How to Get Into UMass Amherst: Acceptance Rate & Strategies

August 14, 2025

umass amherst acceptance rate

UMass Amherst is one the top public universities on the East Coast. Yet, in 2025, as acceptance rates at highly-ranked schools plummet nationwide, the University of Massachusetts still lets over half of applicants enter its Amherst campus. While the overall UMass acceptance rate is still far from intimidating, certain programs are extremely competitive. Highly rated nursing, business, computer science, and engineering programs have helped to raise UMass鈥檚 profile with students from around the world.

The intent of this article is to give those considering applying to the UMass Amherst an understanding of the following topics:

  • UMass Amherst acceptance rate (plus how to predict your chances with our free admissions calculator)
  • UMass Amherst in-state vs. out-of-state acceptance rate
  • UMass Amherst鈥檚 Early Action acceptance rate
  • UMass Amherst admissions data by college
  • SAT, GPA, and class rank of accepted UMass Amherst applicants
  • Admissions trends
  • System for rating applicants
  • A look at the demographics of current UMass Amherst undergraduates
  • The percent of accepted students that attend the UMass Amherst (yield rate)
  • Tips for applying to the University of Massachusetts
  • How to assess whether applying to the UMass Amherst is even worth the $85 application fee (for you)

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UMass Amherst Acceptance Rate

There were 50,261 applications for admission into the Class of 2028. Of these Minutemen-hopefuls, 30,020 were admitted. This gives UMass Amherst a 60% acceptance rate.

Historical UMass Amherst acceptance rates are as follows:

Applicants Admits Acceptance Rate
Class of 2027 50,424 29,129 58%
Class of 2026 45,451 28,871 64%
Class of 2025 42,540 27,877 66%
Class of 2024 40,315 26,335 65%

UMass Amherst In-State vs. Out-of-State Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate for in-state applicants is almost exactly the same as for out-of-state applicants. Both groups were accepted at rate of 60%.

UMass Amherst Early Action Acceptance Rate

Applying to UMass Amherst during the Early Action might give you the slighest edge. In a recent admissions cycle, 28,479 students apply EA; 17,440 of them were accepted for an acceptance rate of 61%.

What GPA do you need to get into UMass Amherst?

Among enrolled 2024-2025 first-year students, the average GPA was a whopping 4.04. 59% of enrolled students had a GPA of 4.0 or higher; 80% had a GPA above 3.75.

What class rank do you need to get accepted to UMass Amherst?

If the average GPA was any indication, you should aim to be at the top of your class in order to be competitive in the UMass Amherst admissions process. Ultimately, 67% of students placed in the top quarter, and 30% placed in the top decile.

What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for UMass Amherst?

Firstly, note that a very low percentage of enrolled students applied with test scores鈥攍ess than 25%. Based on that group, the mid-50% SAT range was 1310-1480 and the mid-50% ACT range was 30-33.

Admissions Data by College

As noted in the introduction, some programs at UMass Amherst have more stringent admissions standards than others. Here are some examples:

College of Humanities

  • Acceptance Rate: 76%
  • Mean GPA: 3.92

College of Information and Computer Sciences

  • Acceptance Rate: 40%
  • Mean GPA: 4.33

Isenberg School of Management

  • Acceptance Rate: 42%
  • Mean GPA: 4.12

College of Engineering

  • Acceptance Rate: 63%
  • Mean GPA: 4.14

College of Nursing

  • Acceptance Rate: 15%
  • Mean GPA: 4.45

Admissions Trends & Notes

  • Firstly, 69% of the enrolled Class of 2028 are Massachusetts residents.
  • Further, 23% of the cohort are out-of-state domestic students. Another 7.5% are international students.
  • 39% of the new class identified as ALANA students (African-American, Latino, Asian, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and Native American).
  • The number of applicants stayed flat this year after rising 10% the previous year.

How the UMass Amherst Rates Applicants

UMass Amherst considers just two factors as 鈥渧ery important鈥 to the admissions process: rigor of high school course load and GPA. Items that are 鈥渋mportant鈥 as part of the admissions process are: class rank, first-generation status, essays, recommendations, talent/ability, character/personal qualities, and extracurricular activities. 鈥淐onsidered鈥 factors include standardized test scores and first-gen status.

Straight from the UMass admissions office:

  • 鈥淭he University of Massachusetts Amherst uses a holistic review process to carefully consider applicants in an individualized context. This requires a deep, comprehensive understanding of the academic context from which you are applying.鈥
  • 鈥淪ince we receive applications from across the country and around the world, our Admissions Counselors work diligently to understand the nuance of each learning environment, which in turn informs the context in which your application is evaluated.鈥
  • 鈥淚n addition to academic achievements, we are interested in the behaviors and attitudes, such as a love of learning and intellectual curiosity, that make students great learners and full contributors to the vibrancy of a campus community.鈥

UMass Amherst Demographics

Let鈥檚 now take a look at the demographics of the UMass Amherst undergraduate student body.

The states that sent the highest number of students to the UMass Class of 2028 are:

  1. Massachusetts
  2. New York
  3. New Jersey
  4. Connecticut
  5. California

The fewest students come from the following states:

  • Wyoming
  • North Dakota
  • South Dakota
  • Nebraska
  • Mississippi

Historically, the greatest number of international students come from the following countries:

  1. China
  2. India
  3. Vietnam
  4. South Korea
  5. Pakistan

In terms of ethnic identity, the breakdown of the Class of 2028 was as follows:

  • White: 55%
  • Asian: 14%
  • Hispanic: 10%
  • African American: 5%
  • International: 8%

A look at the gender split reveals that the university enrolled more women than men into the Class of 2028:

  • Men: 47%
  • Women: 53%

UMass Amherst鈥檚 Yield Rate

UMass Amherst鈥檚 yield rate is 18%. In other words, 18% of those accepted went on to enroll. This figure is significantly lower than other powerhouse state universities like the University of Florida (46%), University of Michigan (47%), and UVA (42%).

Tips for Applying to the University of Massachusetts Amherst

If you plan on joining the 50,000+ UMass Amherst hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

  • UMass Amherst does not use interviews as part of its evaluation process.
  • UMass Amherst will continue to be test-optional during the 2025-26 admissions cycle.
  • However, the UMass Amherst does not consider 鈥demonstrated interest鈥 so you will not be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc.
  • Certain highly selective majors at UMass have .
  • Lastly, make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the two optional essays required by the University of Massachusetts. In the 2025-26 cycle, they were as follows:
  1. Please tell us why you want to attend UMass Amherst? (100 words)
  2. At UMass Amherst, no two students are alike. Our communities and groups often define us and shape our individual worlds. Community can refer to various aspects, including shared geography, religion, race/ethnicity, income, ideology, and more. Please choose one of your communities or groups and describe its significance. Explain how, as a product of this community or group, you would enrich our campus.
  3. Please tell us why you chose the Majors you did? (100 words)

Should I Apply to the University of Massachusetts Amherst?

Those with SAT/ACT scores within the mid-50% mark for the UMass Amherst who are also in the top quarter of their respective high school class are absolutely viable candidates for this excellent institution. Whether you hail from in-state or out-of-state, you’ll have to bring equally glowing credentials, particularly if you are applying to one of UMass Amherst’s more competitive schools.

UMass Amherst Acceptance Rate 鈥 Final Thoughts

Of course, it goes without saying that all teens applying to a school of UMass Amherst鈥檚 caliber also need to have a proper mix of 鈥渢arget鈥 and 鈥渟afety鈥 schools on their college list. More on creating a balanced college list can be found here.

Ready to start crafting your college applications? Consider checking out the following resources: