CUNY Queens SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 14, 2026
SAT middle 50 percent
1010 to 1290
Half of enrolled students at CUNY Queens scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1290, and one quarter below 1010.
- Average composite
- 1120
- Acceptance rate
- 64.3%
- Test policy
- Test optional
- Location
- Queens, NY
- Undergraduates
- 12,550
- School type
- Public university
CUNY Queens SAT Scores and Admissions
About 64 of every 100 applicants get into CUNY Queens College, so the question of CUNY Queens SAT scores is less about survival and more about positioning. With a 64.4% acceptance rate, most solid applications succeed. Put plainly, if 1,000 students apply, roughly 644 get in and 356 do not. The score rarely decides which group you join. It decides whether you land a routine admit or a strong one, and whether your file makes a case for merit money once you are in. The middle 50% of admitted students scored between 1010 and 1290 on the SAT, with an average around 1120, based on 2024 to 2025 data.
Queens College is a public university in Queens, NY, with about 12,550 students, and it sits inside the CUNY system, which keeps costs low and applicant volume high. The school is test optional in the most recent federal data, so you choose whether your score goes in the file. That choice reshapes strategy. The published range only reflects students who decided to submit, which nudges the numbers upward, and it means a score is always an asset you add rather than a hurdle you clear. A number above 1120 is evidence in your favor. Anything near 1010 adds little. The section splits below show where each point counts most.
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 Queens expects
- Start with our free trial
CUNY Queens SAT Score Breakdown by Section
Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at CUNY Queens, from the federal College Scorecard.
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 500 | 650 |
| Math | 510 | 640 |
| CompositeTotal SAT | 1010 | 1290 |
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
1010 to 1290
CUNY Queens Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?
Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into CUNY Queens, 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 Queens'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 Queens by SAT Score
Here is what specific scores mean at CUNY Queens, based on its reported 1010 to 1290 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 860 | Well below the 25th percentile | A 860 is well below the 1010 to 1290 range at CUNY Queens. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority. |
| 960 | Just below the 25th percentile | A 960 falls just short of CUNY Queens's 25th percentile of 1010. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application. |
| 1150 | Inside the middle 50 percent | A 1150 sits inside the 1010 to 1290 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here. |
| 1290 | At the 75th percentile | A 1290 matches the 75th percentile at CUNY Queens, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level. |
| 1320 | Above the 75th percentile | A 1320 beats the 75th percentile at CUNY Queens. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking. |
How to Raise Your SAT Score to CUNY Queens's Range
The two targets that matter here are 1010, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1290, 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 1010 | To reach 1290 | The plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | +10 points | +290 points | 1000 to 1300 plan |
| 1100 | Already there | +190 points | 1100 to 1300 plan |
| 1200 | Already there | +90 points | 1200 to 1300 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 Queens?
Read the 1010 to 1290 range as 3 zones. Below 1010, you are under 3 out of 4 admitted students. At a 64.4% acceptance rate that is not fatal, but the test optional policy means you should probably withhold the score and let the rest of your application carry you. Inside the range, a 1120 puts you at the average: fine, unremarkable, worth submitting if the rest of your file is thin. Above 1290, you outscore 3 out of 4 admits, and submitting is an easy call. That top zone is also where a Queens College application stops asking for admission and starts making a case for merit.
The section splits are close but not identical. Reading and Writing runs 500 to 650 while Math runs 510 to 640, so Math sets the slightly higher floor at the 25th percentile and Reading and Writing sets the higher ceiling at the 75th. A lopsided score with a weak Math section stands out more here than the reverse. If your practice tests show a wide gap between sections, close the Math side first.
CUNY Queens GPA Requirements
Admitted students at CUNY Queens College typically present an unweighted GPA around 3.3 to 3.7. That is a band, not a wall. Plenty of students get in near the bottom of it, and the ones who do usually have something else in the file doing extra work. At a school admitting 64.4% of applicants, the transcript question is rarely whether you clear a bar. It is whether your grades tell a story of steady effort or a story of coasting.
What you took matters as much as what you earned. A 3.4 built on honors and AP coursework reads stronger than a 3.6 built on the lightest schedule available, and an upward trend in junior year counts for more than a strong start that faded. If your GPA sits at the lower edge of that band, a strong SAT is the fastest offset. Grades take years to move. A score can move in months. At a test optional school, submitting a high one is a deliberate signal that your transcript alone does not send, and it costs nothing if you only submit when the number helps.
Typical admitted GPA
Admitted students at CUNY Queens 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 Queens SAT Testing Policy
CUNY Queens 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 1150, the middle of CUNY Queens's range. If you are below 1010, 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 Queens?
CUNY Queens 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.
1150+
Submit
At or above the middle of the admitted range, submitting clearly helps. A real data point beats an open question.
1010 to 1150
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 1010
Usually hold it
Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at CUNY Queens. 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 Queens's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.
How to Get Into CUNY Queens
Set 2 targets. Scoring at or above 1010, the 25th percentile, keeps you inside the admitted range. Scoring at or above 1290, the 75th, puts you in the top quarter of admits, which is where merit consideration and a comfortable yes tend to live. In section terms, that means holding at least 500 in Reading and Writing and 510 in Math, then pushing both toward the 650 and 640 marks. The distance between those 2 targets is 280 points, which is not a weekend project, so pick the one that matches your timeline and work backward from your test date. Cheetah Prep's score plans break those totals into weekly section goals so you know what a realistic climb looks like from your current score.
Start by finding that current score. Take the diagnostic, see where you land against the 1010 to 1290 range, and decide from real numbers whether Queens College gets your score or your silence. If you already sit above 1120, submit and spend your prep hours elsewhere. If you sit below 1010, the test optional policy is your friend. Do that this week, before you plan anything else.
How Hard Is It to Get Into CUNY Queens?
CUNY Queens admits about 644 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 12,550. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 356 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 Queens's 25th percentile score of 1010 already beats roughly 42% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1290 sits around the 85th 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 Queens: Reach, Match, and Safety Options
Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside CUNY Queens, 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 Queens |
|---|---|---|---|
| CUNY Queens | 1010 to 1290 | 64.3% | This page |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch | 1100 to 1400 | 47.5% | Harder to get into than CUNY QueensSAT about 100 higher |
| CUNY Lehman | 850 to 1150 | 56.6% | Similar oddsSAT about 150 lower |
| CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice | 930 to 1220 | 57.1% | Similar oddsSAT about 75 lower |
| CUNY Brooklyn | 950 to 1340 | 58.4% | Similar oddssimilar SAT range |
| CUNY City | 1070 to 1430 | 60.0% | Similar oddsSAT about 100 higher |
| Farmingdale State | 1040 to 1240 | 63.3% | Similar oddssimilar SAT range |
How Recent Are These CUNY Queens 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 Queens 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 Queens's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.
CUNY Queens SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions
What SAT score do you need to get into CUNY Queens?
CUNY Queens's middle 50 percent SAT range is 1010 to 1290. Aim for at least 1010 to be competitive, and 1290 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 1010 a good SAT score for CUNY Queens?
A 1010 sits at CUNY Queens's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 1010 to 1290. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1290 makes your application stronger.
What is the average SAT score at CUNY Queens?
The average composite SAT score at CUNY Queens is 1120. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 1010 and 1290.
Does CUNY Queens require SAT scores?
No. CUNY Queens 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 Queens test optional for 2026-2027?
CUNY Queens 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 Queens?
Admitted students at CUNY Queens 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 Queens's acceptance rate?
CUNY Queens admits about 64.3% 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 Queens?
CUNY Queens admits about 64.3% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 1010 to 1290 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.3 to 3.7. A score above 1290 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 Queens's real numbers.
How can I raise my SAT score for CUNY Queens?
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 Queens superscore the SAT?
Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and CUNY Queens 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
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.
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 City SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
CUNY City SAT middle 50 percent: 1070 to 1430. About 60% 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.
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice SAT middle 50 percent: 930 to 1220. About 57.1% get in. See 2026 score and GPA requirements, where your score stands, and.