Montclair State University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Montclair State University is a public university in New Jersey that admits most qualified applicants (around 88%), which puts it in the accessible range. A rate like this means it admits most qualified 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 Montclair State University weighs, where it ranks among New Jersey schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1190, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at Montclair 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 Montclair State University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Montclair State University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Montclair State University?
At Montclair State University, your real chance depends on far more than the published 88% 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 Montclair State University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Montclair State University hard to get into?
Montclair State University is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 88% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into Montclair State University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Montclair State University, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. Montclair 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 Montclair State University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Montclair 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 Montclair State University with a 3.1 GPA and a 1060 SAT?
About 98% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1060 SAT, the middle of Montclair State University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1210 SAT comes out near 98%. 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/montclair-state-university.
How to get into Montclair State University
Built from Montclair State 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 Montclair State University comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Montclair State University carries about a 3.03 core GPA and a 1160 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 910 to 1210 SAT. Submit a score at 1060 or higher; below 910, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Montclair 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 Montclair State University's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.montclair.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to Montclair State University, and how many get in?
23,599 students applied to Montclair State University for fall 2023; 20,629 were admitted (87.4%). 4,039 enrolled. Only about 20% 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. Montclair State University enrolls about 18,376 undergraduates in total, 59% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 18 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Montclair State University?
Admitted students at Montclair State University post SAT scores of 910 to 1210 in the middle 50%, with an average of 1070. A score above 1210 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 910 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Montclair 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 Montclair State University looks for
What Montclair State University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
Montclair State 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 Montclair 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 Montclair 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 Montclair State University cost after financial aid?
The full sticker price at Montclair State University (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $28,305 a year. Tuition and fees are $15,912 for NJ residents and $26,022 for out-of-state students, a $10,110 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 $15,566 a year, and it ranges from $10,880 for families earning under $30,000 to $25,573 for families earning over $110,000. 47% 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 Montclair State University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Median earnings for Montclair State University students ten years after entry are $61,415 ($47,944 at the six-year mark). 65% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 78% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $22,000; 41% 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 Montclair State University compares in New Jersey
Montclair State University ranks #16 most selective of 20 schools in New Jersey in our database.
Among the 20 New Jersey schools we track, Montclair State University ranks #16 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Princeton University (5%) and Stevens Institute of Technology (48%) sit nearby, which makes New Jersey 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 Montclair State University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
If Montclair State University is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: Georgia Southern University, Illinois State University, and Norfolk State 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 Montclair State University's acceptance rate?
Montclair State University admitted 20,629 of 23,599 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 87.4% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 20% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Montclair State University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 910 to 1210 on the SAT. A score above 1210 is in the top quarter of admits. Montclair State University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Montclair State University test-optional?
Yes. Montclair 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 Montclair State University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Montclair State University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $15,566 a year against a sticker price of about $28,305. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $10,880 on average.
What do Montclair State University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Montclair State University are $61,415 a year among students who received federal aid, and 65% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Montclair State University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Montclair 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 Montclair State University favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, Montclair 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 Montclair 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 Montclair State University specifically.
How does residency affect admission to Montclair State University?
As a public university, Montclair State University typically admits in-state students at a higher rate, and tuition differs sharply by residency. Select your home state in the calculator to fold the in-state effect into your estimate.
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.