What Is A Good SAT Score?
Before diving into SAT prep, it’s important to know what score you're aiming for. Having a clear target—whether it’s 1400, 1500, or even 1600—can help keep students motivated, especially during those times when studying feels like the last thing they want to do.
But how do you figure out what your goal score should be?
It all depends on your goals, particularly in two areas: college admissions and scholarship opportunities.
A good starting point is to look at the national average. Most people are surprised to learn that the average SAT score in the U.S. is just 1050. So technically, if you're scoring 1100 or higher, you're already above average! But for many students and parents, being “above average” isn’t the goal. They want to be competitive for top universities or significant scholarship money.
This leads to an important question: What schools or scholarships do you want to be competitive for?
Because the reality is, a "good" SAT score for a public state school looks very different from a "good" score for an Ivy League school. Let’s look at the typical SAT scores for some of the most competitive colleges in the U.S.
Harvard University
Often considered the gold standard in higher education, Harvard has a median SAT score of around 1550. Keep in mind two things: first, these numbers come from recent admissions cycles where students had the option to submit their scores or not. So naturally, those with lower scores may have chosen not to submit, which skews the average higher. Second, even scoring above the median doesn't guarantee admission. In fact, less than 10% of applicants with a perfect 1600 were admitted. SAT scores are just one part of a much bigger, holistic review process.
Princeton University
The median SAT score here is 1520, with the 75th percentile at 1580. This means half of admitted students scored above a 1520, and a quarter scored above a 1580. If you want your application to stand out, targeting a 1580 is a good goal—but definitely not the only factor that matters.
Yale University
Yale’s middle 50% range centers around a 1540 median, with the 75th percentile again at 1580. Like the other schools listed, there is no official minimum SAT score required. Students are admitted with lower scores all the time. These benchmarks are simply to give you an idea of what a competitive score might look like.
MIT
MIT has one of the highest SAT medians in the country—around 1550, with a 75th percentile score of 1580. That puts the majority of MIT students in the top 0.5% of SAT test-takers nationwide. Out of 2 million students who take the SAT each year, only about 10,000 reach this level. If you hit this range, you’re in elite academic company, regardless of the final admissions outcome.
Beyond admissions, there are scholarships that require or reward high SAT scores. If your main goal is to earn scholarship money, these programs are worth knowing about:
Florida Bright Futures Scholarship (Florida Academic Scholars Award)
– Required SAT: 1340 (Evidence-Based Reading + Math)
– Award: Full tuition and fees at Florida public colleges (~$6,800/year at private colleges)
– Other: 3.5 GPA, 100+ service hoursUniversity of Alabama – Academic Elite Scholarship
– Required SAT: 1490+
– Award: Full tuition + stipend up to $8,500/year (~$110,000 total over 4 years)
– Other: 3.5 GPA, National Merit Finalist or top-tier applicantsGeorgia HOPE (Zell Miller Scholarship)
– Required SAT: 1200 for Zell Miller
– Award: Full tuition at Georgia public colleges
– Other: 3.7 GPA for Zell Miller, 3.0 for standard HOPETexas Tech University – Presidential Merit Scholarship
– Required SAT: 1200–1400+
– Award: $6,000–$28,000 total over 4 years
– Other: Varies with GPA, automatic consideration with applicationUniversity of Mississippi – Academic Merit Scholarships
– Required SAT: 1130–1550
– Award: $3,000–$25,000 per year, based on a sliding scale with GPA
Hopefully, this gives you a clearer picture of what a “good” SAT score looks like based on your personal goals. Remember, it’s all relative. A great SAT score isn’t defined by what others achieve—it’s defined by what opens the right doors for you. Whether that’s a dream college or a full scholarship, if your score helps you reach that next step, then it’s a good score.
