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SAT Score Range - Find, Convert & Compare New Scores

Last Updated on Jun 17, 2025

IMPORTANT LINKS

SAT score range is one of the most important tools for your academic journey in the United States. It is a  widely accepted exam score for admission to top schools or colleges in the US, for majorly Class 11 or 12 students. Understanding how the SAT score works and what is the next step in your academic journey is one of the most important questions you need to know. How can a bad SAT score affect your academic career? 

The upcoming SAT test date is on June 7 followed by 23 August, 13 September, 4 October, 8 November, and 6 December in 2025. The SAT exam is conducted 7 times a year in the United States and 5 times a year for other international students.

The higher your SAT test scores are, the better chances of acceptance in colleges. In this article, we will learn all the important aspects of the SAT exam and its scoring potential. We will also cover the accepted SAT score range in top academic organizations in the US. 

How is the SAT Test Score Range Calculated?

The overall SAT score range is from 400 to 1600, 1600 being the highest SAT score gained by students. The SAT test has two major sections which are Reading & Writing and Maths. Each section contains a score range of 200 to 800. There is no negative marking for wrong answers. 

The gained SAT scores also known as raw scores are converted to SAT scaled scores, which are later converted to percentiles. If you gained “X” percentile in your SATs then you performed better than “X%” of students who appeared in SAT. 

SAT Score Range

Performance Level

1500–1600

Excellent

1350–1490

Very Good

1200–1340

Good

1050–1190

Average

900–1040

Below Average

Students can check the below table for a more structured SAT pattern and respective scores.

SAT Sections

Exam Pattern

Number of Questions

SAT Scores



 

Maths

Geometry and Trigonometry

5 to 7



 

200 to 800

Algebra

13 to 15

Problem-solving and Data analysis

5 to 7

Advance Maths

13 to 15



 

Reading and Writing

Information and Ideas

12 to 14



 

200 to 800

Expression of Ideas

8 to 12

Craft and Structure

13 to 15

Standard SAT English

11 to 15

Overall SAT 

400 to 1600

What is a Good SAT Score?

A high SAT score does not mean an assured admission to top US colleges or schools. SAT score can increase your chances of acceptance in college application and varies from college to college.

  • A good SAT score for appearing students in the US is 1210 or above which puts a candidate in the top 25% of total candidates appearing in the SATs. 
  • The average SAT test score for the year 2022 was 1050 while in 2023, the average score shifted to 1028. The SAT test score varies from one college to another depending on their requirements. 
  • The Reading and Writing section score benchmark according to the College Board is 620 while the benchmark score for the Maths section is 500. The overall SAT score benchmark is 1120 as marked by The College Board. 

SAT Score Range for Ivy School League

There are 8 ivy league schools in the US which are Cornell University, Harvard University, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, Brown University, Columbia University and Dartmouth University. 

Here is an accepted SAT score range and SAT acceptance rate in Ivy League colleges in the US.

Ivy League Colleges

Accepted SAT Score Range

SAT Acceptance Rate

Cornell University

1470-1550

7%

Harvard University

1490-1580

3%

Princeton University

1470-1560

4%

University of Pennsylvania

1480-1570

7%

Yale University

1470-1560

5%

Brown University

1470-1550

6%

Columbia University

1500-1560

4%

Dartmouth University

1480-1560

6% 

SAT Score Range accepted in Top US Universities

Each university in the US has a specific SAT score cut off for accepting admission. Students who are looking for admission to top universities in the US through SAT must secure a minimum score of 1400-1470. SAT accepted score range may also vary from year to year based on question difficulty and student’s performance. 

Here is a list of some of the best universities in the US and their accepted SAT score range.

Top Universities in US

Accepted SAT Score Range

Duke University

1510-1560

Stanford University

1500-1570

MIT University

1520-1570

NYU University

1470-1560

John Hopkins University

1490-1550

University of Chicago

1510-1560

SAT Score Range for Liberal Arts Colleges in US

The best liberal arts universities in the US are also some of the most sought out universities in the US by students. These liberal arts schools acknowledge your SAT scores along with application, GPA, extracurriculars and personality for accepting admission.

Here is a list of some of the top liberal arts schools in the US and their accepted SAT score range.

Top Liberal Arts Colleges in US

Accepted SAT Score Range

Pomona College

1480-1540

Williams College

1490-1550

Wellesley College

1440-1540

Bowdoin College

1340-1520

Amherst College

1450-1550

Swarthmore College

1455-1540

What is a Bad SAT Score?

There is no such thing as a bad SAT score but scoring on your SATs below average score might majorly decrease your chances of acceptance in any good university in the US. An average SAT score is considered approximately around 1050 which is 53 percentile making your score better than 53% candidates that appeared in the SAT test.  

How Can You Improve Your SAT Score?

Here at Testbook, we provide practice test papers and resources to help you improve your SAT score. Students can adapt following preparation tips that can increase your SAT score and help improve your academic career.

SAT Practice Tests - Take practice tests on a daily basis to check your preparation. The practice tests must resemble the latest pattern of the SAT exam syllabus. Take practice tests at testbook.com/en-us and increase your chances of success.

Understanding of the Syllabus - Students must have a full understanding of the SAT exam syllabus. Complete the learning of the syllabus for better accuracy.

Time Management - Time management is a key factor in SAT preparation and scoring potential. Divide the number of questions by total timing per section to get time allotted for one question. 

For the Reading and Writing section, 71 seconds per question time is allotted while for the Maths section, 95 seconds per question time is allotted. The optional essay section is given an additional 50 minutes for the candidate.

Planning Your Target - Check the SAT score range accepted in your desired university in the US. Plan your SAT test preparation based on your needed SAT score range. You can also use the SAT score calculator to convert raw scores into scaled scores. 

Latest SAT Exam Updates

Last updated on Jun 19, 2025

-> The next SAT 2025 Exam is going to be held on June 7, 2025. The Regular Registration Deadline for the same has ended on May 22, 2025 and the late registration deadline ended May 27, 2025. 

-> According to the SAT Exam Schedule, the next fall semester SAT after the June exam is on August 23, 2025.

-> Top US Universities use SAT Scores to measure a student’s preparedness for college-level studies in a consistent and standardized way.

-> The candidates can attempt the SAT Practice Tests by Testbook that offers a suite of solutions for high schoolers who want to improve their SAT score above 1400.

SAT Score Range FAQs 

A good SAT score is considered to be in an approximate range of 1200-1210, based on SAT scores accepted in US colleges. The accepted SAT score varies for different colleges based on their admission requirements.

There is no range given or valid to be considered as a bad SAT score. SAT scores less than below average (1050 or less) may depict your chances of acceptance in universities. College acceptance does not only depend on SAT score and may vary for different colleges.

The average SAT score in 2022 was 1050 while in 2023, it was 1028. The average SAT score changes every year for colleges or universities admission. Students should score more than the average SAT score for better chances of acceptance in US colleges.

The SAT score ranges from 400 to 1600. The SAT has two sections including Reading & Writing and Maths. Each section has an SAT score range of 200 to 800. 

SAT raw scores is the actual score gained by a candidate in their SAT test based on exam pattern and marking scheme. The SAT raw scores are converted to SAT scaled scores based on exam difficulty and question level conducted through various test forms to ensure fairness.