SAT score range is one of the most important tools for your academic journey in the United States. It is a  widely accepted exam score for admission to top schools or colleges in the US, for majorly Class 11 or 12 students. Understanding how the SAT score works and what is the next step in your academic journey is one of the most important questions you need to know. How can a bad SAT score affect your academic career? 

The upcoming SAT test date is on June 7 followed by 23 August, 13 September, 4 October, 8 November, and 6 December in 2025. The SAT exam is conducted 7 times a year in the United States and 5 times a year for other international students.

The higher your SAT test scores are, the better chances of acceptance in colleges. In this article, we will learn all the important aspects of the SAT exam and its scoring potential. We will also cover the accepted SAT score range in top academic organizations in the US. 

How is the SAT Test Score Range Calculated?

The overall SAT score range is from 400 to 1600, 1600 being the highest SAT score gained by students. The SAT test has two major sections which are Reading & Writing and Maths. Each section contains a score range of 200 to 800. There is no negative marking for wrong answers. 

The gained SAT scores also known as raw scores are converted to SAT scaled scores, which are later converted to percentiles. If you gained “X” percentile in your SATs then you performed better than “X%” of students who appeared in SAT. 

Students can check the below table for a more structured SAT pattern and respective scores.

What is a Good SAT Score?

A high SAT score does not mean an assured admission to top US colleges or schools. SAT score can increase your chances of acceptance in college application and varies from college to college.

• A good SAT score for appearing students in the US is 1210 or above which puts a candidate in the top 25% of total candidates appearing in the SATs. 
• The average SAT test score for the year 2022 was 1050 while in 2023, the average score shifted to 1028. The SAT test score varies from one college to another depending on their requirements. 
• The Reading and Writing section score benchmark according to the College Board is 620 while the benchmark score for the Maths section is 500. The overall SAT score benchmark is 1120 as marked by The College Board. 

SAT Score Range for Ivy School League

There are 8 ivy league schools in the US which are Cornell University, Harvard University, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, Brown University, Columbia University and Dartmouth University. 

Here is an accepted SAT score range and SAT acceptance rate in Ivy League colleges in the US.

SAT Score Range accepted in Top US Universities

Each university in the US has a specific SAT score cut off for accepting admission. Students who are looking for admission to top universities in the US through SAT must secure a minimum score of 1400-1470. SAT accepted score range may also vary from year to year based on question difficulty and student’s performance. 

Here is a list of some of the best universities in the US and their accepted SAT score range.

SAT Score Range for Liberal Arts Colleges in US

The best liberal arts universities in the US are also some of the most sought out universities in the US by students. These liberal arts schools acknowledge your SAT scores along with application, GPA, extracurriculars and personality for accepting admission.

Here is a list of some of the top liberal arts schools in the US and their accepted SAT score range.

What is a Bad SAT Score?

There is no such thing as a bad SAT score but scoring on your SATs below average score might majorly decrease your chances of acceptance in any good university in the US. An average SAT score is considered approximately around 1050 which is 53 percentile making your score better than 53% candidates that appeared in the SAT test.  

How Can You Improve Your SAT Score?

Here at Testbook, we provide practice test papers and resources to help you improve your SAT score. Students can adapt following preparation tips that can increase your SAT score and help improve your academic career.

SAT Practice Tests - Take practice tests on a daily basis to check your preparation. The practice tests must resemble the latest pattern of the SAT exam syllabus. Take practice tests at testbook.com/en-us and increase your chances of success.

Understanding of the Syllabus - Students must have a full understanding of the SAT exam syllabus. Complete the learning of the syllabus for better accuracy.

Time Management - Time management is a key factor in SAT preparation and scoring potential. Divide the number of questions by total timing per section to get time allotted for one question. 

For the Reading and Writing section, 71 seconds per question time is allotted while for the Maths section, 95 seconds per question time is allotted. The optional essay section is given an additional 50 minutes for the candidate.

Planning Your Target - Check the SAT score range accepted in your desired university in the US. Plan your SAT test preparation based on your needed SAT score range. You can also use the SAT score calculator to convert raw scores into scaled scores.