Most selective2025-2026 admissions cycle

U.S. Naval Academy acceptance rate and admissions profile

U.S. Naval Academy is a public university in Maryland that admits about 9% of applicants, which puts it in the most selective range. A rate like this means it admits roughly one in ten applicants or fewer; 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 U.S. Naval Academy weighs, where it ranks among Maryland schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1400, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
9%
Most selective
Admitted SAT (75th pct)
1400
of admitted students
Type
Public
Maryland
Selectivity in state
#2
of 17 in MD
Get your real chances at U.S. Naval Academy
CollegeCalcAI computes a personalized acceptance estimate from your GPA, scores, and activities. Free, no account to start.
Open the calculator

Will I get into U.S. Naval Academy?

Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into U.S. Naval Academy, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.

What are my chances of getting into U.S. Naval Academy?

At U.S. Naval Academy, your real chance depends on far more than the published 9% 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 U.S. Naval Academy in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is U.S. Naval Academy hard to get into?

U.S. Naval Academy is most selective: it admits roughly one in ten applicants or fewer, with about a 9% acceptance rate. At this level, strong grades and scores are the baseline, so essays, recommendations, and a distinctive story are what separate admits.

What GPA do you need to get into U.S. Naval Academy?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at U.S. Naval Academy, but admitted students almost universally present a 3.9 to 4.0 GPA earned in the most demanding courses their school offers. U.S. Naval Academy reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.

What SAT score do you need for U.S. Naval Academy?

U.S. Naval Academy does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1400. A score at or above that range strengthens your application, while a lower score puts more weight on your rigor, activities, and essays. CollegeCalcAI shows how your exact score shifts your odds at U.S. Naval Academy.

Calculate your chances at U.S. Naval Academy

What U.S. Naval Academy looks for

What U.S. Naval Academy weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.

U.S. Naval Academy signals that it values rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores above the rest of the file. At this level of selectivity, the difference between admits is rarely the transcript alone; essays, recommendations, and a coherent story matter. These ratings come from U.S. Naval Academy's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.

Rigor of secondary school record
Very important
Academic GPA
Very important
Class rank
Important
Standardized test scores
Very important
Application essay
Important
Recommendations
Important
Interview
Important
Extracurricular activities
Considered
Talent / ability
Considered
Character / personal qualities
Considered
Volunteer work
Considered
Level of applicant interest
Considered

SAT score positioning at U.S. Naval Academy

How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability — your full profile determines the real estimate.

SATWhere it sits at U.S. Naval Academy
1600Above the admitted 75th percentile
1500Above the admitted 75th percentile
1400In the competitive admitted range
1300Below the middle, makes the rest of the profile matter more
1200Well below the admitted range
1100Well below the admitted range
Colleges for a 1400 SAT →Colleges for a 31 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How U.S. Naval Academy compares in Maryland

U.S. Naval Academy ranks #2 most selective of 17 schools in Maryland in our database.

Among the 17 Maryland schools we track, U.S. Naval Academy ranks #2 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Johns Hopkins University (6%) and University of Maryland (45%) sit nearby, which makes Maryland 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.

Johns Hopkins University
6%acceptance · MD
University of Maryland
45%acceptance · MD
Coppin State University
46%acceptance · MD
Washington Adventist University
46%acceptance · MD
Washington College
57%acceptance · MD
St. Mary's College of Maryland
69%acceptance · MD
University of Maryland Baltimore County
72%acceptance · MD
Bowie State University
72%acceptance · MD
See all Maryland schools →

Similar to U.S. Naval Academy

Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.

If U.S. Naval Academy is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: UCLA, University of California, Berkeley, and U.S. Military Academy. 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.

UCLA
9%acceptance · CA
University of California, Berkeley
11%acceptance · CA
U.S. Military Academy
12%acceptance · NY
Cornell University
9%acceptance · NY
Amherst College
9%acceptance · MA
New York University
9%acceptance · NY

Frequently asked questions

What does U.S. Naval Academy value most in applicants?

Based on its admissions profile, U.S. Naval Academy weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.

Does U.S. Naval Academy favor in-state applicants?

As a public university, U.S. Naval Academy 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 U.S. Naval Academy?

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 U.S. Naval Academy specifically.

Is U.S. Naval Academy test-optional?

Test-optional policies change year to year, so confirm U.S. Naval Academy's current policy on its official admissions site. If you do submit scores, the admitted 75th-percentile SAT is around 1400; if you do not, more weight falls on your GPA, course rigor, and essays.

How does residency affect admission to U.S. Naval Academy?

As a public university, U.S. Naval Academy 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 and admitted test ranges reflect publicly reported data (U.S. Department of Education / NCES IPEDS / Common Data Sets). Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.