SAT Score Percentile | Excellent SAT score, Good SAT score and Bad SAT score, Different Colleges/Universities and their SAT scores/Percentile…See more details
SAT Score Percentile

What is a SAT Score?
A SAT score is the sum of your two section scores: Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW). A SAT score ranges from 400 to 1600, depending on the section, each section uses a scale of 200-800 in 10-point increments.
In this article, we will guide you on what a good, bad or excellent SAT score is, which will help you get any college of your choice.
SAT is one of the most common admission requirements in the United States that is needed whenever a student wishes to apply for either freshman or transfer undergraduate admission at any University/College.
This requirement is needed for both in-state, out-of-state U.S base students, and international students applying for admission in the U.S.
Note: Interested candidates that wish to apply for admission into colleges are to either apply for admission with their SAT or ACT test score, along with the required grades. Check below to see a good ACT test score needed for admission.
Of recently, some colleges do not require the ACT or SAT test score for admission. So, it is advisable to check if your college requires a Test score for their admission. [SAT Score Percentile]
What is a Good SAT Score for 2022 Overall, for college Admission?
The SAT test has two sections which are the Math section and the Evidence-based Reading and Writing (EBRW) section.
The SAT Score range varies for each college/University. i.e, competitive universities/colleges will require students to have a higher score while less competitive schools might consider lesser scores.
It is therefore advisable to attain a SAT score from ranging from 1400 and above, if you are applying to a competitive school.
In the next section below, you will see the SAT score gradings for each SAT section and the SAT score requirements for the 25 most selective colleges. [SAT Score Percentile]
SAT Score Gradings 2022
The table below shows the SAT scores for each of the institution with a score scale from 200 to 800.
Percentile | EBRW | TOTAL | Remark |
99th | 750 or above | 1510 or above | Best SAT Score Range |
90th | 670 | 1340 | Excellent SAT Score Range |
75th | 610 | 1200 – 1210 | Good SAT Score Range |
50th | 530 | 1050 – 1060 | Average SAT Score |
Anyone with the above listed SAT score, as a freshman and transfer admission applicant, stand a chance to be accepted in any college in the United State.
NB: Submitting of test scores is optional in some colleges in the United while some colleges do not completely require test scores for undergraduate admission, except English Proficiency Test scores for International applicants.
Selective Colleges and their SAT Score Requirements
The table below shows the 25 selective colleges/universities in the US and their SAT score requirements for admission.
SAT Score for selected Colleges [SAT Score Percentile]
Name of College/University | SAT Score Range (25th/75th Percentile) | Acceptance Rates |
UCLA | 1280 – 1530 | UCLA Acceptance Rate |
Harvard | 1460 – 1570 | Check Harvard Acceptance |
Princeton | 1460 – 1570 | Princeton Acceptance |
Columbia | 1450 – 1570 | Columbia Acceptance |
Stanford | 1440 – 1570 | Stanford Acceptance Rate |
MIT | 1510 – 1570 | MIT Acceptance Rate |
Uchicago | 1500- 1570 | Uchicago Acceptance Rate |
Yale | 1460 – 1570 | Yale Acceptance Rate |
Penn | 1450 – 1560 | Penn Acceptance Rate |
Johns Hopkins | 1470 – 1570 | Johns Hopkins Acceptance Rate |
Caltech | 1530 – 1560 | Caltech Acceptance Rate |
Northeastern | 1440 – 1550 | Northeastern Acceptance Rate |
Duke | 1480 – 1570 | Duke Acceptance Rate |
Vanderbilt | 1460 – 1560 | Vanderbilt Acceptance Rate |
Rice University | 1470 – 1570 | Rice Acceptance Rate |
Dartmouth | 1440 – 1560 | Dartmouth Acceptance Rate |
Brown | 1440 – 1570 | Brown Acceptance Rate |
Cornell | 1400 – 1560 | Cornell Acceptance Rate |
WUSTL | 1480 – 1560 | WUSTL Acceptance Rate |
Emory | 1360 – 1530 | Emory Acceptance Rate |
USC | 1360 – 1530 | USC Acceptance Rate |
Notre Dame | 1400 – 1550 | Notre Dame Acceptance Rate |
UC Berkeley | 1310 – 1530 | UC Berkeley Acceptance Rate |
UMichigan | 1340 – 1530 | UMichigan Acceptance Rate |
George Town | 1380 – 1550 | George Town Acceptance Rate |
Additional Test Needed for International Students Admission.
International students, especially those from countries that do not speak English as its official language, may have to acquire additional English Proficiency test scores.
The available and recommended English Proficiency Exams accepted for international students’ undergraduate admission in the U.S include the TOEFL and IELTS. [SAT Score Percentile]
What is a bad SAT score?
Any SAT Score that is below the mid percentile which is middle 50% range being the average SAT score is a bad SAT Score.
What SAT Score is Bad for Admission?
Any SAT score that is lower than the school’s 25th percentile being the quarterly percentile, is low and you might not get into any college/University with that.
When is the Right Time to Retake SAT Test Again?
When your SAT score is below the 25th Percentile, and you know your point cant take you to any University and college, then you may consider rewriting the test as an alternative.
But, first check and know the SAT score requirements for the college you wish to apply for and work hard to get a score that will meet that. The best way to equip yourself properly for the test is to take SAT prep and Test tips here.
But if you don’t wish to retake the test, then go for a college/university that does not need SAT score as a requirement for admission.
SAT Score Frequently Asked Questions and Answers [SAT Score Percentile]
Is 1470 a Good SAT score?
1470 SAT Score is a good SAT score. Students who score 1470 fall under the 98th percentile of the total number of students that took the test.
Is 1210 a good SAT score?
SAT Score of 1210 falls under the 77th percentile and that is a good Score for admission into many colleges and universities.
Is 1080 a bad SAT score?
All SAT Scores at 1080 falls into the 50th percentile. This is an average SAT score.
Who has a perfect SAT score?
A perfect SAT score ranges from 1600 SAT points. Students need a perfect 800 on all their sections to meet this score.
What’s the highest SAT score ever?
The Highest SAT Score is 1600 points and that is Perfect SAT Score.
Is a 1500 SAT Score Good?
SAT score of 1500 is good. This score puts you in the 99th percentile of the total students that took the test and it is very good for admission into any University and college.
Is 18 a good SAT essay score?
This is a good SAT score, but your chances of getting in with such depends on the school you are applying for.
Is 2400 a good SAT score?
SAT score of 2400 is perfect for admission. SAT Score of 2400 shows that your score is higher than 99% of all the students that took the test takers.
College Board had changed the scoring system from 2,400 scale point maximum to the 1,600 points
Is the SAT 1600 or 2400?
College Board had changed the scoring system from 2,400 scale point maximum to 1,600 points.
Is 1380 a good SAT score?
Yes, SAT score of 1380 is good to get into any college.
Is 1250 a good SAT score?
1250 SAT score is a good SAT Score to get into Colleges. A 1250 SAT score falls under the 81st percentile. Almost all Colleges/universities accept students with this score range.
Is 1200 a good SAT score?
A 1200 SAT Score is considerable. This score is acceptable by less competitive Colleges and Universities. Such a score places you in the 74th percentile of all the students that partook in the test.
Is 1000 a good SAT score?
A SAT score of 1000 is bad for admission. Very few colleges consider such scores for admission. Such scores place you in the 35th percentile of all the students that took the test.
Is a 1400 SAT score good?
A 1400 SAT score is good. It places students in the top 95th percentile of the total students that took part in the test. This score is acceptable by almost all Universities/Colleges.
Is an 1140 SAT score good?
A SAT score of 1140 is considerable. It places you in the 66th percentile of all the students that took part in the test.
Is 800 a good SAT score?
A SAT score of 800 is extremely low for Universities/Colleges to consider. This score place students in the bottom 9th percentile of the total students that took the test.
Is 950 a good SAT score?
A SAT score of 950 is bad. Such scores put you below the 31st percentile of all students that partook in the exam. It is very low for many colleges/Universities to consider for admission.
Is 1100 a good SAT score?
This is the average percentile score. This score is a little above the 50th percentile of all partakers of the test.
[SAT Score Percentile] With the above information, you now know the difference between the good, bad and excellent SAT scores and each that is required to get into any college/university of your choice.
- What SAT Score is Good
- What SAT Score is Bad
- What SAT Score is Excellent