SAT Score Percentile Calculator: Where Does Your Score Rank?

What is a good SAT percentile?

A 1200 SAT score is the 75th percentile among SAT takers: about 75% of recent test takers scored 1200 or lower. A 1000 is the 47th percentile, close to the middle, a 1400 is the 93rd and a 1500 is the 97th. These are College Board's user group percentiles, based on the scores of students who graduated in the past three school years.

College Board also publishes a second figure, the nationally representative percentile. It comes from a research study of U.S. 11th and 12th graders, weighted to represent all students in those grades whether or not they take the SAT. Because it includes students who never sit the test, it usually runs a few points higher above 1000: a 1200 is the 81st nationally representative percentile, against the 75th among SAT takers.

For college admissions, compare the user group percentile with a college's published SAT range. Your official score report shows its own percentiles, and those are the ones to quote.

SAT total score percentiles (400 to 1600)

Every total score from 400 to 1600, in steps of 10. A score of 1530 or higher is the 99th percentile or above among SAT takers.

SAT section score percentiles (200 to 800)

Reading and Writing and Math each have their own percentiles, so the same section score can rank differently. A 700 is the 92nd percentile in Reading and Writing and the 91st in Math among SAT takers. A 500 is the 43rd in Reading and Writing and the 50th in Math.

Source: College Board, SAT Nationally Representative and User Percentiles, checked 28 October 2026. College Board updates these tables from time to time; the percentiles on your own score report take precedence.

How to use your SAT percentile

• Set a target from your colleges, not from the percentile alone. Look up each college's middle 50% SAT range and aim for its upper half.
• Small gains matter most in the middle. Between 1000 and 1200, every 10 points moves you one or two percentile places among SAT takers. Above 1450, the same 10 points often moves you none at all.
• Check both sections. If one section ranks far lower than the other, that section is usually the faster route to a higher total.
• Measure before you plan. A full-length practice test gives you a current score to rank, and the SAT score calculator turns correct answers into a 400 to 1600 score.