Auburn: the complete school report for parents
Auburn puts the most weight on GPA, test scores and the essay. A second tier of course rigor, extracurricular activities and personal qualities carries real weight too. It does not consider the interview and class rank, so there is no interview to prepare for. With a 46.9% admit rate and 64% of enrolled students at a 4.0 GPA or above, the transcript is the entry ticket and scores are optional but help when they are strong. Major matters more than the name on the diploma here: five years out, Chemical Engineering graduates earn a median $108,040 against $38,393 for Fine and Studio Arts.
Auburn is officially Auburn University. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-10-21.
Is Auburn a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Auburn against the figures above. No account needed.
What does Auburn actually weigh in admissions?
Auburn rates 3 of the 18 factors "Very Important": GPA, test scores, the essay. It does not consider 3 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Auburn's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How Auburn rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Very Important |
| the essay | Very Important |
| extracurricular activities | Important |
| recommendations | Considered |
| personal qualities | Important |
| talent | Important |
| class rank | Not Considered |
| demonstrated interest | Important |
| the interview | Not Considered |
| legacy | Important |
| first-generation status | Important |
| geography | Important |
| state residency | Important |
| volunteer work | Important |
| work experience | Important |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does Auburn consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Auburn consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Auburn consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. A score at or above the middle-50 range is close to expected here.
Does Auburn consider the application essay?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The essay is doing as much work as the transcript.
Does Auburn consider extracurricular activities?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Auburn consider recommendation letters?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Auburn consider character and personal qualities?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Auburn consider a special talent or ability?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Auburn consider class rank?
No. Auburn does not consider it. A school that does not rank its students is not a disadvantage.
Does Auburn consider demonstrated interest?
Yes. It is an important factor. Visits, emails and opened mail are tracked and counted, so engage early.
Does Auburn consider an interview?
No. Auburn does not consider it. There is no interview to prepare for.
Does Auburn consider legacy status?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Auburn consider being first-generation?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Auburn consider where we live?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Auburn consider state residency?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Auburn consider volunteer work?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Auburn consider work experience?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Auburn consider religious affiliation?
No. Auburn does not consider it.
What GPA do admitted students actually have?
64% of enrolled students had a 4.0 GPA or above. . This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.
| High school GPA | Share of enrolled students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 64.02% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 20.25% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 10.38% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 3.8% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 1.19% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 0.29% |
| 2.00–2.49 | 0.05% |
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
Auburn admitted 58.5% of 4,558 transfer applicants, against 46.9% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
Auburn reports its early rounds below.
| Regular application deadline | Not reported |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | Not reported |
| Reply / deposit deadline | Not reported |
| Early Decision offered | No |
| Early Action offered | Yes |
| Early Action deadline | Not reported |
| Application fee | Not reported |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | No |
What does my child need to take in high school?
Auburn requires 12 academic units and recommends 15.
| Subject | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 years | Not stated |
| Mathematics | 3 years | Not stated |
| Science | 2 years | 3 years |
| of which lab science | 1 year | Not stated |
| Foreign language | Not stated | 1 year |
What will Auburn actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $24,323 a year at Auburn after grants and scholarships. The published price is not what most families pay.
What families at each income level actually paid:
| Family income | Average net price per year |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $16,681 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $17,627 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $20,558 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $25,808 |
| Over $110,000 | $29,547 |
35% of Auburn graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $34,342 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $223 a month in repayment. Auburn’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from Auburn pay off?
Graduates earn a median $65,337 ten years after entering, and $54,629 at six years. 86% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 72% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:
| Family income | Four-year net cost | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $66,724 | 3.1 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $70,508 | 3.3 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $82,232 | 3.9 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $103,232 | 4.8 |
| Over $110,000 | $118,188 | 5.5 |
A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.
$108,040 to $38,393, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Auburn:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical Engineering | $108,040 | 93 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $104,342 | 145 |
| Architectural Engineering | $99,989 | 138 |
| Computer Engineering | $98,999 | 112 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $91,940 | 238 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $83,481 | 313 |
| Civil Engineering | $81,856 | 120 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $79,838 | 132 |
| Biology, General | $78,788 | 315 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $46,730 | 118 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $44,084 | 82 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $38,393 | 15 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
94% of first-years return for a second year. 82% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 69.0% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 84.0% of everyone else, a gap of 15.0 points.
How big are the classes?
33% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 6% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 21:1, and 87% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
What is life at Auburn like?
28,953 undergraduates. 59% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 17% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 30% of men join a fraternity and 53% of women a sorority. 17% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $59,005.
How is Auburn ranked?
Auburn is ranked #100 (tie) in National Universities by U.S. News & World Report (Best Colleges 2027). That is up from #102 a year earlier.
| Program list | Position |
|---|---|
| Best Undergraduate Engineering ProgramsAt schools whose highest degree is a doctorate | #52 (tie) |
| Business Programs | #58 (tie) |
| Accounting | #40 (tie) |
| Analytics | #34 |
| Supply Chain Management / Logistics | #17 (tie) |
| Computer Science | #88 (tie) |
| Nursing | #27 (tie) |
| Economics | #140 (tie) |
Source: U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027. Only lists that rank Auburn are shown; a program missing here may simply not be ranked by U.S. News, which says nothing about its quality.
What this means for your student
- 64% of enrolled students are at a 4.0 GPA or above. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
- Its highest-earning major returns $108,040 five years out against $38,393 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about Auburn
What GPA do you need for Auburn?
64% of enrolled students at Auburn had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What do Auburn graduates earn?
Auburn graduates earn a median $65,337 ten years after entering, and 86% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with Auburn
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: Auburn’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-10-21. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.