SAT Score Range and Score Tools
The SAT score range runs from 400 to 1600. See what the scale means, where your score ranks, and which free tool answers your next question.
Last checked October 7, 2026
Where does your score rank?
Enter a total to see its percentile and its gap to the 1045 average. The full checker adds a school comparison.
Total score range
400 to 1600
Two sections, each 200 to 800 (College Board).
Class of 2026 average
1045
Reading and Writing 528, Math 517 (College Board).
SAT score calculator
Turn correct answers on an official paper practice test into College Board's score range. Score a practice test
SAT to ACT converter
Every SAT total from 590 to 1600 with its ACT match from the official 2018 concordance. Convert a score
On this page
The SAT score range, explained
Your SAT total is the sum of two section scores: Reading and Writing, and Math. Each section is scored from 200 to 800, so the total runs from 400 to 1600, always in steps of 10 (College Board).
The digital SAT gives Reading and Writing 54 questions in 64 minutes and Math 44 questions in 70 minutes, each split into two modules. The second module of each section is easier or harder depending on how you did on the first, and the whole test takes 2 hours and 14 minutes plus a 10-minute break (College Board).
Because the test adapts, your score depends on which questions you answered correctly, not just how many (College Board). That's why only the paper practice tests can be scored by counting answers, which is what the score calculator does.
Percentiles in one minute
A percentile is the share of students who scored at or below you. College Board publishes two kinds. User percentiles compare you with students who graduated in the past three school years and actually took the SAT. Nationally representative percentiles estimate where you'd rank among all U.S. juniors and seniors, so they come out higher (College Board).
A 1200 is the 75th user percentile and a 1300 is the 85th. A 1500 is the 97th user percentile, and the 99th starts at 1530.
More score decisions
- What Is a Good SAT Score? How to judge a score against everyone and against your college list.
- Average SAT Score The class of 2026 averages, the trend and why state averages differ.
- How Many People Get a 1600 on the SAT? The class of 2026 count, plus every score band, with the data to download.
- Should I Retake the SAT? A verdict based on a school's middle 50%, with your superscore.
- Should I Submit My SAT Score? For test-optional schools, using their Common Data Set range.
- PSAT and National Merit The Selection Index and state cutoffs.
Questions people ask
What is the SAT score range?
The SAT total runs from 400 to 1600. It's the sum of two section scores, Reading and Writing and Math, each from 200 to 800 (College Board).
How is the digital SAT scored?
Each section is adaptive: the second module gets easier or harder depending on how you did on the first. Scoring weighs the difficulty of the questions you got right, so two students with the same number correct can earn different scores (College Board).
What is a good SAT score?
One that lands inside or above the middle 50% at the colleges you want. Our guide What Is a Good SAT Score? walks through the percentiles and how to judge a score against your list.
Can I take the SAT more than once?
Yes. College Board says students can take the SAT as many times as they want (College Board). The retake tool helps you decide whether another attempt is worth it.
Sources
- College Board, SAT score basics. https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/scores/k12-educators/help-students/understand-scores/basics
- College Board Newsroom, class of 2026 SAT results (September 29, 2026). https://newsroom.collegeboard.org/sat-turns-100-nearly-2-million-students-class-2026-take-test
- College Board, SAT structure. https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/whats-on-the-test/structure
- College Board, How SAT Scores Are Calculated. https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat-school-day/scores/understanding-scores/how-scores-are-calculated
- College Board Research, SAT Nationally Representative and User Percentiles. https://research.collegeboard.org/reports/sat-suite/understanding-scores/sat
- College Board, How many times can a student take the SAT?. https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/help-center/how-many-times-can-student-take-sat-and-when-should-they-take-it
This SAT scores hub on TutoringForSat.com was put together by Cedrick Reese. The scale and test structure come from College Board's SAT pages, the average from College Board's class of 2026 report, and the percentiles from College Board Research's table, which was compared row by row with the source on October 7, 2026. These figures are rechecked when College Board releases its annual report, usually in late September.