What Is a Good SAT Score? A Complete Breakdown

A score of 1400 means something very different depending on whether you’re applying to a state school, a selective university, or a finance internship. The number itself matters less than what it means in your specific context.

The SAT Scale and National Average

The SAT is scored on a 400–1600 scale, combining two section scores:

• Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW): 200–800
• Math: 200–800

The national average composite score is around 1060. Scoring above it puts you in the top half of all test-takers, but that baseline only matters if you’re trying to gauge whether the score is worth mentioning at all.

Score Ranges at a Glance

Score Range	Approximate Percentile	What It Signals
1500–1600	Top 1–4%	Exceptional: competitive for the most selective schools and employers
1400–1490	Top 5–8%	Strong: opens doors at selective schools and stands out professionally
1300–1390	Top 12–20%	Above average: solid signal of academic ability
1200–1290	Top 25–35%	Good: above the national average
1060–1190	Around 50%	Average
Below 1060	Below 50%	Below the national average

Percentiles matter more than raw scores in most contexts. A 1400 in roughly the 96th percentile tells an employer or admissions reader something concrete: you scored higher than nearly everyone who sat for the same test.

“Good” for College Admissions

Every college publishes a middle 50% SAT range: the scores of the middle half of admitted students. Scoring at or above the top of that range makes you competitive. Scoring below it doesn’t rule you out, but you’re fighting the numbers.

Highly selective schools (Ivy League and equivalents) typically see most admitted students at 1500 or above. Selective schools sit in the 1350–1500 range. Most four-year colleges are competitive with 1100–1350. Open-enrollment schools don’t use a cutoff at all.

If you’re applying test-optional, a score above a school’s range is worth submitting. Below it, the calculus is less clear; check that school’s published guidance.

“Good” for Employers

Most students assume this section doesn’t apply to them. It does.

In quantitative finance, some firms screen resumes by SAT score before a phone call ever happens. A student with a 1430 who includes a verified score on their application gets past filters that a classmate with the same GPA and no score won’t. The score isn’t the whole decision, but it can be the difference between the first and second round.

Consulting and tech roles are similar. A score above 1350 starts being a meaningful signal when your work history is short and your resume looks like everyone else’s. Read more about why scores matter in hiring →

The catch: a self-reported score carries almost no weight. A verified score that’s been confirmed against your College Board record is what actually changes the conversation.

“Good” for Scholarships

Many merit scholarships use SAT cutoffs as a filter. National Merit requires a high PSAT Selection Index, the equivalent of a very strong SAT score, with cutoffs that vary by state and year. Institutional scholarships at many schools have their own thresholds, often in the 1300–1400 range. Private scholarships vary widely, so check each program directly.

Your Composite Isn’t the Whole Story

The composite is the number most students fixate on. Employers in analytical fields often look past it.

A 1400 with a 750 Math and a 650 EBRW reads very differently to a quant employer than a 700/700 split. Both are 1400. One signals strong mathematical reasoning. The other signals balance. If you’re targeting finance, engineering, or data roles, your Math subscore is the number that matters most — and it’s worth listing separately. “SAT 1400 (740 Math)” is more useful on a finance resume than just “SAT 1400.”

The Short Version

• 1200+: Above average. Worth including on college applications; borderline for employer use
• 1350+: Strong. Competitive for selective colleges and meaningful to employers in analytical fields
• 1450+: Excellent. Top-tier signal. Include the percentile and Math subscore wherever you list it

If your score is 1350 or above and you’re applying to roles in finance, consulting, or data in the next few years, include it, verify it, and list the subscore. A self-reported number is easy to dismiss. A verified credential isn’t.