Understanding your SAT scores and why they matter

How do you stack up to the nation's average SAT score and what does that mean for you? For 2024 graduates, the average SAT score was 1024, or a 519 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW) and a 505 in Math.

This number only gives you some insight, however, into how you performed. Even if you're above average, is your SAT score high enough to get into your dream school? Below, we break down what your SAT score means and how it could affect your acceptance chances.

What is the average SAT score?

For the 1,973,891 high school students who graduated in 2024 and sat for the SAT, the average, or mean, SAT score was 1024 with a 519 in ERW and 505 in Math according to the 2024 SAT Suite Annual Report by College Board.

However, this only gives us a small glimpse into how the nation performed as a whole. The College Board provides percentiles so students can see how they compared to others, but also breaks down the data further into gender, test-taking history, race/ethnicity, and more.

Median SAT scores - National "average" SAT scores

The College Board also publishes median SAT scores, which can give us insight into percentiles. What this means is that a student can find their SAT score on the chart and it will tell them both what percentage of students they scored higher than (their percentile ranking) as well as an approximation of what percentage of all students scored within their range (by subtracting the percentile).

SAT percentiles for 2024

The highest possible score on the SAT is a 1600. According to the 2024 Total Group SAT Suite of Assessments Annual Report, the percentiles for 2024 were:

If you scored 1010 on the SAT, that means you did 50% better than other students. If you earned a 1190, you scored higher than 75% of others taking the exam. Seeing how you stack up against other students can help you set goals for future tests.

What does your SAT score mean and why does it matter?

It's natural to want to know how your SAT score compares to those of your peers. After all, many students end up applying to competitive and selective schools, where your score may mean the difference between being accepted and being denied.

The College Board also publishes a distribution of the SAT scores from all students. So, in a broader sense, students can at least get a general idea of how their score compares to all other students who sat for the exam.

However, your score doesn't matter so much in comparison to all other students, but perhaps the most relevant question to ask is how does yours stack up against other students who are admitted to the colleges that you're planning to apply to?

Colleges and universities around the country do publish this kind of information. Generally, they report the 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores of all students who are admitted in a given year.

So, while these aren't "minimum" SAT score requirements (very few colleges have published minimums), they do give you an idea of what the admissions officers expect SAT scores of prospective students to look like. This can help you see what your odds of being accepted might look like.

"Average" SAT scores at each college

What may be more relevant to you as a student is not how you compare to all students who took the SAT, but how you compare to students who are applying to the same college as you.

"Is my SAT score good enough to get into UCLA?" you might be asking yourself.

If you want to get an idea of how your score compares, and an idea of what your admissions chances might be, then you can look at the distribution of SAT scores within a single college.

On College Raptor, we publish the 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores for all colleges that report it, so you can see how your score stacks up. Keep in mind that, again, these are not truly "average" SAT scores. Instead, they show you how about half of the admitted students scored. Based on this data, you can see that 50% of all students score somewhere within this range. But, it's not a rigid guideline. Half of the students score outside of this range–about 25% higher and 25% lower.

Here are some examples:

University of California Los Angeles average SAT scores

The University of California – Los Angeles often accepted students whose SAT Combined was between 1,320 and 1,540. Most students scored between a 650 and 780 on the Math portion, and between a 660 and 760 on ERW.

(via College Raptor)

Rice University's average SAT scores

At Rice University, most accepted students received a 1,500 to 1,580 SAT Combined, a 760 to 800 SAT Math, and 750 to 780 ERW.

(via College Raptor)

Roanoke College average SAT scores

Roanoke College's accepted students tend to have a SAT Combined between 1,100 and 1,290. The 25th and 75th percentiles for Math and ERW were 530 to 630 and 570 to 670, respectively.

(via College Raptor)

To find out what your target SAT score should be for a given school:

1. Search for your intended college in the search bar on collegeraptor.com.
2. Once you've navigated to that school's details page, click the "admissions" tab.
3. That tab shows you (just like the example above) acceptance rates and the SAT or ACT scores you'll likely need to improve your acceptance odds for that school.

How can you earn a good SAT score?

If you want to increase your chances of getting into your dream or target schools, it's important to pay attention to these numbers and aim for them when it comes to your test date. Preparation and study are key.

Here are some tips to earn a good SAT score:

• Set goals. Determine your target score by researching the 25th and 75th percentiles of accepted students at your potential colleges. Make sure your goal is SMART.
• Take practice tests. Practicing tests with time limits, breaks, and no cheating helps you prepare for the real deal. Review your results and take note of your strengths and weaknesses.
• Create a game plan. If you perform weak in the math section, you'll want to study the questions and principles you answered incorrectly. Once you feel like you have a handle on it, take another practice test to see where you improved and what still needs work.
• Use resources. There are free SAT prep resources available online through College Board, Khan Academy, and apps.
• Prepare for test day. Don't crunch the night before. Get a good night's rest, eat a healthy breakfast, and don't forget your admissions ticket for the exam.
• Take the test more than once. Sit for the exam at least once during your junior year, and continue taking it in the coming months to improve your score. The College Board states that "most students get a higher score the second time."

What are your acceptance chances based on your SAT score?

Understanding the average SAT scores nationally and at your potential colleges can help you set your own goals for the exam. You'll know what you have to shoot for. Which can give you the motivation you need to do better on the test. Aim for beyond the "minimum" or "average" though! Going beyond is just one of the many things colleges look for in their applicants.

See how your SAT (or ACT) scores stack up against other students who were recently admitted to your potential colleges. Get started with College Raptor's College Match tool to get all the data. You can also search for individual colleges using the search tool!