CUNY City SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 14, 2026
SAT middle 50 percent
1070 to 1430
Half of enrolled students at CUNY City scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1430, and one quarter below 1070.
- Average composite
- 1260
- Acceptance rate
- 60.0%
- Test policy
- Test optional
- Location
- New York, NY
- Undergraduates
- 12,505
- School type
- Public university
CUNY City SAT Scores and Admissions
CUNY City College is a public university in New York, NY with 12,505 students, and if you are researching CUNY City SAT scores, the numbers are more encouraging than you might expect for a school in Manhattan. Admitted students in the 2024-2025 cycle posted a middle 50 SAT range of 1070 to 1430, with an average of 1260. The school admits 60.0% of applicants. Put plainly, roughly 3 out of 5 people who apply get in, so for every 10 files the admissions office reads, about 6 turn into offers. That is a real chance, not a lottery, and it changes how you should read every number on this page.
The wide 360 point spread between the 25th and 75th percentiles tells you something too. City College takes students from many starting points. A 1070 gets you in the door of the admitted range, while the top quarter of the class scores above 1430, a number that overlaps with far more selective schools. Testing is optional here in the most recent federal data, so a submitted score is a choice, and the choice itself carries information. Students who send scores tend to send strong ones, which keeps the published range high. Anything in the upper half of that range strengthens an application rather than just checking a box.
Cheetah Prep
Achieve your dream SAT score before it's too late.
Start using Cheetah Prep by hitting the button below. Here is what you get from the first session:
- Adaptive practice that finds your weak spots and trains them with real SAT questions
- A diagnostic that predicts your SAT score out of 1600 in just 20 questions
- The Solve the SAT with Desmos course: 31 interactive lessons
- A study plan built around the score CUNY City expects
- Start with our free trial
CUNY City SAT Score Breakdown by Section
Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at CUNY City, from the federal College Scorecard.
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 540 | 700 |
| Math | 530 | 730 |
| CompositeTotal SAT | 1070 | 1430 |
The College Board reports section percentiles, not section averages, so an average is shown for the composite only.
Where this sits on the 400 to 1600 scale
1070 to 1430
CUNY City Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?
Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into CUNY City, measured against real enrolled student data instead of a made up percentage.
No SAT score yet? Take the diagnostic and get a real number in about 25 minutes.
How this calculator works: your SAT is compared with CUNY City's reported middle 50 percent range from the federal College Scorecard, your GPA is compared with the range admitted students at similarly selective schools typically present, and both are weighed against the school's real acceptance rate. We do not print a made up percent chance. No calculator can see your essays, your course rigor, or your recommendations, and at selective schools those decide close calls. Treat this as an honest read of your academic position, not a prediction.
Chances of Getting Into CUNY City by SAT Score
Here is what specific scores mean at CUNY City, based on its reported 1070 to 1430 middle 50 percent range. Find the row closest to your score, or use the calculator above for a read on your exact numbers. No made up percentages: each verdict is your real position in the enrolled class.
| SAT score | Where it lands | The honest read |
|---|---|---|
| 920 | Well below the 25th percentile | A 920 is well below the 1070 to 1430 range at CUNY City. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority. |
| 1020 | Just below the 25th percentile | A 1020 falls just short of CUNY City's 25th percentile of 1070. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application. |
| 1250 | Inside the middle 50 percent | A 1250 sits inside the 1070 to 1430 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here. |
| 1430 | At the 75th percentile | A 1430 matches the 75th percentile at CUNY City, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level. |
| 1460 | Above the 75th percentile | A 1460 beats the 75th percentile at CUNY City. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking. |
How to Raise Your SAT Score to CUNY City's Range
The two targets that matter here are 1070, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1430, the score that puts you in the top quarter. Here is the size of the jump from common starting points, with the step by step plan for each one.
| Starting score | To reach 1070 | To reach 1430 | The plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | +70 points | +430 points | All score plans |
| 1100 | Already there | +330 points | All score plans |
| 1200 | Already there | +230 points | 1200 to 1500 plan |
| 1300 | Already there | +130 points | 1300 to 1500 plan |
Not sure where you stand today? The diagnostic gives you a real starting score and a section breakdown in one sitting, so the gap you plan around is your actual gap.
What SAT Score Do You Need for CUNY City?
Scoring below 1070 puts you under the 25th percentile at City College. With a 60.0% admit rate you are not out of the running, but your score is working against you and the rest of the application has to carry more weight. The optional policy gives you an out here. A number in that zone is often better left unsent, since withholding a weak score costs you nothing while submitting it invites a comparison you will lose. Inside the 1070 to 1430 range, you look like a typical admit, and the higher you sit within it, the better. Above 1430 puts you past 3 out of 4 admitted students, which can open the door to merit consideration.
The section splits are worth a look. Math runs 530 to 730 while Reading and Writing runs 540 to 700, so the Math ceiling is 30 points higher. Strong quantitative applicants push the top of the class here, and a Math score of 700 or more stands out more than the same number in Reading and Writing.
CUNY City GPA Requirements
Admitted students at CUNY City College typically present an unweighted GPA around 3.3 to 3.7. That band leaves room for a B plus student, but the transcript behind the number matters. A 3.4 earned in honors and AP courses reads better than a 3.6 built on the easiest available schedule, because rigor counts as much as the figure itself. Readers at a public university with 12,505 students move quickly, and course titles are among the first things they scan.
If your GPA sits near the bottom of that band, the fastest fix is not retaking old classes. It is a strong SAT. Grades take years to move, but a score above City College's 1260 average can be earned in months and gives the admissions office a second data point that argues in your favor. The optional testing policy makes that trade even better. A modest transcript with no score attached leaves nothing to offset it, while the same transcript next to a number past 1260 tells a story of growth that grades alone cannot.
Typical admitted GPA
Admitted students at CUNY City typically present a GPA in the 3.3 to 3.7 range on an unweighted 4.0 scale. Solid grades with a clear upward trend read well, especially paired with a strong test score.
If your GPA sits at or below this range, a strong SAT score is the fastest way to stay competitive, since grades are hard to move late in high school. See where your SAT score really stands and build the plan around the gap.
These are unweighted grades on a 4.0 scale. A school that weights GPA or reports a different scale will show a higher number.
CUNY City SAT Testing Policy
CUNY City considered scores without requiring them (test optional) in the most recent federal data. Testing policies change year to year, so confirm the current 2026-2027policy on the school's admissions site before you decide whether to submit scores.
Should you submit your score?
Submit your score when it is at or above 1250, the middle of CUNY City's range. If you are below 1070, the 25th percentile, consider holding your score and letting your grades, essays, and activities carry the application.
Last verified July 14, 2026
Should You Submit Your SAT Score to CUNY City?
CUNY City was test optional in the most recent federal data, which turns your score into a strategic choice. The folk theory that applying without scores signals weakness is overstated, but the math of what helps is simple: a score that lands inside or above the admitted range works for you, and a score well below it does not.
1250+
Submit
At or above the middle of the admitted range, submitting clearly helps. A real data point beats an open question.
1070 to 1250
Lean submit
Inside the range, most counselors say send it: you are within the profile of enrolled students, and holding it back leaves the reader guessing.
Below 1070
Usually hold it
Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at CUNY City. Apply without it, or better, close the gap first. Scores can still matter for merit scholarships elsewhere on your list.
Policy as reported for the 2024-2025 cycle. We verified it against CUNY City's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.
How to Get Into CUNY City
Set two anchors. A 1070 keeps you at the 25th percentile and inside City College's admitted range, so treat it as your floor, not your goal. A 1430 puts you in the top quarter of the class, and every point past the 1260 average moves you from typical admit toward standout. Between those anchors, climb in steps: clear 1260 first, then push toward the 75th percentile. If Math is your stronger section, lean into it, since the 730 Math ceiling here rewards that. The Reading and Writing top sits at 700, so a lopsided score with a big Math number still reads well. Our score plans break targets like these into week by week practice, so you know what to study instead of guessing. Start by taking a diagnostic to find your current score, then measure the gap to 1430 and build your plan around closing it. With a 60.0% admit rate, a score that lands even 100 points above the 1260 average does real work for you. Do that this week, before test dates start limiting your options.
How Hard Is It to Get Into CUNY City?
CUNY City admits about 600 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 12,505. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 400 of every 1,000 people who apply, the students who get in cluster at the top of every measurable scale.
For perspective against the country as a whole: CUNY City's 25th percentile score of 1070 already beats roughly 53% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1430 sits around the 95th percentile. A score that feels middling on this page is an excellent score almost anywhere else, which is worth remembering when you build the rest of your list.
Colleges Similar to CUNY City: Reach, Match, and Safety Options
Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside CUNY City, ordered by acceptance rate. Odds are compared on acceptance rate first, because a school with a lower SAT average can still be far harder to get into.
| School | SAT middle 50 percent | Acceptance rate | Odds vs CUNY City |
|---|---|---|---|
| CUNY City | 1070 to 1430 | 60.0% | This page |
| Syracuse | 1270 to 1440 | 45.9% | Similar oddsSAT about 105 higher |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch | 1100 to 1400 | 47.5% | Similar oddssimilar SAT range |
| Stony Brook | 1330 to 1500 | 49.0% | Similar oddsSAT about 165 higher |
| CUNY Hunter | 1100 to 1420 | 53.8% | Similar oddssimilar SAT range |
| CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice | 930 to 1220 | 57.1% | Similar oddsSAT about 175 lower |
| CUNY Brooklyn | 950 to 1340 | 58.4% | Similar oddsSAT about 105 lower |
How Recent Are These CUNY City SAT Scores?
Every score, rate, and enrollment figure on this page comes from the US Department of Education College Scorecard, 2024-2025 release, the same federal dataset colleges report into. Testing policy reflects the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. This page was last reviewed July 14, 2026.
Score ranges quoted around the web for CUNY City disagree with each other more than you would expect, usually because a site is quoting an older class or an unlabeled estimate. We publish the reported number, label the vintage, and update when the source updates. We also cross checked CUNY City's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.
CUNY City SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions
What SAT score do you need to get into CUNY City?
CUNY City's middle 50 percent SAT range is 1070 to 1430. Aim for at least 1070 to be competitive, and 1430 or higher to be a strong applicant. There is no hard cutoff, but a score in or above this range keeps your application in contention.
Is a 1070 a good SAT score for CUNY City?
A 1070 sits at CUNY City's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 1070 to 1430. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1430 makes your application stronger.
What is the average SAT score at CUNY City?
The average composite SAT score at CUNY City is 1260. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 1070 and 1430.
Does CUNY City require SAT scores?
No. CUNY City was test optional in the most recent federal data, so you can apply without SAT scores. Confirm the current 2026-2027 policy on the school's admissions site before you decide whether to submit.
Is CUNY City test optional for 2026-2027?
CUNY City was test optional in the most recent federal data, meaning you could apply without scores. Policies change year to year, so verify the 2026-2027 policy on the school's admissions site.
What GPA do you need to get into CUNY City?
Admitted students at CUNY City typically present an unweighted GPA in the 3.3 to 3.7 range on the 4.0 scale, based on schools with a comparable acceptance rate. Grades earned in rigorous courses matter as much as the number itself, and a strong SAT score is the fastest way to offset a GPA at the lower edge of that range.
What is CUNY City's acceptance rate?
CUNY City admits about 60.0% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective. A strong SAT score still helps your application stand out, especially for selective majors, honors programs, and merit scholarships.
What are my chances of getting into CUNY City?
CUNY City admits about 60.0% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 1070 to 1430 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.3 to 3.7. A score above 1430 puts you in the strongest quarter of the class on testing. Use the admissions calculator on this page to check your own SAT and GPA against CUNY City's real numbers.
How can I raise my SAT score for CUNY City?
Focus your prep on the section costing you the most points, then follow a study plan built for your target score range. Cheetah Prep has step by step score plans for specific point jumps and unlimited practice questions with worked solutions.
Does CUNY City superscore the SAT?
Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and CUNY City does not report this in the federal data. Check the school's admissions site for its current superscore policy, which tells you whether it combines your best section scores across test dates.
About this page: written and reviewed by the Cheetah Prep team. Last reviewed July 14, 2026.
Related guides
CUNY New York City College of Technology SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
CUNY New York City College of Technology SAT middle 50 percent: 900 to 1140. About 80.3% get in. See 2026 score and GPA requirements, where your score stands, and.
College of Staten Island CUNY SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
College of Staten Island CUNY SAT middle 50 percent: 890 to 1250. About 92.3% get in. See 2026 score and GPA requirements, where your score stands, and how to close.
Columbia University in the City of New York SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
Columbia University in the City of New York SAT middle 50 percent: 1510 to 1580. About 4% get in. See 2026 score and GPA requirements, where your score stands, and.
CUNY Bernard M Baruch SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
CUNY Bernard M Baruch SAT middle 50 percent: 1100 to 1400. About 47.5% get in. See 2026 score and GPA requirements, where your score stands, and how to close the.
CUNY Brooklyn SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
CUNY Brooklyn SAT middle 50 percent: 950 to 1340. About 58.4% get in. See 2026 score and GPA requirements, where your score stands, and how to close the gap.
CUNY Hunter SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
CUNY Hunter SAT middle 50 percent: 1100 to 1420. About 53.8% get in. See 2026 score and GPA requirements, where your score stands, and how to close the gap.