New Hampshire SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 14, 2026
SAT middle 50 percent
1090 to 1330
Half of enrolled students at New Hampshire scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1330, and one quarter below 1090.
- Average composite
- 1218
- Acceptance rate
- 88.2%
- ACT range
- 26 to 30
- Test policy
- Test optional
- Location
- Durham, NH
- Undergraduates
- 11,261
New Hampshire SAT Scores and Admissions
The New Hampshire SAT scores picture starts with the middle 50: admitted students at the University of New Hampshire Main Campus scored between 1090 and 1330 in the 2024 to 2025 cycle. Land anywhere inside that range and your score sits with the middle half of the incoming class. At a school admitting 88.2% of applicants, that matters less than it would elsewhere. Out of every 100 students who apply, about 88 get in, so testing is rarely the thing that keeps you out. The average SAT here is 1218, which means a score in the low 1200s puts you right at the center of the class.
UNH is a public university in Durham, NH, with 11,261 undergraduates. That is big enough for a full research school course catalog but far from the 30,000 student scale of the largest state flagships. Section scores split slightly in favor of Reading and Writing, where the middle 50 runs 550 to 670, against 540 to 660 in Math. The ACT middle 50 sits at 26 to 30 for students who go that route. Testing is optional in the most recent federal data, so a submitted score is a choice, and it should be a strategic one. The rest of this page is about making that choice well.
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New Hampshire SAT Score Breakdown by Section
Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at New Hampshire, from the federal College Scorecard.
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 550 | 670 |
| Math | 540 | 660 |
| CompositeTotal SAT | 1090 | 1330 |
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
1090 to 1330
New Hampshire Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?
Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into New Hampshire, 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 New Hampshire'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 New Hampshire by SAT Score
Here is what specific scores mean at New Hampshire, based on its reported 1090 to 1330 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 940 | Well below the 25th percentile | A 940 is well below the 1090 to 1330 range at New Hampshire. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority. |
| 1040 | Just below the 25th percentile | A 1040 falls just short of New Hampshire's 25th percentile of 1090. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application. |
| 1210 | Inside the middle 50 percent | A 1210 sits inside the 1090 to 1330 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here. |
| 1330 | At the 75th percentile | A 1330 matches the 75th percentile at New Hampshire, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level. |
| 1360 | Above the 75th percentile | A 1360 beats the 75th percentile at New Hampshire. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking. |
How to Raise Your SAT Score to New Hampshire's Range
The two targets that matter here are 1090, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1330, 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 1090 | To reach 1330 | The plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | +90 points | +330 points | All score plans |
| 1100 | Already there | +230 points | 1100 to 1400 plan |
| 1200 | Already there | +130 points | 1200 to 1400 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 New Hampshire?
Below 1090, you are under 3 out of 4 admitted students. Since UNH is test optional in the most recent federal data, that is usually a score to hold back rather than submit, and your application still gets a full read without it. Inside the 1090 to 1330 window, you match the middle half of the class, and anywhere above the 1218 average actively helps your file. Above 1330, you outscore at least 75.0% of admitted students, which can strengthen merit aid and honors consideration at a school this accessible.
The optional policy changes the math on submitting. When close to 9 out of 10 applicants get in, a score is less a gate and more a lever: withholding it costs you nothing, and sending one above the average can only lift you. That makes the decision simple. Submit above 1218, think hard below it.
By section, Reading and Writing sets the slightly higher bar: 550 at the 25th percentile and 670 at the 75th, versus 540 and 660 in Math. The 10 point gap is small, but if your verbal score lags your math score by much more, the imbalance will show against the typical admit.
New Hampshire GPA Requirements
Admitted students at UNH typically present an unweighted GPA around 3.0 to 3.5. That band lines up with the school's 88.2% acceptance rate: solid grades matter, but you do not need a spotless transcript to get in. A student with mostly As and Bs sits comfortably inside the range.
How you earned the number counts as much as the number itself. A 3.3 built on honors and AP coursework reads stronger than a 3.5 from the easiest available schedule, and admissions readers can tell the difference. An upward trend helps too. A rough freshman year followed by two strong years tells a better story than the reverse.
If your GPA sits near the bottom of that band, a strong SAT is the fastest offset available. A transcript takes years to change, but a score in the upper half of UNH's range can be built in a few months of focused prep. And since UNH lets you decide whether to send a score at all, that offset only enters your file when it actually helps you.
Typical admitted GPA
Admitted students at New Hampshire 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.
New Hampshire SAT Testing Policy
New Hampshire 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 1210, the middle of New Hampshire's range. If you are below 1090, 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 New Hampshire?
New Hampshire 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.
1210+
Submit
At or above the middle of the admitted range, submitting clearly helps. A real data point beats an open question.
1090 to 1210
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 1090
Usually hold it
Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at New Hampshire. 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 New Hampshire's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.
New Hampshire ACT Scores: Should You Take the SAT or ACT?
The middle 50 percent of enrolled students at New Hampshire scored between 26 and 30 on the ACT, alongside the 1090 to 1330 SAT range. Like nearly every US college, New Hampshire 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 |
|---|---|
| 30 | 1360 to 1380 |
| 29 | 1330 to 1350 |
| 28 | 1300 to 1320 |
| 27 | 1260 to 1290 |
| 26 | 1230 to 1250 |
| 25 | 1200 to 1220 |
SAT equivalents from the official College Board and ACT concordance tables. Highlighted rows fall inside New Hampshire's ACT middle 50 percent.
How to Get Into New Hampshire
Set two anchors. Scoring at or above 1090, the 25th percentile, keeps you in range and makes submitting worthwhile at a school where testing is optional. Scoring at or above 1330, the 75th percentile, puts you in the top quarter of admitted students, the zone where a score can pull real weight for scholarships. Between the two, aim past the 1218 average so your score adds something to the file instead of just matching it.
Section targets follow the same logic. Reach for 550 or better in Reading and Writing and 540 or better in Math to clear both 25th percentiles. To land in the top quarter on each side, the marks are 670 and 660. The verbal side deserves slightly more of your attention, since it runs 10 points higher at both ends of the range.
Our score plans break the climb from your current score to 1330 into weekly targets. Before picking one, take the diagnostic to find out which section is costing you more points. Take it this week, then build your plan around the weaker section.
How Hard Is It to Get Into New Hampshire?
New Hampshire admits about 882 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 11,261. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 118 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: New Hampshire's 25th percentile score of 1090 already beats roughly 56% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1330 sits around the 89th 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 New Hampshire: Reach, Match, and Safety Options
Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside New Hampshire, 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 New Hampshire |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 1090 to 1330 | 88.2% | This page |
| South Carolina Columbia | 1180 to 1360 | 60.2% | Harder to get into than New HampshireSAT about 60 higher |
| CUNY Queens | 1010 to 1290 | 64.3% | Harder to get into than New HampshireSAT about 60 lower |
| Rhode Island (RI) | 1020 to 1280 | 72.2% | Similar oddsSAT about 60 lower |
| Oregon State | 1140 to 1400 | 77.3% | Similar oddsSAT about 60 higher |
| Rowan | 1110 to 1310 | 77.7% | Similar oddssimilar SAT range |
| Michigan State | 1180 to 1360 | 84.8% | Similar oddsSAT about 60 higher |
How Recent Are These New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.
New Hampshire SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions
What SAT score do you need to get into New Hampshire?
New Hampshire's middle 50 percent SAT range is 1090 to 1330. Aim for at least 1090 to be competitive, and 1330 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 1090 a good SAT score for New Hampshire?
A 1090 sits at New Hampshire's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 1090 to 1330. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1330 makes your application stronger.
What is the average SAT score at New Hampshire?
The average composite SAT score at New Hampshire is 1218. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 1090 and 1330.
Does New Hampshire require SAT scores?
No. New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire test optional for 2026-2027?
New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire?
New Hampshire's middle 50 percent ACT range is 26 to 30. Aim for at least 26 to be competitive and 30 or higher to be a strong applicant. A strong ACT can stand in for the SAT at New Hampshire.
What GPA do you need to get into New Hampshire?
Admitted students at New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire's acceptance rate?
New Hampshire admits about 88.2% 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 New Hampshire?
New Hampshire admits about 88.2% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 1090 to 1330 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.0 to 3.5. A score above 1330 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 New Hampshire's real numbers.
How can I raise my SAT score for New Hampshire?
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 New Hampshire superscore the SAT?
Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and New Hampshire 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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