Idaho SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 14, 2026
SAT middle 50 percent
990 to 1230
Half of enrolled students at Idaho scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1230, and one quarter below 990.
- Average composite
- 1116
- Acceptance rate
- 75.5%
- ACT range
- 20 to 26
- Test policy
- Test optional
- Location
- Moscow, ID
- Undergraduates
- 7,747
Idaho SAT Scores and Admissions
The middle 50 for Idaho SAT scores splits into 500 to 630 on Reading and Writing and 490 to 600 on Math, with a composite range of 990 to 1230. The average SAT at the University of Idaho sits at 1116, so a score in the low 1100s already puts you right in the heart of the admitted class. Reading and Writing runs a little higher than Math at both ends, which is worth noting if your section scores are lopsided. A 560 on the verbal side paired with a 550 on Math would sit near the middle of both sections and close to the 1116 average overall.
The university admits 75.5% of applicants. In plain terms, out of every 200 students who apply, about 151 get in. It is a public university in Moscow, ID, with 7,747 students enrolled, small enough that a strong score stands out in the file instead of vanishing into a stack of tens of thousands. These numbers come from the 2024 to 2025 cycle. Testing is optional, which cuts two ways: you never have to send a weak score, and a good one carries extra signal because you chose to send it. If you took the ACT instead, the middle 50 there runs 20 to 26.
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Idaho SAT Score Breakdown by Section
Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at Idaho, from the federal College Scorecard.
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 500 | 630 |
| Math | 490 | 600 |
| CompositeTotal SAT | 990 | 1230 |
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
990 to 1230
Idaho Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?
Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into Idaho, 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 Idaho'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 Idaho by SAT Score
Here is what specific scores mean at Idaho, based on its reported 990 to 1230 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 840 | Well below the 25th percentile | A 840 is well below the 990 to 1230 range at Idaho. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority. |
| 940 | Just below the 25th percentile | A 940 falls just short of Idaho's 25th percentile of 990. 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 990 to 1230 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here. |
| 1230 | At the 75th percentile | A 1230 matches the 75th percentile at Idaho, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level. |
| 1260 | Above the 75th percentile | A 1260 beats the 75th percentile at Idaho. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking. |
How to Raise Your SAT Score to Idaho's Range
The two targets that matter here are 990, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1230, 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 990 | To reach 1230 | The plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | Already there | +230 points | 1000 to 1300 plan |
| 1100 | Already there | +130 points | 1100 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 Idaho?
Read your score against the 990 to 1230 middle 50. Below 990 puts you in the bottom quarter of admitted students, which is survivable at a school admitting 75.5% of applicants, but it means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. And since testing is optional, a score below 990 is usually one to hold back rather than send. Inside the range, you look like a typical admit, and the closer you sit to 1116, the more typical you look. Above 1230 puts you in the top quarter, strong positioning for merit consideration.
The sections set different bars. Reading and Writing runs 500 to 630 while Math runs 490 to 600, so the verbal side asks slightly more at every point in the range. A 610 in Reading and Writing and a 590 in Math both land near the top of their sections even though the raw numbers differ by 20 points. If your practice tests skew toward Math, know that Idaho's admitted class leans the other way, so a verbal gain buys you a bit more position here than the same gain in Math.
Idaho GPA Requirements
Admitted students at the University of Idaho typically present an unweighted GPA around 3.0 to 3.5. That band is a description of who gets in, not a cutoff, and plenty of applicants land near either edge of it. With 75.5% of applicants admitted, the school is not hunting for reasons to reject a solid transcript. It is looking for evidence that you can handle college work.
What matters as much as the number is where the grades came from. A 3.3 built on honors and AP coursework reads stronger than a 3.5 built on the lightest schedule available. Direction matters too. A rough freshman year followed by two strong ones tells a better story than the reverse.
If your GPA sits near the bottom of the band, the fastest offset is a strong SAT. A score above the 1116 average, or better yet near the 1230 mark at the top of the middle 50, tells the committee your transcript undersells you. Grades take years to move. A test score can move in months.
Typical admitted GPA
Admitted students at Idaho typically present a GPA in the 3.0 to 3.5 range on an unweighted 4.0 scale. Steady grades in a reasonable course load are usually enough on the GPA side of the application.
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.
Idaho SAT Testing Policy
Idaho 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 Idaho's range. If you are below 990, 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 Idaho?
Idaho 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.
990 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 990
Usually hold it
Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at Idaho. 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 Idaho's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.
Idaho ACT Scores: Should You Take the SAT or ACT?
The middle 50 percent of enrolled students at Idaho scored between 20 and 26 on the ACT, alongside the 990 to 1230 SAT range. Like nearly every US college, Idaho states no preference between the two tests. The right move is to take whichever test converts higher for you, using the official concordance below, and send that one.
| ACT composite | SAT equivalent |
|---|---|
| 26 | 1230 to 1250 |
| 25 | 1200 to 1220 |
| 24 | 1160 to 1190 |
| 23 | 1130 to 1150 |
| 22 | 1100 to 1120 |
| 21 | 1060 to 1090 |
| 20 | 1030 to 1050 |
| 19 | 990 to 1020 |
SAT equivalents from the official College Board and ACT concordance tables. Highlighted rows fall inside Idaho's ACT middle 50 percent.
How to Get Into Idaho
Set two anchors. Scoring at or above 990, the 25th percentile, keeps you inside the admitted range, and at or above 1230, the 75th percentile, puts you in the top quarter of the class. By section, that means clearing 500 in Reading and Writing and 490 in Math on the low end, or pushing past 630 and 600 to stand out. Because testing is optional here, the decision rule is simple: send anything at 1116 or above without hesitation, weigh scores between 990 and 1116 against the strength of your transcript, and hold back anything under 990. If you are starting from a PSAT or a first practice test, our score plans map how many points typical students gain per month of prep, so you can tell whether 1230 is a fall goal or a spring one.
Before you plan anything, get a real number. Take the diagnostic to see your current composite and section split, then measure the gap against 990 and 1230. Your next step: sit for that diagnostic this week and write both target numbers at the top of your study calendar.
How Hard Is It to Get Into Idaho?
Idaho admits about 755 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 7,747. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 245 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: Idaho's 25th percentile score of 990 already beats roughly 38% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1230 sits around the 78th 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 Idaho: Reach, Match, and Safety Options
Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside Idaho, 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 Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 990 to 1230 | 75.5% | This page |
| West Georgia | 950 to 1140 | 51.6% | Harder to get into than IdahoSAT about 65 lower |
| North Florida | 1070 to 1270 | 53.2% | Harder to get into than IdahoSAT about 60 higher |
| Akron Main Campus | 900 to 1190 | 59.7% | Similar oddsSAT about 65 lower |
| Kennesaw State | 1000 to 1220 | 69.2% | Similar oddssimilar SAT range |
| Memphis | 915 to 1180 | 72.0% | Similar oddsSAT about 62 lower |
| Eastern Michigan | 920 to 1170 | 79.6% | Similar oddsSAT about 65 lower |
How Recent Are These Idaho 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 Idaho 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 Idaho's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.
Idaho SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions
What SAT score do you need to get into Idaho?
Idaho's middle 50 percent SAT range is 990 to 1230. Aim for at least 990 to be competitive, and 1230 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 990 a good SAT score for Idaho?
A 990 sits at Idaho's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 990 to 1230. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1230 makes your application stronger.
What is the average SAT score at Idaho?
The average composite SAT score at Idaho is 1116. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 990 and 1230.
Does Idaho require SAT scores?
No. Idaho 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 Idaho test optional for 2026-2027?
Idaho 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 ACT score do you need for Idaho?
Idaho's middle 50 percent ACT range is 20 to 26. Aim for at least 20 to be competitive and 26 or higher to be a strong applicant. A strong ACT can stand in for the SAT at Idaho.
What GPA do you need to get into Idaho?
Admitted students at Idaho typically present an unweighted GPA in the 3.0 to 3.5 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 Idaho's acceptance rate?
Idaho admits about 75.5% of applicants, which makes it less 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 Idaho?
Idaho admits about 75.5% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 990 to 1230 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.0 to 3.5. A score above 1230 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 Idaho's real numbers.
How can I raise my SAT score for Idaho?
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 Idaho superscore the SAT?
Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and Idaho 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.
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