SAT Scores for Ohio Colleges, School by School (2026-27)

Nearly every Ohio school on this list is test-optional for the current cycle; the major exception is Ohio State, which is ending its pandemic-era test-optional policy and will again require SAT/ACT scores from Columbus-campus first-year applicants starting with the 2026 admissions cycle (regional OSU campuses remain test-optional). Published score ranges describe a cohort; they are not admission cutoffs.

The table covers 10 colleges Ohio families apply to most, from the most selective to the large public universities. Read each cohort note before comparing numbers. The bottom rows show the score-based money Ohio families can earn: President's Ohio Scholarship Program (Ohio State University) and Excellence Scholarship (Ohio State University).

Ohio college score profiles and cohort notes

Cohort notes: Case Western: Case Western admitted about 13,890 of 39,332 fall 2025 applicants; only 52% of enrolled first-years submitted an SAT score. Denison: Only about 27% of Denison's enrolled fall-2025 first-years submitted an SAT score. Ohio State: Ohio State is reversing its pandemic-era test-optional policy; the fall-2025 class shown here was still test-optional (25% submitted SAT, 42% ACT). Miami (Ohio): Miami University's Office of Strategic Analytics and Institutional Research restricts its posted Common Data Set to request-only access, so these figures are the BigFuture fallback. Cincinnati: Only about 11% of UC's enrolled fall-2024 first-years submitted an SAT score, 31% an ACT score. Bowling Green: BGSU admitted about 17,125 of 21,153 applicants in the reported cohort; its own CDS is gated behind a login-required dashboard. Kent State: Kent State's current Common Data Set is published only as a .docx file, so these figures are the BigFuture fallback. Wright State: Wright State is Ohio's least selective four-year public on this list; the unusually wide SAT range reflects a small test-submitting population. These are not interchangeable measures.

School by school

Case Western Reserve University: 1440 to 1530

Case Western reports a 1440 to 1530 middle 50% SAT (enrolled, fall 2025 (CDS 2025-26, C9)). It admitted 35.3% of 39,332 applicants (fall 2025 (CDS 2025-26)). The matching ACT range is 32-34. Testing for fall 2027: Test-optional. Case Western admitted about 13,890 of 39,332 fall 2025 applicants; only 52% of enrolled first-years submitted an SAT score.

Denison University: 1270 to 1420

Denison reports a 1270 to 1420 middle 50% SAT (enrolled, fall 2025 (CDS 2025-26, C9)). It admitted 19.5% of 12,202 applicants (fall 2025 (CDS 2025-26)). The matching ACT range is 28-33. Testing for fall 2027: Test-optional. Only about 27% of Denison's enrolled fall-2025 first-years submitted an SAT score.

Ohio State University: 1300 to 1440

Ohio State reports a 1300 to 1440 middle 50% SAT (enrolled, fall 2025 (CDS 2025-26, C9)). It admitted 49.2% of 81,392 applicants (fall 2025 (CDS 2025-26)). The matching ACT range is 27-32. Testing for fall 2027: Test-optional for fall 2025; SAT/ACT required again for Columbus-campus first-year applicants starting the 2026 admissions cycle. Ohio State is reversing its pandemic-era test-optional policy; the fall-2025 class shown here was still test-optional (25% submitted SAT, 42% ACT).

Miami University: 1240 to 1378

Miami (Ohio) reports a 1240 to 1378 middle 50% SAT (enrolled, fall 2024, CDS 2024-25 (Oxford campus)). It admitted 75.4% of 39,580 applicants (fall 2024, CDS 2024-25). The matching ACT range is 25-30. Testing for fall 2027: Test-optional. Miami University's Office of Strategic Analytics and Institutional Research restricts its posted Common Data Set to request-only access, so these figures are the BigFuture fallback.

University of Dayton: 1210 to 1350

Dayton reports a 1210 to 1350 middle 50% SAT (enrolled, fall 2025, CDS 2025-26). It admitted 66.6% of 22,247 applicants (fall 2025, CDS 2025-26). The matching ACT range is 24-31. Testing for fall 2027: Test-optional.

University of Cincinnati: 1160 to 1350

Cincinnati reports a 1160 to 1350 middle 50% SAT (enrolled, fall 2024 (CDS 2024-25, C9)). It admitted 85.3% of 34,285 applicants (fall 2024 (CDS 2024-25)). The matching ACT range is 24-29. Testing for fall 2027: Test-optional. Only about 11% of UC's enrolled fall-2024 first-years submitted an SAT score, 31% an ACT score.

Ohio University: 1130 to 1300

Ohio University reports a 1130 to 1300 middle 50% SAT (enrolled, fall 2025 freshman class, Ohio University admissions academic profile (scores used in admission decisions)). It admitted 85.2% of Not published applicants (BigFuture profile, year not stated). The matching ACT range is 22-28. Testing for fall 2027: Test-optional.

Bowling Green State University: Not published

Bowling Green does not publish a composite SAT range for its latest class. It admitted 81.0% of 21,153 applicants (BigFuture profile, year not stated). The matching ACT range is 19-26. Testing for fall 2027: Test-optional. BGSU admitted about 17,125 of 21,153 applicants in the reported cohort; its own CDS is gated behind a login-required dashboard.

Kent State University: 990 to 1230

Kent State reports a 990 to 1230 middle 50% SAT (enrolled, fall 2025, CDS 2025-26 (Kent campus)). It admitted 62.7% of 25,526 applicants (fall 2025, CDS 2025-26 (Kent campus)). The matching ACT range is 18-25. Testing for fall 2027: Test-optional. Kent State's current Common Data Set is published only as a .docx file, so these figures are the BigFuture fallback.

Wright State University: 910 to 1250

Wright State reports a 910 to 1250 middle 50% SAT (enrolled, fall 2025, CDS 2025-26 (Dayton campus)). It admitted 96.2% of 10,457 applicants (fall 2025, CDS 2025-26 (Dayton campus)). The matching ACT range is 17-24. Testing for fall 2027: Test-optional. Wright State is Ohio's least selective four-year public on this list; the unusually wide SAT range reflects a small test-submitting population.

What an SAT score pays at Ohio colleges

Ohio has no statewide SAT-cutoff cash scholarship; the clearest published SAT-tiered money in the state is Ohio State's own automatic scholarship grid for Ohio residents.

President's Ohio Scholarship Program (Ohio State University): Perfect score: 1600 SAT or 36 ACT on a single test date (no superscoring). Full cost of attendance, renewable for 8 full-time semesters, for Ohio-resident first-years admitted to the Columbus campus who apply by the Nov 1 priority deadline.

Excellence Scholarship (Ohio State University): 23 ACT / 1070 SAT, plus 2 of 3: top 20% class rank, 3.2 GPA, or that test score. Full tuition each year it's renewed (minimum 2.5 GPA required to keep it), for U.S.-citizen Columbus-campus admits.

Both are Ohio State-specific automatic/competitive awards, not a statewide program; the President's Ohio Scholarship requires Ohio residency and a single-sitting perfect score (superscoring is explicitly disallowed for this award), while the Excellence Scholarship uses a 2-of-3 holistic formula rather than a single hard SAT cutoff.

The misconception: test optional means the SAT does not matter in Ohio

Case Western, Denison, Miami (Ohio) and Dayton are test optional for fall 2027, so many families assume the score is irrelevant. The ranges above come from the students who chose to send one, and they sit well above the overall class. Ohio State still require a score. A strong score is one more reason for a school to say yes, and a weak one can simply stay home.

Quick answers

What SAT score do you need for Ohio State's President's Ohio Scholarship?

You need a perfect score, 1600 on the SAT or 36 on the ACT, earned on a single test date (superscoring does not qualify). It also requires Ohio residency and pays full cost of attendance plus a $5,000 enrichment grant.

Does Ohio State require the SAT or ACT for admission?

Not for the fall 2025 class shown here, but yes going forward: Ohio State is ending its test-optional policy and will require SAT or ACT scores from first-year applicants to its Columbus campus starting with the 2026 admissions cycle; its regional campuses stay test-optional.

Is a college entrance exam given free during the school day in Ohio?

Yes. Every Ohio public school district must offer 11th graders a free, state-funded ACT or SAT during the school day as one path to meet the state's graduation testing requirement; each district picks which test to give.

What SAT score got students into Case Western Reserve's enrolled class?

The enrolled fall-2025 middle 50% SAT range was 1440-1530 with a 32-34 ACT range, and only 52% of enrolled first-years submitted an SAT score at all under Case Western's test-optional policy.

Does Denison University require the SAT?

No, Denison is test-optional; only about 27% of its enrolled fall-2025 first-years submitted an SAT score, and the enrolled middle 50% SAT range among those who did was 1270-1420.

Are these ranges cutoffs?

No. A middle 50% describes the central half of the reported group, not an admission cutoff. Some rows describe enrolled students or score submitters only, as labeled. A position within a range does not guarantee admission or merit aid.

More for Ohio families

• SAT prep in Ohio
• Ohio SAT test dates for 2026-27
• Find your teen's target score

Sources

University and state sources: Case Western, Denison, Ohio State, Miami (Ohio), Dayton, Cincinnati, Ohio University, Bowling Green, Kent State, Wright State, President's Ohio Scholarship Program (Ohio State University), Excellence Scholarship (Ohio State University). Reviewed October 9, 2026. Cohorts and entry terms differ; confirm current requirements with each admissions office.