Baylor University SAT Scores, ACT Scores, Acceptance Rate, and Admissions Requirements
At Baylor, test-optional does not make scores irrelevant: with 44% submitting SAT scores, a 1310 can strengthen your application and put you near the top of the middle range. That same 1310, or a 28 ACT, also meets the listed cutoff for the $6,000 Carr P. Collins Scholars Program.
Data on this page is sourced from our college data partners and was last updated on July 9, 2026.
Baylor University facts and stats
Baylor University enrolls about 14,915 undergraduates in a small-town campus setting. Baylor has a 91% freshman retention rate, well above the national average of roughly 70%. Its 6-year graduation rate is 80%, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 14.6:1.
Waco, TX
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Key Baylor University application dates
Key dates
Regular Decision
February 1
Early Action
November 1
Early Decision
November 1
Priority Deadline
—
Financial Aid Priority
February 1
Test dates
August 22, 2026
Registration deadline: August 7, 2026
September 12, 2026
Registration deadline: August 28, 2026
October 3, 2026
Registration deadline: September 18, 2026
September 19, 2026
Registration deadline: August 14, 2026
October 17, 2026
Registration deadline: September 11, 2026
December 12, 2026
Registration deadline: November 6, 2026
If you choose to submit scores to test-optional Baylor, take your first SAT or ACT by the spring of junior year so the summer before senior year and the fall of senior year can be used for superscoring retakes. For Baylor’s November 1 Early Decision and Early Action deadline, plan on the October SAT or September ACT as the last retake likely to arrive in time. If you are aiming for the Carr P. Collins Scholars Program, build in those retakes to try to reach the 1310 SAT or 28 ACT benchmark.
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What you'll actually pay
Baylor is a private not-for-profit, so the same tuition and fees rate applies to all students. Tuition and fees are $58,280, with 54% of students receiving aid and an average merit award of $17,382. Submit the FAFSA by the February 1 priority deadline.
Baylor’s listed cost of attendance is $74,158, including $58,280 in tuition and fees and $15,878 for room and board. About 54% of students receive aid, with an average aid package of $40,885. Merit awards average $17,382, and listed opportunities include Carr P. Collins Scholars at SAT 1310+ or ACT 28+ and several endowed scholarships at GPA 2.50+. Graduates leave with average debt of $49,299.
Student life at Baylor University
31% of undergrads live on campus
Freshman housing: Guaranteed
Fraternities and sororities are active on campus.
Similar schools
Abilene Christian University
Abilene, TXAcceptance rate: 66%
SAT: 1000–1230
ACT: 19–27
Amberton University
Garland, TXAcceptance rate: 63.9%
Alvin Community College
Alvin, TXAcceptance rate: 100%
Amarillo College
Amarillo, TXAcceptance rate: 100%
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