United States Naval Academy

Yes, very. The Naval Academy admitted about 8.8% of applicants in its most recent cycle, extending roughly 1,416 offers of appointment from 16,077 applications and inducting around 1,197 new midshipmen. Beyond the academic bar, admission is unlike a civilian college: every candidate must also secure a nomination and pass a medical exam and the Candidate Fitness Assessment.

Yes. In addition to being admitted, every candidate must secure a nomination, most often from a U.S. Representative, Senator, or the Vice President. This nomination requirement, paired with a required medical exam and the Candidate Fitness Assessment, is what makes the Academy's roughly 8.8% admission process different from a standard college application.

The Naval Academy admitted about 8.8% of applicants in its most recent cycle — roughly 1,416 offers of appointment from 16,077 applications, with about 1,197 candidates inducted as new midshipmen. Because every applicant must also obtain a nomination and meet medical and physical fitness standards, the effective path is even more selective than the headline rate.

The Naval Academy requires the SAT or ACT — it is not test-optional. Among recently enrolled midshipmen, the middle 50% scored between 1210 and 1410 on the SAT and 25 to 31 on the ACT, so scores in or above that range are competitive.

A 1400 is competitive — it sits in the upper half of enrolled midshipmen, just below the 75th-percentile mark of 1410. The middle 50% of recently enrolled midshipmen scored 1210–1410 on the SAT (25–31 ACT). Keep in mind that scores are only one part of the file: a nomination, a medical exam, and the Candidate Fitness Assessment are all required too.

Nothing. As a federal service academy, the Naval Academy charges no tuition or fees — the U.S. Navy fully funds tuition, room, board, and medical care, and midshipmen receive a monthly stipend. In exchange, graduates serve at least five years as commissioned officers in the Navy or Marine Corps.

Engineering is by far the largest field at roughly 42% of degrees, reflecting the Academy's STEM-heavy core. Midshipmen choose from 26 majors, and every graduate earns a Bachelor of Science along with a commission as a Navy ensign or Marine Corps second lieutenant. The social sciences (about 20%) and the sciences (about 17%) are the next-largest areas.

The Naval Academy retains about 97% of first-year midshipmen and graduates roughly 93% within six years. With an 8:1 student-faculty ratio and all 4,474 midshipmen living on campus in Bancroft Hall, the brigade follows a structured, residential program from the first day through commissioning.