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

No four-year Washington public university requires the SAT/ACT for fall 2027: UW and WSU are test-free (scores aren't used at all), while WWU, CWU and EWU are test-optional. Among the selective privates families target, Gonzaga, Whitman, Seattle University, Puget Sound and PLU are all test-optional as well, so no school on this list requires a score for the current cycle. Published score ranges describe a cohort; they are not admission cutoffs.

The table covers 9 colleges Washington 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 Washington families can earn: College Bound Scholarship (Washington Student Achievement Council) and Central Washington University Non-Resident Merit Scholarship.

Washington college score profiles and cohort notes

Cohort notes: UW: UW permanently dropped the SAT/ACT requirement in 2020; only about 0.15% of enrolled fall-2024 first-years submitted an SAT score. Whitman: Whitman's own Common Data Set states its test-optional policy explicitly through the Fall 2027 cycle. Puget Sound: Only 29% of Puget Sound's fall-2024 enrolled first-years submitted an SAT score. Gonzaga: Only 19% of Gonzaga's enrolled fall-2025 first-years submitted an SAT score, per its own Common Data Set. PLU: PLU's Common Data Set confirms test-optional status; its own site does not publish a current SAT range, so this figure comes from College Board's BigFuture (sourced from PLU's CDS) and should be reconfirmed against PLU's latest CDS PDF. Seattle U: Seattle University's own class-profile page still shows fall-2022 testing data; it does not post acceptance rate or a more recent SAT range publicly. WWU: Only 8% of WWU's enrolled fall-2024 first-years submitted an SAT score. WSU: WSU admission runs on GPA and course rigor; only about 5% of fall-2024 enrolled first-years submitted an SAT score. EWU: EWU admits most Washington residents automatically with a 3.0+ GPA and does not require a test score; figures here should be reconfirmed against EWU's own Common Data Set. These are not interchangeable measures.

School by school

University of Washington (Seattle): 1333 to 1500

UW reports a 1333 to 1500 middle 50% SAT (enrolled who submitted scores, fall 2024). It admitted 39.1% of 69,166 applicants (fall 2024 (27, 076 admitted of 69, 166 applicants)). The matching ACT range is 28-33. Testing for fall 2027: Test-free for 2026-27 (SAT/ACT not required and not seen by reviewers unless self-reported). UW permanently dropped the SAT/ACT requirement in 2020; only about 0.15% of enrolled fall-2024 first-years submitted an SAT score.

Whitman College: 1190 to 1415

Whitman reports a 1190 to 1415 middle 50% SAT (enrolled, fall 2025). It admitted 40.2% of 6,950 applicants (fall 2025 (2, 791 admitted of 6, 950 applicants)). The matching ACT range is 29-33. Testing for fall 2027: Test-optional for students applying for Fall 2027. Whitman's own Common Data Set states its test-optional policy explicitly through the Fall 2027 cycle.

University of Puget Sound: 1160 to 1388

Puget Sound reports a 1160 to 1388 middle 50% SAT (enrolled who submitted scores, fall 2024). It admitted 72.3% of 5,239 applicants (fall 2024 (3, 785 admitted of 5, 239 applicants)). The matching ACT range is 27-31. Testing for fall 2027: Test-optional for students applying for Fall 2026. Only 29% of Puget Sound's fall-2024 enrolled first-years submitted an SAT score.

Gonzaga University: 1230 to 1383

Gonzaga reports a 1230 to 1383 middle 50% SAT (enrolled who submitted scores, fall 2025). It admitted 79.6% of 8,906 applicants (fall 2025 (7, 091 admitted of 8, 906 applicants)). The matching ACT range is 29-32. Testing for fall 2027: Test-optional (not required for admission, but considered if submitted). Only 19% of Gonzaga's enrolled fall-2025 first-years submitted an SAT score, per its own Common Data Set.

Pacific Lutheran University: Not published

PLU does not publish a composite SAT range for its latest class. It admitted 86.6% of 5,306 applicants (fall 2025, CDS 2025-26). Testing for fall 2027: Test-optional (homeschooled applicants must still submit scores). PLU's Common Data Set confirms test-optional status; its own site does not publish a current SAT range, so this figure comes from College Board's BigFuture (sourced from PLU's CDS) and should be reconfirmed against PLU's latest CDS PDF.

Seattle University: 1160 to 1360

Seattle U reports a 1160 to 1360 middle 50% SAT (enrolled first-year students who submitted SAT, 2025-26 class profile). The matching ACT range is 24-30. Testing for fall 2027: Test-optional (SAT/ACT not mandatory for admission). Seattle University's own class-profile page still shows fall-2022 testing data; it does not post acceptance rate or a more recent SAT range publicly.

Western Washington University: 1130 to 1320

WWU reports a 1130 to 1320 middle 50% SAT (enrolled who submitted scores, fall 2024). It admitted 93.3% of 14,115 applicants (fall 2024 (13, 162 admitted of 14, 115 applicants)). The matching ACT range is 22-30. Testing for fall 2027: Test-optional for students applying for Fall 2026. Only 8% of WWU's enrolled fall-2024 first-years submitted an SAT score.

Washington State University: 1010 to 1280

WSU reports a 1010 to 1280 middle 50% SAT (enrolled who submitted scores, fall 2024). It admitted 86.6% of 25,462 applicants (fall 2024 (22, 060 admitted of 25, 462 applicants)). The matching ACT range is 18-27. Testing for fall 2027: Test-free (WSU's Board of Regents stopped requiring and using SAT/ACT in admissions in 2021). WSU admission runs on GPA and course rigor; only about 5% of fall-2024 enrolled first-years submitted an SAT score.

Eastern Washington University: 920 to 1100

EWU reports a 920 to 1100 middle 50% SAT (enrolled, fall 2025, CDS 2025-26; 7% submitted an SAT). It admitted 85.3% of 6,555 applicants (fall 2025, CDS 2025-26). The matching ACT range is 17-24. Testing for fall 2027: Test-optional; EWU and The Evergreen State College were the first WA public four-years to go test-optional. EWU admits most Washington residents automatically with a 3.0+ GPA and does not require a test score; figures here should be reconfirmed against EWU's own Common Data Set.

What the SAT is worth in Washington

Washington has no statewide SAT-cutoff scholarship. Its flagship aid program, the College Bound Scholarship, is based on income eligibility, a 7th/8th-grade sign-up, and a 2.0 GPA, not a test score, and every major Washington public university has gone test-free or test-optional, so automatic merit aid statewide runs on GPA alone.

College Bound Scholarship (Washington Student Achievement Council): Not used; no test score required. Tuition and most required fees at a WA public institution (average-rate equivalent toward private tuition) for income-eligible students who sign up in 7th or 8th grade, graduate from a WA high school with a 2.0 GPA, and complete the FAFSA/WASFA.

Central Washington University Non-Resident Merit Scholarship: Not used; GPA-based (3.0+ high school GPA). $15,000-$18,600 per year for up to 4 years for out-of-state admits with at least a 3.0 GPA; renews with a 2.75 CWU GPA.

No Washington university ties automatic merit aid to an SAT/ACT cutoff. College Bound requires enrollment by the end of 8th grade, a signed pledge, income eligibility, and an annual FAFSA/WASFA filing; it does not stack with need to exceed cost of attendance. The CWU award requires full-time enrollment and resets if cumulative GPA drops below the renewal floor.

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

UW, Whitman, Puget Sound and Gonzaga 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. A strong score is one more reason for a school to say yes, and a weak one can simply stay home.

Quick answers

Do you need a high SAT score to get into the University of Washington?

No. UW has been test-free since 2020 and does not require or review SAT/ACT scores for admission. Reviewers focus on curriculum rigor, grades, and personal achievement instead; self-reported scores only come into play for a small number of borderline applicants with results above the middle 50% (1333-1500 SAT for fall 2024 enrollees who chose to submit).

Is there a Washington state scholarship tied to your SAT score?

No. Washington's main aid program, the College Bound Scholarship, is based on income eligibility, a 7th/8th-grade sign-up, and a 2.0 GPA, not an SAT or ACT score. Score-tied automatic awards come from individual universities' own grids (for example, Central Washington University's non-resident merit award), and those run on GPA, not SAT.

Is the SAT free at Washington public high schools?

No, not as a universal school-day test. Washington's state graduation assessment is the WCAS/Smarter Balanced exam administered by OSPI, separate from the SAT. The SAT or ACT is one of several optional 'graduation pathway' routes a student can use instead of the state exam, but it is not handed out free to every student on a set day statewide.

What SAT score do you need for Washington State University?

None is required. WSU's Board of Regents stopped using the SAT/ACT in admissions in 2021, and the university describes itself as test-free: admission runs on high school GPA and completion of the state's required college-prep coursework. Of WSU's fall-2024 enrolled first-years who chose to submit scores anyway, the middle 50% SAT Composite was 1010-1280.

What SAT range do you need for Gonzaga or Whitman?

Both are test-optional, so no minimum is required, but their own Common Data Sets show where submitters land: Gonzaga's enrolled fall-2025 middle 50% SAT Composite was 1230-1383, and Whitman's enrolled fall-2025 middle 50% was 1190-1415. Only 19% of Gonzaga's and 25% of Whitman's enrolled first-years submitted a score at all.

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 Washington families

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

Sources

University and state sources: UW, Whitman, Puget Sound, Gonzaga, PLU, Seattle U, WWU, WSU, EWU, College Bound Scholarship (Washington Student Achievement Council), Central Washington University Non-Resident Merit Scholarship. Reviewed October 9, 2026. Cohorts and entry terms differ; confirm current requirements with each admissions office.