Hamline SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)

The first thing to notice about Hamline SAT scores is the lopsided section split: admitted students land between 568 and 728 in Reading and Writing but only 565 to 663 in Math. That is a 65 point gap at the top end, which tells you the verbal side does more of the lifting here. Put together, the middle 50 percent of the class scored between 1133 and 1391 on the composite, with an average of 1160 in the 2024-2025 federal data. Hamline is also test optional, so those numbers come from the students who chose to send scores.

The admissions math is forgiving. Hamline University admitted 87.6% of applicants in the most recent cycle, meaning nearly 9 out of 10 students who applied got in. This is a small private nonprofit university in Saint Paul, MN, with just 1,776 undergraduates, so the intimate scale, not selectivity, is the defining trait. A solid score will not just get you admitted here. It positions you inside a small class where a 1391 puts you in the top quarter of your peers from day one. For ACT takers, the middle 50 percent runs 19 to 28.

Read your own score against the 1133 to 1391 range. Below 1133 means you scored lower than 3 out of 4 admitted students who submitted scores. Since Hamline is test optional, that is usually a signal to withhold the score and let the rest of your application carry you, given the 87.6% admit rate, that is a workable path. Inside the range means your score is unremarkable in either direction: it neither helps nor hurts much, though anything above the 1160 average tilts positive. Above 1391 puts you in the top quarter, which at a school of 1,776 undergraduates can matter for more than admission.

The section splits set different bars. Reading and Writing runs 568 to 728 while Math runs 565 to 663, so the verbal ceiling sits 65 points higher. A 700 in Reading and Writing is ordinary here; a 700 in Math is well above the 75th percentile. If Math is your strength, your score will stand out more than the composite alone suggests.

Admitted students at Hamline typically carry an unweighted GPA somewhere in the 3.0 to 3.5 range. That is a wide band, and it reflects a school that admits 87.6% of its applicants: there is real room here for students whose transcripts are good but not spotless. A mix of A's and B's in a normal college prep schedule fits comfortably inside it.

What matters as much as the number is where the grades came from. A 3.2 built on honors and AP courses reads stronger than a 3.5 built on the lightest schedule available, and admissions readers at small schools like this one look at the transcript line by line. If your GPA sits near the bottom of that band, the fastest fix is not retaking old classes. It is a strong SAT score. A composite at or above 1391 would place you in the top 25 percent of Hamline's admitted class and can outweigh a slow start on the transcript.

Set two anchors. First, 1133: at or above the 25th percentile keeps you squarely in range, and with an 87.6% admit rate, in range is usually enough. Second, 1391: at or above the 75th percentile puts you in the top quarter of admitted students, which is the number to chase if you want your score to actively work for you. By section, that means pushing Reading and Writing toward 728 and Math toward 663.

Because the Math ceiling is lower, a Math heavy student can clear the 75th percentile there with a 670 while the same effort in verbal would still leave room above. Start by finding out where you actually stand: take a short diagnostic to get a baseline composite and section splits. Then map the gap to 1133 or 1391 with one of our score plans, which break the climb into weekly targets. Your next step: sit for the diagnostic this week and write down your two section scores next to Hamline's 25th percentiles.