NYU acceptance rates Class of 2029: how your application stacks up against the competition

NYU’s 2025 acceptance rate was 9.1%. Out of 114,125 applicants, 10,340 were admitted and 5,662 enrolled. Source: New York University Common Data Set 2025–2026.

NYU’s 9.1% acceptance rate means 1 in 11 applicants is admitted. Strong applicants typically score 1480–1550 on the SAT (27% of submitted scores) under NYU’s test-optional policy. They carry an average high school GPA of 3.81 (93% of enrolled students had a 3.5 or higher). NYU weighs course rigor, GPA, essays, recommendations, and test scores as its most important factors.

If NYU is in your college crosshairs, you likely want to know your chances of getting in.

Quick answer: NYU accepted 9.1% of applicants in 2025–2026. That’s 10,340 students out of the 114,125 who applied. In other words, roughly 1 out of 11 applicants.

NYU draws one of the largest applicant pools in the country (more than 114,000 students) and remains test-optional, so the score ranges below reflect only the quarter of students who chose to submit.

Let’s break down NYU’s complete numbers.

Let’s look more closely at a couple of numbers.

First, 54.8% of admitted students enrolled. That’s a moderate yield, lower than Ivy and Ivy+ schools. Still, more than half of admitted students pick NYU over every other offer. A New York City address does a lot of recruiting on its own.

Because the yield is healthy but not high, NYU admits a larger share of applicants. This increases your chances of getting in, especially if you have a standout academic profile.

The student-to-faculty ratio is 12:1. That’s a normal figure for a large private research university like NYU, but wider than most Ivies and other top-tier schools. If small seminars are your priority, ask about ratios within your specific school by major, since NYU’s undergraduate colleges vary widely.

If you search for “NYU international acceptance rate” or “out-of-state acceptance rate,” you might receive a number. Be skeptical of it.

NYU’s Common Data Set leaves those cells blank. It only reports the totals: 114,125 applied, 10,340 admitted, 5,662 enrolled, for a single 9.1% rate that applies to everyone.

That means any residency-specific rate is an estimate or back-of-the-envelope guess, not an official NYU figure.

Two things we can say with confidence:

Once again, NYU’s applicant pool is enormous. With over 114,000 applications, NYU receives roughly twice as many applications as Harvard. Sheer scale (not residency quirks) is the defining feature of the NYU applicant pool.

NYU is a private university that resembles a large public flagship.

Test score ranges for NYU’s Class of 2029 require a careful read. NYU is test-optional, and only 37% of enrolled first-year students submitted any standardized scores — 27% submitted the SAT and 10% the ACT. The remaining enrolled students didn’t submit test scores.

At the same time, NYU considers test scores very important. So if you received a score above the 25th percentile, submitting scores works to your advantage.

See also: Which colleges are still test-optional in 2025?

Reading these scores: the 25th-75th percentile puts you in the middle 50% of enrolled students who submitted scores. A 1480 SAT puts you at the 25th percentile — three-quarters of NYU students scored 1480 or higher.

The range is tight and high. From a 1480 floor to a 1550 ceiling is a narrow band. Among those who submitted test scores, NYU’s middle 50% looks a lot like the middle 50% at more selective schools with far lower acceptance rates.

The SAT math median is 789. Half of the SAT test submitters scored at or above 780 on the math section. NYU’s strongest programs, particularly in STEM fields, pull this number up.

But remember NYU’s submission rate. Only about 1 in 3 enrolled students submitted any score. A strong application without scores is not a long shot at NYU. It’s how the majority of the 2029 Class applied.

Your high school GPA carries real weight at NYU. The Common Data Set shows the percentage of students enrolled by GPA.

The average high school GPA of enrolled students was 3.81 on a 4.0 scale. More striking is the concentration: 93% of enrolled students had a 3.5 or higher, and nearly three-quarters landed at 3.75 or higher.

With test scores optional for many applicants, course rigor and GPA do more of the heavy lifting at NYU.

See also: Why GPA goals matter more than you think in junior year

NYU’s Common Data Set explicitly shows how admissions weighs each part of your application.

GPA and rigor are both in the top tier. NYU explicitly lists “Academic GPA” and “Rigor of secondary school” as Very Important. Translation: take the hardest courses your school offers and do well in them. A strong GPA with an easy schedule won’t carry the same weight.

Test scores are “Very important,” even though they’re optional. This nuance trips families up. While NYU doesn’t require scores, when you submit them, they’re in the top tier. If your scores are high, they really help. If they aren’t, the test-optional door is still open.

Class rank is “Not considered.” Many high schools no longer rank students, and NYU has taken it off the table entirely. Don’t worry about where you fall in your class. Instead, focus on your transcripts and courses.

Character and personal qualities fall in the top tier as well. This is the work your essays and recommendations are doing for your application.

Note: For programs that require a portfolio or audition (such as Tisch and Steinhardt), NYU states that artistic talent becomes “Very important.” If you’re applying to these programs, your portfolio or audition outweighs many other top-tier factors.

For many families, a school’s price tag is as important as acceptance figures. NYU carries the reputation as one of the most expensive schools in the country. But that reputation is based on sticker price, and a recent policy change has rewritten its financial aid story.

Total estimated cost of attendance (on-campus): $96,988

Catch your breath. This figure is rarely what families actually pay.

For years, NYU was known for not meeting students’ full financial needs — a real weakness compared to its peers. That changed with the Class of 2025.

NYU now pledges to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for first-year students admitted to its New York campus. This commitment extends to all four years and includes international students.

Among first-year students awarded need-based aid, the average scholarship and grant award was $60,191. Additionally, nearly 1,500 first-year aid recipients had their full need met.

One honest caveat worth keeping in mind: the 100% pledge applies to first-year students admitted to the New York campus. Returning students who enrolled before the policy went into effect, and students at NYU’s other campuses, may see different packages.

And NYU’s methodology for “demonstrated need” may differ from what your family can actually pay. 

Run the numbers yourself. Use NYU’s Net Price Calculator for a personalized estimate.

• Take harder courses and perform well. GPA and course rigor are both “Very important,” sitting at the tippy-top of NYU’s list. Your transcript is the single strongest signal you can send.
• Deliberate about sending test scores. NYU is test-optional, but scores are weighted heavily when submitted. If your scores are in the 1480–1550 SAT range, or above 34 on the ACT, send them. If not, applying without submitting is the right choice.
• Match your application to the right program. A Stern business applicant, a Tisch arts applicant, and a College of Arts and Sciences applicant are evaluated very differently. While a Stern student might be expected to score at least 750 on the Math SAT, a Tisch student can likely rely on their portfolio.

NYU's acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was 9.1%: 114,125 students applied, and 10,340 were admitted. The yield rate was 54.8%, meaning more than half of admitted students chose to enroll.

No, NYU is test-optional. Only about 37% of enrolled first-year students submitted scores (27% the SAT, 10% the ACT). However, NYU lists test scores as "Very Important" when they are submitted, so strong scores help your application even though they aren't required. NYU also accepts certain alternatives in lieu of the SAT or ACT.

Among enrolled first-year students who submitted SAT scores, the middle 50% ranged from approximately 1480 to 1550, with a median of 1520. The 25th percentile sits at 730 for Reading & Writing and 750 for Math. Because most students apply without scores, there's no minimum, but submitting a score in this range strengthens your case.

The average high school GPA of enrolled students was 3.81 on a 4.0 scale, and 93% of enrolled students had a 3.5 or higher. With NYU test-optional for most applicants, GPA and course rigor are the most important academic factors in your application.

For first-year undergraduates admitted to the New York campus, NYU now pledges to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need — a policy that began with the Class of 2025. The average need-based scholarship and grant award for first-year students was $60,191.

NYU lists six factors as "Very important": rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, standardized test scores (when submitted), the application essay, recommendations, and character/personal qualities. Class rank, the interview, and demonstrated interest are not considered. For portfolio or audition programs like Tisch, artistic talent becomes “Very important.”

The takeaway? Course rigor, a strong transcript, and essays with a real point of view carry an NYU application further than test scores you may not even need to send.

And if you’re serious about NYU, get your application in front of someone who has actually read them for a living.

The 9.1% acceptance rate is about the whole pool — not you. The only way to know your real odds is to have a qualified former admissions officer pressure-test your application before NYU does. The figures in this guide are drawn from New York University's official Common Data Set 2025 –2026. Reported counts (applications, enrollments, test scores, GPA, financial aid, etc.) are taken directly from this document. Cost-of-attendance figures are drawn from NYU's published 2025-2026 tuition and fees, as NYU's CDS did not report finalized cost data. Always confirm current-year requirements, deadlines, and testing policies on NYU's website before applying.