# SAT Scores 400–1600: Percentiles, Section Splits and Next Steps Source: https://1600.now/sat-score Last updated: 2026-10-02 --- ## SAT scores: what the number means The SAT total ranges from 400 to 1600. Reading and Writing and Math each range from 200 to 800, and the total is their sum. Look up the right score type before comparing percentiles or choosing practice. Written by [Luke Finigan](https://1600.now/about) 4 min read Updated Oct 2, 2026 ### Look up your total SAT score Total score 1300 total is at the 85th SAT-user percentile. One valid combination is 650 Reading and Writing plus 650 Math. [Open the 1300 score breakdown →](https://1600.now/sat-score/1300) The percentile uses College Board's reference group of students who graduated in the past three school years. It is not your percentage of questions correct, a college admission probability or an exact annual count at that score. ### 650 or 750 can mean two different things Find definitions of percentile, superscore, and other report terms in the [SAT glossary](https://1600.now/sat-glossary). A 750 total is out of 1600. A 750 Math score is out of 800. Two 750 sections total 1500. The section percentile and total percentile come from different tables, so a low total-score percentile must not be used to describe a high section score. If your report says 650 Reading and Writing and 700 Math, open the 1350 total breakdown and use the section report to choose practice. If it says 650 total, start from that total and its much lower section combination. - [Compare total, Math and Reading and Writing interpretations of 750](https://1600.now/sat-score/750) - [Compare the interpretations of 650](https://1600.now/sat-score/650) ### Every SAT total explained The band gives broad context. Open your exact total for its percentile, valid section combinations and college-range interpretation. Choose the next drill from actual errors, rather than a label attached to the score. #### 1500–1600 Review remaining misses and correct guesses; test each repair on fresh questions. - [1500](https://1600.now/sat-score/1500) - [1510](https://1600.now/sat-score/1510) - [1520](https://1600.now/sat-score/1520) - [1530](https://1600.now/sat-score/1530) - [1540](https://1600.now/sat-score/1540) - [1550](https://1600.now/sat-score/1550) - [1560](https://1600.now/sat-score/1560) - [1570](https://1600.now/sat-score/1570) - [1580](https://1600.now/sat-score/1580) - [1590](https://1600.now/sat-score/1590) - [1600](https://1600.now/sat-score/1600) #### 1400–1490 Use the section split and repeated errors to choose a focused review cycle. - [1400](https://1600.now/sat-score/1400) - [1410](https://1600.now/sat-score/1410) - [1420](https://1600.now/sat-score/1420) - [1430](https://1600.now/sat-score/1430) - [1440](https://1600.now/sat-score/1440) - [1450](https://1600.now/sat-score/1450) - [1460](https://1600.now/sat-score/1460) - [1470](https://1600.now/sat-score/1470) - [1480](https://1600.now/sat-score/1480) - [1490](https://1600.now/sat-score/1490) #### 1300–1390 Check whether timing or missing content causes the weaker section's errors. - [1300](https://1600.now/sat-score/1300) - [1310](https://1600.now/sat-score/1310) - [1320](https://1600.now/sat-score/1320) - [1330](https://1600.now/sat-score/1330) - [1340](https://1600.now/sat-score/1340) - [1350](https://1600.now/sat-score/1350) - [1360](https://1600.now/sat-score/1360) - [1370](https://1600.now/sat-score/1370) - [1380](https://1600.now/sat-score/1380) - [1390](https://1600.now/sat-score/1390) #### 1200–1290 Repair recurring medium-question errors before adding hard-only sets. - [1200](https://1600.now/sat-score/1200) - [1210](https://1600.now/sat-score/1210) - [1220](https://1600.now/sat-score/1220) - [1230](https://1600.now/sat-score/1230) - [1240](https://1600.now/sat-score/1240) - [1250](https://1600.now/sat-score/1250) - [1260](https://1600.now/sat-score/1260) - [1270](https://1600.now/sat-score/1270) - [1280](https://1600.now/sat-score/1280) - [1290](https://1600.now/sat-score/1290) #### 400–1190 Build one foundational skill at a time, then check it under the clock. - [400](https://1600.now/sat-score/400) - [410](https://1600.now/sat-score/410) - [420](https://1600.now/sat-score/420) - [430](https://1600.now/sat-score/430) - [440](https://1600.now/sat-score/440) - [450](https://1600.now/sat-score/450) - [460](https://1600.now/sat-score/460) - [470](https://1600.now/sat-score/470) - [480](https://1600.now/sat-score/480) - [490](https://1600.now/sat-score/490) - [500](https://1600.now/sat-score/500) - [510](https://1600.now/sat-score/510) - [520](https://1600.now/sat-score/520) - [530](https://1600.now/sat-score/530) - [540](https://1600.now/sat-score/540) - [550](https://1600.now/sat-score/550) - [560](https://1600.now/sat-score/560) - [570](https://1600.now/sat-score/570) - [580](https://1600.now/sat-score/580) - [590](https://1600.now/sat-score/590) - [600](https://1600.now/sat-score/600) - [610](https://1600.now/sat-score/610) - [620](https://1600.now/sat-score/620) - [630](https://1600.now/sat-score/630) - [640](https://1600.now/sat-score/640) - [650](https://1600.now/sat-score/650) - [660](https://1600.now/sat-score/660) - [670](https://1600.now/sat-score/670) - [680](https://1600.now/sat-score/680) - [690](https://1600.now/sat-score/690) - [700](https://1600.now/sat-score/700) - [710](https://1600.now/sat-score/710) - [720](https://1600.now/sat-score/720) - [730](https://1600.now/sat-score/730) - [740](https://1600.now/sat-score/740) - [750](https://1600.now/sat-score/750) - [760](https://1600.now/sat-score/760) - [770](https://1600.now/sat-score/770) - [780](https://1600.now/sat-score/780) - [790](https://1600.now/sat-score/790) - [800](https://1600.now/sat-score/800) - [810](https://1600.now/sat-score/810) - [820](https://1600.now/sat-score/820) - [830](https://1600.now/sat-score/830) - [840](https://1600.now/sat-score/840) - [850](https://1600.now/sat-score/850) - [860](https://1600.now/sat-score/860) - [870](https://1600.now/sat-score/870) - [880](https://1600.now/sat-score/880) - [890](https://1600.now/sat-score/890) - [900](https://1600.now/sat-score/900) - [910](https://1600.now/sat-score/910) - [920](https://1600.now/sat-score/920) - [930](https://1600.now/sat-score/930) - [940](https://1600.now/sat-score/940) - [950](https://1600.now/sat-score/950) - [960](https://1600.now/sat-score/960) - [970](https://1600.now/sat-score/970) - [980](https://1600.now/sat-score/980) - [990](https://1600.now/sat-score/990) - [1000](https://1600.now/sat-score/1000) - [1010](https://1600.now/sat-score/1010) - [1020](https://1600.now/sat-score/1020) - [1030](https://1600.now/sat-score/1030) - [1040](https://1600.now/sat-score/1040) - [1050](https://1600.now/sat-score/1050) - [1060](https://1600.now/sat-score/1060) - [1070](https://1600.now/sat-score/1070) - [1080](https://1600.now/sat-score/1080) - [1090](https://1600.now/sat-score/1090) - [1100](https://1600.now/sat-score/1100) - [1110](https://1600.now/sat-score/1110) - [1120](https://1600.now/sat-score/1120) - [1130](https://1600.now/sat-score/1130) - [1140](https://1600.now/sat-score/1140) - [1150](https://1600.now/sat-score/1150) - [1160](https://1600.now/sat-score/1160) - [1170](https://1600.now/sat-score/1170) - [1180](https://1600.now/sat-score/1180) - [1190](https://1600.now/sat-score/1190) ### Choose a goal from a real use Compare the current published ranges and policies for your college list or a written scholarship threshold. A national percentile can describe your result, but it cannot choose the target for that application. Each preparation guide below gives a section split, a worked check and a practice sequence. Timelines are planning examples; neither study hours nor a fixed miss count guarantees the score. - [Aim for 1000](https://1600.now/how-to-get-1000-sat) - [Aim for 1100](https://1600.now/how-to-get-1100-sat) - [Aim for 1200](https://1600.now/how-to-get-1200-sat) - [Aim for 1250](https://1600.now/how-to-get-1250-sat) - [Aim for 1300](https://1600.now/how-to-get-1300-sat) - [Aim for 1350](https://1600.now/how-to-get-1350-sat) - [Aim for 1400](https://1600.now/how-to-get-1400-sat) - [Aim for 1450](https://1600.now/how-to-get-1450-sat) - [Aim for 1500](https://1600.now/how-to-get-1500-sat) - [Aim for 1550](https://1600.now/how-to-get-1550-sat) - [Aim for 1600](https://1600.now/how-to-get-1600-sat) - [Decide what a good score means for your college list](https://1600.now/good-sat-score) - [Read the latest national average: class of 2026](https://1600.now/average-sat-score) - [Understand a perfect 1600 and what its percentile says](https://1600.now/perfect-sat-score-1600) - [Practice the skill causing a repeated miss](https://1600.now/bank) ### Source [College Board: total and section SAT-user percentiles](https://research.collegeboard.org/reports/sat-suite/understanding-scores/sat), checked October 2, 2026. Use an official practice result for score validation; a [practice score estimate](https://1600.now/score-calculator) cannot reproduce College Board's official scoring.