- Acceptance rate: 5.9% for fall 2024
- Average high school GPA: 3.895, as reported by the college for 2025–26
- SAT, middle 50%: 730–770 reading and writing, 770–800 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 34–35 composite
- Average net price: $26,689 a year (2022–23)
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How does your GPA compare?
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Where you standEnter your GPA
Type your GPA to compare it with what Vanderbilt University reported: an average GPA of 3.895 (2025–26), an acceptance rate of 5.9% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 34–35.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Vanderbilt University reviews each application.
Vanderbilt University average GPA
Vanderbilt University reported an average high school GPA of 3.895 for its first-year students who submitted one (100% did), in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether it's weighted or unweighted.
How their high school GPAs were spread:
| High school GPA | Share of first-year students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | |
| 3.75–3.99 | |
| 3.50–3.74 | |
| 3.25–3.49 | |
| 3.00–3.24 | |
| 2.50–2.99 | |
| 2.00–2.49 |
An average, not a cutoffColleges calculate GPA in different ways, so these figures can't be compared directly with your own GPA.
Vanderbilt University acceptance rate
Vanderbilt University admitted 2,662 of 45,409 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 5.9%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Vanderbilt University is a private nonprofit 4-year university in Nashville, Tennessee, with 7,221 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Vanderbilt University in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 730 | 750 | 770 |
| SAT Math | 770 | 790 | 800 |
| ACT Composite | 34 | 35 | 35 |
| ACT English | 35 | 35 | 36 |
| ACT Math | 32 | 34 | 35 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1549 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Vanderbilt University looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Required |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Required |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Required |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | 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 |
AP credit
Vanderbilt University 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 doesn't award credit for life experience.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $26,689 a year at Vanderbilt University 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 Vanderbilt hard to get into?
Yes. Fewer than 1 in 10 applicants got in, which makes it one of the hardest colleges to get into. Vanderbilt University admitted 5.9% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
What GPA does Vanderbilt look for?
Vanderbilt University doesn't set a minimum GPA we could verify. Its first-year students averaged 3.895, as reported by the college in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether that average is weighted or unweighted.
What GPA do most Vanderbilt students have?
97.3% of Vanderbilt University's first-year students who submitted a high school GPA had 3.50 or higher, and the largest group (56.6%) had 3.75–3.99, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether these GPAs are weighted or unweighted.
How important is GPA for getting into Vanderbilt?
A lot: Vanderbilt University requires high school GPA, high school record, college preparatory program, recommendations and essay or personal statement. It considers high school class rank, 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 I have a chance at Vanderbilt with a 3.5 GPA?
It would be on the low side there: 2.7% of Vanderbilt University's first-year students who submitted a GPA had one below 3.5, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set, and it admitted 5.9% of applicants for fall 2024. Colleges calculate GPA in different ways, so compare on the same scale and look at your courses and test scores too.
What is the acceptance rate at Vanderbilt?
Vanderbilt University's acceptance rate was 5.9% for fall 2024: it admitted 2,662 of 45,409 first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
What SAT and ACT scores do Vanderbilt students have?
The middle 50% of Vanderbilt University's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 730–770 in reading and writing and 770–800 in math; ACT composite 34–35, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
Is Vanderbilt test optional?
Check Vanderbilt University's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. Vanderbilt University 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, 27% sent SAT scores and 25% sent ACT scores.
What do students pay at Vanderbilt after grants?
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $26,689 a year at Vanderbilt University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Does Vanderbilt give credit for AP exams?
Yes. Vanderbilt University 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.
Before you apply, check Vanderbilt's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Vanderbilt UniversityU.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.
- Vanderbilt University Common Data Set 2025–26Vanderbilt University: average high school GPA of first-year students and how their GPAs were spread.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
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