University of Massachusetts Boston: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Campus of UMass Boston
Campus of UMass Boston.

MA MarineFisheries / Flickr / Public Domain 

The University of Massachusetts Boston is a public research university with an acceptance rate of 76%. One of the schools in the five-campus University of Massachusetts system, UMass Boston has a 177-acre waterfront campus overlooking the bay with easy access downtown Boston. UMB has a student/faculty ratio of 16-to-1 and offers over 100 undergraduate majors and minors. Popular majors include business, psychology, nursing, criminal justice, and English. The UMass Boston Beacons compete in NCAA Division III in the Eastern College Athletic Conference and Little East Conference.

Considering applying to University of Massachusetts Boston? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, UMass Boston had an acceptance rate of 76%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 76 students were admitted, making UMB's admissions process somewhat competitive.

Admissions Statistics (2018-19)
Number of Applicants 13,649
Percent Accepted 76%
Percent Accepted Who Enrolled (Yield) 20%

SAT Scores and Requirements

UMass Boston has a test-optional standardized testing policy for most applicants. Applicants to UMB may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required. Note that applicants to the Nursing program are required to submit SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 84% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

SAT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
ERW 500 610
Math 510 610
ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

This admissions data tells us that of those who submitted scores, most of UMB's admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to University of Massachusetts Boston scored between 500 and 610, while 25% scored below 500 and 25% scored above 610. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 510 and 610, while 25% scored below 510 and 25% scored above 610. While the SAT is not required, this data tells us that a composite SAT score of 1220 or higher is competitive for UMass Boston.

Requirements

UMass Boston does not require SAT scores for admission for most applicants. For students who choose to submit scores, note that UMass Boston participates in the scorechoice program, meaning that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. UMB does not require the optional essay portion of the SAT.

ACT Scores and Requirements

University of Massachusetts Boston has a test-optional standardized testing policy for most applicants. Applicants to UMass Boston may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required. Note that applicants to the Nursing program are required to submit SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 7% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

ACT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
English 20 30
Math 19 26
Composite 20 27

This admissions data tells us that most of UMass Boston's admitted students fall within the top 48% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to UMB received a composite ACT score between 20 and 27, while 25% scored above 27 and 25% scored below 20.

Requirements

University of Massachusetts Boston does not require ACT scores for admission for most applicants. For students who choose to submit scores, note that UMB does not require the optional ACT writing section. Unlike many universities, UMass Boston superscores ACT results; your highest subscores from multiple ACT sittings will be considered.

GPA

In 2019, the average high school GPA of UMass Boston's incoming freshmen class was 3.38, and over over 59% of the class had GPAs of 3.25 and above. These results suggest that most successful applicants to UMB have primarily B grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

University of Massachusetts Boston Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph.
University of Massachusetts Boston Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex.

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to University of Massachusetts Boston. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

The University of Massachusetts Boston, which accepts over three-quarters of applicants, has a somewhat selective admissions process. However, UMass Boston also has a holistic admissions process and is test-optional, and admissions decisions are based on more than numbers. A strong application essay and a glowing letter of recommendation can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful extracurricular activities and a rigorous course schedule. Students with particularly compelling stories or achievements can still receive serious consideration even if their grades and scores are outside UMass Boston's average range.

In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent students who were accepted to UMass Boston. Most had SAT scores (ERW+M) of 950 or higher, an ACT composite of 18 or higher, and a high school average of a "B-" or better.

If You Like UMass Boston, You May Also Like These Schools

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and University of Massachusetts Boston Undergraduate Admissions Office.

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Grove, Allen. "University of Massachusetts Boston: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/umass-boston-admissions-788070. Grove, Allen. (2023, April 5). University of Massachusetts Boston: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/umass-boston-admissions-788070 Grove, Allen. "University of Massachusetts Boston: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/umass-boston-admissions-788070 (accessed March 29, 2024).