Average SAT Scores by State How Does Your State Stack Up

When it comes to figuring out your ideal score on the SAT, there are a lot of numbers to consider. Sectional scores, composite scores, percentiles†¦how do you know? One way to find out how your SAT scores measure up is by looking at the average SAT scores by state. In this post, well dive into those numbers and examine what SAT scores by state can tell us about college admissions. These measurements can be particularly helpful if youre applying to public colleges in-state, as many public universities will compare students scores to others from the area. However, average scores in your area can also be important for college admissions in general (no matter where youre from or where youre applying), as schools often have admissions officers who focus on particular regions or states. Heres the data on SAT scores by state! What Is the Average SAT Score? The SAT is calibrated so the average score hovers around 1000. However, despite the many clever people at the College Board (the test-maker), this is hard to achieve in practice. In 2019, the average SAT score for all 2,220,087 students was 1059 (composite), with an Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 531 and a Math score of 528. However, the average score for students who took the SAT essay (1,9577572 Arkansas1169592576 California10765506 Indiana1086599 Minnesota12986% of students taking the SAT—pretty impressive for an entire state! Minnesota also has the second highest average Evidence-Based Reading and Writing SAT scores (643) and the highest Math SAT scores (655) by state. Wisconsin Average SAT Scores by State Wisconsin follows close behind Minnesota with an average SAT score of 1294. Average Wisconsin scores for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing SAT were 641 (third highest), and average Math scores 641, coming in second behind Minnesota. North Dakota Average SAT Scores by State Both of the Dakotas shot up the list of state ACT scores this year. North Dakota, in particular, showed high scores. In 2019, North Dakota had the third-highest composite scores (1283), as well as the third-highest Math scores (643). For Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, their score of 640 put them in fourth place nationwide. Pretty impressive! South Dakota Average SAT Scores by State North Dakota wasnt the only Plains State to shoot up the list of comparative ACT scores by state in 2019. South Dakotan students topped the nation in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing scores with a whopping 662 average. In terms of overall scores, their average of 1241 places them tenth in the nation, while their Math average of 619 ties them for ninth place. Iowa Average SAT Scores by State Iowas composite SAT average scores rank fourth in the nation. Iowas average SAT score was 1265 overall, with a breakdown of Evidence-Based Reading and Writing SAT scores of 634 (fifth overall) and Math scores of 631 (fourth overall). What Do Average SAT Scores by State Tell Us? Looking at these SAT scores by state, we can pick out a few common threads. Other than geography (with all four top states in the Midwest and Plains States), what trends do we see? Interestingly, none of these states requires the SAT for graduation. Instead, Wisconsin requires the ACT for graduation. While this might seem like a contradiction, it actually helps to explain the high SAT scores: all students have to take the ACT, and all schools accept both tests. Therefore, you would only take the SAT if you found the test format easier than the ACTs. This would lead to higher average scores, as students to whom the test did not come somewhat naturally are less likely to take it. However, that explanation doesnt take Minnesota, Iowa, or the Dakotas into account. These states dont require either test. Nevertheless, these states have excellent (and large) public university systems. This is also true of Wisconsin; all five universities were ranked in the top 300 by US News World Report. This means that students who want affordable tuition at a great in-state college may have to work hard to get their scores as high as possible. What Average SAT Scores by State Mean for Everyone Average SAT scores by state are far from the only metric available to measure SAT performance. However, theyre useful for several reasons. Primarily, average SAT scores by state help contextualize your scores in terms of your states school system. How did you do compared to others who had a similar education? (We know that school systems vary significantly within states, but it is one rough measure.) Once colleges have this knowledge, they can set standards for admission, particularly for public universities with automatic admissions for in-state students with certain scores or with score cut-offs. All colleges reviewing applications can use this information to look at individual students in a wider context, as well. A Better Way to Put Your Score in Context What should you do if you need more information about whether you score is good? Look at SAT score ideal score on the SAT percentiles. These numbers compare SAT scores to those of all other students who took the test. Particularly if youre applying to colleges with stiff, nation-wide competition, knowing the broader context of your scores is important. Also, dont forget to evaluate the middle 50% of SAT scores for your dream schools. If youre setting SAT score goals, this is the best place to start! FAQ What is an average SAT score 2019? The average SAT score is currently 1059 overall, with 531 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and 528 in Math. For students who took the essay, these scores were 1088, 545, and 543, respectively. What were previous average SAT scores? The nationwide average for SAT scores in 2017 was 1060, compositeso theres only been a tiny shift upwards. By section, average scores were 533 (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing) and 527 (Math). In other words, ERW scores have gone down slightly, while Math scores have gone up slightly. Note that these scores were across all students, not just those who took the essay. What is an acceptable SAT score? It 100% depends on where you want to apply. Check out the SAT scores for admitted students at different colleges you might want to attend to get a better sense of what your goal might be. Is a 1200 on the SAT a good score? Its above average, which most people consider good. It really depends on where you want to go, as more competitive schools will have pools of applicants with higher scores; its best to take a look at the schools you want to attend and evaluate your SAT scores in that context. A Final Word on Average SAT Scores by State Learning the average SAT scores by state can help you put your scores (or your students scores) in context. However, remember that these average scores are not the be-all-and-end-all of college admissions! In the first place, some states have amazingly high average scores, while others have average scores that fall below the national average. At the end of the day, the best way to evaluate individual scores is by seeing how they measure up to individual goals.