A common question about the SAT is “what is a good SAT score?” In truth, the answer to this question varies depending on individual goals and school admission requirements. With such a vague answer, how can students know which score aligns with their goals?
Finding this answer begins with creating a list of potential colleges and researching their SAT requirements. Pay attention to the median SAT scores as they provide an SAT range for the middle 50% of accepted students. This middle 50% provides an estimated range of scores deemed acceptable for college admission.
The Importance of SAT Percentiles
After completing the SAT, students receive a composite and percentile score. Composite scores are between 400 and 1600, while percentile scores are from 1 to 99. Percentile scores show how a student’s composite and section scores compare to others who took the SAT.
Students receiving a composite percentile of 70 scored higher than 70% of students who took the SAT nationwide. Students receiving a math percentile of 90 scored higher than 90% of students who took the SAT math section nationwide.
Colleges use percentiles to see how an applicant’s scores compares with the competition. Doing well on the SAT, maintaining a strong GPA, grades, and extracurriculars can make a college application more competitive.
What is the Middle 50%?
The median SAT scores, or middle 50%, are found in the range between the 25th and 75th percentiles. Remove the top 25% and bottom 25% as they account for students scoring at, above, or below the scores listed. This middle range gives students a range of scores to aim for when taking the SATs.
The middle 50% also tells students which scores they need to be competitive applicants for their dream colleges. For example, the middle 50% at the University of Connecticut (UConn) for the 2022 class scored between 1210 and 1390. A “good” score could be 1300 to 1390 while a score of 1390+ would make an applicant more competitive.
Remember, SAT scores are only part of a student’s college application. GPAs, extra curriculars, and essays are also factored into the strength of a student’s application. If students are unsure how to build or strengthen their college application, contact us to learn more.
Middle 50% for the Class of 2025
An excellent resource for determining the median SAT scores is College Board’s Big Future. It is also an excellent resource for understanding ways to pay and prepare for college. Those interested in accessing all features on this site will need to make an account.
Another reliable source is the U.S. News & World Report. We have compiled a list of national universities, national liberal arts colleges, and test score data*.
Top 25 National Universities
| U.S. News Ranking | School | Middle 50% SAT Scores |
| 1 | Princeton University | 1450-1570 |
| 2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | 1510-1580 |
| 3 | Harvard University | 1460-1580 |
| 3 | Stanford University | 1420-1570 |
| 3 | Yale University | 1460-1580 |
| 6 | University of Chicago | 1500-1570 |
| 7 | Johns Hopkins University | 1480-1570 |
| 7 | University of Pennsylvania | 1450-1570 |
| 9 | California Institute of Technology (CalTech) | 1530-1580 |
| 10 | Duke University | 1510-1560 |
| 10 | Northwestern University | 1430-1550 |
| 12 | Dartmouth College | 1440-1560 |
| 13 | Brown University | 1440-1570 |
| 13 | Vanderbilt University | 1460-1560 |
| 15 | Rice University | 1460-1570 |
| 15 | Washington University in St. Louis | 1460-1560 |
| 17 | Cornell University | 1400-1540 |
| 18 | Columbia University | 1470-1570 |
| 18 | University of Notre Dame | 1420-1560 |
| 20 | University of California, Berkley | 1290-1530 |
| 20 | University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | 1290-1520 |
| 22 | Carnegie Mellon University | 1460-1560 |
| 22 | Emory University | 1380-1530 |
| 22 | Georgetown University | 1380-1550 |
| 25 | New York University (NYU) | 1370-1540 |
| 25 | University of Michigan—Ann Arbor | 1340-1560 |
| 25 | University of Southern California< | 1340-1530 |
| 25 | University of Virginia | 1320-1510 |
*Test score data is for acceptances in Spring 2021 for the class of 2025. SAT totals are for math and critical reading.
National Liberal Arts Colleges
| U.S. News Ranking | School | Middle 50% SAT Scores |
| 1 | Williams College | 1410-1560 |
| 2 | Amherst College | 1410-1550 |
| 3 | Pomona College | 1390-1540 |
| 4 | Swarthmore College | 1395-1540 |
| 5 | Wellesley College | 1350-1520 |
| 6 | Bowdoin College | 1330-1510 |
| 6 | Carleton College | 1340-1510 |
| 6 | United States Naval Academy | 1230-1450 |
| 9 | Claremont McKenna College | 1330-1500 |
| 9 | United States Military Academy at West Point | 1210-1440 |
| 11 | Middlebury College | 1340-1520 |
| 11 | Washington and Lee University | 1350-1500 |
| 13 | Smith College | 1325-1510 |
| 13 | Vassar College | 1360-1520 |
| 15 | 1300-1460 | |
| 15 | Grinnell College | 1340-1510 |
| 15 | Hamilton College | 1380-1510 |
| 18 | Barnard College | 1350-1518 |
| 18 | Colgate University | 1300-1470 |
| 18 | Haverford College | 1360-1520 |
| 18 | United States Air Force Academy | 1300-1460 |
| 18 | University of Richmond | 1280-1460 |
| 18 | Wesleyan University | 1340-1520 |
| 24 | Colby College | 1380-1520 |
| 25 | Bates College | 1210-1420 |
*Test score data is for acceptances in Spring 2021 for the class of 2025. SAT totals are for math and critical reading.
SAT Prep with C2 Education
Hopefully, students have already started preparing for their SATs. If not, now is the perfect time to begin developing an SAT prep plan to maximize future scores. Regardless of the middle 50% for a student’s dream college, they should strive to set themselves apart from other applicants.
Having a strong GPA, college essay, and high SAT scores can help make a college application more competitive. Scoring well on the SAT begins with SAT prep and practice tests. Taking practice tests helps students become familiar with the test format and improve information retention.
C2 Education provides a personalized approach to SAT prep. Our process begins with an initial assessment to determine a student’s current strengths and weaknesses. We analyze these results to create a customized program to meet each student’s needs.
Each program is tailored to address changing needs as they arise. Students in our SAT Prep program learn vital test taking skills as they overcome current weaknesses and improve their confidence.
Aiming for Your Ideal SAT Score
Rather than asking what makes an SAT score “good”, ask which SAT score aligns with requirements for schools of interest. Look into the middle 50% of SAT scores for potential schools and begin SAT test prep to maximize test scores.
C2 Education offers a customized SAT prep program to help students earn high scores for a competitive application. Interested in learning more about our SAT Prep program? Visit our website or call us at (888) 312-3814 to get started.
