SAT Score Calculator 2026

This free SAT score calculator has two modes. The "Raw score" tab is the real calculator: enter how many questions you answered correctly in each module (R&W Module 1, R&W Module 2, Math Module 1, Math Module 2) and toggle the adaptive difficulty for Module 2 — the calculator converts your raw counts to a scaled score (400–1600) using official College Board conversion tables. The "Composite" tab lets you enter a finished composite if you already know it and shows your national percentile instantly. Both modes show your ACT equivalent, national percentile, and college ranges. No sign-up required.

The Digital SAT uses a two-step process. First, your correct answers in each module are counted (raw score). Then, an Item Response Theory model converts that raw count to a scaled score (200–800 per section) based on the difficulty of the specific questions you saw — which depends on whether your Module 2 was the harder or easier track. The harder Module 2 has a higher score ceiling (up to 800) while the easier Module 2 is capped at roughly 550–600. Students are routed to a Module 2 difficulty based on their Module 1 performance. The raw-score calculator above uses official College Board conversion tables to estimate your scaled score.

A good SAT score depends on your target colleges. The national average SAT composite score is approximately 1050. Scores above 1200 (74th percentile) are above average and competitive at many four-year universities. A score of 1400 places you in the top 6% nationally (94th percentile), which is competitive at selective universities. For Ivy League and highly selective schools — Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, Stanford — you typically need 1500 or above (97th+ percentile). The Digital SAT, introduced in 2024, uses the same 400–1600 scale.

A score of 1200 on the SAT is approximately the 74th percentile, meaning you scored higher than about 74% of all SAT test takers nationally. This is a solid above-average score competitive at many four-year universities including large state schools, and is near or above the 25th percentile for many mid-tier schools.

A score of 1300 on the SAT is approximately the 82nd percentile, placing you in the top 18% of all test takers. This is a strong score competitive at many selective universities. It is at or above the median for many well-regarded state flagship universities.

A score of 1400 on the SAT is approximately the 94th percentile, placing you in the top 6% of all SAT test takers nationally. This is a strong score competitive at highly selective universities including many in the top 25. It meets the 25th percentile threshold for Ivy League schools.

A score of 1500 on the SAT is approximately the 97th percentile — you scored higher than 97% of all test takers. This is an excellent score competitive at the most selective universities in the country, including all Ivy League schools, MIT, and Stanford.

A score of 1000 on the SAT is approximately the 34th percentile, meaning about 66% of test takers scored above this level. This is below the national average of 1050. A 1000 is sufficient for admission to many community colleges and less selective four-year schools but would benefit from improvement for most four-year universities.

The national average SAT composite score for the 2025–2026 admissions cycle is approximately 1050, which corresponds to roughly the 43rd percentile. The average Math section score is about 520 and the average EBRW (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing) score is about 530. Average scores vary by state, demographic group, and intended major.

The Digital SAT is scored on a scale of 400 to 1600. It has two sections: Math (200–800) and Reading and Writing (200–800), which are added together for your composite score. The test is adaptive — your performance in Module 1 of each section determines whether you receive an easier or harder Module 2, which affects your final scaled score. There is no penalty for wrong answers. The Digital SAT replaced the paper SAT for most students in the US starting in spring 2024.

Common SAT to ACT conversions: 1600 SAT ≈ 36 ACT; 1500 SAT ≈ 34 ACT; 1400 SAT ≈ 31 ACT; 1300 SAT ≈ 28 ACT; 1200 SAT ≈ 25 ACT; 1100 SAT ≈ 22 ACT; 1000 SAT ≈ 19 ACT. These are based on the official College Board and ACT concordance tables. Both tests are accepted by virtually all US colleges.

There is no official limit on how many times you can take the SAT. Most students take it 2–3 times. Many colleges superscore — taking your highest section scores across multiple test dates — so retaking can meaningfully improve your standing. The College Board offers the SAT in March, May, August, October, November, and December each year.

National Merit Scholarships are based on the PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index, which differs by state. Generally, Selection Index cutoffs for National Merit Semifinalist status range from approximately 207 to 222 depending on your state, which corresponds to very high SAT scores roughly in the 1400–1520+ range. Many universities also offer institutional merit scholarships starting at SAT scores around 1200–1300.

Both the SAT and ACT are accepted equally by virtually all US colleges. The SAT (400–1600 scale) emphasizes data analysis and has two sections. The ACT (1–36 scale) includes a dedicated Science section and is generally considered slightly more straightforward in Math. Research suggests most students score similarly on both. We recommend taking a free practice test for each to see which format plays to your strengths.

To score approximately 1500 on the Digital SAT, you generally need to answer around 88–92 of the 98 scored questions correctly — meaning you can miss roughly 6–10 questions across both sections combined. However, because the Digital SAT is section-adaptive, the exact number of questions you can miss depends on which Module 2 you are routed into. If your Module 1 performance earns you the harder Module 2, you have access to a higher score ceiling, and the conversion table for that harder module may allow slightly more incorrect answers while still reaching 1500. Students aiming for 1500 should target no more than 3–4 errors per section. Strong performance in Module 1 is essential because it gates your access to the harder module, which is the only path to scores above approximately 1400 in each section.

Your College Board score report shows two different percentiles. The SAT User Percentile compares your score only against other students in the current year who actually took the SAT — a self-selected group of college-bound students. This is the percentile most commonly cited and the one used on this calculator. The Nationally Representative Sample Percentile compares your score against a statistically representative sample of all US 11th and 12th graders, including those who never took the SAT. Because many lower-achieving students do not take the SAT, the Nationally Representative Sample Percentile is typically 5–10 points higher than the User Percentile for the same score. For college admissions purposes, admissions officers use and understand the User Percentile.

The College Board and ACT, Inc. publish an official concordance table that maps SAT composite scores to their ACT equivalent. Common conversions: 1600 SAT = 36 ACT (99th percentile); 1500 SAT = 34 ACT (97th percentile); 1400 SAT = 31 ACT (94th percentile); 1300 SAT = 28 ACT (82nd percentile); 1200 SAT = 25 ACT (74th percentile); 1100 SAT = 22 ACT (51st percentile); 1000 SAT = 19 ACT (34th percentile). The SAT to ACT conversion tool on this page uses the official concordance table and highlights your equivalent score automatically.

The College Board itself does not superscore — it reports all of your official SAT scores. However, the majority of US colleges and universities practice superscoring, meaning they take your highest Math section score and your highest Reading and Writing section score across all test dates and combine them into a new composite. Because superscoring always works in your favour, students who are close to a threshold score should strongly consider retaking the SAT. Check each college's testing policy directly, as some schools require all scores to be submitted (a policy called Score Choice restriction) while others allow Score Choice.

For Ivy League schools — Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Penn, Brown, Dartmouth, and Cornell — the middle 50% of admitted students typically score between 1500 and 1580. This means 25% of admitted students score below 1500 and 25% score above 1580. A score of 1500 (97th percentile) is generally considered the minimum competitive score for Ivy League applicants, though admissions decisions depend on many factors beyond test scores. Students with scores below 1500 are admitted to Ivy League schools, particularly if they have exceptional extracurriculars, essays, or other distinguishing factors.

The College Board typically releases Digital SAT scores within 2 to 5 business days of the test date — significantly faster than the old paper SAT, which took 2 to 4 weeks. Score release dates are posted on the College Board website for each test administration. You will receive an email when your scores are available in your College Board account. Paper score reports are no longer mailed; all scores are accessed online. For the August, October, November, March, May, and June test dates, score release typically falls within the same month as the test.

The highest possible SAT composite score is 1600, which consists of a perfect 800 on Math and a perfect 800 on Reading and Writing. To achieve an 800 on the Math section you must answer all 40 scored Math questions correctly and be routed to the hard Module 2 track. Similarly, a perfect 800 on Reading and Writing requires all 50 scored R&W questions to be answered correctly on the hard Module 2 track. Fewer than 1% of test takers achieve a composite score of 1550 or above each year.

The Digital SAT takes approximately 2 hours and 14 minutes of testing time, making it significantly shorter than the old paper SAT (3 hours). The test is divided into two sections: Reading and Writing (64 minutes, 54 scored questions across two modules of 27 questions each) and Math (70 minutes, 44 scored questions across two modules of 22 questions each). There is a 10-minute break between the two sections, bringing total time including the break to about 2 hours and 24 minutes. Students also have a brief tutorial and check-in period at the start.

Yes — unlike the old paper SAT, the entire Math section of the Digital SAT allows calculator use. All students have access to the built-in Desmos graphing calculator within the Bluebook testing app, and students may also bring their own approved handheld calculator. The College Board publishes a list of approved calculators on their website. This is a significant change from the paper SAT, which had a no-calculator portion. The availability of a calculator for all Math questions shifts the emphasis from arithmetic computation toward problem setup, reasoning, and interpretation.