The answer to “What is a good SAT score?” isn’t always straightforward. There is no single answer; it depends on what you mean and your own goals!
One way to define “good” is to see how your score compares to your peers and other students at the colleges you’re hoping to attend. Many schools will be looking for specific SAT (or ACT) scores from their applicants and having a “good” score will help improve your chances.
Another way to define “good” is to consider your own goals. Are you hoping to score higher than other students or hoping to come in somewhere near average? Or do you just want to know what your odds of acceptance are at a specific college with your current 1400 SAT score?
What Is a Good Sat Score?
Whatever a “good” SAT score means to you, there are some numbers that you can use as a benchmark to see if you’ve met your goals. Because, ultimately, what matters is that you’re happy with the score you’ve received.
First, it’s important to note how the SAT is scored. The exam consists of a Math section and a Reading/Writing section. Each is graded between 200 and 800. These are then combined to create the SAT Combined score. 1600 is the highest possible score, with 400 as the lowest score.
Students should also know that some schools no longer require the SAT (or ACT) as part of their admissions department. However, it’s still a good idea to sit for the exam even if the colleges on your list are test-optional schools. You never know if another college will catch your eye late into the admissions cycle and require it!
SAT Score Distribution
Want to just know how your SAT score compares to all other students? Then you’ll want to look at the distribution of SAT scores. Luckily, the College Board publishes these every year to help students understand how they scored.
Here’s a look at the last three years’ user group percentiles. The percentiles highlight the percentage of students who earned that score or below. So if you scored a 1430, you did just as well or better on the SAT than 95% of other students. Find your score to see how you stacked up.
Total Score |
User Group Percentiles |
| 1570 – 1600 | 99+ |
| 1530 – 1560 | 99 |
| 1500 – 1520 | 98 |
| 1480 – 1490 | 97 |
| 1450-1470 | 96 |
| 1430 – 1440 | 95 |
| 1410 – 1420 | 94 |
| 1390 – 1400 | 93 |
| 1380 | 92 |
| 1360 – 1370 | 91 |
| 1350 | 90 |
| 1330 – 1340 | 89 |
| 1320 | 88 |
| 1310 | 87 |
| 1300 | 86 |
| 1280 – 1290 | 85 |
| 1270 | 84 |
| 1260 | 83 |
| 1250 | 82 |
| 1240 | 81 |
| 1230 | 80 |
| 1220 | 79 |
| 1210 | 77 |
| 1200 | 76 |
| 1190 | 75 |
| 1180 | 74 |
| 1170 | 73 |
| 1160 | 71 |
| 1150 | 70 |
| 1140 | 69 |
| 1130 | 67 |
| 1120 | 66 |
| 1110 | 64 |
| 1100 | 63 |
| 1090 | 61 |
| 1080 | 60 |
| 1070 | 58 |
| 1060 | 57 |
| 1050 | 55 |
| 1040 | 54 |
| 1030 | 52 |
| 1020 | 51 |
| 1010 | 49 |
| 1000 | 47 |
| 990 | 46 |
| 980 | 44 |
| 970 | 43 |
| 960 | 41 |
| 950 | 40 |
| 940 | 38 |
| 930 | 37 |
| 920 | 35 |
| 910 | 33 |
| 900 | 32 |
| 890 | 30 |
| 880 | 29 |
| 870 | 27 |
| 860 | 26 |
| 850 | 24 |
| 840 | 22 |
| 830 | 21 |
| 820 | 19 |
| 810 | 18 |
| 800 | 16 |
| 790 | 15 |
| 780 | 13 |
| 770 | 12 |
| 760 | 11 |
| 750 | 9 |
| 740 | 8 |
| 730 | 7 |
| 720 | 6 |
| 710 | 5 |
| 700 | 4 |
| 680 – 690 | 3 |
| 660 – 670 | 2 |
| 590 – 650 | 1 |
| 400 – 580 | 1- |
As you can see from this table, the 50th percentile falls around 1010 to 1020 out of 1600 – the median score. Anything below a 1010 is a below-average score, while anything above 1020 is an above-average result.
On tests like the SAT, the median score is generally considered to represent an “average,” although it’s not the mean score.
Why Does a Good SAT Score Matter?
A good SAT score can impact your opportunities after high school. Most colleges and universities still require SAT (or ACT) scores for admissions.
College SAT Requirements
Many colleges and universities still require SAT (or ACT) scores for admissions, but most schools don’t publish a “required” SAT score. Instead, students can look at the scores of other students who have been admitted to see how selective the college is.
Generally, these figures are reported as a distribution of the 25th and 75th percentile of the SAT scores of admitted students. In other words, it gives you a way to determine, roughly, what an “average” score might look like for students at that college. It’s also important to note that many schools are no longer looking at an ACT or SAT requirement, so consider that as well.
College Raptor displays the 25th and 75th percentiles of SAT scores for admitted students on each school profile. For example, the Swarthmore College admissions page contains this graph:
As a student, you can see how your SAT score stacks up against other students at this college by seeing where you fall in this distribution. If you’re near the middle of this range (median SAT), you can expect about an average chance of being admitted. In this example, if a student has an SAT Combined score of 1,550, they’re in the 75th percentile of accepted Swarthmore College students from that admissions cycle.
You can see more information on SAT ranges by signing up for College Match or checking out your colleges’ Common Data Set documents.
However, your chances of admission will, of course, also be based on the rest of your application. Things like extracurricular activities, volunteer work, recommendation letters, GPA, the rigor of your class schedule, and more will play a role in whether or not you’re accepted. It’s not just about your SAT scores!
Merit-Based Scholarships
Your SAT score can be worth a lot – literally.
Beyond just looking better on your college applications, higher test scores can mean that you qualify for more scholarships. Many colleges offer specific merit awards based on academic achievement. So, improving your score could mean that you earn thousands of dollars in financial aid from some colleges.
You can find merit-based scholarships through your college and online scholarship databases.
How Can You Earn a Good SAT Score?
If you want to increase your chances of getting into your dream or target schools, it’s important to pay attention to these numbers and aim for them when it comes to your test date! Preparation and study are key.
Here are some tips to earn a good SAT score:
- Set goals. Determine your target score by researching the 25th and 75th percentiles of accepted students at your potential colleges. Make sure your goal is SMART.
- Take practice tests. Practice tests with time limits, breaks, and no cheating help you prepare for the real deal. Review your results and take note of your strengths and weaknesses.
- Create a game plan. If you perform weakly on the math section, you’ll want to study the questions and principles you answered incorrectly. Once you feel like you have a handle on it, take another practice test to see where you improved and what still needs work.
- Use resources. There are free SAT prep resources available online through College Board, Khan Academy, and apps.
- Prepare for test day. Don’t crunch the night before. Get a good night’s rest, eat a healthy breakfast, and don’t forget your admissions ticket for the exam.
- Take the test more than once. Sit for the exam at least once during your junior year, and continue taking it in the coming months to improve your score. The College Board states that “most students get a higher score the second time.”
A “good” SAT score is subjective. A good score for one student might be a great score for another. To determine what number you should aim for, consider the colleges you want to get into and your own personal goals. If you reach that score, you can always aim higher!
When creating a target score for the SAT, we recommend researching the 25th and 75th percentiles of accepted students at your colleges. College Raptor makes it easy to see what your schools are looking for – and how you stack up against previously accepted students. Sign up for College Match today to find out more.
