How to Get Into the U.S. Naval Academy: Acceptance Rate & Strategies
June 19, 2024
With the motto 鈥淓x Scientia Tridens,鈥 meaning 鈥淭hrough Knowledge, Sea Power,鈥 the United States Naval Academy sounds like an institution with a formidable history dating back to the days of the American Revolution and the Founding Fathers. Yet, the history of the USNA, often referred to simply as 鈥淣avy,鈥 reveals humble beginnings, and, even as late as 1850, the school consisted of only 10 acres of land and 50 students (called midshipmen). In 1933, the Annapolis, Maryland-based institution began awarding bachelor鈥檚 degrees, developed a number of top engineering/STEM programs, and in 1976, became a coeducational institution鈥攆inally shaping into the modern form of the Naval Academy that 16,000+ applicants line up for a chance to attend each year. Today, the Naval Academy acceptance rate is in the single digits.
What is the United States Naval Academy acceptance rate?
This current version of the US Naval Academy is a highly selective, prestigious four-year university that accepts under 10% of those who apply鈥攁 similar figure to Georgetown, Notre Dame, BU, and Carnegie Mellon. In addition to the fact that over 90% of applicants are ultimately rejected, high school students seeking admittance into the USNA also need to understand that they face a different type of admissions maze than encountered by applicants to other uber-selective universities. To help guide you through the labyrinth, we will cover:
- The Naval Academy鈥檚 Class of 2027 acceptance rate
- SAT, GPA, and class rank of accepted Naval Academy applicants
- Admissions trends from the Class of 2027
- The Naval Academy鈥檚 unique nomination/application elements
- A look at the demographics of current Naval Academy undergraduates
- The percentage of accepted students that attend the Naval Academy (yield rate)
- Tips for applying to the Naval Academy
- USNA Essay Advice聽
- How to assess whether applying to the Naval Academy is worth the immense effort (for you)
Let鈥檚 begin with an examination of the most recent admissions data.
US Naval Academy Acceptance Rate
Of the 14,727 applicants seeking a spot in the Naval Academy鈥檚 Class of 2027, only 5,997 ended up receiving nominations. Another round of scrutiny sliced down the number of men and women left standing to a mere 1,379. This means that for the Class of 2027, the Naval Academy acceptance rate was 9.4%.
Historical Naval Academy acceptance rates are as follows:
| Applicants | Admits | Acceptance Rate | |
| Class of 2026 | 12,927 | 1,390 | 10.7% |
| Class of 2025 | 16,265 | 1,374 | 8.4% |
| Class of 2024 | 15,699 | 1,426 | 9% |
What GPA do you need to get into the Naval Academy?
Although the Naval Academy does report official GPA information, we recommend holding a GPA of 3.75 or higher for the best chance of success.
What class rank do you need to get accepted to the Naval Academy?
Looking at the most recent class rank data available, 54% finished in the top decile of their high school class, 80% were in the top quartile, and 96% placed in the top half.
What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for the Naval Academy?
The mid-50% SAT range for entering members of the Class of 2027 was 1220-1410鈥610-700 for SAT Verbal and 610-710 for SAT Math. The ACT ranges were 26-31 in Math and about 25-32 each in English and Reading.
United States Naval Academy Acceptance Rate – Admissions Trends & Notes
- There were only 4,496 female applicants compared to 10,231 men.
- Additionally, for the Class of 2027, 938 men were admitted compared to 441 women.
- 209 enrolled students graduated from Naval Academy Prep in Newport, RI.
- Legacy students in the Class of 2027 included 46 sons and 28 daughters of USNA alumni. Nine students had mothers and fathers who were both alums.
- The 2027 class was comprised of 49 prior-enlisted Sailors and 10 prior-enlisted Marines.
- 13% were first-generation students, and 7% came from a home where the primary language was not English.
Naval Academy Requirements
Those seeking admission to Stanford鈥檚 computer science program do not need to seek the formal endorsement of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, or Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. That would just be strange, right? Well, when applying to the Naval Academy all applicants must actually seek a formal 鈥渘omination鈥 from one of the following sources:
- A member of the U.S. Senate
- A member of the U.S. House of Representatives
- The President of the United States (for children of active duty, reserve, retired military parents only)
- The Vice President of the United States
- Your ROTC/JROTC Unit
- Your Navy/Marine commander (for active service members)
- Through being a child of a deceased/disabled veteran
While getting more than one Congressional nomination will not benefit you, it behooves applicants to apply to both of their Senators as well as their local House of Representatives member as doing so will increase the overall odds of obtaining a singular nomination. Each House member and Senator can only have five constituents attending the Naval Academy at any one time (which averages out to just over one per year).
How many Naval Academy students receive Congressional vs. service-connected nominations?
Of the 5,997 Class of 2027 applicants receiving nominations, the greatest percentage鈥76%鈥攚ere nominated by members of Congress. 9% received Presidential nominations, 8% received nominations from the Secretary of the Navy, and 5% were nominated through ROTC programs. Only 2% were nominated as Children of Deceased/Disabled Veterans.
When to apply for a Naval Academy nomination
While the Naval Academy doesn鈥檛 need your nomination paperwork until the 31st of January during your senior year, it is advisable to start the process of reaching out to your MOCs during 11th grade. The online Vice Presidential nomination application opens on March 1st and closes the following January 31st. All MOC nominating offices have their own deadlines. Some members of the HOR and the Senate have application deadlines in September of senior year while others have a later November deadline; most will allow you to submit your applications as early as the second semester of your junior year.
Who actually gets into the Naval Academy?
Let鈥檚 look at the demographics of the USNA Class of 2027, beginning with ethnicity:
- Caucasian/White: 54%
- Asian American: 11%
- Hispanic: 15%
- Black or African American: 8%
A look at the gender split reveals that the university enrolls far more men than women:
- Men: 67%
- Women: 33%
The 2023-24 freshman class participated in the following extracurricular activities during high school:
- Varsity Athletics: 90%
- Community Service: 72%
- Captain/Co-Captain of Sports Team: 68%
- NHS: 56%
- Student Body Leader: 51%
- Work Experience: 42%
- Musical Activities: 37%
- Tutor/Mentor/Coach: 34%
- ROTC/JROTC/Sea Cadets/Civil Air Patrol: 21%
- Boy/Girl Scouts: 14%
26% of the 1,175 members of the Class of 2027 had the following special backgrounds:
- Naval Academy Prep (Newport, RI): 18%
- Completed a semester of study at a college or university: 4%
- U.S. Naval Academy Foundation and Civilian Prep Programs: 4%
The United States Naval Academy鈥檚 Yield Rate
The Naval Academy鈥檚 yield rate鈥攖he percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted鈥攊s 85%. This figure even exceeds other high-yield institutions such as Harvard or MIT. In short, very few people go through the Naval Academy鈥檚 harrowing and lengthy admissions process and ultimately enroll somewhere else.
Tips for Applying to the Naval Academy
If you plan on joining the 13,000+ USNA hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:
- The USNA values nine factors above all others: rigor of your coursework, GPA, class rank, application essays, recommendations, the interview, extracurricular activities, character/personal qualities, and an applicant鈥檚 level of demonstrated interest.
- Interviews are mandatory and a critical component of any application. Interviews are conducted with a Blue and Gold Officer in your home state. Students should contact their BGO immediately upon receiving their official candidate letter.
- Additionally, candidates should come to their admission interview armed with knowledge of the Naval Academy as an institution and prepared to talk about why they want to be a naval officer. The BGO will be assessing your level of interest, leadership potential, physical fitness, and organizational ability, among other similar attributes. They will rate you on a scale of 鈥淭op 5%鈥 or 鈥淭op 25%鈥 through 鈥淏elow Average鈥 or 鈥淣ot Observed.鈥
- The Naval Academy does strongly consider 鈥demonstrated interest鈥 so you will be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc.
- Begin the as early as April of your junior year.
- The USNA gives you an opportunity to apply for the after your junior year of high school. While not a required part of the application process, it is recommended. The deadline for submitting an application to the Summer Seminar is March 31.
- Lastly, you will need to arrange for and pass a which can be administered by your gym teacher. This involves push-ups, a one-mile run, abdominal crunches, a 40-yard shuttle run, pull-ups, and a basketball throw from a kneeling position.
USNA Essays
Essays for the Naval Academy are only officially available to you once you have started the application process. In past years, the question has been:
In a well-organized essay of a total of 300 to 500 words, please discuss both of the following:
(1) Describe what led to your initial interest in the naval service and how the Naval Academy will help you achieve your long-range goals, and
(2) Describe a personal experience you have had which you feel has contributed to your own character development and integrity.
One of the best ways to prepare for this essay is to self-reflect on why you are making this career/life choice and what being a naval officer means to you. It is best to speak with current and past service members, mentors, teachers, and your family as you develop these answers. The goal is not to be highly creative with your responses, but rather to leave an unmistakable impression that you are a mature and committed young man or woman who understands the responsibility and sacrifice that lies ahead. The story you tell about character development and integrity should be 100% based in reality鈥攏o need for hyperbole or grandiosity.
For more advice on how to approach this essay, visit our blog entitled: USNA Essay Prompts and Tips.
United States Naval Academy Acceptance Rate – Final Thoughts
There are good reasons for the long line of applicants all jockeying for a position inside the Naval Academy. The USNA boasts an outstanding 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio and a collection of dedicated professors who are routinely voted among the most accessible of any institution in the country. There are 26 majors to choose from including nine with the word 鈥渆ngineering鈥 in the title. This works out well as the Naval Academy runs one of the premier undergraduate engineering programs in the United States.
Fitting for a college full of disciplined midshipmen, you won鈥檛 find a school with a more uniform outcome for graduates鈥攆ortunately, the results for degree-earners are all equally positive. Naval Academy grads assume the title of ensign (Navy) or second lieutenant (Marine Corps) upon exiting the Naval Academy and earn an average starting salary of over $75,000; the job placement rate is an unmatched 100%. Not bad for a school that doesn鈥檛 charge a dime for tuition or room and board.
Of course, it goes without saying that since the US Naval Academy acceptance rate is only 11%, applicants need to also have a proper mix of 鈥渢arget鈥 and 鈥渟afety鈥 schools on their college list. Find more on creating a balanced college list here.
Starting the college application process? You might consider checking out the following blogs:
