Average SAT Scores (Most Recent)
More than one million students across the United States take the SAT every year. So, what do SAT scores for each state? How do you rank with other students from your state? Also What are interesting state statistics? For instance, which state has the most impressive SAT score? What is the lowest SAT Courses? The highest percentage of participants?
It’s the fight between state legislatures, SAT edition. Find the average of your state’s SAT scores, as well as some other fun information on this page!
What Is the National Average SAT Score?
Before we go into SAT averages for each state Let’s briefly review what is the SAT scoring process and what the total average SAT score across the US is currently.
You are probably aware that the SAT Schedule consists of three parts: Reading, Writing and Language (also often referred to as Writing) as well as Math. This Math section is rated on the basis that it ranges from 200 to 800, and Writing and Reading are scored on a scale of 200-800. Reading Writing and Reading Writing sections are together for the final Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) score based on a range of 200 to 800-800.
Combining both of these sections, we have an complete SAT scoring range of 400 to 1600, with 1600 being the flawless score.
After we’ve got this down, let’s take a look at the nation’s mean SAT score. The year 2023 was the last time The College Board published that the average SAT score:
- Total: 1028
- Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW): 520
- Math: 508
As you can see, the mean scores in ERW as well as Math are very similar. This is then added for the total SAT average score which is about the middle point of the overall scoring range (400-1600).
But what are the typical SAT scores of each state? Read on to find out some intriguing trends and see the noteworthy top places in different states!
State SAT Awards
The first step is to look at our states who have been awarded the “State SAT Awards.” The categories for these awards are according to:
- Highest SAT Score
- Highest SAT Score with Over 20% Participation
- Team Players (Over 75% Participation)
- Lowest SAT Score
- Most Variation Between SAT Sections
The information below is derived directly from the college board’s 2022 SAT state reports.
Highest Score: North Dakota (SAT Score: 1287)
Wisconsin gets the cake for the highest average SAT score of the score of 1287. This is 259 points more than the average for the nation!
However, the state also has lower test takers than the majority of the US at just 1 percent. That’s right, only 83 % of the seniors who graduated from 2023 took the SAT.
Since the majority of people who are in North Dakota take the ACT rather than the SAT The state’s highest average SAT score could mean the state’s SAT scores are high. only the most well-prepared high school students are able to take the SAT. These students typically achieve higher scores, which in turn raises the average score of the state.
But what if we were to look instead at states that have an impressive participation rate, that is the state where more than 20 percent of students take the SAT? The winner of the SAT prize can be found here …
The highest score with more than 20 percent Participation: North Carolina (SAT Score 1127, with 24% participation)
A great accomplishment! 27803 people in 2023’s class taking the SAT in this state, North Carolina is really outperforming that of the average national. The state averaged an ErW score of 570 and the Math score of 557 and an overall average score of 1127.
Team Players (Over 75% Participation): 13 States
In the United States, there are thirteen states in which more than 75 percent of seniors took the SAT in 2023. These states include:
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Washington D.C.
- Florida
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- Rhode Island
- West Virginia
Before the COVID-19 epidemic there were a number of states every year with 100% participation in the SAT. They were generally states which required all secondary students take an SAT for the purpose of the normal high school tests.
However, due to the huge number of colleges that made standard tests an option in the aftermath of the pandemic this year, it was not an expectation for high schools to provide the SAT. In the end, the only two schools in Washington D.C. and Indiana have 100% participation in the SAT this year.
Lowest Score: New Mexico (SAT Score: 901)
Sadly, New Mexico underperforms the national average by over 150 points. This could be due to the high proportion of seniors taking the SAT in New Mexico (94%). In other states, where less than 5 percent of seniors took the SAT It’s possible that only the best-prepared students were able to take the SAT, thus boosting the average score. Other states that had lower average SAT scores included West Virginia, Delaware, Washington D.C., Florida as well as Oklahoma (<975 average score). In addition, the U.S. Virgin Islands, is a U.S. territory, also have low SAT scores.
Most Variation Between Sections: West Virginia (551 EBRW, 503 Math)
West Virginia had an average Math score of between 33 and 34 points less than their typical Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW) score.
There’s also a disparity among students from the US Virgin Islands. Students were averaging 47 points higher in the ERW test than on Math. However, since there were 462 students in the class of 2023 that took the SAT in the US Virgin Islands, this disparity isn’t as shocking as it was in West Virginia, where far more students were taking the SAT.
