All About SAT Scores: National Average and Full Statistics | BestColleges (2023)

In 2022, the average SAT score was 1050. Read on to find average SAT scores by school, state, race/ethnicity, and gender.

More than 1.7 million high school students took the SAT in 2022, the majority of them juniors and seniors.^{Note Reference [1]} By comparison, 1.3 million students took the alternative standardized test, the American College Test (ACT), in the same year.

A growing number of colleges no longer require standardized test scores, including all of the Ivy League schools. However, the SAT remains a common standard, with colleges making score submissions optional rather than completely abandoning the practice.^{[2], [3]}

This report outlines key statistics about the SAT, including the national average score, scores broken down by demographic, and average scores among enrollees at top schools.

What Is the Average SAT Score?

The average total SAT score was 1050 in 2022, the lowest since the test changed formats in 2016.^{Note Reference [1]}

The current average SAT score of 1050 reflects the scores of students who graduated from high school in 2022.

• As with the ACT, SAT scores have been historically low in recent years.
• Within the past six years, 2018 saw the highest SAT scores, with an average result of 1068.

Average SAT Scores by State

The percentage of high school students who took the SAT differed significantly by state. For example, in Mississippi and North Dakota, only 1% of students took the SAT. In contrast, 100% of students took the SAT in the District of Columbia, and 93% of students in Rhode Island.

• Wisconsin and Wyoming had the highest average total SAT scores, with mean scores of 1252 and 1244, respectively.
• West Virginia and Oklahoma had the lowest average total SAT scores, with mean scores of 938 and 951, respectively.

Average SAT Score by School

Knowing the average SAT scores of enrollees at your top colleges can be helpful when it comes to setting goals. If you've already taken the SAT, you can see how your score compares to the typical scores at some of your top college choices to better understand where you stand in comparison to the previously admitted class.

College admissions officials typically take a holistic approach to reviewing applications. Standardized test scores are just one aspect of an application if they are considered at all.

Average SAT Score for Ivy Leagues

The Ivy Leagues are some of the U.S.'s oldest and most prestigious universities. The eight private colleges are all located in the Northeast and are known for their highly selective, single-digit acceptance rates.

As of 2022-2023 application cycle, standardized test scores are optional at all Ivy League colleges. The data below reflects the scores of accepted students who did submit test scores.

Average SAT Scores for Other Selective Universities

Below are average SAT scores for other selective schools throughout the U.S. Many of these schools' average SAT scores are comparable to those of the Ivy Leagues.

SAT Score Demographics

Sometimes, it is helpful to see SAT scores broken down by specific groups to notice trends. This section explores average SAT scores by race/ethnicity, gender, first language, highest level of parental education, and family income.

Average SAT Score by Race/Ethnicity

SAT scores broken down by race/ethnicity showed similar trends to those of the ACT.

• In 2022, Asian students achieved the highest average SAT score of 1229.
• Asian students' average score was 303 points higher than the average SAT score of Black students, which was 926.
• The group with the second-highest SAT score was Two or More Races with 1102, slightly higher than white students.
• American Indian/Alaska Native students had the second-lowest average SAT score at 936. They comprised just 1% of test-takers.

Average SAT Score by Gender

Men have consistently outscored women in the SAT since 2017. However, women have scored higher on the ERW section every year. Men scored higher on the math section.

• In 2022, men scored higher than women in total score by 13 points.
• Men score roughly 20 points higher than women in the math section each year. Women continue to be underrepresented in STEM fields, such as engineering and computer science.
• The scores of people who reported their gender as Another/No Response have significantly increased over time. In 2022, they were the highest scoring group by gender for the first time.

College admissions officers consider total SAT scores but also scores by section.

Average SAT Score by First Language

Native English speakers who grew up only speaking English had the highest total SAT score overall by a narrow six-point margin.

• Those whose first language was not English scored 22 points behind English-only speakers for the ERW section. However, they scored higher in math than any other group.
• Those who learned English along with another language scored between English-only test-takers and speakers of another language for both the ERW and math sections.
• Those who answered No Response scored the lowest on both sections and had the lowest overall score.

Average SAT Score by Highest Level of Parental Education

The highest level of education that one's parents received appears to heavily influence how students perform on the SAT.

• Students with parents who have graduate degrees achieved the highest total SAT score and section scores.
• Students with parents without high school diplomas had the lowest total SAT scores and section scores, with an average total of 923 points.
• The majority of test-takers have parents with bachelor's degrees or higher.

Average SAT Score by Family Income

SAT performance also correlates with family income.

• Families in the lowest quintile — the lowest 20% — of income made less than $51,591 in 2022. Test takers from this group scored the lowest with a total average SAT score of 914.
• Test takers from the highest quintile (greater than $110,244) of family income level, received the highest total average SAT score of 1161.
• The difference between test takers from the lowest quintile and the highest quintile was 247 points in total score.

Frequently Asked Questions About the SAT

How many times can you take the SAT?

There is no limit to the number of times you can take the SAT.^[9] The organization that administers the SAT, College Board, recommends that students take the test at least twice because many schools superscore your results. That means they combine your highest math score with your highest ERW score even if they are from different tests.^{Note Reference [9]}

It's common for students to take the SAT in the spring of their junior year and another time in the fall of their senior year.

What is the highest SAT score?

The math and ERW sections are each 800 points each, making the total possible score 1600.^[10] As of January 2021, the optional SAT essay was discontinued, along with SAT subject tests.^[11] Your two scores, one from math and one from ERW, make up your total SAT score.

Is the SAT or ACT easier?

The ACT and SAT are similar in many ways. For example, they are both approximately three hours long, and both tests cover reading and math. Some key differences include the number of questions (the ACT has 215 while the SAT has 154) and the scoring scale (the ACT is scored from 1-36 while the SAT is scored from 400-1600).

Another major difference is that the ACT has an additional science section that the SAT doesn't have.

Keeping in mind these differences, you can decide which test is a better fit for you. You can also check the websites of prospective colleges and see if they state which test the majority of their accepted students took.