University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is the public flagship in Norman, just south of Oklahoma City, with a collegiate-gothic campus, a fierce football culture, and about 23,400 undergraduates. Admission is accessible by flagship standards: roughly 77% of applicants are admitted, and enrolled first-years carry an average high school GPA near 3.63 with middle-50% SAT scores of 1160–1320. Business and marketing is the largest field at about 29% of bachelor's degrees, and OU pairs low in-state tuition with generous automatic merit scholarships that make it a draw for out-of-state and National Merit students.
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Oklahoma admissions statistics
Acceptance Rate
Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.
Admit rate by residency
% admittedEarly Action
Oklahoma offers non-binding Early Action — an earlier decision with no commitment to enroll.
Standardized Tests
Oklahoma is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Class Rank
Where Oklahoma's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 56.2% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Oklahoma does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions Factors
How Oklahoma weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of Attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Oklahoma's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.
Out-of-state students pay $18,120 more — entirely in tuition. Room, board, and other costs are identical regardless of residency.
Financial Aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Major Distribution
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student Diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus Life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by Gender
Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.
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Frequently asked questions about Oklahoma admissions
What is the University of Oklahoma's acceptance rate?＋
OU admitted about 76.6% of applicants for Fall 2024, offering admission to roughly 19,100 of 24,900 applicants and enrolling about 5,600 first-years. It is accessible for a public flagship, though competitive majors and the Honors College hold a higher bar than the overall rate suggests.
Is it harder to get into OU from out of state?＋
No — out-of-state applicants are admitted at a slightly higher rate than Oklahoma residents. For Fall 2024, OU admitted about 80% of out-of-state applicants versus 76% of in-state applicants, with international admits near 36%. State residency is listed only as a 'considered' factor in OU's review, so where you live carries little weight at the point of admission.
What GPA do you need to get into the University of Oklahoma?＋
Enrolled first-years average a 3.63 high school GPA, and academic GPA and the rigor of your course load both rank as very important factors. There is no published cutoff, but roughly 57% of admitted students who reported a class rank sat in the top quarter of their graduating class, so solid grades in a demanding schedule matter.
Is a 1300 SAT good enough for OU?＋
Yes, a 1300 is competitive at OU. It lands near the 75th-percentile mark of 1320 for enrolled first-years, whose middle 50% scored 1160–1320 on the SAT and 23–29 on the ACT. A score in that band also helps you clear the thresholds for OU's automatic merit scholarships.
Is the University of Oklahoma test-optional?＋
Yes. OU is test-optional, and on the application you choose whether your scores are considered. Only about 23% of enrolled first-years submitted the SAT and 40% the ACT. If you do submit, test scores are weighed as a very important factor and can qualify you for merit aid, so strong scores are worth sending.
How much does the University of Oklahoma cost out of state?＋
Out-of-state tuition and required fees run about $28,301 a year, compared with $10,181 for Oklahoma residents. OU offsets the gap with large automatic merit scholarships for strong test scores and GPA, and about 27% of first-years receive need-based aid with an average package near $16,189.
What are the most popular majors at OU?＋
Business and marketing is the largest field at about 29% of bachelor's degrees, followed by engineering and computing near 13% and the health and life sciences around 10%. Communication and journalism, psychology, and the social sciences round out the most-awarded areas.
Does the application essay matter at the University of Oklahoma?＋
Yes. OU rates the application essay as an important factor in its holistic review, alongside class rank and recommendations and just below GPA, course rigor, and test scores. With many applicants clustered around the same grades and scores, a specific, well-revised essay is a real way to stand out.
Source: University of Oklahoma Common Data Set 2024-2025. Figures transcribed 2026-06-10. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Oklahoma. Banner photo by Nicholas Benson, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5).