Knox College: the complete school report for parents

Knox College puts the most weight on course rigor and GPA. The academic record does most of the work. With a 77.2% admit rate and 54% of enrolled students at a 3.75 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, Computer Science graduates earn a median $112,708 against $31,169 for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies.

Knox College is officially Knox College. 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 2026-09-20.

Admit rate
77.2%
4,469 applicants
GPA of admits
3.75+
54% at or above
Testing
Test-optional
Transfer admit rate
62.9%
105 applied
Net price (average)
$24,595
after grants, per year
Earnings, 10 years
$54,820
median, after entry
Graduate in 6 years
73%
48% in four
Freshmen who return
81%

What does Knox College actually weigh in admissions?

Knox College rates 2 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA. It does not consider 1 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Knox College's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.

Knox College admission factors, 2025-2026 Common Data Set
FactorHow Knox College rates it
course rigorVery Important
GPAVery Important
test scoresConsidered
the essayImportant
extracurricular activitiesConsidered
recommendationsImportant
personal qualitiesConsidered
talentConsidered
class rankImportant
demonstrated interestConsidered
the interviewConsidered
legacyConsidered
first-generation statusConsidered
geographyConsidered
state residencyConsidered
volunteer workConsidered
work experienceConsidered
religious affiliationNot Considered

Does Knox College consider how hard my child’s courses were?

Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.

Does Knox College consider GPA?

Yes. It is one of the most important factors.

Does Knox College consider SAT or ACT scores?

Yes, but only as a secondary factor.

Does Knox College consider the application essay?

Yes. It is an important factor.

Does Knox College consider extracurricular activities?

Yes, but only as a secondary factor.

Does Knox College consider recommendation letters?

Yes. It is an important factor.

Does Knox College consider character and personal qualities?

Yes, but only as a secondary factor.

Does Knox College consider a special talent or ability?

Yes, but only as a secondary factor.

Does Knox College consider class rank?

Yes. It is an important factor.

Does Knox College consider demonstrated interest?

Yes, but only as a secondary factor.

Does Knox College consider an interview?

Yes, but only as a secondary factor.

Does Knox College consider legacy status?

Yes, but only as a secondary factor. It can act as a tiebreaker but will not carry a weak application.

Does Knox College consider being first-generation?

Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.

Does Knox College consider where we live?

Yes, but only as a secondary factor.

Does Knox College consider state residency?

Yes, but only as a secondary factor.

Does Knox College consider volunteer work?

Yes, but only as a secondary factor.

Does Knox College consider work experience?

Yes, but only as a secondary factor.

Does Knox College consider religious affiliation?

No. Knox College does not consider it.

What GPA do admitted students actually have?

54% of enrolled students had a 3.75 GPA or above. The average was 3.64 on a 4 scale, reported for 51% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.

Knox College high school GPA distribution of enrolled students
High school GPAShare of enrolled students
4.029.1%
3.75–3.9924.5%
3.50–3.7412.9%
3.25–3.4910.3%
3.00–3.249.3%
2.50–2.9911.6%
2.00–2.492.3%

Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?

Knox College admitted 62.9% of 105 transfer applicants, against 77.2% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.5.

When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?

Knox College reports its early rounds below.

Knox College application deadlines and rounds
Regular application deadlineNot reported
Decisions releasedJanuary 15
Reply / deposit deadlineMay 1
Early Decision offeredNo
Early Action offeredYes
Early Action deadlineNovember 1
Application fee$0
Fee waiver availableNot reported
Deferred admission offeredYes

What does my child need to take in high school?

Knox College requires 14 academic units and recommends 17. A college-preparatory program is recommended. A GED is accepted.

Knox College high school course requirements, in years
SubjectRequiredRecommended
EnglishNot stated4 years
MathematicsNot stated4 years
ScienceNot stated3 years
Foreign languageNot stated3 years

What will Knox College actually cost us?

Families pay an average of $24,595 a year at Knox College after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $61,998. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 93.3% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 30 merit awards averaging $49,400 to first-years with no demonstrated need.

65% of Knox College graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $30,438 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $286 a month in repayment. Knox College’s net price calculator gives your own figure.

Does a degree from Knox College pay off?

Graduates earn a median $54,820 ten years after entering, and $37,757 at six years. 72% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 76% are actively paying down their loans three years in.

$112,708 to $31,169, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Knox College:

Knox College median earnings five years after graduation, by major
MajorMedian earnings, 5 yearsGraduates a year
Computer Science$112,70819
Political Science and Government$72,36820
Economics$69,50418
International Relations and National Security Studies$61,9659
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$48,61316
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$44,96219
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies$31,16926

College Scorecard, by field of study.

Will my child actually graduate?

81% of first-years return for a second year. 48% graduate within four years and 73% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 71.0% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 73.0% of everyone else, a gap of 2.0 points.

How big are the classes?

76% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 0% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 11:1, and 72% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Higher Learning Commission.

What is life at Knox College like?

1,108 undergraduates, 49% of first-years from out of state. 95% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 98% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 6% of men join a fraternity and 3% of women a sorority. 28% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $71,884.

What this means for your student

  • Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten. Knox College recommends 17 academic units.
  • 54% of enrolled students are at a 3.75 GPA or above, averaging 3.64. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
  • Its highest-earning major returns $112,708 five years out against $31,169 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 Knox College

What GPA do you need for Knox College?

54% of enrolled students at Knox College had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.64, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.

What do Knox College graduates earn?

Knox College graduates earn a median $54,820 ten years after entering, and 72% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.

Other schools families compare with Knox College

Where these numbers come from

Admissions figures: Knox College’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.

How to read these numbers · Back to the Knox College profile