Temple University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · Private nonprofit · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
Temple University is a private institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For the most recent reporting cycle, Temple University admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 79%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1257 and an ACT composite around 27. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $34,978 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Temple University is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for Temple University?
Temple University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does Temple University weight in admissions?
Temple University reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Standardized test scores
- • Class rank
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Interview
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores Temple University typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 570–670, with an EBRW midpoint near 620. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 26–31. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 1190 |
| 50th percentile | 1250 |
| 75th percentile | 1330 |
| % submitting SAT | 20% |
| 25th percentile | 26 |
| 50th percentile | 29 |
| 75th percentile | 32 |
| % submitting ACT | 4% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 25% |
| Top 25% of class | 52% |
| Top 50% of class | 84% |
| % submitting class rank | 42% |
How much does Temple University actually cost?
Published tuition is $47,146 for in-state students and $47,146 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $15,620 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $34,978 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 18% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $51,068 |
| Room and board | $17,070 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $34,978 |
| Application fee | — |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Temple University
| Regular deadline | 8/24 |
| Notification date | 9/1 (rolling) |
| Reply deadline | 5/1 |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | 11/15 |
Will my child graduate from Temple University?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Other colleges in Pennsylvania parents ask about
- University of Pennsylvania6% acceptance
- Carnegie Mellon University54% acceptance
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus50% acceptance
- Lehigh University78% acceptance
- Drexel University11% acceptance
- University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus32% acceptance
- Villanova University83% acceptance
- Swarthmore College13% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Temple University
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Temple University recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about Temple University
What GPA do I need for Temple University?
Temple University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does Temple University typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 570–670, with an EBRW midpoint near 620. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 26–31.
How much does Temple University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Temple University after grants and scholarships is $34,978 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is Temple University realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, Temple University is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Temple University, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.