Good SAT Scores As Per 100 Schools
College admissions decisions often consider standardized testing as a crucial factor. The significance of these tests varies depending on the student and the college. Knowing how you compare to other applicants can aid you in better preparing for the admission process. Explore the SAT Course Book a Free Trial Session The SAT score range is from 400 to 1600 for the total score, with two sections: Math and Reading & Writing, each scored from 200 to 800. A higher score means you performed better compared to other test takers. But what's considered a "good" score? To figure out what's good, you should understand how SAT scoring works. Your total score and section scores correspond to a percentile ranking. The percentile tells you the percentage of students you scored the same as or better than. For instance, a 60th percentile score means you did better than 60% of all test takers! The SAT test has an average score, also known as the mean, of 1050. The test is designed so that this average hovers around 1000 on the 1600-point scale, with about 500 points for each section. The typical score for the Math section is 521, and for the Reading and Writing section, it's 529. SAT scores are distributed in a way that forms a normal curve. This means most students score close to the middle of the scale, around 1000, which is halfway between the lowest possible score of 400 and the highest possible score of 1600. Fewer students score at the extreme ends of the scale, either very high or very low. Ideal Scores and Percentiles for the SAT Exam The chart below displays SAT scores and their percentiles, using the latest information from the College Board. SAT Scores SAT Percentiles 1600-1520 99+ 1510-1290 99-90 1280-1190 89-80 1180-1120 78-70 1110-1060 69-60 1050-1010 58-50 1000-960 48-40 950-910 38-31 900-840 29-20 830-780 18-11 770-630 10-1 620-400 1- Firstly, it's essential to understand that what qualifies as a good SAT score for colleges can differ. There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer because it depends on the university you're applying to. A score of 1400 might be considered high for certain schools, while for others, especially those in the top 20 rankings, it could be seen as relatively low. Typically, the most competitive and highly ranked colleges seek applicants with some of the highest SAT scores. Over 1,900 colleges planning for fall 2024 have decided not to make standardized tests mandatory, says the National Center for Fair and Open Testing. However, even though some schools don't need test scores, experts suggest that having a good score can still make a job application more impressive. Explore the table below to compare SAT scores at the top 25 universities in the United States. School Ranking (U.S. News) 25th Percentile SAT Score 75th Percentile SAT Score Average SAT Score Princeton 1 1510 1570 1540 MIT 2 1520 1570 1550 Harvard 3 (tie) 1490 1580 1550 Stanford 3 (tie) 1500 1570 1540 Yale 5 1470 1560 1540 Penn 6 1500 1570 1540 Caltech 7 (tie) 1510 1570 1540 Duke 7 (tie) 1450 1570 1510 Brown 9 (tie) 1500 1560 1530 Johns Hopkins 9 (tie) 1520 1560 1540 Northwestern 9 (tie) 1500 1560 1530 Columbia 12 (tie) 1500 1560 1540 Cornell 12 (tie) 1470 1550 1520 UChicago 12 (tie) 1480 1570 1530 UC Berkeley 15 (tie) 1490 1570 1530 UCLA 15 (tie) 1490 1570 1530 Rice 17 1500 1560 1530 Dartmouth 18 (tie) 1440 1560 1500 Vanderbilt 18 (tie) 1490 1570 1530 Notre Dame 20 1420 1550 1480 University of Michigan 21 1350 1530 1470 Georgetown 22 (tie) 1410 1540 1470 UNC-Chapel Hill 22 (tie) 1420 1540 1480 Carnegie Mellon 24 (tie) 1500 1560 1540 Emory 24 (tie) 1450 1530 1500 University of Virginia 24 (tie) 1360 1530 1450 WUSTL 24 (tie) 1500 1570 1530 What if you're not looking to apply to just the top 25 schools? To assist you, we've collected SAT score details for 76 more schools. School 25th Percentile SAT Score 75th Percentile SAT Score Average SAT Score American University 1290 1420 1360 Amherst College 1450 1550 1520 Baylor University 1170 1360 1270 Binghamton University 1340 1510 1430 Boston College 1430 1510 1480 Boston University 1370 1480 1430 Bowdoin College 1340 1520 1460 Brigham Young University 1280 1450 1360 California Polytechnic State University 1230 1430 1330 Chapman University 1220 1380 1300 Claremont McKenna College 1450 1540 1500 College of William and Mary 1375 1520 1460 Drexel University 1240 1420 1330 George Washington University 1340 1470 1410 Georgia Institute of Technology 1370 1530 1470 Harvey Mudd College 1480 1560 1530 Indiana University Bloomington 1180 1390 1280 Lehigh University 1350 1480 1410 Loyola Marymount University 1280 1430 1350 Miami University 1170 1350 1270 Michigan State University 1110 1320 1220 Middlebury College 1420 1520 1466 New York University 1450 1550 1500 Northeastern University 1450 1535 1500 Ohio State University 1260 1420 1340 Pace University 1140 1290 1210 Pennsylvania State University 1220 1380 1300 Pepperdine University 1290 1460 1390 Pitzer College 1390 1510 1450 Pomona College 1480 1540 1520 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1380 1500 1440 Rutgers University 1180 1410 1295 Scripps College 1410 1510 1460 Stony Brook University 1320 1480 1410 Syracuse University 1260 1480 1410 Temple University 1130 1360 1245 Texas A&M University 1160 1380 1270 Texas Christian University 1140 1360 1260 Trinity College 1320 1460 1380 Tufts University 1460 1540 1500 Tulane University 1400 1500 1450 UC Davis 1140 1400 1270 UC Irvine 1215 1450 1332 UC Riverside 1060 1290 1175 UC San Diego 1260 1480 1370 UC Santa Barbara 1230 1480 1355 UC Santa Cruz 1150 1370 1260 United States Military Academy 1230 1430 1350 United States Naval Academy 1220 1410 1330 University of Alabama 1090 1370 1210 University of Arizona 1140 1360 1240 University of Cincinnati 1170 1350 1260 University of Colorado Boulder 1170 1380 1280 University of Connecticut 1220 1440 1330 University of Florida 1320 1470 1400 University of Georgia 1220 1400 1310 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1350 1510 1440 University of Iowa 1140 1340 1240 University of Massachusetts Amherst 1280 1450 1370 University of Miami 1330 1450 1390 University of Minnesota 1300 1470 1378 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 1330 1500 1415 University of Pittsburgh 1280 1470 1370 University of Rochester 1410 1520 1460 University of Texas at Austin 1230 1500 1370 University of Texas at Dallas 1180 1410 1290 University of Vermont 1280 1420 1350 University of Washington 1320 1500 1420 University of Wisconsin Madison 1370 1500 1440 Vassar College 1440 1510 1480 Villanova University 1390 1480 1440 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 1220 1420 1330 Wake Forest University 1400 1500 1450 Wellesley College 1440 1540 1490 Williams College 1490 1550 1520 FAQs- Q.1) Do different schools have different expectations for SAT scores? Ans: Yes, schools have varying expectations for SAT scores. Top-tier universities may require higher scores, while other institutions may consider a broader range. It's essential to check the admission criteria for each school. Q.2) How can I find out the SAT score requirements for a specific school? Ans: Visit the official website of the school or contact their admissions office. Many schools publish their SAT score ranges for admitted students, which can provide valuable guidance. Q.3) Is it more important to focus on the overall SAT score or individual section scores? Ans: Both overall and section scores are important, but some schools may prioritize certain sections over others. Research the admission policies of the schools you're interested in to understand their preferences. Q.4) Are there schools that don't require SAT scores for admission? Ans: Yes, an increasing number of schools are adopting test-optional policies. Check with individual institutions to see if they have waived the SAT requirement and if submitting scores is optional. Q.5) Can a high SAT score compensate for a lower GPA, and vice versa? Ans: While a strong SAT score can positively impact your application, it's not the sole factor. Schools consider a holistic approach, taking into account GPA, extracurricular activities, essays, and recommendation letters.What constitutes a good SAT score?
What SAT Scores Do Colleges Consider Good?