San Francisco SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 15, 2026
SAT middle 50 percent
1190 to 1390
Half of enrolled students at San Francisco scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1390, and one quarter below 1190.
- Average composite
- 1295
- Acceptance rate
- 61.7%
- ACT range
- 25 to 30
- Test policy
- Test optional
- Location
- San Francisco, CA
- Undergraduates
- 5,287
San Francisco SAT Scores and Admissions
The San Francisco SAT scores split into a Reading and Writing middle 50 of 610 to 700 and a Math middle 50 of 580 to 690. Put together, the full SAT middle 50 at the University of San Francisco runs from 1190 to 1390, and the average score sits at 1295. That average lands close to the middle of the range, so half of admitted students scored above it and half below. The Reading and Writing band is a little stronger than the Math band, which tells you where most admitted students carry their weight.
Admission here is not a coin flip, but it is not wide open either. About 61.7% of applicants get in, so a bit more than 3 out of 5 receive an offer. The University of San Francisco is a private nonprofit university with 5,287 students, and it sits right in the city of San Francisco, California. For students who want a midsize campus in a major coastal city, that combination is the concrete hook. Scores in the low 1200s keep you inside the range. Scores near 1390 push you toward the top of the admitted pool. In the most recent federal data, the school lists a test optional policy, so an SAT score is one part of the file rather than a gate.
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San Francisco SAT Score Breakdown by Section
Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at San Francisco, from the federal College Scorecard.
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 610 | 700 |
| Math | 580 | 690 |
| CompositeTotal SAT | 1190 | 1390 |
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
1190 to 1390
San Francisco Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?
Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into San Francisco, 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 San Francisco'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 San Francisco by SAT Score
Here is what specific scores mean at San Francisco, based on its reported 1190 to 1390 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1040 | Well below the 25th percentile | A 1040 is well below the 1190 to 1390 range at San Francisco. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority. |
| 1140 | Just below the 25th percentile | A 1140 falls just short of San Francisco's 25th percentile of 1190. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application. |
| 1290 | Inside the middle 50 percent | A 1290 sits inside the 1190 to 1390 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here. |
| 1390 | At the 75th percentile | A 1390 matches the 75th percentile at San Francisco, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level. |
| 1420 | Above the 75th percentile | A 1420 beats the 75th percentile at San Francisco. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking. |
How to Raise Your SAT Score to San Francisco's Range
The two targets that matter here are 1190, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1390, 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 1190 | To reach 1390 | The plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | +190 points | +390 points | All score plans |
| 1100 | +90 points | +290 points | 1100 to 1400 plan |
| 1200 | Already there | +190 points | 1200 to 1400 plan |
| 1300 | Already there | +90 points | 1300 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 San Francisco?
The middle 50 range tells you where you stand at a glance. A 1190 sits at the 25th percentile, and a 1390 sits at the 75th. Score below 1190 and you fall under the middle 50, so you would want the rest of your file to carry more weight. Land between 1190 and 1390 and you are inside the range, right where most admitted students sit. Clear 1390 and you are above the middle 50, in the top quarter of the admitted pool.
The section splits show where the higher bar lives. Reading and Writing runs 610 to 700, while Math runs 580 to 690. That makes Reading and Writing the tougher section to match, since both ends of its band sit higher than Math. If verbal work is your strength, you have room to push your total. If Math is your stronger section, aim to hold near 690 there and lift Reading and Writing toward 700 to move up the range.
San Francisco GPA Requirements
Admitted students at the University of San Francisco typically present an unweighted GPA in the 3.3 to 3.7 band. That range fits a school that admits about 61.7% of applicants. It rewards steady grades without demanding a spotless transcript across four years.
The number on your report is only part of the read. Grades earned in rigorous courses count as much as the GPA itself, so a 3.5 built from honors and harder classes reads stronger than a higher mark from an easier load. If your GPA sits at the lower edge of that 3.3 to 3.7 band, a strong SAT is the fastest way to offset it. A score in the upper half of the 1190 to 1390 range, closer to the 1390 mark, shows an admissions reader that your academic work holds up on a national test. Course rigor and a solid score together do more for a borderline GPA than either one alone.
Typical admitted GPA
Admitted students at San Francisco 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.
San Francisco SAT Testing Policy
San Francisco 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 1290, the middle of San Francisco's range. If you are below 1190, 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 San Francisco?
San Francisco 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.
1290+
Submit
At or above the middle of the admitted range, submitting clearly helps. A real data point beats an open question.
1190 to 1290
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 1190
Usually hold it
Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at San Francisco. 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 San Francisco's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.
San Francisco ACT Scores: Should You Take the SAT or ACT?
The middle 50 percent of enrolled students at San Francisco scored between 25 and 30 on the ACT, alongside the 1190 to 1390 SAT range. Like nearly every US college, San Francisco 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 |
| 24 | 1160 to 1190 |
SAT equivalents from the official College Board and ACT concordance tables. Highlighted rows fall inside San Francisco's ACT middle 50 percent.
How to Get Into San Francisco
Set clear targets against the numbers. Hitting 1190 or above keeps you at or above the 25th percentile, which holds you inside the admitted range. Reaching 1390 or above puts you in the top quarter. A practical goal is the 1295 average or a little past it, since that keeps you comfortably in the middle of the pool. On the sections, aim for 700 in Reading and Writing and 690 in Math to reach the top of both bands.
Start by finding your current level with a full length diagnostic so you know how far you sit from 1190 and 1390. From there, build a study path with our score plans that targets your weaker section first, since a few points on the lower band lift your total fastest. Your next step is simple: take the diagnostic this week, then set a target inside the 1190 to 1390 range and work backward from your test date.
How Hard Is It to Get Into San Francisco?
San Francisco admits about 617 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 5,287. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 383 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: San Francisco's 25th percentile score of 1190 already beats roughly 73% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1390 sits around the 93th 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 San Francisco: Reach, Match, and Safety Options
Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside San Francisco, 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 San Francisco |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | 1190 to 1390 | 61.7% | This page |
| Occidental | 1380 to 1520 | 44.2% | Harder to get into than San FranciscoSAT about 160 higher |
| Santa Clara | 1350 to 1490 | 48.0% | Similar oddsSAT about 130 higher |
| Pepperdine | 1290 to 1450 | 62.9% | Similar oddsSAT about 80 higher |
| Chapman | 1260 to 1440 | 65.4% | Similar oddsSAT about 60 higher |
| La Verne | 986 to 1236 | 71.2% | Similar oddsSAT about 179 lower |
| Biola | 1160 to 1370 | 74.4% | Similar oddsSAT about 25 lower |
How Recent Are These San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.
San Francisco SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions
What SAT score do you need to get into San Francisco?
San Francisco's middle 50 percent SAT range is 1190 to 1390. Aim for at least 1190 to be competitive, and 1390 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 1190 a good SAT score for San Francisco?
A 1190 sits at San Francisco's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 1190 to 1390. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1390 makes your application stronger.
What is the average SAT score at San Francisco?
The average composite SAT score at San Francisco is 1295. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 1190 and 1390.
Does San Francisco require SAT scores?
No. San Francisco 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 San Francisco test optional for 2026-2027?
San Francisco 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 San Francisco?
San Francisco's middle 50 percent ACT range is 25 to 30. Aim for at least 25 to be competitive and 30 or higher to be a strong applicant. A strong ACT can stand in for the SAT at San Francisco.
What GPA do you need to get into San Francisco?
Admitted students at San Francisco 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 San Francisco's acceptance rate?
San Francisco admits about 61.7% 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 San Francisco?
San Francisco admits about 61.7% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 1190 to 1390 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.3 to 3.7. A score above 1390 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 San Francisco's real numbers.
How can I raise my SAT score for San Francisco?
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 San Francisco superscore the SAT?
Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and San Francisco 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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