Average SAT Scores
March 12, 2026
It's natural to want to know how well other students score on the SAT when you're putting in a lot of work readying for the exam. While you're studying content and techniques for the Reading & Writing and Math sections and taking practice tests, the pressure of the crucial exam will also be a factor. It can help in your preparation to know how your performance in the pressure-filled situation compares to other students. Seeing how your average score stacks up to that of other test takers is an important tool for determining your realistic college possibilities and admission chances.
You'll find information in this article about overall SAT average scores, as well as more detailed data like the average scores for top schools and how scores differ depending on where the test is taken. Our intention is for this to be useful to you as you set your sights on earning a high score. The point isn't to become too focused on how other students do on the exam, but to be aware of the level of competition from other test takers.
SAT Average Scores: The Basics
Let's start with an overview of the basics of how the exam is scored, which will give you a greater understanding of SAT score averages. Beyond that, it's to your advantage to be clear on how the scoring system works and keep it in mind when you're taking the exam.
There are two sections on the SAT, Reading & Writing and Math, and each is worth from 200 points, the lowest score, to the highest 800 points. The score from the two sections are added together to give you a total score. So that means the lowest score you can possibly get is 400, and the highest is 1600, a perfect score. When you get your score report, you will see three scores: one for each of the two sections, and the total.
The SAT is a section-adaptive test, which means the Reading & Writing and Math sections are each divided into two modules, and the difficulty of the questions you'll see in the second module is determined by how well you do in the first one. Good performance brings a harder second module, while more wrong answers in the first one means the second will be easier. Since the difficulty of the questions answered is one of several factors that go into how SAT scores are calculated, two students could have different scores on the test even if they answered the same number of questions correctly.
The Averages
The chart below shows the average SAT scores in 2025 as reported by the College Board, the creator and administrator of the exam.
| SAT Section | Average Score |
| Reading & Writing | 521 |
| Math | 508 |
| TOTAL SCORE | 1029 |
Are these averages around what you thought they'd be or are they unexpected, either higher than you believed or lower? It can be eye-opening for some students to see what the averages really are. How does your average score compare? Taking practice exams is a very useful way to find out the answer, while also giving you incentive to improve your score.
Average SAT Score by School
Learning the average SAT score of students at the colleges and universities you intend to apply to is very valuable. It allows you to see their usual exam performance standards for admission, which you can compare to your score or your practice exam scores if you haven't taken the actual test. If your score puts you above the school's average, you have an advantage in your chances of being admitted. However, if your score falls below the average, you'll be aware that other parts of your application must be that much better in order to be accepted.
We've gathered average SAT scores for some elite schools, as well as for a number of well-regarded middle-range schools to give you a sense of what the competition is like. Many colleges and universities publish this data on their websites, allowing you to find the information for schools you're interested in. Instead of sharing a single average score, they usually report the middle range of their scores from the 25th to the 75th percentile instead. The average will generally fall around the midway point.
| ELITE SCHOOLS | Average Score Range |
| Brown University | 1510-1560 |
| Columbia University | 1510-1560 |
| Cornell University | 1510-1560 |
| Dartmouth College | 1500-1570 |
| Harvard University | 1510-1580 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | 1520-1570 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 1510-1570 |
| Princeton University | 1500-1560 |
| Yale University | 1480-1560 |
| MIDDLE-RANGE SCHOOLS | Average Score Range |
| Baylor University | 1160-1340 |
| Bringham Young University (BYU) | 1290-1440 |
| Loyola Marymount University (LMU) | 1280-1400 |
| Ohio State University | 1280-1430 |
| Pace University | 1180-1340 |
| Pepperdine University | 1300-1440 |
| Rutgers University | 1270-1480 |
| Syracuse University | 1260-1430 |
| Texas A&M University | 1160-1390 |
| University of Vermont | 1300-1420 |
If your SAT score is below the average of a school you have you heart set on, raising your score to close the difference takes time, dedication, and work. Although it may initially seem daunting, knowing the kind of score you need can help motivate you to keep improving and learning test day strategies through focused study to get the results you want.
Average SAT Score for Test Center vs. School Day Testing
Students choose whether to take the SAT at a test center on one of the eight weekends the College Board designates each year, or on a regular school day at their high school during one of two annual weeks-long windows in the spring and fall. We're providing average score data sorted by which one was chosen. School Day testing is additionally broken out by students who only took the exam at their school, and those who sat for the test both on a weekend test day and in school if they took it more than once.
| Test-Taking History | Number of students | Reading & Writing | Math | Total Score |
| School Day | 1,361,927 | 491 | 470 | 961 |
| 1,077,623 | 464 | 442 | 906 |
| 284,304 | 591 | 575 | 1166 |
| Weekend Only | 643,038 | 585 | 588 | 1173 |
These stats show students who went to a weekend test center for the SAT had higher average scores than those who took it at their school on a normal school day. That doesn't necessarily mean the location was responsible, however, as other factors are almost certainly involved. But as you make your decision about which to choose, it's data you may want to consider.
The Takeaway
This average SAT score information and similar data from your target schools can help you better understand how your score influences your applications, the overall admissions process, and your chances of being accepted by your target schools. Boosting your SAT score to expand your college opportunities and acceptance odds requires focused study. Determine which plan is best for you and your goals, and incorporate mock exams into your preparation to track how you improve and elevate your score before test day arrives.