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Moderately selectiveUpdated for the 2026-2027 cycle

Winona State University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in

With an acceptance rate near 75%, Winona State University is a moderately selective public university in Minnesota. 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 Winona State University
Three numbers, no account, the same published model the full calculator runs.

Use this page to see what Winona State University 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 1100, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
75%
Moderately selective
Admitted SAT (75th pct)
1100
of admitted students
Type
Public
Winona, MN
Average net price
$17,503
per year after aid

What do students study at Winona 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.

Health Professions and Related Programs · 247 (19.8%)Education · 204 (16.4%)Business, Management and Marketing · 187 (15%)Parks, Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies · 83 (6.7%)Public Administration and Social Service · 71 (5.7%)Biological and Biomedical Sciences · 67 (5.4%)Psychology · 61 (4.9%)Communication and Journalism · 59 (4.7%)Computer and Information Sciences · 53 (4.3%)Multi and Interdisciplinary Studies · 43 (3.4%)Homeland Security, Law Enforcement and Firefighting · 26 (2.1%)Engineering · 25 (2%)

Will I get into Winona State University?

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

What are my chances of getting into Winona State University?

Winona State University admits most qualified applicants (around 75%), 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 Winona State University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is Winona State University hard to get into?

Winona State University is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 75% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

What GPA do you need to get into Winona State University?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at Winona State University, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. Winona State University 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 Winona State University?

Winona State University does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1100. 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 Winona State University.

Calculate your chances at Winona State University →

Your chances at Winona State University by GPA and SAT

Estimated chance of admission at Winona 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 Winona State University with a 3.1 GPA and a 1040 SAT?

About 93% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1040 SAT, the middle of Winona State University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1100 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.

Estimated admission chance at Winona State University by unweighted GPA (rows) and SAT score (columns)
GPASAT 97025th pctSAT 1040middleSAT 110075th pctNo testtest-optional
2.539%Target53%Likely65%Likely40%Target
2.868%Likely79%Safety86%Safety74%Safety
3.188%Safety93%Safety96%Safety93%Safety
3.496%Safety98%Safety98%Safety98%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/winona-state-university.

How to get into Winona State University

Built from Winona State 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 Winona State 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 Winona State University carries about a 3.18 core GPA and a 1050 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.

Step 2
Build the file around what Winona State University weighs

Winona State University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.

Step 3
Apply in the round that helps

Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by Winona State University's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.winona.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.

See your odds and your top moves at Winona State University →Add it to your college list →Official site: www.winona.edu ↗

How many students apply to Winona State University, and how many get in?

For the fall 2023 entering class, Winona State University received 6,159 applications and admitted 4,220, an acceptance rate of 68.5%. 1,162 enrolled. Only about 28% 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. Winona State University enrolls about 5,144 undergraduates in total, 69% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 14 to 1.

Applied
6,159
fall 2023
Admitted
4,220
68.5% of applicants
Enrolled
1,162
28% yield
Undergraduates
5,144
Winona, distant town

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

What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Winona State University?

Winona State University reports that it neither requires nor recommends test scores, so admission turns on your transcript, rigor, and the rest of the file.

Test scores
Neither required nor recommended
admissions policy

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

What Winona State University looks for

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

In its review, Winona State University leans most on rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Winona State 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
Important

SAT score positioning at Winona 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.

SATWhere it sits at Winona State 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 1100 SAT →Colleges for a 22 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How much does Winona State University cost after financial aid?

Winona State University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $23,683 per year. Tuition and fees are $10,576 for MN residents and $17,308 for out-of-state students, a $6,732 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 $17,503 a year, and it ranges from $10,224 for families earning under $30,000 to $21,307 for families earning over $110,000. 24% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.

Sticker price
$23,683
per year, before aid
Average net price
$17,503
after grants and scholarships
In-state tuition
$10,576
$17,308 out of state
Pell recipients
24%
of undergraduates
Family incomeAverage net price per year
$0 to $30k$10,224
$30k to $48k$11,792
$48k to $75k$13,814
$75k to $110k$17,871
Over $110k$21,307

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 Winona State University graduates earn, and how many graduate?

Ten years after enrolling, the median Winona State University student who received federal aid earns $58,532 a year, up from $51,288 at six years. 57% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 79% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $21,500; 49% of undergraduates take federal loans.

Median earnings
$58,532
10 years after entry
Graduation rate
57%
within six years
Retention
79%
return for year two
Median debt
$21,500
at graduation, borrowers

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

How Winona State University compares in Minnesota

Winona State University ranks #10 most selective of 23 schools in Minnesota in our database.

Among the 23 Minnesota schools we track, Winona State University ranks #10 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. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.

Carleton College
20%acceptance · MN
Crown College
23%acceptance · MN
Macalester College
29%acceptance · MN
Bethany Lutheran College
39%acceptance · MN
St. Olaf College
48%acceptance · MN
Bemidji State University
56%acceptance · MN
Minnesota State Moorhead
59%acceptance · MN
Gustavus Adolphus College
61%acceptance · MN
See all Minnesota schools →

Similar to Winona State University

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

Build around Winona State University with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as Coastal Carolina University, Miami University (Ohio), and Oklahoma 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.

Coastal Carolina University
75%acceptance · SC
Miami University (Ohio)
75%acceptance · OH
Oklahoma State University
75%acceptance · OK
Alaska Fairbanks
75%acceptance · AK
Cal Poly Pomona
75%acceptance · CA
Cameron University
75%acceptance · OK

Frequently asked questions

What is Winona State University's acceptance rate?

Winona State University admitted 4,220 of 6,159 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 68.5% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 28% of admitted students enrolled.

Is Winona State University test-optional?

Winona State University reports that it neither requires nor recommends test scores.

How much does Winona State University cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Winona State University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $17,503 a year against a sticker price of about $23,683. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $10,224 on average.

What do Winona State University graduates earn?

Median earnings ten years after entering Winona State University are $58,532 a year among students who received federal aid, and 57% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).

What does Winona State University value most in applicants?

Based on its admissions profile, Winona State University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.

Does Winona State University favor in-state applicants?

As a public university, Winona 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 Winona 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 Winona State University specifically.

How does residency affect admission to Winona State University?

As a public university, Winona 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.

What are the admission requirements for Winona State University?

Winona State University 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.