University at Buffalo acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
With an acceptance rate near 74%, University at Buffalo is a moderately selective public university in New York. Because it admits more applicants than it rejects, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.
Use this page to see what University at Buffalo weighs, where it ranks among New York schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1330, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
University at Buffalo application deadlines, 2026-27
What do students study at University at Buffalo?
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 University at Buffalo?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into University at Buffalo, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into University at Buffalo?
University at Buffalo admits most qualified applicants (around 74%), 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 University at Buffalo in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is University at Buffalo hard to get into?
University at Buffalo is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 74% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into University at Buffalo?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at University at Buffalo, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. University at Buffalo reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at University at Buffalo by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at University at Buffalo 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 University at Buffalo with a 3.1 GPA and a 1300 SAT?
About 93% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1300 SAT, the middle of University at Buffalo's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1380 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/university-at-buffalo.
How to get into University at Buffalo
Built from University at Buffalo'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 University at Buffalo, built from what its admitted class actually looks like and what the school says it weighs.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at University at Buffalo carries about a 3.19 core GPA and a 1330 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 1210 to 1380 SAT (27 to 32 ACT). Submit a score at 1295 or higher; below 1210, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
University at Buffalo 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 University at Buffalo's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.buffalo.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to University at Buffalo, and how many get in?
For the fall 2023 entering class, University at Buffalo received 38,210 applications and admitted 26,481, an acceptance rate of 69.3%. 4,271 enrolled. Only about 16% 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. University at Buffalo enrolls about 20,112 undergraduates in total, 46% 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 University at Buffalo?
Admitted students at University at Buffalo post SAT scores of 1210 to 1380 in the middle 50%, with an average of 1295. On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 27 to 32. A score above 1380 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1210 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. University at Buffalo 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 University at Buffalo looks for
What University at Buffalo weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
In its review, University at Buffalo leans most on 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 University at Buffalo'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 University at Buffalo
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 University at Buffalo cost after financial aid?
The full sticker price at University at Buffalo (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $30,785 a year. Tuition and fees are $10,936 for NY residents and $31,536 for out-of-state students, a $20,600 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 $20,995 a year, and it ranges from $14,668 for families earning under $30,000 to $28,079 for families earning over $110,000. 33% 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 University at Buffalo graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Median earnings for University at Buffalo students ten years after entry are $70,814 ($53,742 at the six-year mark). 75% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 85% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $19,000; 40% 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 University at Buffalo compares in New York
University at Buffalo ranks #41 most selective of 59 schools in New York in our database.
Among the 59 New York schools we track, University at Buffalo ranks #41 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Columbia University (4%) and Cornell University (9%) sit nearby, which makes New York 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 University at Buffalo
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Build around University at Buffalo with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as Southeast Missouri State University, University of Arkansas, and University of Houston. 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 University at Buffalo's acceptance rate?
University at Buffalo admitted 26,481 of 38,210 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 69.3% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 16% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for University at Buffalo?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1210 to 1380 on the SAT and 27 to 32 on the ACT. A score above 1380 is in the top quarter of admits. University at Buffalo is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is University at Buffalo test-optional?
Yes. University at Buffalo 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 University at Buffalo cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University at Buffalo, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $20,995 a year against a sticker price of about $30,785. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $14,668 on average.
What do University at Buffalo graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering University at Buffalo are $70,814 a year among students who received federal aid, and 75% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does University at Buffalo value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, University at Buffalo weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does University at Buffalo favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, University at Buffalo 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 University at Buffalo?
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 University at Buffalo specifically.
How does residency affect admission to University at Buffalo?
As a public university, University at Buffalo 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.
What are the admission requirements for University at Buffalo?
University at Buffalo 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.