The average IELTS scores required at top US universities range from 6.5 to 7.5. Top US universities like Harvard and Stanford typically expect higher band scores (around 7.0–7.5), while others accept a minimum of 6.5. Achieving higher IELTS scores will surely increase your admission chances.
Many students get confused because of the IELTS vs TOEFL debate. Some people say that TOEFL is better for American universities, but that is not really true. Almost all major and mid-level US universities accept IELTS scores, too. Every university has a different IELTS band score average.
In this article, we will show you a complete list of IELTS-accepting universities in USA, along with the average IELTS scores they require. The list given below provides IELTS scores for USA universities.
Note: Tier 1 colleges are not included in this list, but for your reference, the average IELTS scores at the top universities in the US are either 7 or 7.5
- Average IELTS Score for USA Universities
- Study Visa for the US
- IELTS Requirement for USA Universities
- Is TOEFL Better than IELTS for the USA?
Average IELTS Score for USA Universities
The average IELTS scores for top US universities are between 6.5 and 7.5.
- Top universities like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT usually ask for 7.0 to 7.5
- Other good universities accept IELTS scores starting from 6.0 or 6.5
- A higher IELTS band score can improve your chances of admission
Study Visa for the US
There are three types of US Student Visa:
- F Visa: It is for students who wish to attend a university/ college, high school, private elementary school, seminary, conservatory, and another academic institution, including a language training program
- M Visa: It is for students who wish to attend a vocational or other recognized non-academic institution, other than a language training program
- J Visa: It is for students, visiting scholars, or lecturers pursuing an exchange program
IELTS Requirement for USA Universities
Below is a list of universities in the USA that accept IELTS. The average IELTS score and special requirements (if any) are listed.
University |
Average Scores Accepted |
Special Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| 6 |
||
| 5.5 |
College of Business: 6 |
|
| Art Institute of Philadelphia |
6.5 |
|
| Assumption College |
6 |
Master of Business Administration: 6 |
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| Bellarmine University |
6 |
W. Fielding Rubel School of Business: 6 Post-Baccalaureate: 6 |
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6 |
||
| California Institute of Integral Studies |
6 |
|
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 5.5 |
||
| 5.5 |
||
| 5 |
||
| Carroll University |
6 |
|
| Catholic Distance University |
6.5 |
|
| Chadron State College |
6.5 |
|
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 7 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| College of Staten Island, City University of New York (CUNY) |
6.5 |
Business Management: 7 |
| 6.5 |
||
| 5.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| Crown College |
5 |
|
| 6 |
||
| 7 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 7 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 5.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| Edgewood College |
6 |
|
| Elon University |
6.5 |
|
| 6 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6 |
||
| Florida Gulf Coast University |
6.5 |
|
| 6 |
||
| Faulkner University |
5 |
|
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| Florida Southern College |
6.5 |
|
| Friends University |
5.5 |
|
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 7 |
||
| 6 |
||
| Goldey-Beacom College |
6.5 |
|
| Henderson State University |
6 |
School of Business: 6 |
| High Point University |
6.5 |
|
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
Kelley School of Business: 7 |
|
| Ithaca College |
6 |
|
| 6.5 |
||
| Kansas Wesleyan University |
6.5 |
|
| Kaplan University |
6 |
|
| Keiser University, Daytona Beach |
6 |
|
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
College of Business Administration: 6 |
|
| Lesley University |
6.5 |
|
| 6 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| MacMurray College |
6.5 |
|
| Manhattanville College |
6.5 |
|
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| Marylhurst University |
6.5 |
|
| 6 |
||
| 6 |
Biotechnology: 6 |
|
| McDaniel College |
6 |
|
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| Miami International University of Art and Design |
6.5 |
|
| 6 |
||
| Millersville University of Pennsylvania |
6.5 |
|
| Minot State University |
6 |
College of Business: 6 |
| 6 |
||
| Mississippi University for Women |
6 |
Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology: 7 |
| 6 |
||
| Monmouth University |
6 |
|
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| National American University, Albuquerque |
6.5 |
|
| National American University, Allen |
6.5 |
|
| 5.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| New York Institute of Technology, Central Islip |
6 |
Computer Science PhD: 6.5 |
| 6 |
School of Management Master of Business Administration: 6 |
|
| 6 |
||
| Northwest Baptist Seminary |
7.5 |
|
| 6 |
||
| Notre Dame College |
6 |
|
| 6 |
||
| 6 |
H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship: 6 |
|
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| Oregon Institute of Technology |
6 |
|
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts |
6.5 |
|
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
School of Engineering, Mathematics and Science: 6.5 School of Business: 6.5 School of Nursing, Education and Human Studies: 7 School of Informatics, Humanities and Social Sciences: 7 |
|
| Rockford College |
6 |
|
| 7.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| Rowan University, Camden |
6 |
|
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| Saint Michael's College |
6.5 |
|
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| Southeastern Oklahoma State University |
6.5 |
|
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| Silicon Valley University |
7 |
|
| SIT Graduate Institute |
7 |
|
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University |
6.5 |
|
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| State University of New York (SUNY) Maritime College |
6.5 |
|
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
Mays Business School: 6 |
|
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 7 |
|
|
| 7 |
||
| University of Advancing Technology |
6.5 |
|
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 5.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
Hough Graduate School of Business, Warrington College of Business Administration: 6 |
|
| 5.5 |
Graduate assistantship: 7 |
|
| 7 |
||
| University of Portland |
6.5 |
|
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 7 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 7.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| University of Northern Virginia |
6.5 |
|
| 6 |
School of Business: 6 |
|
| 6 |
||
| 6 |
||
| University of Tennessee, Chattanooga |
6.5 |
|
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| University of Texas of the Permian Basin |
6 |
|
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| University of Wisconsin, La Crosse |
6.5 |
|
| University of Wisconsin, Parkside |
6.5 |
|
| 6.5 |
||
| 7 |
Master of Business Administration: 6 |
|
| Utah State University |
6 |
|
| 6 |
||
| Virginia International University |
7 |
|
| 6.5 |
College of Natural Resources: Geospatial and Environmental Analysis Doctoral Program: 6 Department of Economics (Ph.D. program): 6 |
|
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 6.5 |
Gordon Ford College of Business, Master of Business Administration: 6 |
|
| 5 |
||
| 6.5 |
Master of Arts in Community Leadership: 7 |
|
| 7 |
||
| 6.5 |
||
| 6 |
||
| 7.5 |
||
| 6.5 |
Master of Business Administration: 6 |
Is TOEFL Better than IELTS for the USA?
Many students ask this, but here's the truth:
Predict your IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE in just 4 steps!
- Both IELTS and TOEFL are accepted in the US
- Some schools prefer TOEFL, but many are test-flexible
- IELTS Academic is accepted for most undergraduate and postgraduate courses
- Always check the official website of the university to confirm
The minimum IELTS score for USA depends on the university requirements. Tier 1 colleges and universities usually require a score of 7 and above.
The average GMAT cutoff for MBA in USA ranges anywhere between 545 to 755. The applicants can aim for B-schools in USA accordingly.
Pick your stage and get free guidance from counsellors who've helped thousands get into top universities.
Starting research
Shortlisting colleges
Exam preparation
SOP/LOR writing
Scholarship & finance
Visa application
Comments
(32)
P
3 years ago
A
3 years ago
For counseling services, please contact our experts here: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/apply
M
3 years ago
A
3 years ago
Hi. There are many universities in the US that offer MPH. Please refer to the links: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/usa/universities/national-university/master-of-public-health https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/usa/universities/university-of-california-berkeley-campus/master-of-public-health-mph h
A
3 years ago
P
3 years ago
Hi Abdul, please go through the below URL and check out the entry requirements of the list of universities offering MBA in USA: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/usa/mba-colleges-dc
Yes. IELTS is accepted in USA. However, TOEFL has more popularity in the US, when compare to IELTS.