What Are Good SAT Scores?

One of the most frequent questions we get from high school parents and students is "What are good SAT scores?" The truth of the matter is, there's no simple answer to that question. It depends on which colleges a student plans to apply to, how selective those colleges are, and how important standardized test scores are in the admissions process. What are considered good SAT scores for one college could be considered exceptional scores for another.

Are My SAT Scores Good Enough?

The average SAT scores for 2021 high school graduates are 533 for Reading and 528 for Math. However, most colleges release data regarding the average SAT scores for first-year students at their schools, which is one of the best ways for students to determine whether their SAT scores are considered "good enough" for a particular college. Typically, the more selective a college is, the higher its average SAT scores for first-year students will be. Keep in mind though that SAT scores are just one piece of the college admissions puzzle. In most cases, high SAT scores that aren't backed up by other aspects of a student's application (like a strong high school record, extracurricular and volunteer activities, strong application essays and recommendations, etc.) are unlikely to win a student admission to a college. However, when it comes down to it, the higher a student's SAT scores are, the better, as strong SAT scores will give a student more options when applying to colleges.

SAT Scores Comparison Chart

As we mentioned above, one of the best ways to find out if a student has good SAT scores for a college is to compare the student's SAT scores with the average SAT scores for first-year students at that particular school. The comparison chart below shows the SAT scores for the middle 50% of first-year students, the acceptance rate, and the weight given to standardized test scores for a variety of popular colleges and universities. Though a student's goal should be for his or her SAT scores to fall within or above the middle 50% range for a college, remember that 25% of first-year students at that college scored below that range and still gained acceptance to the school. If you don't see the college you're looking for on this list, go to the College Board's College Search site.

College/University	SAT Scores for Middle 50% of First-Year Students	Acceptance Rate	Weight Given to Standardized Test Scores in Admissions Process
American University	620-700 R	36%	Considered if submitted
American University	590-690 M	36%	Considered if submitted
Amherst College	650-740 R	11%	Considered if submitted
Amherst College	660-780 M	11%	Considered if submitted
Arizona State University	560-670 R	86%	Considered if submitted
Arizona State University	560-690 M	86%	Considered if submitted
Auburn University	580-650 R	81%	Considered if submitted
Auburn University	570-670 M	81%	Considered if submitted
Barnard College	670-750 R	12%	Considered if submitted
Barnard College	670-770 M	12%	Considered if submitted
Baylor University	600-680 R	45%	Considered if submitted
Baylor University	600-700 M	45%	Considered if submitted
Boston College	660-730 R	27%	Considered if submitted
Boston College	680-770 M	27%	Considered if submitted
Boston University	650-720 R	19%	Considered if submitted
Boston University	690-790 M	19%	Considered if submitted
Brown University	700-770 R	7%	Considered if submitted
Brown University	740-800 M	7%	Considered if submitted
Claremont McKenna College	670-730 R	10%	Considered if submitted
Claremont McKenna College	690-780 M	10%	Considered if submitted
Colby College	690-750 R	10%	Considered if submitted
Colby College	710-780 M	10%	Considered if submitted
Colorado State University	540-650 R	81%	Considered if submitted
Colorado State University	530-640 M	81%	Considered if submitted
Cornell University	680-760 R	11%	Considered if submitted
Cornell University	720-800 M	11%	Considered if submitted
Dartmouth College	710-770 R	8%	Considered if submitted
Dartmouth College	730-790 M	8%	Considered if submitted
Duke University	720-770 R	8%	Considered if submitted
Duke University	760-800 M	8%	Considered if submitted
Emory University	670-740 R	16%	Considered if submitted
Emory University	690-790 M	16%	Considered if submitted
George Washington University	630-720 R	41%	Required for some
George Washington University	650-750 M	41%	Required for some
Georgia Institute of Technology	630-730 R	21%	Required
Georgia Institute of Technology	670-780 M	21%	Required
Hamilton College	670-740 R	16%	Considered if submitted
Hamilton College	700-780 M	16%	Considered if submitted
Harvard College	Not available	4%	Required
Harvard College	Not available	4%	Required
Middlebury College	670-750 R	15%	Considered if submitted
Middlebury College	680-780 M	15%	Considered if submitted
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	730-770 R	7%	Required
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	780-800 M	7%	Required
Northwestern University	700-760 R	9%	Required
Northwestern University	740-790 M	9%	Required
Princeton University	710-770 R	6%	Considered if submitted
Princeton University	750-800 M	6%	Considered if submitted
Stanford University	700-770 R	4%	Considered if submitted
Stanford University	740-800 M	4%	Considered if submitted
University of Chicago	730-770 R	6%	Considered if submitted
University of Chicago	770-800 M	6%	Considered if submitted
University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill)	650-730 R	23%	Required
University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill)	660-770 M	23%	Required
University of Pennsylvania	700-760 R	8%	Considered if submitted
University of Pennsylvania	750-800 M	8%	Considered if submitted
University of Virginia	670-740 R	24%	Considered if submitted
University of Virginia	670-780 M	24%	Considered if submitted
University of Wisconsin (Madison)	630-700 R	54%	Considered if submitted
University of Wisconsin (Madison)	670-780 M	54%	Considered if submitted
Virginia Tech	590-680 R	70%	Considered if submitted
Virginia Tech	590-710 M	70%	Considered if submitted
Washington University in St. Louis	730-770 R	14%	Considered if submitted
Washington University in St. Louis	760-800 M	14%	Considered if submitted
Yale University	720-770 R	6%	Considered if submitted
Yale University	740-800 M	6%	Considered if submitted

Related Topics

For more general information about the SAT Test, visit our SAT Test page.
Students have options when it comes to sending SAT scores to colleges. Find out why StudyPoint recommends viewing SAT scores before sending them to colleges. Visit our Sending SAT Scores page.
For information about upcoming SAT test dates, visit our SAT Test Dates page.

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What Are Good SAT Scores?

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