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AccessibleReviewed for the 2026-2027 cycle

Bradley University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in

With an acceptance rate near 77%, Bradley University is an accessible private college in Illinois. Because it admits most qualified applicants, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.

Your odds at Bradley University
Three numbers, no account, the same published model the full calculator runs.

Use this page to see what Bradley University weighs, where it ranks among Illinois schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1260, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
77%
Accessible
Admitted SAT (75th pct)
1260
of admitted students
Type
Private
Peoria, IL
Average net price
$22,719
per year after aid

What do students study at Bradley University?

Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.

Engineering · 158 (17.3%)Health Professions and Related Programs · 145 (15.8%)Business, Management and Marketing · 131 (14.3%)Computer and Information Sciences · 108 (11.8%)Communication and Journalism · 61 (6.7%)Education · 47 (5.1%)Psychology · 46 (5%)Biological and Biomedical Sciences · 41 (4.5%)Visual and Performing Arts · 36 (3.9%)Social Sciences · 26 (2.8%)English Language and Literature · 18 (2%)Homeland Security, Law Enforcement and Firefighting · 15 (1.6%)

Will I get into Bradley University?

Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Bradley University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.

What are my chances of getting into Bradley University?

Bradley University admits most qualified applicants (around 77%), but that overall rate is not your personal chance. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Bradley University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is Bradley University hard to get into?

Bradley University is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 77% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

What GPA do you need to get into Bradley University?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at Bradley University, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. Bradley University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.

What SAT score do you need for Bradley University?

Bradley University does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1260. A score at or above that range strengthens your application, while a lower score puts more weight on your rigor, activities, and essays. CollegeCalcAI shows how your exact score shifts your odds at Bradley University.

Calculate your chances at Bradley University →

Your chances at Bradley University by GPA and SAT

Estimated chance of admission at Bradley University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).

What are my chances at Bradley University with a 3.1 GPA and a 1200 SAT?

About 94% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1200 SAT, the middle of Bradley University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1260 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.

Estimated admission chance at Bradley University by unweighted GPA (rows) and SAT score (columns)
GPASAT 113025th pctSAT 1200middleSAT 126075th pctNo testtest-optional
2.543%Target56%Likely67%Likely44%Target
2.873%Safety82%Safety88%Safety79%Safety
3.190%Safety94%Safety96%Safety94%Safety
3.497%Safety98%Safety98%Safety98%Safety

Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/bradley-university.

How to get into Bradley University

Built from Bradley University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.

Here is how to get into Bradley University, built from what its admitted class actually looks like and what the school says it weighs.

Step 1
Match the typical admit on the transcript

CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Bradley University carries about a 3.15 core GPA and a 1210 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.

Step 2
Build the file around what Bradley University weighs

Bradley University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.

Step 3
Apply in the round that helps

An early application signals interest and gets your file read before the pool fills. Most early deadlines fall on November 1 and Regular Decision on January 1 to 15; confirm Bradley University's exact dates at www.bradley.edu.

See your odds and your top moves at Bradley University →Add it to your college list →Official site: www.bradley.edu ↗

How many students apply to Bradley University, and how many get in?

For the fall 2023 entering class, Bradley University received 10,138 applications and admitted 7,772, an acceptance rate of 76.7%. 833 enrolled. Only about 11% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Bradley University enrolls about 3,574 undergraduates in total, 51% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 11 to 1.

Applied
10,138
fall 2023
Admitted
7,772
76.7% of applicants
Enrolled
833
11% yield
Undergraduates
3,574
Peoria, midsize city

Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.

What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Bradley University?

Bradley University reports that it neither requires nor recommends test scores, so admission turns on your transcript, rigor, and the rest of the file.

Test scores
Neither required nor recommended
admissions policy

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.

What Bradley University looks for

What Bradley University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.

In its review, Bradley University leans most on rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Bradley University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.

Rigor of secondary school record
Very important
Academic GPA
Very important
Class rank
Important
Standardized test scores
Considered
Application essay
Important
Recommendations
Considered
Extracurricular activities
Considered
Talent / ability
Considered
Character / personal qualities
Important
First-generation status
Considered
Volunteer work
Considered
Work experience
Considered
Level of applicant interest
Considered

SAT score positioning at Bradley University

How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.

SATWhere it sits at Bradley University
1600Above the admitted 75th percentile
1500Above the admitted 75th percentile
1400Above the admitted 75th percentile
1300Above the admitted 75th percentile
1200Below the middle, makes the rest of the profile matter more
1100Well below the admitted range
Colleges for a 1260 SAT →Colleges for a 26 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How much does Bradley University cost after financial aid?

The full sticker price at Bradley University (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $54,730 a year. Tuition and fees alone are $42,160. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $22,719 a year, and it ranges from $17,269 for families earning under $30,000 to $30,008 for families earning over $110,000. 32% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.

Sticker price
$54,730
per year, before aid
Average net price
$22,719
after grants and scholarships
Pell recipients
32%
of undergraduates
Family incomeAverage net price per year
$0 to $30k$17,269
$30k to $48k$16,539
$48k to $75k$18,609
$75k to $110k$22,954
Over $110k$30,008

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.

What do Bradley University graduates earn, and how many graduate?

Median earnings for Bradley University students ten years after entry are $66,852 ($59,114 at the six-year mark). 76% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 83% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $27,000; 63% of undergraduates take federal loans.

Median earnings
$66,852
10 years after entry
Graduation rate
76%
within six years
Retention
83%
return for year two
Median debt
$27,000
at graduation, borrowers

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.

How Bradley University compares in Illinois

Bradley University ranks #24 most selective of 37 schools in Illinois in our database.

Among the 37 Illinois schools we track, Bradley University ranks #24 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like University of Chicago (4%) and Northwestern University (8%) sit nearby, which makes Illinois a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.

University of Chicago
4%acceptance · IL
Northwestern University
8%acceptance · IL
Illinois Wesleyan University
39%acceptance · IL
University of Illinois
42%acceptance · IL
Chicago State University
43%acceptance · IL
Judson University
48%acceptance · IL
Governors State University
48%acceptance · IL
Quincy University
51%acceptance · IL
See all Illinois schools →

Similar to Bradley University

Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.

Build around Bradley University with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as Gardner-Webb University, Seattle University, and Barry University. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.

Gardner-Webb University
77%acceptance · NC
Seattle University
77%acceptance · WA
Barry University
77%acceptance · FL
Clarkson University
77%acceptance · NY
DeSales University
77%acceptance · PA
Lees-McRae College
77%acceptance · NC

Frequently asked questions

What is Bradley University's acceptance rate?

Bradley University admitted 7,772 of 10,138 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 76.7% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 11% of admitted students enrolled.

Is Bradley University test-optional?

Bradley University reports that it neither requires nor recommends test scores.

How much does Bradley University cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Bradley University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $22,719 a year against a sticker price of about $54,730. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $17,269 on average.

What do Bradley University graduates earn?

Median earnings ten years after entering Bradley University are $66,852 a year among students who received federal aid, and 76% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).

What does Bradley University value most in applicants?

Based on its admissions profile, Bradley University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.

Does Bradley University consider legacy or demonstrated interest?

Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Bradley University's full factor profile is charted on this page, and CollegeCalcAI models a legacy effect scaled to a school's selectivity.

How can I improve my chances at Bradley University?

Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Bradley University specifically.

What are the admission requirements for Bradley University?

Bradley University reviews GPA, course rigor, test scores (where submitted), activities, and essays. With a more accessible acceptance rate, meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.