# SAT Score Chart: 400–1600 Scale and Percentiles | 1600.now

Source: https://1600.now/sat-score-chart
Last updated: 2026-10-05

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Scores

## SAT Score Chart

The SAT total runs from 400 to 1600. Reading and Writing and Math each run from 200 to 800, and the two section scores add to your total. Use your section split, SAT-user percentile and target colleges for three different decisions.

Written by [Luke Finigan](https://1600.now/about)

Updated Oct 5, 2026

### The SAT scale at a glance

A total score is not a percent correct. A 1200 does not mean you answered 75% of the questions correctly. Adaptive scoring uses the questions and response pattern, not a fixed percentage conversion.

| Number on the report | Range | What it tells you |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total | 400–1600 | Reading and Writing + Math |
| Reading and Writing | 200–800 | Your scaled verbal section result |
| Math | 200–800 | Your scaled Math section result |
| Score increments | 10 points | Official section and total scores use ten-point steps |

### Score bands without admissions labels

These rows use College Board’s percentile table checked October 5, 2026. The user group is actual SAT takers from the last three graduating classes; the nationally representative group models all U.S. 11th and 12th graders, including students who do not take the SAT. The same percentile does not mean the same admission chances at every college. For every ten-point total, use the percentile lookup table.

| Total | User-group percentile | Nationally representative percentile | Possible Reading and Writing + Math split |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1600 | 99+ | 99+ | $800 + 800$ |
| 1500 | 97 | 99 | $720 + 780$ |
| 1400 | 93 | 97 | $680 + 720$ |
| 1300 | 85 | 91 | $600 + 700$ |
| 1200 | 75 | 81 | $580 + 620$ |
| 1100 | 62 | 67 | $530 + 570$ |
| 1000 | 47 | 48 | $480 + 520$ |
| 900 | 32 | 29 | $450 + 450$ |
| 800 | 17 | 14 | $400 + 400$ |
| 700 | 6 | 4 | $350 + 350$ |
| 600 | 2 | 1- | $300 + 300$ |
| 500 | 1 | 1- | $250 + 250$ |
| 400 | 1- | 1- | $200 + 200$ |

### Read the split before choosing a drill

A 1400 made from 760 Reading and Writing and 640 Math calls for a different plan than 700 in both sections. Open the lower section’s skill breakdown, then test two specific skills with fresh questions. Do not assume the lower section is easier to improve just because its score is lower.

For example, if your 640 Math review shows three system-of-equations setup errors, practice writing both equations before opening Desmos. If your 640 Reading and Writing review shows [punctuation](https://1600.now/bank/reading/skill/Boundaries) errors, label the clauses before comparing [punctuation](https://1600.now/bank/reading/skill/Boundaries) choices.

### Compare with a college, then set a target

Find the college’s current testing policy first. For score context, record the year, 25th and 75th percentiles, and whether the statistics describe admitted or enrolled students. A range is a description of a previous group, not an entrance requirement.

A 1510 can sit at the lower edge of one college’s historical range and above the upper edge at another. Use that comparison to decide whether a retake is worth your available time. A higher score never guarantees admission.

### Old scales and unusual numbers

The SAT in 2015 used a 600–2400 total; the current 400–1600 scale began in 2016. Do not compare a 2015 total directly with this chart. Digital and redesigned paper SAT scores use the same 400–1600 scale.

A value such as 1156 can be a school average or model output, but it is not an individual official SAT total. Likewise, a jump from 840 to 1550 in 17 days cannot be promised from a chart; take a fresh timed diagnostic and work from the errors it reveals.

### Sources

- [College Board total and section percentiles (checked October 5, 2026)](https://research.collegeboard.org/reports/sat-suite/understanding-scores/sat)
- [College Board digital scoring and unscored questions](https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/scores/what-scores-mean/how-scores-calculated)

### Next steps

[Use the SAT score calculator](https://1600.now/score-calculator) [Review test results](https://1600.now/test-results) [Open statistics](https://1600.now/analysis)

### FAQs

#### Is 1600 the highest SAT score?

Yes: 800 Reading and Writing plus 800 Math. The reported user-group percentile is 99+, not an exact count of perfect scorers.

#### Does 1400 mean 87.5% correct?

No. Dividing a scaled total by 1600 does not produce your percentage of correct answers.

#### What makes an SAT score good for college?

Its usefulness depends on the college’s testing policy, previous student score range and your broader academic record.

### Related SAT resources

- [SAT Percentile Chart](https://1600.now/sat-percentile-chart)

  SAT percentile chart: a 1500 is the 97th percentile among SAT takers, a 1400 the 93rd and a 1300 the 85th, with College Board’s nationally representative ranks beside each.
- [SAT Percentile Lookup Table](https://1600.now/sat-percentile-lookup-table)

  Every SAT total from 1600 down to 400 with its College Board percentile, for SAT takers and for the nationally representative group. A 1300 is the 85th and 91st.
- [What SAT Score Do You Need for College?](https://1600.now/sat-score-needed-for-college)

  Guide to choosing the SAT score you need for college admissions based on middle-50% ranges, major, and application strategy.
- [SAT Raw Score Conversion Chart](https://1600.now/sat-raw-score-conversion-chart)

  Why no fixed digital SAT raw-score chart works: adaptive modules, question characteristics and unscored items, with a valid practice-score workflow.

[Browse the complete SAT resource library →](https://1600.now/sat-resources)