Pennsylvania State University Penn State Erie Behrend SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)

About 97 of every 100 applicants get into Penn State Erie, the Behrend College, so the pennsylvania state university penn state erie behrend sat scores you see here work as a fit check, not a wall. The admission rate sits at 96.8%. Almost everyone who applies with a reasonable record is offered a seat. Scores still tell you where you land inside the admitted group, and the middle 50 percent runs from 1120 to 1310. The average sits at 1228, close to the center of that band.

Behrend is a public campus in Erie, PA, and it enrolls roughly 3,240 students, so it reads more like a mid sized college than a giant flagship. That scale matters when you weigh the numbers. A 1120 keeps you inside the range and inside the odds. A 1310 puts you near the top of the students who enrolled. The section splits back this up: Reading and Writing runs 560 to 650, and Math runs 560 to 660. Both halves carry real weight, and the Math ceiling sits 10 points above the Reading and Writing ceiling. Testing is optional here in the most recent federal data, so a score helps but is not forced on you.

Here is how to read the 1120 to 1310 band for this campus. A score below 1120 puts you under the middle 50 percent, and with a 96.8% admission rate you can still be admitted, but your number is doing none of the lifting. A score inside the band, anywhere from 1120 to 1310, places you among the middle of enrolled students and lines up with the 1228 average. A score above 1310 puts you in the top quarter of the class and can help balance a thinner GPA.

The section splits sharpen the picture. Reading and Writing runs 560 to 650. Math runs 560 to 660. Both start at 560, so neither section lets you coast. At the top, Math sets the higher bar at 660 against 650 for Reading and Writing. If you are stronger in Math, aim past 660 there and hold Reading and Writing near 650 to land above the middle 50 overall.

Admitted students at Penn State Erie, the Behrend College typically present an unweighted GPA in the 3.0 to 3.5 band. That is a workable target for most applicants who stay steady across four years. You do not need a perfect transcript to land inside the range that fits this campus.

Grades earned in harder courses count as much as the number itself. A 3.3 built from honors or AP work reads stronger than a 3.6 from lighter classes, because the tougher schedule shows you can carry college level load. So push into rigor where you can, and keep the effort even from freshman year on.

If your GPA sits at the low edge of that 3.0 to 3.5 band, a strong SAT is the fastest way to offset it. A score near or above the 1310 mark at the top of the middle 50 tells the reader your academic level is higher than one transcript number suggests. Grades and scores work together, and one can steady the other when the timing is tight.

Set your targets against the band. Landing at or above the 25th percentile, which is 1120 here, keeps you inside the range of admitted students. Landing at or above the 75th percentile, which is 1310, puts you in the top quarter of the enrolled class. Aim for the middle first: the 1228 average is a solid working goal, then push higher if Math is your strength, since that section tops out at 660.

Break it into section goals. Reach for 650 or better in Reading and Writing and 660 or better in Math to clear the upper end. Our [score plans](/sat/score plans) map those numbers into weekly practice so you know what each test day should look like. If you are not sure where you stand right now, start with a [diagnostic](/onboarding diagnostic) to see your current Reading and Writing and Math splits against Behrend's ranges. Your next step is simple: get a baseline score, then set a target inside the 1120 to 1310 band and work toward it.