Clayton State University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Clayton State University, a public university in Georgia, reports a 68% acceptance rate and sits in the moderately selective band. In practice that means it admits more applicants than it rejects, so a strong application is judged against an applicant pool that is already self-selected.
Use this page to see what Clayton State University weighs, where it ranks among Georgia schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1100, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at Clayton State 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 Clayton State University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Clayton State University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Clayton State University?
Your odds at Clayton State University are not the same as its 68% acceptance 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 Clayton State University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Clayton State University hard to get into?
Clayton State University is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 68% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into Clayton State University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Clayton State University, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. Clayton State University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Clayton State University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Clayton State 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 Clayton State University with a 3.1 GPA and a 970 SAT?
About 77% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 970 SAT, the middle of Clayton State University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1080 SAT comes out near 95%. 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/clayton-state-university.
How to get into Clayton State University
Built from Clayton State University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
There is no formula that guarantees a spot at Clayton State University, but the applicants who get in tend to do the same four things. Here is what the numbers say each one looks like.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Clayton State University carries about a 3.25 core GPA and a 1028 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 860 to 1078 SAT (15 to 19 ACT). Submit a score at 969 or higher; below 860, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Clayton State University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by Clayton State University's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.clayton.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to Clayton State University, and how many get in?
Clayton State University admitted 1,258 of the 1,782 students who applied for fall 2023, which works out to 70.6%. 504 enrolled. Roughly 40% of admitted students enrolled, a typical yield for a school in this range. Clayton State University enrolls about 4,348 undergraduates in total, 70% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 20 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Clayton State University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Clayton State University scored between 860 and 1078 on the SAT (average 958). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 15 to 19. A score above 1078 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 860 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Clayton State 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 Clayton State University looks for
What Clayton State University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
The factors that carry the most weight at Clayton State University are rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Clayton State 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 Clayton State 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 Clayton State University cost after financial aid?
Clayton State University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $17,415 per year. Tuition and fees are $5,180 for GA residents and $16,532 for out-of-state students, a $11,352 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $8,365 a year, and it ranges from $7,405 for families earning under $30,000 to $14,161 for families earning over $110,000. 52% 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 Clayton State University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Clayton State University student who received federal aid earns $49,179 a year, up from $41,633 at six years. 40% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 71% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $25,706; 38% 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 Clayton State University compares in Georgia
Clayton State University ranks #15 most selective of 35 schools in Georgia in our database.
Among the 35 Georgia schools we track, Clayton State University ranks #15 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Emory University (11%) and Georgia Tech (14%) sit nearby, which makes Georgia a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to Clayton State University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Applicants targeting Clayton State University often weigh Northern Kentucky University, North Georgia, and Kennesaw State University, which sit at a similar level. 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 Clayton State University's acceptance rate?
Clayton State University admitted 1,258 of 1,782 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 70.6% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 40% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Clayton State University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 860 to 1078 on the SAT and 15 to 19 on the ACT. A score above 1078 is in the top quarter of admits. Clayton State University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Clayton State University test-optional?
Yes. Clayton State 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 Clayton State University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Clayton State University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $8,365 a year against a sticker price of about $17,415. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $7,405 on average.
What do Clayton State University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Clayton State University are $49,179 a year among students who received federal aid, and 40% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Clayton State University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Clayton State University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Clayton State University favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, Clayton State University generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.
How can I improve my chances at Clayton State 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 Clayton State University specifically.
What are the admission requirements for Clayton State University?
Clayton State 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.