USAF Academy, CO · Public · 4,114 undergraduates · rural
United States Air Force Academy
Highly selective
The Air Force Academy combines a technical bachelor’s education with military training, physical development, and early exposure to aviation and airmanship.
Institutional profile
Top tier Exceptional in affordability, and exceptional in career outcomes.Tuition, room, and board are fully funded and cadets receive a salary; admission carries a service commitment.
- Admission
- 13.9% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 92.3%
9,543 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
The strongest comparable outcome available
What sets U.S. Air Force Academy apart
Academic design
Cadets complete a broad core emphasizing science, engineering, leadership, military studies, humanities, and social sciences before adding their chosen academic major.
Admission process
Candidates generally need a nomination, academic qualification, Candidate Fitness Assessment, medical clearance, evaluations, and completion of the Academy’s multi-step candidate process.
Defining experience
Airmanship programs can expose cadets to soaring, powered flight, and parachuting while connecting classroom preparation with Air Force operational culture.
Can I get in?
13.9% admitted
Candidates generally need a nomination, academic qualification, Candidate Fitness Assessment, medical clearance, evaluations, and completion of the Academy’s multi-step candidate process.
Recent applicant pool
9,543About 14 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 65% submitted an SAT, and 41% submitted an ACT. Submission rates alone do not settle the choice. Submit a score if it strengthens the application.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for U.S. Air Force Academy, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What U.S. Air Force Academy weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Clear the academic baseline
Cadets complete a broad core emphasizing science, engineering, leadership, military studies, humanities, and social sciences before adding their chosen academic major.
Complete the specialized assessment
Candidates generally need a nomination, academic qualification, Candidate Fitness Assessment, medical clearance, evaluations, and completion of the Academy’s multi-step candidate process.
Plan the process early
Pursue every nomination source for which you qualify and begin early; nomination procedures and deadlines are separate from the Academy application.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Pursue every nomination source for which you qualify and begin early; nomination procedures and deadlines are separate from the Academy application.
Check eligibility for a fee waiver
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
No tuition or room-and-board charge; cadets receive monthly pay and incur a service commitment.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at U.S. Air Force Academy
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. For specialized training, compare those signals with the professional path you intend to follow.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Admits separately
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering
Admits separately
Computer Science
Admits separately
International/Globalization Studies
Systems Engineering
Admits separately
What is campus life like?
U.S. Air Force Academy beyond the classroom
Basic Cadet Training precedes the academic year, after which students live within the Cadet Wing under military, academic, athletic, and conduct requirements.
The academic structure
Cadets complete a broad core emphasizing science, engineering, leadership, military studies, humanities, and social sciences before adding their chosen academic major.
The campus rhythm
Basic Cadet Training precedes the academic year, after which students live within the Cadet Wing under military, academic, athletic, and conduct requirements.
What changes the experience
Airmanship programs can expose cadets to soaring, powered flight, and parachuting while connecting classroom preparation with Air Force operational culture.