University of Northwestern St. Paul acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
University of Northwestern St. Paul, a private college in Minnesota, reports a 93% acceptance rate and sits in the accessible band. In practice that means it admits most qualified applicants, so a strong application is judged against an applicant pool that is already self-selected.
Use this page to see what University of Northwestern St. Paul weighs, where it ranks among Minnesota 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 University of Northwestern St. Paul?
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 of Northwestern St. Paul?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into University of Northwestern St. Paul, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into University of Northwestern St. Paul?
Your odds at University of Northwestern St. Paul are not the same as its 93% 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 University of Northwestern St. Paul in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is University of Northwestern St. Paul hard to get into?
University of Northwestern St. Paul is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 93% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into University of Northwestern St. Paul?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at University of Northwestern St. Paul, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. University of Northwestern St. Paul reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at University of Northwestern St. Paul by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at University of Northwestern St. Paul 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 of Northwestern St. Paul with a 3.1 GPA and a 1070 SAT?
About 98% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1070 SAT, the middle of University of Northwestern St. Paul's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1270 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-of-northwestern-st-paul.
How to get into University of Northwestern St. Paul
Built from University of Northwestern St. Paul'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 University of Northwestern St. Paul, 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 University of Northwestern St. Paul carries about a 2.98 core GPA and a 1221 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 868 to 1271 SAT (20 to 28 ACT). Submit a score at 1070 or higher; below 868, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
University of Northwestern St. Paul rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and character / personal qualities 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 University of Northwestern St. Paul's exact dates at www.unwsp.edu.
How many students apply to University of Northwestern St. Paul, and how many get in?
University of Northwestern St. Paul admitted 1,097 of the 1,194 students who applied for fall 2023, which works out to 91.9%. 364 enrolled. Only about 33% 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 of Northwestern St. Paul enrolls about 1,442 undergraduates in total, 56% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 16 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for University of Northwestern St. Paul?
The middle 50% of admitted students at University of Northwestern St. Paul scored between 868 and 1271 on the SAT (average 1173). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 20 to 28. A score above 1271 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 868 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. University of Northwestern St. Paul 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 of Northwestern St. Paul looks for
What University of Northwestern St. Paul weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
The factors that carry the most weight at University of Northwestern St. Paul are rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and character / personal qualities. 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 of Northwestern St. Paul'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 of Northwestern St. Paul
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 of Northwestern St. Paul cost after financial aid?
University of Northwestern St. Paul's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $51,325 per year. Tuition and fees alone are $37,920. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $27,705 a year, and it ranges from $26,696 for families earning under $30,000 to $31,348 for families earning over $110,000. 16% 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 of Northwestern St. Paul graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of Northwestern St. Paul student who received federal aid earns $50,755 a year, up from $47,544 at six years. 68% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 83% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $21,325; 27% 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 of Northwestern St. Paul compares in Minnesota
University of Northwestern St. Paul ranks #21 most selective of 23 schools in Minnesota in our database.
Among the 23 Minnesota schools we track, University of Northwestern St. Paul ranks #21 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Carleton College (20%) and Crown College (23%) sit nearby, which makes Minnesota a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.
Similar to University of Northwestern St. Paul
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Applicants targeting University of Northwestern St. Paul often weigh Franklin Pierce University, St. Thomas Aquinas College, and WV Wesleyan College, 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 University of Northwestern St. Paul's acceptance rate?
University of Northwestern St. Paul admitted 1,097 of 1,194 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 91.9% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 33% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for University of Northwestern St. Paul?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 868 to 1271 on the SAT and 20 to 28 on the ACT. A score above 1271 is in the top quarter of admits. University of Northwestern St. Paul is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is University of Northwestern St. Paul test-optional?
Yes. University of Northwestern St. Paul 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 of Northwestern St. Paul cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Northwestern St. Paul, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $27,705 a year against a sticker price of about $51,325. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $26,696 on average.
What do University of Northwestern St. Paul graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering University of Northwestern St. Paul are $50,755 a year among students who received federal aid, and 68% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does University of Northwestern St. Paul value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, University of Northwestern St. Paul weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and character / personal qualities most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does University of Northwestern St. Paul consider legacy or demonstrated interest?
Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. University of Northwestern St. Paul'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 University of Northwestern St. Paul?
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 of Northwestern St. Paul 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.