Cal State University, San Bernardino: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

California State University, San Bernardino is a public university with an acceptance rate of 69%. Founded in 1965, California State University, San Bernardino is one of the younger universities in the Cal State system. The college offers over 70 bachelor's degree programs with business administration being the most popular among undergraduates. In athletics, the Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes compete in the NCAA Division II California Collegiate Athletic Association.

Considering applying to California State University, San Bernardino? 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, CSUSB had an acceptance rate of 69%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 69 students were admitted, making Cal State University San Bernardino's admissions process somewhat competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

Cal State University San Bernardino requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 98% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Cal State San Bernardino's admitted students fall within the bottom 29% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to CSUSB scored between 460 and 550, while 25% scored below 460 and 25% scored above 550. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 450 and 540, while 25% scored below 450 and 25% scored above 540. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1090 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Cal State San Bernardino.

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Requirements

Cal State San Bernardino does not require the optional SAT essay section. Note that CSUSB will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. SAT Subject test scores are not required, but if the score meets a benchmark, it may be used to fulfill certain core course requirements.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Cal State San Bernardino requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 36% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Cal State San Bernardino's admitted students fall within the bottom 20% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to CSUSB received a composite ACT score between 15 and 19, while 25% scored above 19 and 25% scored below 15.

Requirements

Cal State San Bernardino does not require the optional ACT writing section. Note that Cal State San Bernardino does not superscore ACT results; your highest composite ACT score will be considered.

GPA

In 2019, the average high school GPA for incoming Cal State San Bernardino freshman was 3.39, and over 38% of incoming students had average GPAs of 3.5 and above. These results suggest that most successful applicants to CSUSB have primarily B grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to California State University, San Bernardino. 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

Cal State San Bernardino, which accepts over two-thirds of applicants, has a somewhat selective admissions process. Unlike the University of California System, the California State University admission process is not holistic. Except for EOP (Educational Opportunity Program) students, applicants do not need to submit letters of recommendation or an application essay, and extracurricular involvement is not part of the standard application. Instead, admissions are based primarily on an eligibility index that combines GPA and test scores. Minimum high school course requirements (A-G college preparatory requirements) include four years of English; three years of math; two years of history and social science; two years of laboratory science; two years of a foreign language other than English; one year of visual or performing arts; and one year of a college preparatory elective. The reasons why an applicant with adequate scores and grades would be rejected tends to come down to factors such as insufficient college preparatory classes, high school classes that weren't challenging, or an incomplete application.

Be aware that California State University, San Bernardino is designated as impacted because it receives more applications than can be accommodated. Due to impaction, the university holds all applicants to a higher standard. In addition, particularly competitive majors such as Nursing, Kinesiology-Allied Health, Social Work, Psychology, and Criminal Justice. have additional requirements for eligibility.

In the graph above, the green and blue dots represent accepted students. As you can see, most students who were admitted to CSUSB had average grades in the "B-" range or higher, SAT scores (ERW+M) of 850 or higher, and ACT scores of 16 or higher. However, note that there are some red and yellow data points (rejected and waitlisted students) scattered throughout the graph. Some students with grades and test scores that seemed to be on target for CSUSB were not admitted.

If You Like CSUSB, You May Also Like These Schools

• University of Southern California
• University of Washington - Seattle
• Pepperdine University
• Stanford University
• University of San Francisco

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and California State University, San Bernardino Undergraduate Admissions Office.