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the Pacific SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)

By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 15, 2026

SAT middle 50 percent

1183 to 1480

Half of enrolled students at the Pacific scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1480, and one quarter below 1183.

Average composite
1346
Acceptance rate
71.3%
ACT range
23 to 32
Test policy
Test optional
Location
Stockton, CA
Undergraduates
3,204

the Pacific SAT Scores and Admissions

The Pacific SAT scores land in a middle 50 percent band of 1183 to 1480, and scoring inside that range at University of the Pacific means you sit right where most admitted students already are. A composite near the 1346 average signals you match the typical enrolled student, while a result closer to 1480 pushes you toward the top of the pool. This private nonprofit university in Stockton, California enrolls about 3,204 students, so the campus stays on the smaller side and each application gets read against a fairly compact class.

The acceptance rate here is 71.3%, which means roughly 7 out of 10 applicants get in. That is a friendly number, but it does not make the SAT irrelevant. A score below 1183 puts you under the 25th percentile, and a score above 1480 marks the top quarter. The section split is worth noting: Reading and Writing runs 590 to 710, while Math stretches from 593 to 770. Math carries the wider top end, so a strong quantitative result does more to lift your composite. In the most recent federal data the school reports a test optional policy, so you decide whether to send scores, but a number inside or above the middle 50 gives your file a clear boost.

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the Pacific SAT Score Breakdown by Section

Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at the Pacific, from the federal College Scorecard.

Section25th percentile75th percentile
Reading and Writing590710
Math593770
CompositeTotal SAT11831480
Average composite SAT1346

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

1183 to 1480

400National average near 10501600

the Pacific Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?

Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into the Pacific, 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 the Pacific'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 the Pacific by SAT Score

Here is what specific scores mean at the Pacific, based on its reported 1183 to 1480 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 scoreWhere it landsThe honest read
1030Well below the 25th percentileA 1030 is well below the 1183 to 1480 range at the Pacific. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority.
1130Just below the 25th percentileA 1130 falls just short of the Pacific's 25th percentile of 1183. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application.
1330Inside the middle 50 percentA 1330 sits inside the 1183 to 1480 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here.
1480At the 75th percentileA 1480 matches the 75th percentile at the Pacific, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level.
1510Above the 75th percentileA 1510 beats the 75th percentile at the Pacific. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking.

How to Raise Your SAT Score to the Pacific's Range

The two targets that matter here are 1183, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1480, 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 scoreTo reach 1183To reach 1480The plan
1000+183 points+480 pointsAll score plans
1100+83 points+380 pointsAll score plans
1200Already there+280 points1200 to 1500 plan
1300Already there+180 points1300 to 1500 plan
1400Already there+80 points1400 to 1500 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 the Pacific?

With a middle 50 percent of 1183 to 1480, your score tells three different stories depending on where it lands. Below 1183 puts you under the 25th percentile, so you sit behind 3 out of 4 admitted students and your transcript and other materials need to carry more weight. A composite between 1183 and 1480 places you inside the range where most of the class sits, which is the comfortable zone for a 71.3% admit rate. Above 1480 sets you in the top quarter and can help offset a GPA on the lower side.

The two sections do not ask the same thing. Reading and Writing runs 590 to 710, and Math runs 593 to 770. Math sets the higher bar at the top, with a 75th percentile of 770 against 710 for Reading and Writing. If you are strong in math, lean into it, because points there move your composite further. If Math is your weaker section, that 593 mark is the floor you want to clear to stay inside the range.

the Pacific GPA Requirements

Admitted students at University of the Pacific typically present an unweighted GPA in the range of 3.3 to 3.7. That band reflects steady work across four years rather than a single strong term. If your average sits inside it, you are reading as a normal applicant for this school.

Grades earned in rigorous courses count as much as the number itself. A 3.5 built on honors and advanced classes reads stronger than a higher average earned in lighter coursework, so the difficulty of your schedule matters. If your GPA sits at the lower edge, near 3.3, a strong SAT is the fastest offset. A composite in the upper part of the 1183 to 1480 band, or above it, tells the admissions office you can handle college level work even if your transcript has a soft spot. Grades and scores get read together, and one can shore up the other. Keep your junior and senior year marks climbing while you prepare for the test, and treat the two parts of your file as a pair rather than separate hurdles.

Typical admitted GPA

3.3 to 3.7Moderately competitive

Admitted students at the Pacific 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.

AccessibleExtremely competitive

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.

the Pacific SAT Testing Policy

Test optionalGuidance for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle

the Pacific 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 1332, the middle of the Pacific's range. If you are below 1183, 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 the Pacific?

the Pacific 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.

1330+

Submit

At or above the middle of the admitted range, submitting clearly helps. A real data point beats an open question.

1183 to 1330

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 1183

Usually hold it

Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at the Pacific. 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 the Pacific's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.

the Pacific ACT Scores: Should You Take the SAT or ACT?

The middle 50 percent of enrolled students at the Pacific scored between 23 and 32 on the ACT, alongside the 1183 to 1480 SAT range. Like nearly every US college, the Pacific 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 compositeSAT equivalent
321420 to 1440
311390 to 1410
301360 to 1380
291330 to 1350
281300 to 1320
271260 to 1290
261230 to 1250
251200 to 1220
241160 to 1190
231130 to 1150
221100 to 1120

SAT equivalents from the official College Board and ACT concordance tables. Highlighted rows fall inside the Pacific's ACT middle 50 percent.

How to Get Into the Pacific

Set your targets against the actual percentiles. A composite at or above 1183, the 25th percentile, keeps you in range for University of the Pacific. A score at or above 1480, the 75th percentile, puts you in the top quarter of admitted students and gives you cushion if your GPA sits near 3.3. The 1346 average is a solid middle goal if you want to match the typical enrolled student.

Break the composite into section goals. Reading and Writing at 710 and Math at 770 would put both sections at the top of the range. If one section lags, direct your study hours there first, since Math has the most room to move your total. Our score plans turn these numbers into a week by week study schedule built around your current level. Start by taking a diagnostic to see where your Reading and Writing and Math sections stand today, then set a target inside the 1183 to 1480 band and work backward from your test date.

How Hard Is It to Get Into the Pacific?

the Pacific admits about 713 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 3,204. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 287 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: the Pacific's 25th percentile score of 1183 already beats roughly 71% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1480 sits around the 97th 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 the Pacific: Reach, Match, and Safety Options

Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside the Pacific, 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.

SchoolSAT middle 50 percentAcceptance rateOdds vs the Pacific
the Pacific1183 to 148071.3%This page
USC1450 to 15509.8%Harder to get into than the PacificSAT about 169 higher
Scripps1440 to 154038.3%Harder to get into than the PacificSAT about 159 higher
Occidental1380 to 152044.2%Harder to get into than the PacificSAT about 119 higher
Santa Clara1350 to 149048.0%Harder to get into than the PacificSAT about 89 higher
Pepperdine1290 to 145062.9%Similar oddsSAT about 39 higher
Chapman1260 to 144065.4%Similar oddsSAT about 19 higher

How Recent Are These the Pacific 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 the Pacific 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 the Pacific's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.

the Pacific SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions

What SAT score do you need to get into the Pacific?

the Pacific's middle 50 percent SAT range is 1183 to 1480. Aim for at least 1183 to be competitive, and 1480 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 1183 a good SAT score for the Pacific?

A 1183 sits at the Pacific's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 1183 to 1480. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1480 makes your application stronger.

What is the average SAT score at the Pacific?

The average composite SAT score at the Pacific is 1346. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 1183 and 1480.

Does the Pacific require SAT scores?

No. the Pacific 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 the Pacific test optional for 2026-2027?

the Pacific 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 the Pacific?

the Pacific's middle 50 percent ACT range is 23 to 32. Aim for at least 23 to be competitive and 32 or higher to be a strong applicant. A strong ACT can stand in for the SAT at the Pacific.

What GPA do you need to get into the Pacific?

Admitted students at the Pacific 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 the Pacific's acceptance rate?

the Pacific admits about 71.3% 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 the Pacific?

the Pacific admits about 71.3% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 1183 to 1480 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.3 to 3.7. A score above 1480 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 the Pacific's real numbers.

How can I raise my SAT score for the Pacific?

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 the Pacific superscore the SAT?

Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and the Pacific 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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