Culinary Institute of America Acceptance Rate & Test Scores

Hyde Park, NY · Private · 4-year

  • Acceptance rate: 91% for fall 2024
  • SAT, middle 50%: 478–600 reading and writing, 450–583 math
  • ACT, middle 50%: 17–23 composite
  • Average net price: $36,015 a year (2022–23)
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Where you standEnter your GPA

Add a test score to compare it with what Culinary Institute of America reported: an acceptance rate of 91% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 17–23.

Plan the grades I need

A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Culinary Institute of America reviews each application.

Culinary Institute of America GPA requirements

Culinary Institute of America requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.

Federal data doesn't include GPA averages, and Culinary Institute of America hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.

Culinary Institute of America acceptance rate

Culinary Institute of America admitted 2,059 of 2,259 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 91%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Culinary Institute of America is a private nonprofit 4-year college in Hyde Park, New York, with 3,011 undergraduates.

SAT and ACT scores

Scores of the first-year students who entered Culinary Institute of America in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:

Test25th percentileMedian75th percentile
SAT Reading and Writing478545600
SAT Math450520583
ACT Composite172023
ACT English141923
ACT Math161923
10% submitted SAT scores and 5% submitted ACT scores, as Culinary Institute of America reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1060 for admitted students.

Admission requirements

What Culinary Institute of America looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:

Admission factorStatus
High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average.Required
High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned.Required
RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors.Required
High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class.Considered if submitted
College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school.Considered if submitted
Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application.Considered if submitted
Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores.Considered if submitted
Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work.Considered if submitted
Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college.Considered if submitted
Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III.Not considered
Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations.Not considered
Requirements can differ by program and applicant type, so check with Culinary Institute of America's admissions office before you apply.

AP credit

Culinary Institute of America awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.

It also awards credit for life experience, such as work or military service.

Average net price

First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $36,015 a year at Culinary Institute of America in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.

Frequently asked questions

Is a 3.0 GPA good enough for Culinary Institute of America?

GPA alone can't tell you here. Culinary Institute of America admitted 91% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It requires a high school GPA but hasn't published an average we could verify, so there's no admitted-student GPA to compare a 3.0 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.

How important is GPA for getting into Culinary Institute of America?

A lot: Culinary Institute of America requires high school GPA, high school record and recommendations. It considers high school class rank, college preparatory program, essay or personal statement, test scores, work experience and legacy status if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests and demonstration of competencies. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.

Do you need SAT or ACT scores to apply to Culinary Institute of America?

Check Culinary Institute of America's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. Culinary Institute of America was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 10% sent SAT scores and 5% sent ACT scores.

What SAT and ACT scores do Culinary Institute of America students have?

The middle 50% of Culinary Institute of America's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 478–600 in reading and writing and 450–583 in math; ACT composite 17–23, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.

What GPA do you need to get into Culinary Institute of America?

Culinary Institute of America requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. It hasn't published an average GPA we could verify, so we don't list one.

Is Culinary Institute of America hard to get into?

Not for most prepared students: at least 3 in 4 applicants got in. Culinary Institute of America admitted 91% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.

How many applicants get into Culinary Institute of America?

Culinary Institute of America's acceptance rate was 91% for fall 2024: it admitted 2,059 of 2,259 first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Does Culinary Institute of America give credit for AP exams?

Yes. Culinary Institute of America awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.

How much does Culinary Institute of America cost after financial aid?

First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $36,015 a year at Culinary Institute of America in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.

Does Culinary Institute of America consider legacy status?

Yes. Culinary Institute of America considers whether a parent or other relative attended, though it isn't required, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.

Before you apply, check Culinary Institute of America's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.

Sources

  1. College Navigator: Culinary Institute of AmericaU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
  2. College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).

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