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Moderately selectiveUpdated for the 2026-2027 cycle

William Carey University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in

With an acceptance rate near 60%, William Carey University is a moderately selective private college in Mississippi. Because it admits more applicants than it rejects, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.

Your odds at William Carey University
Three numbers, no account, the same published model the full calculator runs.

Use this page to see what William Carey University weighs, where it ranks among Mississippi schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1120, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
60%
Moderately selective
SAT middle 50%
1040-1290
of admitted students
Type
Private
Hattiesburg, MS
Average net price
$14,258
per year after aid

What do students study at William Carey 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.

Education · 158 (31.7%)Health Professions and Related Programs · 142 (28.5%)Biological and Biomedical Sciences · 38 (7.6%)Business, Management and Marketing · 34 (6.8%)Psychology · 31 (6.2%)Liberal Arts and General Studies · 26 (5.2%)Visual and Performing Arts · 15 (3%)Homeland Security, Law Enforcement and Firefighting · 12 (2.4%)Communication and Journalism · 10 (2%)

Will I get into William Carey University?

Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into William Carey University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.

What are my chances of getting into William Carey University?

William Carey University admits most qualified applicants (around 60%), 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 William Carey University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is William Carey University hard to get into?

William Carey University is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 60% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

What GPA do you need to get into William Carey University?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at William Carey University, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. William Carey University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.

Calculate your chances at William Carey University →

Your chances at William Carey University by GPA and SAT

Estimated chance of admission at William Carey 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 William Carey University with a 3.1 GPA and a 1170 SAT?

About 85% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1170 SAT, the middle of William Carey University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1290 SAT comes out near 94%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.

Estimated admission chance at William Carey University by unweighted GPA (rows) and SAT score (columns)
GPASAT 104025th pctSAT 1170middleSAT 129075th pctNo testtest-optional
2.528%Target49%Likely55%Likely20%Reach
2.848%Likely70%Safety74%Safety43%Target
3.170%Safety85%Safety88%Safety70%Safety
3.484%Safety93%Safety94%Safety87%Safety

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/william-carey-university.

How to get into William Carey University

Built from William Carey University'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 William Carey University, built from what its admitted class actually looks like and what the school says it weighs.

Step 1
Match the typical admit on the transcript

CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at William Carey University carries about a 3.34 core GPA and a 1240 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.

Step 2
Decide on scores with the real range

The admitted middle 50% is 1040 to 1290 SAT (19 to 25 ACT). Scores are required, so schedule a retake if you are below the midpoint.

Step 3
Build the file around what William Carey University weighs

William Carey 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.

Step 4
Apply in the round that helps

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 William Carey University's exact dates at www.wmcarey.edu.

See your odds and your top moves at William Carey University →Add it to your college list →Official site: www.wmcarey.edu ↗

How many students apply to William Carey University, and how many get in?

For the fall 2023 entering class, William Carey University received 571 applications and admitted 331, an acceptance rate of 58%. 204 enrolled. A yield that high means most admitted students choose William Carey University over their other options, a sign the school is a first choice rather than a backup. William Carey University enrolls about 2,201 undergraduates in total, 69% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 14 to 1.

Applied
571
fall 2023
Admitted
331
58% of applicants
Enrolled
204
62% yield
Undergraduates
2,201
Hattiesburg, small city

Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.

What SAT and ACT scores do you need for William Carey University?

The middle 50% of admitted students at William Carey University scored between 1040 and 1290 on the SAT (average 1122). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 19 to 25. A score above 1290 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1040 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. William Carey University requires test scores, so plan a test date that leaves time for one retake.

SAT middle 50%
1040-1290
average 1122
ACT middle 50%
19-25
of admitted students
Test scores
Required
admissions policy

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.

What William Carey University looks for

What William Carey University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.

In its review, William Carey University 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 William Carey University'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
Recommendations
Considered
First-generation status
Considered
Level of applicant interest
Considered

SAT score positioning at William Carey University

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 William Carey University
1600Above the admitted 75th percentile
1500Above the admitted 75th percentile
1400Above the admitted 75th percentile
1300Above the admitted 75th percentile
1200Above the admitted 75th percentile
1100In the competitive admitted range
Colleges for a 1120 SAT →Colleges for a 22 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How much does William Carey University cost after financial aid?

William Carey University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $29,651 per year. Tuition and fees alone are $15,480. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $14,258 a year, and it ranges from $12,224 for families earning under $30,000 to $19,701 for families earning over $110,000. 27% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.

Sticker price
$29,651
per year, before aid
Average net price
$14,258
after grants and scholarships
Pell recipients
27%
of undergraduates
Family incomeAverage net price per year
$0 to $30k$12,224
$30k to $48k$12,411
$48k to $75k$15,320
$75k to $110k$18,436
Over $110k$19,701

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 William Carey University graduates earn, and how many graduate?

Ten years after enrolling, the median William Carey University student who received federal aid earns $43,087 a year, up from $37,639 at six years. 60% 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 $20,832; 25% of undergraduates take federal loans.

Median earnings
$43,087
10 years after entry
Graduation rate
60%
within six years
Retention
78%
return for year two
Median debt
$20,832
at graduation, borrowers

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.

How William Carey University compares in Mississippi

William Carey University ranks #7 most selective of 14 schools in Mississippi in our database.

Among the 14 Mississippi schools we track, William Carey University ranks #7 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Mississippi College (29%) and Millsaps College (43%) sit nearby, which makes Mississippi a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.

Mississippi College
29%acceptance · MS
Millsaps College
43%acceptance · MS
Alcorn State University
45%acceptance · MS
Rust College
49%acceptance · MS
Belhaven University
50%acceptance · MS
Tougaloo College
60%acceptance · MS
Mississippi State University
78%acceptance · MS
Blue Mountain Christian University
89%acceptance · MS
See all Mississippi schools →

Similar to William Carey University

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

Build around William Carey University with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as College of Wooster, Union University (TN), and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 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.

College of Wooster
60%acceptance · OH
Union University (TN)
60%acceptance · TN
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
60%acceptance · MA
Freed-Hardeman University
60%acceptance · TN
Bethel University (TN)
60%acceptance · TN
Tougaloo College
60%acceptance · MS

Frequently asked questions

What is William Carey University's acceptance rate?

William Carey University admitted 331 of 571 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 58% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 62% of admitted students enrolled.

What SAT score do you need for William Carey University?

The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1040 to 1290 on the SAT and 19 to 25 on the ACT. A score above 1290 is in the top quarter of admits.

Is William Carey University test-optional?

No. William Carey University reports that test scores are required for admission.

How much does William Carey University cost after financial aid?

The average net price at William Carey University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $14,258 a year against a sticker price of about $29,651. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $12,224 on average.

What do William Carey University graduates earn?

Median earnings ten years after entering William Carey University are $43,087 a year among students who received federal aid, and 60% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).

What does William Carey University value most in applicants?

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

Does William Carey University consider legacy or demonstrated interest?

Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. William Carey 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 William Carey 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 William Carey 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.