Bucknell University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Bucknell University is a private college in Pennsylvania that admits roughly 29% of applicants, which puts it in the selective range. A rate like this means it admits a minority of applicants; the bar is less about clearing a single cutoff and more about how your full profile compares to admitted students.
Use this page to see what Bucknell University weighs, where it ranks among Pennsylvania schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1410, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What is the early decision acceptance rate at Bucknell University?
In its 2024-25 Common Data Set, Bucknell University admitted 54.7% of Early Decision applicants (656 of 1,200), against about 29.6% of everyone else. Its overall rate that year was 32.2%.
Source: Bucknell University Common Data Set 2024-25, IPEDS admissions survey, fall 2023. Updated October 30, 2026.
Bucknell University application deadlines, 2026-27
What do students study at Bucknell 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.
Will I get into Bucknell University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Bucknell University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Bucknell University?
At Bucknell University, your real chance depends on far more than the published 29% admit rate. 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 Bucknell University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Bucknell University hard to get into?
Bucknell University is selective: it admits a minority of applicants, with about a 29% acceptance rate. A solid academic record puts you in good position, and the rest of your profile can tip the result either way.
What GPA do you need to get into Bucknell University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Bucknell University, but admitted students commonly present roughly a 3.5 to 3.9 GPA. Bucknell University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Bucknell University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Bucknell University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 6 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 Bucknell University with a 3.7 GPA and a 1390 SAT?
About 51% (Likely), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.7 unweighted GPA and a 1390 SAT, the middle of Bucknell University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.9 GPA with a 1470 SAT comes out near 64%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
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/bucknell-university.
Early Decision, Early Action and the waitlist at Bucknell University
From Bucknell University's own 2024-25 Common Data Set (fall 2024 entering class): sections C1, C2, C21-C22 and D2.
What is the early decision acceptance rate at Bucknell University?
54.7%. Bucknell University admitted 656 of 1,200 Early Decision applicants for fall 2024, against 32.2% of all 11,561 first-year applicants (Bucknell University's 2024-25 Common Data Set).
Does applying early decision help at Bucknell University?
On the raw numbers, yes: Early Decision applicants were admitted at 54.7% versus about 29.6% for everyone who applied another way, 1.8x the rate, and Early Decision filled 17.6% of the admitted class. Part of that gap is who applies early (recruited athletes and legacy applicants often do), so it is not all the round itself. Early Decision is binding: apply only if Bucknell University is your clear first choice and the family can commit without comparing aid offers.
How many students get off the waitlist at Bucknell University?
150 for fall 2024. Bucknell University offered 2,908 applicants a waitlist spot, 1,384 accepted one, and 150 were admitted from it: 10.8% of those who stayed on (Bucknell University's 2024-25 Common Data Set).
What is the transfer acceptance rate at Bucknell University?
39.7%: 58 of 146 transfer applicants were admitted for fall 2024 (Bucknell University's 2024-25 Common Data Set).
Source: Bucknell University Common Data Set 2024-25. Every figure appears verbatim in the document. See how early rounds compare across colleges in the Early Decision rankings.
How to get into Bucknell University
Built from Bucknell University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Getting into Bucknell University comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Bucknell University carries about a 3.68 core GPA and a 1420 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Landing at or above it makes you competitive; the rest of the file decides.
The admitted middle 50% is 1310 to 1470 SAT (30 to 33 ACT). Submit a score at 1390 or higher; below 1310, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Bucknell 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.
Selective private colleges admit a larger share of their class in binding Early Decision; if Bucknell University is your clear first choice and the net price works, ED is the single biggest lever an applicant controls. Most early deadlines fall on November 1 and Regular Decision on January 1 to 15; confirm Bucknell University's exact dates at www.bucknell.edu.
How many students apply to Bucknell University, and how many get in?
11,010 students applied to Bucknell University for fall 2023; 3,524 were admitted (32%). 1,030 enrolled. Only about 29% 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. Bucknell University enrolls about 3,876 undergraduates in total, 52% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Bucknell University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Bucknell University scored between 1310 and 1470 on the SAT (average 1410). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 30 to 33. A score above 1470 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1310 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Bucknell University is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What Bucknell University looks for
What Bucknell University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
Bucknell University signals that it values rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank above the rest of the file. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Bucknell University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at Bucknell University
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does Bucknell University cost after financial aid?
Bucknell University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $83,756 per year. Tuition and fees alone are $67,812. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $40,766 a year, and it ranges from $20,980 for families earning under $30,000 to $55,724 for families earning over $110,000. 12% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
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 Bucknell University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Bucknell University student who received federal aid earns $93,807 a year, up from $78,852 at six years. 86% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 94% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $27,000; 35% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How Bucknell University compares in Pennsylvania
Bucknell University ranks #8 most selective of 62 schools in Pennsylvania in our database.
Among the 62 Pennsylvania schools we track, Bucknell University ranks #8 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like University of Pennsylvania (5%) and Swarthmore College (7%) sit nearby, which makes Pennsylvania a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.
Similar to Bucknell University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
If Bucknell University is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: Bryn Mawr College, Macalester College, and Mississippi College. 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.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bucknell University's acceptance rate?
Bucknell University admitted 3,524 of 11,010 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 32% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 29% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Bucknell University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1310 to 1470 on the SAT and 30 to 33 on the ACT. A score above 1470 is in the top quarter of admits. Bucknell University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Bucknell University test-optional?
Yes. Bucknell University reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does Bucknell University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Bucknell University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $40,766 a year against a sticker price of about $83,756. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $20,980 on average.
What do Bucknell University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Bucknell University are $93,807 a year among students who received federal aid, and 86% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Bucknell University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Bucknell University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Bucknell University consider legacy or demonstrated interest?
Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Bucknell 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 Bucknell 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 Bucknell University specifically.
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.