To advance in SimTower, one must get a 'Tower' rating, after having progressed from a 1 star tower. The star rating criteria is outlined below.
| STAR | POP. | REQUIREMENTS | NEW IMPROVEMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | None | Lobby, blank floor, Stairs, Standard Elevator, Office, Fast Food, and Condo |
| 2 | 300 | None | Security Office, Service Elevator, Single Hotel Room, and Housekeeping Office |
| 3 | 1000 | More than one Security Office | Escalator, Express Elevator, Restaurant, Retail Shop, Party Hall, Movie Theater, Parking Space, Parking Ramp, Recycling Center, Medical Center, Double Hotel Room, Hotel Suite |
| 4 | 5000 | More than one Hotel Suite, VIP approval, Recycling, Medical and parking requirements met. | Lobby, blank floor, stairs, standard elevator, office, fast food, and condo |
| 5 | 10,000 | Metro Station | Cathedral |
| Tower | 15,000 | Cathedral | None |