
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Branch Campus
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
SAT Middle 50%
933–1098
ACT Middle 50%
13–21
Avg Net Price
$10,991
Need-Based Aid
51.6% receive Pell
Sul Ross State University is a public regional university in Texas, known for its unique location, emphasis on personalized learning, and strong agricultural and professional degree programs. Admissions focus on high school academic performance and readiness for a small-college atmosphere. The university values students who are eager to participate in an active, community-centered campus life where regional service and scholarly pursuits are integral to the university's mission.
Applicants should highlight their consistency in academic work and any extracurricular involvement that shows leadership or teamwork. The university is particularly appealing to those who thrive in personalized learning environments, so applicants who can demonstrate a proactive approach to their studies and a willingness to take advantage of undergraduate research opportunities are encouraged. The admissions committee seeks motivated individuals who will add value to the university's supportive regional community and who are ready for professional development.
Sul Ross State University Acceptance Rate
Admission at Sul Ross State University is inclusive by design. 95.6% of applicants who meet basic eligibility are accepted.
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 — 95.6% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.32 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.12 – 3.31
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.87
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Sul Ross State University Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Sul Ross State 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
Sul Ross 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 (Priority: 2026/02/01) 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.
Sul Ross GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Sul Ross is 3.32. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 3.02–3.32 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
Note the scale: this figure reflects an unweighted 4.0 GPA. Add AP or IB coursework and the equivalent weighted GPA usually lands around 3.52–3.72.Sul Ross GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Admission here leans heavily on holistic review.
Recommended Strategy: Leans on context, such as leadership, personal circumstances, or a standout talent.
This range is a rough map. Where you land determines what else needs to carry weight in your application.:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.32 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.12 – 3.31
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.92 – 3.11
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.91
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Guaranteed admission: top 50% of class rank with ACT/SAT submitted, or an ACT of 20+/SAT of 1040+ for all other applicants; ApplyTexas application fee is $25 (non-refundable).
- Sul Ross operates separate Rio Grande College (RGC) branch centers in Del Rio, Uvalde, and Eagle Pass with their own admission policy (top 50% guaranteed, no ACT/SAT required), distinct from the Alpine main campus.
- TSIA scores are required for course placement before enrollment - a separate step from the admission decision itself.
- The Natural Resource Management program is anchored by the Borderlands Research Institute, which has produced 100 master's theses and influences land management on 31+ million acres in Texas.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: Course rigor is read alongside the number itself. A 3.8 with a demanding schedule can beat a 4.0 without one.
- Trajectory Matters: Grades that climb toward graduation tend to matter more than a flat average. The trajectory tells its own story.
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 Sul Ross
Admission Chance Predictor
Built from Sul Ross State University's own verified admissions data — adjust the sliders below
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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.
Sul Ross State University (Sul Ross) Test Requirements
Scores aren't just a formality at Sul Ross. Landing within or above the 2026 admitted class's middle 50% keeps you fully competitive, even where submission is optional.
Can I Get Into Sul Ross Without SAT or ACT?
Sul Ross considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
Sul Ross State University Average SAT Score: 984
Admitted students at Sul Ross State University average a 984 SAT (out of 1600).
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 984 — Accessible
A 984 average means even a modest SAT score can strengthen your application.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1098 SAT or 21 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Sul Ross State University allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
Scored under 933? A retake is worth it at Sul Ross. Two or three sittings is standard for competitive applicants, and there's no cap on how many times you can test.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 495 | 460 | 530 |
| SAT Reading | 521 | 473 | 568 |
| SAT Composite | 984 | 933 | 1098 |
A score under 933 puts you in the lower quarter of admits; 1098+ puts you ahead of three-quarters of the admitted class. (These percentiles mark where a given share of the admitted class scored at or below.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1000
Can I get into Sul Ross State University (Sul Ross) with a 1100 SAT?
At 1100, your SAT is squarely in Sul Ross's favor. That said, admissions staff read the full file. GPA, activities, and essays still carry real weight even with a strong score in hand.
Sul Ross State University (Sul Ross) ACT Requirements
Sul Ross's admitted students average an ACT of 17.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 17 — Accessible
An average of 17 means even a modest ACT score can strengthen your application.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 19 | 16 | 21 |
| ACT English | 15 | 11 | 18 |
| ACT Composite | 17 | 13 | 21 |
Can I get into Sul Ross State University with a 21 ACT?
At 21, you're in the top quarter of Sul Ross's admitted class by ACT score. That's a real advantage, but admissions still reads GPA, essays, and activities alongside it.
The ACT's four sections, English, Math, Reading, and Science, are each scored independently on a 1–36 scale, and admissions staff do notice a lopsided breakdown. If one section trails the others significantly, that's worth addressing before you apply, particularly for STEM programs where Science carries extra weight.
Beyond the number itself, Sul Ross weighs your transcript rigor, activities, recommendations, and essays just as heavily. The ACT opens the door, and the rest of your file decides what happens next.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Sul Ross
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
Sul Ross provides an open gateway to higher education. Success here is about using available resources well and planning your longer-term academic or career path.
Understand the automatic-admission thresholds precisely - they differ by class rank and test submission
Sul Ross guarantees admission to students in the top half of their graduating class who submit ACT/SAT scores; students outside the top half are still guaranteed admission with an ACT of 20+ or SAT of 1040+. Know exactly where a student falls on this grid before assuming "test-optional" (as some third-party sites describe SRSU) means scores don't matter - for a student below the top 50%, a qualifying score is what locks in guaranteed admission rather than a discretionary review.
Don't confuse Alpine main-campus requirements with Rio Grande College's separate admission policy
Sul Ross operates upper-level/graduate branch centers under the Rio Grande College name in Del Rio, Uvalde, and Eagle Pass, and RGC's admission policy differs from the Alpine main campus: RGC guarantees admission to the top 50% of a class without requiring ACT/SAT scores at all, and it specifically serves students with 42+ transferable credit hours entering at the junior level. A student targeting a border-region campus should apply through the correct RGC-specific pathway, not the general Alpine freshman process.
Use the Borderlands Research Institute as a concrete, name-checkable hook for Natural Resource Management applicants
Students interested in Range and Wildlife Management should reference the Borderlands Research Institute (BRI) by name - a 15+-year-old research entity based at SRSU that has produced 100 master's theses and directly shapes management decisions on 31+ million acres in Texas, giving undergraduates exposure to a genuinely unique research pipeline (tracking-collar mule deer studies, work on the university's own research ranch near Sierra Blanca) that most competing agricultural science programs can't offer.
Complete the TSIA before enrollment, not just the ApplyTexas application
Beyond the $25 ApplyTexas application fee and transcript/test-score submission, Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) scores are required for course placement before a student can register for classes. Build TSIA completion into the summer-before-enrollment checklist explicitly, especially for students who were guaranteed admission via the ACT 20/SAT 1040 pathway rather than class rank, since they're more likely to also need placement testing.
Expert Insight:
Third-party sites describe Sul Ross as "test-optional," but the university's own admission compendium ties guaranteed admission for students outside the top 50% of their class specifically to an ACT of 20+ or SAT of 1040+ - these are two different claims. Don't let a student skip testing entirely on the assumption that "test-optional" means scores are irrelevant to their specific admission path; verify current status directly with SRSU Admissions.
Sul Ross Profile
Full Name
Sul Ross State University (Sul Ross)
City
Alpine
State
Texas
ZIP Code
79832
Type
Public
Campus
Branch Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Is a Sul Ross Degree Worth It?
Whether Sul Ross 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.
Admitted students' families report a median household income around $40,700, and graduates see a 5.48% unemployment rate.
How much does a degree from Sul Ross Cost?
Listed tuition runs $23,759/year at Sul Ross. Factor in Pell and federal grant aid, and most students land closer to $10,991.
At Sul Ross, 51.6% receive a Pell Grant and 38% carry federal loans. Filing FAFSA early and naming Sul Ross on it improves your shot at both.
How much does a Sul Ross Graduate earn?
Ten years out from enrollment, Sul Ross graduates report a median income of $41,871, about 3% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Sul Ross State University. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, 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 |
| Clayton State University | Morrow, GA | 973 | 18 |
| Gordon State College | Barnesville, GA | 950 | 18 |
| University of Hawaii-West Oahu | Kapolei, HI | 973 | 18 |
| Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | Saint Mary of the Woods, IN | 966 | 17 |
| Baker University | Baldwin City, KS | 950 | 17 |
| Union Commonwealth University | Barbourville, KY | 965 | 18 |
| Grambling State University | Grambling, LA | 955 | 17 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Sul Ross State University. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama State University | Montgomery, AL | 977 | 18 |
| Baptist Health College Little Rock | Little Rock, AR | 980 | 20 |
| University of Bridgeport | Bridgeport, CT | 985 | NA |
| Delaware State University | Dover, DE | 984 | 24 |
| Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College | Tifton, GA | 994 | 19 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Sul Ross State University. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faulkner University | Montgomery, AL | 1016 | 20 |
| Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville, AL | 1055 | 21 |
| University of West Alabama | Livingston, AL | 1015 | 20 |
| Marion Military Institute | Marion, AL | 1043 | 20 |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock | Little Rock, AR | 1049 | 21 |
Degree Programs at Sul Ross
Bachelor Degree Programs
Masters Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Sul Ross Admissions
Sul Ross State University graduates earn a lower median salary of $41,871/year, especially outside technical fields.
Tuition at Sul Ross State University is relatively affordable, around $23,759/year.
51.6% of Sul Ross State University students receive a Pell Grant, which is need-based aid you don't repay. File your FAFSA early and list Sul Ross State University as a choice for the best shot at maximum aid.
Sul Ross State University's acceptance rate is 95.6%, comparatively higher than most selective universities. Admission is more attainable here.
The average GPA of admitted Sul Ross State University students is 3.32, reflecting a competitive applicant pool.
There's no strict cutoff, but a GPA at or above 3.02 puts you in the standard applicant pool at Sul Ross State University. Below that, your essays and recommendations need to work harder to provide context.
A GPA of 2.92 or below makes admission tougher at Sul Ross State University, but strong test scores, activities, and essays, plus AP/IB coursework, can still keep you in contention.
Sul Ross State University weighs the SAT heavily. Scoring above 984, and within the 933–1098 range, keeps you competitive.
Sul Ross State University follows Rolling Admissions. Applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
Sul Ross State University charges an application fee of 50; ask admissions about waiver eligibility if cost is a barrier.
For priority financial aid consideration, get your FAFSA in before Priority: 2026/02/01. That's Sul Ross State University's scholarship priority date.
Transferring in is a well-trodden path here. Line up your transcripts, recommendations, and a strong personal statement before applying.
The biggest levers are academic performance, a clear extracurricular focus, and essays that stand out, plus a solid test score where the school considers one.