Is Brown test optional?

No. Brown requires an SAT or ACT score from every applicant.

What is Brown's acceptance rate?

5.4% of applicants were admitted in 2024–25, according to the college's Common Data Set or, where that's missing, IPEDS, the federal college survey. In fall 2024, 2,638 of 48,904 applicants were admitted. Applications rose 61%, from 30,396 in 2015 to 48,904 in 2024, and Brown's admit rate went from 9.5% to 5.4%.

What ACT score do you need for Brown?

24% of first-year students sent an ACT, and they scored 34–35, with a median of 35. On the official ACT–SAT concordance, their SAT range of 1510–1560 works out to about 34–35.

Does applying early decision help at Brown?

14% of early decision applicants were admitted (898 of 6,251), against 5.4% of all applicants. Early pools often include recruited athletes and other strong applicants, so the real edge is smaller than the gap.

All colleges

What SAT score do you need for Brown? (Middle 50%: 1510–1560)

First-year students at Brown who sent an SAT scored 1510–1560, with a median of 1540 (Common Data Set 2024–25). Brown admits 5.4% of applicants and requires the SAT or ACT.

Brown University · Providence, RI

Where your score lands at Brown

First-year students who sent an SAT: 1510–1560, median 1540

Your score

Middle 50% of admitted students Median

Enter your SAT or ACT to see which tier Brown is for you and whether to send your score.

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Brown by the numbers

Admit rate: 5.4%
Middle 50% SAT: 1510–1560
Median SAT: 1540
About on the ACT: 34–35
Sent an SAT: 61%

Test required · checked Nov 9, 2026 · Brown admissions · SAT range from the Common Data Set, 2024–25; admit rate from it or IPEDS

Brown admit rate over 10 years

Applications rose 61%, from 30,396 in 2015 to 48,904 in 2024, and Brown's admit rate went from 9.5% to 5.4%.

9.5%
5.4%

Show the numbers

Fall	Applied	Admitted	Admit rate
2024	48,904	2,638	5.4%
2023	51,316	2,686	5.2%
2022	50,649	2,562	5.1%
2021	46,568	2,568	5.5%
2020	36,793	2,822	7.7%
2019	38,674	2,733	7.1%
2018	35,437	2,718	7.7%
2017	32,723	2,779	8.5%
2016	32,390	3,014	9.3%
2015	30,396	2,885	9.5%

In fall 2024, 1,719 of the 2,638 admitted students enrolled. Applicants and admits from IPEDS, the federal college survey, by fall of entry.

What each SAT score means at Brown

Which tier your score puts them in, and whether it's worth sending.

Your SATTierSend it?

Under 1560Far reachRequired
1560 and upReachRequired

135014001450150015501600

Tiers here use only your SAT and their admit rate. Essays, activities and recommendations still decide most admissions at selective colleges.

Brown SAT sections, ACT and class rank

Scores of enrolled first-year students who sent one, by percentile.

Test	25th	Median	75th
SAT Math	770	780	800
SAT Reading and Writing	740	760	780
SAT total	1510	1540	1560
ACT composite	34	35	35

Of enrolled first-year students, 61% sent an SAT and 24% sent an ACT. Common Data Set 2024–25.

Top 10% of their class: 89%; of new students who reported a rank

Brown early decision

Early decision

898 of 6,251 early decision applicants were admitted.

Early decision14%
All applicants5.4%

Early pools often include recruited athletes and other strong applicants, so the gap overstates how much applying early helps on its own.

Common Data Set 2024–25.

Brown cost and outcomes

What students pay after grants, how many finish, and what they earn.

Average net price: $25,184; per year, after grants
Graduate in 6 years: 96%
Median earnings: $93,487; 10 years after starting
Undergraduates: 8,534

College Scorecard, 2022–23, from the US Department of Education. Net price averages federal-aid students across family incomes.

Colleges like Brown

Similar SAT ranges and admit rates.

More colleges in Rhode Island

Every college for an SAT of1510 1540 1560

Sources

Brown Common Data Set 2024–25
SAT and ACT ranges, early decision, waitlist, GPA and class rank, as the college reported them.
College Navigator (IPEDS)
Applications, admissions and enrollment by year, from the federal college survey.
College Scorecard
Net price, graduation rate and earnings, from the US Department of Education.
Brown admissions
Test policy for 2026–27, checked Nov 9, 2026.
Brown website
Brown University

Updated Nov 9, 2026. Spot a number that's off? Email support@tryashore.com and we'll check it against the source.

Questions

Still have a question? support@tryashore.com

There's no cutoff. The middle 50% of first-year students who sent an SAT scored 1510–1560, and the median was 1540. At 1540 or higher you're above half of them. Brown admits 5.4% of applicants, so a top score keeps you in the running but doesn't decide it.

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SAT Math · 1 of 5

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A jacket's price is increased by 20% and then the new price is decreased by 20%. The final price is what percent of the original price?

A $96\%$
B $100\%$
C $104\%$
D $80\%$