Elon University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Elon University is a private college in North Carolina that admits most qualified applicants (around 66%), which puts it in the moderately selective range. A rate like this means it admits more applicants than it rejects; 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 Elon University weighs, where it ranks among North Carolina schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1300, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at Elon 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 Elon University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Elon University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Elon University?
At Elon University, your real chance depends on far more than the published 66% 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 Elon University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Elon University hard to get into?
Elon University is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 66% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into Elon University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Elon University, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. Elon University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Elon University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Elon 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 Elon University with a 3.1 GPA and a 1210 SAT?
About 77% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1210 SAT, the middle of Elon University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1280 SAT comes out near 94%. 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/elon-university.
How to get into Elon University
Built from Elon 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 Elon University comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Elon University carries about a 3.27 core GPA and a 1230 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 1130 to 1280 SAT (23 to 28 ACT). Submit a score at 1205 or higher; below 1130, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Elon 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.
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 Elon University's exact dates at www.elon.edu.
How many students apply to Elon University, and how many get in?
18,791 students applied to Elon University for fall 2023; 12,649 were admitted (67.3%). 1,677 enrolled. Only about 13% 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. Elon University enrolls about 6,452 undergraduates in total, 59% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 11 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Elon University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Elon University scored between 1130 and 1280 on the SAT (average 1208). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 23 to 28. A score above 1280 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1130 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Elon 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 Elon University looks for
What Elon University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
Elon University signals that it values rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores 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 Elon 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 Elon 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 Elon University cost after financial aid?
Elon University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $62,266 per year. Tuition and fees alone are $46,958. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $41,555 a year, and it ranges from $26,523 for families earning under $30,000 to $49,743 for families earning over $110,000. 10% 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 Elon University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Elon University student who received federal aid earns $74,545 a year, up from $58,082 at six years. 84% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 90% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $20,500; 24% 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 Elon University compares in North Carolina
Elon University ranks #13 most selective of 38 schools in North Carolina in our database.
Among the 38 North Carolina schools we track, Elon University ranks #13 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Duke University (6%) and Davidson College (13%) sit nearby, which makes North Carolina a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.
Similar to Elon University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
If Elon University is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: Abilene Christian University, Stonehill College, and Adelphi 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.
Frequently asked questions
What is Elon University's acceptance rate?
Elon University admitted 12,649 of 18,791 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 67.3% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 13% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Elon University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1130 to 1280 on the SAT and 23 to 28 on the ACT. A score above 1280 is in the top quarter of admits. Elon University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Elon University test-optional?
Yes. Elon 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 Elon University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Elon University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $41,555 a year against a sticker price of about $62,266. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $26,523 on average.
What do Elon University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Elon University are $74,545 a year among students who received federal aid, and 84% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Elon University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Elon University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Elon University consider legacy or demonstrated interest?
Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Elon 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 Elon 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 Elon 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.