Is Tufts test optional?

Yes. You can apply without a score. A common rule is to send it if it's at or above 1500 and hold it if it's under.

What is Tufts's acceptance rate?

11% of applicants were admitted in 2025–26, according to the college's Common Data Set or, where that's missing, IPEDS, the federal college survey. In fall 2024, 3,957 of 34,432 applicants were admitted. Applications rose 81%, from 19,063 in 2015 to 34,432 in 2024, and Tufts's admit rate went from 16% to 11%.

What ACT score do you need for Tufts?

16% of first-year students sent an ACT, and they scored 33–35, with a median of 34. On the official ACT–SAT concordance, their SAT range of 1460–1520 works out to about 33–34.

Why might Tufts's SAT range look high?

Only 42% of enrolled students sent an SAT. The range counts only those who did, and students with lower scores tend to hold theirs back.

Does applying early decision help at Tufts?

32% of early decision applicants were admitted (1,071 of 3,344), against 11% of all applicants. Early pools often include recruited athletes and other strong applicants, so the real edge is smaller than the gap.

How many students get off the waitlist at Tufts?

71 of the 1,193 students who stayed on the waitlist were admitted, or 6.0%, per the Common Data Set 2025–26.

All colleges

What SAT score do you need for Tufts? (Middle 50%: 1460–1520)

First-year students at Tufts who sent an SAT scored 1460–1520, with a median of 1500 (Common Data Set 2025–26). Tufts admits 11% of applicants and is test optional.

Tufts University · Medford, MA

Where your score lands at Tufts

First-year students who sent an SAT: 1460–1520, median 1500

Your score

Middle 50% of admitted students Median Fewer than half sent a score, so the range runs high

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

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Tufts by the numbers

Admit rate: 11%
Middle 50% SAT: 1460–1520
Median SAT: 1500
About on the ACT: 33–34
Sent an SAT: 42%

Test optional · checked Nov 9, 2026 · Tufts admissions · SAT range from the Common Data Set, 2025–26; admit rate from it or IPEDS

Tufts admit rate over 10 years

Applications rose 81%, from 19,063 in 2015 to 34,432 in 2024, and Tufts's admit rate went from 16% to 11%.

Show the numbers

Fall	Applied	Admitted	Admit rate
2024	34,432	3,957	11%
2023	34,003	3,444	10%
2022	34,882	3,381	10%
2021	31,198	3,566	11%
2020	23,127	3,770	16%
2019	22,766	3,404	15%
2018	21,501	3,143	15%
2017	21,101	3,147	15%
2016	20,223	2,889	14%
2015	19,063	3,069	16%

In fall 2024, 1,801 of the 3,957 admitted students enrolled. Applicants and admits from IPEDS, the federal college survey, by fall of entry.

What each SAT score means at Tufts

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

Your SATTierSend it?

Under 1410Far reachHold
1410–1490ReachHold
1500 and upReachSend

1300135014001450150015501600

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

Tufts SAT sections, ACT and class rank

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

Test	25th	Median	75th
SAT Math	730	760	780
SAT Reading and Writing	720	740	760
SAT total	1460	1500	1520
ACT composite	33	34	35

Of enrolled first-year students, 42% sent an SAT and 16% sent an ACT. Common Data Set 2025–26.

Top 10% of their class: 87%; of new students who reported a rank

Tufts early decision and waitlist

Early decision

1,071 of 3,344 early decision applicants were admitted.

Early decision32%
All applicants11%

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

Waitlist

3,061 applicants were offered a spot, 1,193 took it, and 71 were admitted from it.

6.0%of students who stayed on the waitlist got in

Common Data Set 2025–26.

Tufts cost and outcomes

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

Average net price: $39,998; per year, after grants
Graduate in 6 years: 94%
Median earnings: $83,214; 10 years after starting
Undergraduates: 7,856

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

Colleges like Tufts

Similar SAT ranges and admit rates.

Sources

Tufts Common Data Set 2025–26
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.
Tufts admissions
Test policy for 2026–27, checked Nov 9, 2026.
Tufts website
Tufts 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 1460–1520, and the median was 1500. At 1500 or higher you're above half of them. Tufts admits 11% 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 $80\%$