SAT® Scores and Release Dates | A Complete Guide

Here’s what you need to know about SAT® scores, plus how scores on the Reading and Writing and Math sections contribute to your overall score.
A happy student in a yellow sweater celebrating a good Digital SAT score report which is on her laptop computer

Let’s explore the SAT score range, conversion of raw scores to scaled scores, and test and SAT score release dates.

How Is the SAT Scored?

SAT scoring is based on a scale of 400 to 1600. Your final score is the combined total of scores from the Reading and Writing section and the Math section, each of which includes two separately timed adaptive modules. Each section score ranges from 200 to 800, and these are then added together to form your total score, which reflects your overall performance on the exam.

It’s the digital SAT era. Are you ready for it? Try UWorld’s free exam-like sat practice questions to improve your score.
It’s the digital SAT era. Are you ready for it? Try UWorld’s free exam-like sat practice questions to improve your score.

SAT Raw Score Conversion

A raw SAT score is the number of questions you correctly answered. There is no penalty for an incorrect answer, so making an educated guess can only boost your chance of getting the answer correct by 25 percent.

SAT Scoring
Section No. of Questions Raw Score Range
Reading and Writing 54 0-54
Math 44 0-44

The difficulty level of each question and the skill types it measures are considered while calculating this score. You will access questions aligned to your proficiency level on module 2 of each section.

What Are Scaled Scores?

After your score for each section is calculated, it is converted to a standardized score ranging between 200 and 800, a process known in SAT scoring as scaling. You get 2 scaled scores, 1 each for the Reading and Writing and Math sections.

The College Board® sets this conversion scale, which remains nearly the same every year. However, there can be some changes depending on the test’s difficulty level. For example, on the Math test, a raw score of 42 out of 44 can earn you a scaled score of 800 in some test administrations. On other test administrations, you might need to answer all 44 questions correctly to receive an 800. This method is called equating and is a standardized statistical process to ensure the fairness and validity of the exam score.

Formula for calculating SAT scores

Now that you have a clear idea of what makes up your final SAT score, let’s review how the Reading and Writing and Math section scores are calculated.

How Are Each SAT Sections Scored?

Each section of the SAT is scored on a range of 200 to 800. Let’s break down how the raw scores of the Reading and Writing and the Math sections are converted into scaled scores.

Reading and Writing Section Scoring Structure

In SAT scoring, raw scores from Module 1 and Module 2 of the Reading and Writing section are added together, then the total raw score is converted into a scaled score ranging from 200 to 800.

Method of calculating Reading and Writing section Digital SAT scores

Math Section Scoring Structure

Raw scores from Module 1 and Module 2 of the Math section are added together, then the total raw score is converted into a scaled score ranging from 200 to 800.

Method of calculating Math section Digital SAT scores
Practice realistic SAT Math questions on the go with the mobile app. Start your free trial today!
Practice realistic SAT Math questions on the go with the mobile app. Start your free trial today!

2024-26 SAT Test and Score Release Dates

SAT scores are usually released 2 to 3 weeks after the testing date. If you’re interested in learning about SAT score release dates and how to view your score, read our blog on What To Expect on Digital SAT Score Release Day.

SAT Test Date SAT Score Release Date
November 2, 2024 November 15, 2024
December 7, 2024 December 20, 2024
March 8, 2025 TBD
May 3, 2025 TBD
June 7, 2025 TBD
August 23, 2025* TBD
October 4, 2025* TBD
November 8, 2025* TBD
December 6, 2025* TBD
March 14, 2026* TBD
May 2, 2026* TBD
June 6, 2026* TBD

* College Board anticipated test dates subject to change.

How to Get Digital SAT Scores

There are 3 ways to get your SAT score:

  • Online: The easiest way to access your SAT score is through the College Board website. Simply log in to your My SAT account.
  • By mail: If you don’t have a College Board account and did your registration via mail, you will automatically receive your score on paper in the mail.
  • By phone: For a fee, you may also receive your score by calling (866) 756-7346.

To learn about the components of the SAT score report, read our blog on How to Interpret the Digital SAT Score Report.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Yes. The SAT is graded on a scale of 400 to 1600.
The SAT percentiles range from 1 to 99 and represent the percentage of students who did better or worse than you on the test. To learn about score percentiles, read our blog on What Digital SAT percentiles mean.
The average SAT score is calculated by adding the total score of all test takers divided by the total number of students who took the test in a particular year. The average SAT score in 2024 was 1024 and 1028 in 2023.
A good SAT score is determined by the average score of a particular year. Since the average score in 2024 was 1024, any score above this would be considered relatively good. However, you should remember that any score that makes you a competitive candidate at the college of your choice is a “good score.”
Your score report includes a benchmark displaying your readiness for college-level coursework. Falling in the 25th percentile (870 or lower) is considered below average.
Your SAT score report can be sent directly to a university through the College Board. If you choose to have the report sent before scores are released, you will have 4 free submissions. If you prefer to send your official report after the SAT score release dates, you must pay a fee. Learn more about this process by reading our blog on sending Digital SAT scores to colleges.
SAT superscoring is a method that lets you select your best section scores from multiple test dates to get a new composite score. Colleges would take your best Reading and Writing score and best Math score from multiple exams to credit you with the highest possible SAT score. Learn more about superscoring.
SAT scores are valid forever. However, colleges might not consider scores older than 5 years. In such a situation, consider retaking the SAT. Remember to check with your prospective college on their SAT score policies.
Each scholarship program will have different requirements. However, the higher you score on the SAT, the better your opportunity of being rewarded with a valuable scholarship.
You can cancel SAT scores at the testing location by requesting a cancellation form immediately after finishing your exam or sending it via mail. Get in-depth information about the score cancellation process by reading our blog on canceling the SAT scores.
To learn your SAT score verification options, contact the College Board’s Customer Service team at 866-756-7346 (U.S. and Canada) or 212-713-7789 (all other countries).
Most colleges consider your high school GPA and SAT score for admission. A low GPA, though, could be balanced by a high SAT score.
Practice with realistic digital SAT Reading & Writing questions on the go with the mobile app. Sign up for a free trial now!
Practice with realistic digital SAT Reading & Writing questions on the go with the mobile app. Sign up for a free trial now!

References

  1. The Digital SAT® Suite of Assessments Specifications Overview. (2022). satsuite.collegeboard.org. Retrieved November 2023, from https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/digital-sat-test-spec-overview.pdf 
  2. Digital SAT Sample Questions and Explanations. (n.d.). satsuite.collegeboard.org. Retrieved December 2023, from https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/digital-sat-sample-questions.pdf 
  3. Spring 2024 SAT Student Guide for Testing in the U.S. (n.d.). satsuite.collegeboard.org. Retrieved December 2023, from https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/sat-student-guide.pdf
  4. Understanding Digital SAT Scores. (2023). satsuite.collegeboard.org. Retrieved December 2023, from https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/digital-sat-understanding-scores.pdf
  5. Your SAT Score Report Explained – SAT Suite | College Board. (n.d.). https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/scores/understanding-scores/your-score-report-explained
  6. SAT Participation and Performance (2024, November 12). College Board Blog. https://reports.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/2024-total-group-sat-suite-of-assessments-annual-report-ADA.pdf
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