SUNY Buffalo State SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 15, 2026
SAT middle 50 percent
980 to 1240
Half of enrolled students at SUNY Buffalo State scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1240, and one quarter below 980.
- Average composite
- 1070
- Acceptance rate
- 73.0%
- Test policy
- Test optional
- Location
- Buffalo, NY
- Undergraduates
- 5,097
- School type
- Public university
SUNY Buffalo State SAT Scores and Admissions
SUNY Buffalo State SAT scores split into a Reading and Writing middle 50 of 490 to 630 and a Math middle 50 of 490 to 610. Put the two halves together and the full middle 50 runs 980 to 1240, with an average composite of 1070. That means half of admitted students landed inside that 980 to 1240 band, 1 in 4 scored below it, and 1 in 4 scored above. The average of 1070 sits a little under the center of the range, so a score in the low 1100s already clears the typical admit.
Admission here is not a squeeze. The acceptance rate is 73.0%, so close to 3 out of 4 applicants get in. SUNY Buffalo State University is a public university in Buffalo, NY, with an enrollment near 5,097 students, which keeps the campus on the smaller side for a state school. In the most recent federal data the testing policy is optional, so you can apply without sending a score. Still, a score inside or above the middle 50 gives the file something concrete to lean on, and at a school this open it is one of the easier ways to stand out from the pack.
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SUNY Buffalo State SAT Score Breakdown by Section
Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at SUNY Buffalo State, from the federal College Scorecard.
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 490 | 630 |
| Math | 490 | 610 |
| CompositeTotal SAT | 980 | 1240 |
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
980 to 1240
SUNY Buffalo State Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?
Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into SUNY Buffalo State, 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 SUNY Buffalo State'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 SUNY Buffalo State by SAT Score
Here is what specific scores mean at SUNY Buffalo State, based on its reported 980 to 1240 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 830 | Well below the 25th percentile | A 830 is well below the 980 to 1240 range at SUNY Buffalo State. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority. |
| 930 | Just below the 25th percentile | A 930 falls just short of SUNY Buffalo State's 25th percentile of 980. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application. |
| 1110 | Inside the middle 50 percent | A 1110 sits inside the 980 to 1240 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here. |
| 1240 | At the 75th percentile | A 1240 matches the 75th percentile at SUNY Buffalo State, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level. |
| 1270 | Above the 75th percentile | A 1270 beats the 75th percentile at SUNY Buffalo State. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking. |
How to Raise Your SAT Score to SUNY Buffalo State's Range
The two targets that matter here are 980, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1240, 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 980 | To reach 1240 | The plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | Already there | +240 points | 1000 to 1300 plan |
| 1100 | Already there | +140 points | 1100 to 1300 plan |
| 1200 | Already there | +40 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 SUNY Buffalo State?
Here is how to read your score against the SUNY Buffalo State middle 50 of 980 to 1240. Below 980 puts you in the bottom 25 percent of admitted students. You can still get in at a 73.0% acceptance rate, but the score is working against you, so the rest of the file has to carry more. Inside 980 to 1240 makes you a typical admit and matches the average of 1070. Above 1240 puts you in the top 1 in 4, which is a comfortable place to be.
The section splits shift the target depending on where you are stronger. Reading and Writing runs 490 to 630 and Math runs 490 to 610, so both sections start at the same 490 floor, but Reading and Writing sets the higher ceiling at 630 versus 610 in Math. If you want to land in the upper part of the range, points on the Reading and Writing side move you there fastest.
SUNY Buffalo State GPA Requirements
Admitted students at SUNY Buffalo State typically present an unweighted GPA in the 3.3 to 3.7 band. That range fits a school that admits close to 73.0% of applicants: solid grades matter, but you do not need a spotless transcript to be a real candidate. A mostly B plus to A minus record puts you squarely in the mix.
The number on its own is only part of the read. Grades earned in rigorous courses count as much as the raw GPA, so an A minus in a harder class carries more weight than an easy A. If your GPA sits at the lower edge of that 3.3 to 3.7 band, a strong SAT is the fastest offset you have. A score up near the 1240 top of the middle 50 tells an admissions reader you can handle the coursework, even when the transcript is uneven. Pairing steady grades in tougher classes with a score inside the range is the cleanest way to present yourself.
Typical admitted GPA
Admitted students at SUNY Buffalo State 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.
SUNY Buffalo State SAT Testing Policy
SUNY Buffalo State 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 1110, the middle of SUNY Buffalo State's range. If you are below 980, the 25th percentile, consider holding your score and letting your grades, essays, and activities carry the application.
Last verified July 15, 2026
Should You Submit Your SAT Score to SUNY Buffalo State?
SUNY Buffalo State 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.
1110+
Submit
At or above the middle of the admitted range, submitting clearly helps. A real data point beats an open question.
980 to 1110
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 980
Usually hold it
Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at SUNY Buffalo State. 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 SUNY Buffalo State's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.
How to Get Into SUNY Buffalo State
Set your targets against the two ends of the range. A total at or above the 25th percentile, roughly 980, keeps you inside the band most admits land in. Aim for the 75th percentile at 1240 and you are in the top 1 in 4, which gives an optional score real pull at a school with a 73.0% acceptance rate. By section, treat 630 in Reading and Writing and 610 in Math as your reach marks, and 490 in each as the floor you want to clear.
Start by figuring out where you stand today. A short diagnostic shows your current Reading and Writing and Math split so you know which section is dragging the total. From there, our score plans map the specific gap between your number and the 1240 you are chasing. Your next step is simple: take the diagnostic this week, then set one section goal and work it until you clear the middle 50.
How Hard Is It to Get Into SUNY Buffalo State?
SUNY Buffalo State admits about 730 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 5,097. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 270 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: SUNY Buffalo State's 25th percentile score of 980 already beats roughly 36% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1240 sits around the 80th 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 SUNY Buffalo State: Reach, Match, and Safety Options
Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside SUNY Buffalo State, 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 SUNY Buffalo State |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUNY Buffalo State | 980 to 1240 | 73.0% | This page |
| CUNY Lehman | 850 to 1150 | 56.6% | Similar oddsSAT about 110 lower |
| Farmingdale State | 1040 to 1240 | 63.3% | Similar oddsSAT about 30 higher |
| Hartwick | 1070 to 1290 | 69.6% | Similar oddsSAT about 70 higher |
| CUNY New York City College of Technology | 900 to 1140 | 80.3% | Similar oddsSAT about 90 lower |
| State University of New York at Oswego | 1070 to 1270 | 80.5% | Similar oddsSAT about 60 higher |
| D'Youville | 995 to 1220 | 81.4% | Similar oddssimilar SAT range |
How Recent Are These SUNY Buffalo State 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 15, 2026.
Score ranges quoted around the web for SUNY Buffalo State 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 SUNY Buffalo State's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.
SUNY Buffalo State SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions
What SAT score do you need to get into SUNY Buffalo State?
SUNY Buffalo State's middle 50 percent SAT range is 980 to 1240. Aim for at least 980 to be competitive, and 1240 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 980 a good SAT score for SUNY Buffalo State?
A 980 sits at SUNY Buffalo State's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 980 to 1240. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1240 makes your application stronger.
What is the average SAT score at SUNY Buffalo State?
The average composite SAT score at SUNY Buffalo State is 1070. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 980 and 1240.
Does SUNY Buffalo State require SAT scores?
No. SUNY Buffalo State 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 SUNY Buffalo State test optional for 2026-2027?
SUNY Buffalo State 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 SUNY Buffalo State?
Admitted students at SUNY Buffalo State 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 SUNY Buffalo State's acceptance rate?
SUNY Buffalo State admits about 73.0% 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 SUNY Buffalo State?
SUNY Buffalo State admits about 73.0% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 980 to 1240 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.3 to 3.7. A score above 1240 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 SUNY Buffalo State's real numbers.
How can I raise my SAT score for SUNY Buffalo State?
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 SUNY Buffalo State superscore the SAT?
Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and SUNY Buffalo State 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 15, 2026.
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