Chris Lele

SAT Scores: Everything You Need to Know

a hand drawing bar chart on a notepad on a desk with a calculator representing sat scores, sat score range -image by magoosh
After taking the SAT and waiting what feels like forever for your scores (even though it’s actually more like two to three weeks!), you’re probably wondering: what’s a good SAT score range, and how does yours stack up? Generally, a good score is 1200-1400+. However, this range comes with many caveats!

The ranges of “good scores” vary a lot depending on both your goals and your age. The more competitive your dream schools are, the higher your target score should be. On the other hand, you can expect your scores to increase as you go through high school. For that reason, if you’re a sophomore, 1300 is a good score, while a freshman should be very pleased with scores of 1200 or higher.

Want to find out exactly what a good score would be for you and your goals? Read on for more information about SAT scores—from average SAT scores to SAT score charts, we have all the data you need.

 

Table of Contents


 

What Is a Good SAT Score Range for Colleges?

Let’s face it: at the end of the day, there is no “SAT passing score.” What is considered a good score depends almost entirely on the colleges that you’re applied to.

Keeping in mind the general SAT score range to aim for, let’s take a closer look at good scores for your dream school. Just to make things a little easier on you, we’ve put together this table of score ranges for the top universities in the United States. The numbers are from the middle 50% score range (meaning 25% of admitted students had lower scores and 25% had higher scores).

Type the name of your chosen school in the search box to find its middle 50% SAT score range!

Universities and Colleges SAT (25th to 75th Percentile Scores)
Princeton University 1490-1580
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1520-1580
Harvard University 1490-1580
Stanford University 1500-1570
Yale University 1460-1560
University of Chicago 1510-1560
Johns Hopkins University 1520-1560
University of Pennsylvania 1500-1570
California Institute of Technology 1530-1580
Duke University 1480-1570
Northwestern University 1460-1560
Dartmouth College 1440-1560
Brown University 1460-1570
Vanderbilt University 1480-1570
Rice University 1490-1570
Washington University in St. Louis 1490-1570
Cornell University 1450-1560
Columbia University 1490-1580
University of Notre Dame 1410-1550
University of California – Berkeley 1290-1530
University of California – Los Angeles 1290-1520
Carnegie Mellon University 1480-1560
Emory University 1420-1540
Georgetown University 1410-1550
New York University 1450-1570
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor 1360-1530
University of Southern California 1410-1540
University of Virginia 1390-1530
University of Florida 1300-1470
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill 1320-1510
Wake Forest University 1350-1500
Tufts University 1440-1550
University of California – Santa Barbara 1230-1480
University of California – Irvine 1215-1450
University of California – San Diego 1260-1480
Boston College 1420-1530
University of Rochester 1370-1520
University of California – Davis 1140-1400
University of Texas – Austin 1230-1500
University of Wisconsin – Madison 1340-1510
Boston University 1360-1520
University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign 1330-1530
College of William and Mary 1360-1520
Brandeis University 1370-1530
Case Western Reserve University 1410-1530
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) 1360-1540
Northeastern University 1430-1550
Tulane University 1360-1510
Ohio State University – Columbus 1250-1440
University of Georgia 1270-1450
Lehigh University 1325-1490
Purdue University – West Lafeyette 1190-1430
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1360-1520
Villanova University 1350-1490
Florida State University 1180-1340
Pepperdine University 1260-1440
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey – New Brunswick 1240-1470
Santa Clara University 1290-1470
University of Maryland – College Park 1330-1510
University of Miami 1300-1460
University of Washington 1220-1470
George Washington University 1310-1490
Syracuse University 1220-1400
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities 1310-1490
University of Pittsburgh 1250-1470
Virginia Tech 1210-1410
Texas A&M University – College Station 1140-1380
University of Connecticut 1230-1430
University of Massachusetts- Amherst 1250-1460
Worcester Polytechnic Institute test-blind
Yeshiva University 1200-1450
American University 1280-1440
Fordham University 1300-1480
Indiana University – Bloomington 1160-1380
North Carolina State University – Raleigh 1270-1440
Southern Methodist University 1340-1510
Baylor University 1160-1350
Clemson University 1220-1420
Loyola Marymount University 1250-1420
Michigan State University 1100-1320
Pennsylvania State University 1200-1400
Stony Brook University -SUNY 1320-1460
Binghamton University–SUNY 1310-1470
Gonzaga University 1210-1380
Marquette University 1180-1360
Stevens Institute of Technology 1370-1510
University of California – Santa Cruz 1150-1370
University of Iowa 1130-1350
Brigham Young University–Provo 1220-1440
Colorado School of Mines 1310-1470
Elon University 1170-1340
Howard University 1080-1290
Texas Christian University 1130-1350
University at Buffalo – SUNY 1180-1360
University of California–Riverside 1060-1290
University of Delaware 1170-1350
Auburn University 1170-1350
Clark University 1218-1403
New Jersey Institute of Technology 1180-1430


Back to Top

 

SAT Score Scale: The Basics

Before you send your score report to admissions officers, make sure you understand the SAT scoring scale. What is the SAT out of? What’s the top SAT score? Knowing these things can help you figure out what a good score is for you and what your goals should be.

Improve your SAT score; start your Magoosh SAT prep today

Basically, SAT test scores are given both by section and overall. Here’s a quick breakdown of the sectional SAT score scale and how it contributes to the composite score. Note that this “new” SAT scoring applies to tests from 2016 onwards—scores were different on previous versions of the SAT, with a top SAT score of 2400!

  • You’ll receive two sectional scores, one Math and one Verbal (combined from the Reading and Writing sections).
    • Math score range: 200-800 points
    • Evidence-Based Reading & Writing score range: 200-800 points
    • The average SAT score on each section is 500 points, give or take 30 points (in 2020, the average EBRW score was 528 and the average math score was 529).
       
  • Your Math and Reading/Writing sectional scores add up to a composite (combined) score. The highest composite score you can earn on the SAT is 1600 points.
    • Composite score range: 400-1600 points
    • The average composite score is about 1000 points (the average overall composite score in 2020 was 1051).
       

Back to Top

 

What Are SAT Percentiles?

Another way of evaluating your scores is to look at percentiles. Your SAT percentile measures the percentage of test-takers who got a lower score than you did. This means that percentile numbers, much like score numbers, indicate better test performance when they’re higher.

Here’s how to find your score percentiles on your online score report.
 
sat score report - magoosh

Basically, SAT percentiles compare your scores to average scores. Because the SAT is a standardized test, it means that these scores are easily comparable. This information falls along a bell curve:

sat average scores bell curve - magoosh

If you’re in the 91st percentile, for example, it means that only 9% of all other scores are higher than yours. In contrast, in the 30th percentile, 30% of all other test takers would have lower scores than you… and roughly 70% of the scores were higher than yours. This would place you in the bottom half of the year’s test-takers, in terms of performance.

SAT percentiles are calculated annually. Click the arrows below to see the College Board’s most recently released SAT User percentiles (meaning only juniors and seniors).

SAT Percentiles (Composite)
Total (Composite) Score Percentile
1600 99+
1590 99+
1580 99+
1570 99+
1560 99+
1550 99+
1540 99+
1530 99+
1520 99+
1510 99
1500 99
1490 99
1480 99
1470 99
1460 99
1450 98
1440 98
1430 98
1420 98
1410 97
1400 97
1390 97
1380 96
1370 96
1360 95
1350 94
1340 94
1330 93
1320 93
1310 92
1300 91
1290 90
1280 89
1270 88
1260 87
1250 86
1240 85
1230 84
1220 83
1210 82
1200 81
1190 80
1180 78
1170 77
1160 76
1150 74
1140 73
1130 71
1120 70
1110 69
1100 67
1090 65
1080 63
1070 61
1060 60
1050 58
1040 56
1030 54
1020 52
1010 50
1000 48
990 46
980 44
970 42
960 40
950 38
940 36
930 35
920 33
910 31
900 29
890 27
880 26
870 24
860 23
850 21
840 20
830 18
820 17
810 16
800 14
790 13
780 11
770 10
760 9
750 8
740 7
730 6
720 5
710 4
700 4
690 3
680 2
670 2
660 1
650 1
640 1
630 1
620 1-
610 1-
600 1-
590 1-
580 1-
570 1-
560 1-
550 1-
540 1-
530 1-
520 1-
510 1-
500 1-
490 1-
480 1-
470 1-
460 1-
450 1-
440 1-
430 1-
420 1-
410 1-
400 1-

SAT Percentiles (Math)
Total Score (Section) Percentile (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing)
800 99+
790 99+
780 99
770 99
760 99
750 98
740 98
730 97
720 97
710 96
700 95
690 94
680 93
670 92
660 91
650 90
640 89
630 87
620 85
610 83
600 81
590 79
580 76
570 73
560 71
550 68
540 65
530 61
520 57
510 52
500 47
490 44
480 40
470 36
460 32
450 29
440 25
430 23
420 20
410 17
400 15
390 13
380 10
370 9
360 7
350 5
340 4
330 3
320 2
310 1
300 1
290 1
280 1-
270 1-
260 1-
250 1-
240 1-
230 1-
220 1-
210 1-
200 1-

SAT Percentiles (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing)
Total Score (Section) Percentile (Math)
800 99+
790 99+
780 99+
770 99+
760 99+
750 99
740 99
730 99
720 98
710 97
700 97
690 96
680 95
670 93
660 92
650 90
640 88
630 86
620 84
610 81
600 79
590 76
580 74
570 71
560 68
550 65
540 62
530 58
520 55
510 51
500 48
490 44
480 41
470 38
460 34
450 31
440 28
430 24
420 22
410 19
400 16
390 13
380 11
370 9
360 7
350 5
340 3
330 2
320 2
310 1
300 1
290 1-
280 1-
270 1-
260 1-
250 1-
240 1-
230 1-
220 1-
210 1-
200 1-

Back to Top

 

What Is a Good Score for Scholarships?

Many colleges around the country have what are called guaranteed scholarships. These scholarships are automatically awarded to accepted students who have earned a certain SAT score.

A larger number of colleges also have general merit scholarships. These scholarships have the same SAT requirements, but you are in competition with other accepted students for a limited number of awards. These scholarships may require a separate application, along with a personal or themed essay.

Scholarships based on academic merit often have minimum scores provided in their descriptions. Take note of any score requirements you find during your research, then average all those scores. The result is your minimum score goal for scholarships. To see the types of scholarships out there, check out our article What’s a Good SAT Score for Scholarships?
Back to Top

 

How Does the Adversity Index Impact My Score?

If you’ve been paying attention to SAT news lately, you may have heard about College Board’s new adversity index. This is a measurement that they will give to colleges to contextualize your scores in terms of relative advantage/disadvantage.

By creating this new measure, the College Board hopes to show how students from low-income and minority populations perform compared to other students from similar backgrounds. While this has been controversial, the adversity index will not affect scores themselves.

Instead, what it will give schools is an understanding of your percentiles based on both your “Environmental Context” and your “High School Context.” Again, this won’t change your score at all, but instead give universities one more measure with which to interpret your scores.
Back to Top

 

How Can I Improve My Scores?

Check out this video for tips to boost your score, and read on for resources to help you before and during test day! You can also use these tips if you’re planning on retaking the SAT.

Back to Top

A Final Note

“How do my SAT scores stack up?” It’s a question that almost every test taker has asked at some point! By taking a look at the score ranges for the colleges you’re applying to, comparing your scores to the national average scores with percentile rankings, and working your test prep to keep improving your score when necessary, you’ll have everything you need to understand how your score will impact your college admissions!

Still unsure whether you want to take the SAT or ACT? Wondering how your scores stack up to potential ACT scores? Check out Magoosh’s SAT to ACT conversion!

All Magoosh SAT prep plans are digital SAT ready! Start studying today.

Author

  • Chris Lele

    Chris Lele is the Principal Curriculum Manager (and vocabulary wizard) at Magoosh. Chris graduated from UCLA with a BA in Psychology and has 20 years of experience in the test prep industry. He’s been quoted as a subject expert in many publications, including US News, GMAC, and Business Because. In his time at Magoosh, Chris has taught countless students how to tackle the GRE, GMAT, SAT, ACT, MCAT (CARS), and LSAT exams with confidence. Some of his students have even gone on to get near-perfect scores. You can find Chris on YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook!

More from Magoosh