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Wisconsin
1,252
Wyoming
1,244
Kansas
1,238
Utah
1,233
Mississippi
1,226
Minnesota
1,225
Nebraska
1,222
Kentucky
1,219
South Dakota
1,219
North Dakota
1,212
Montana
1,206
Missouri
1,200
Tennessee
1,200
Iowa
1,196
Arkansas
1,191
Nevada
1,172
Louisiana
1,171
Arizona
1,159
Alabama
1,146
Oregon
1,143
North Carolina
1,136
Hawaii
1,124
Virginia
1,124
California
1,115
Alaska
1,110
Washington
1,096
Vermont
1,095
Pennsylvania
1,091
Maine
1,081
New Jersey
1,079
Maryland
1,075
Indiana
1,073
New York
1,067
Georgia
1,060
Ohio
1,053
New Hampshire
1,050
South Carolina
1,030
Massachusetts
1,029
Connecticut
1,025
Colorado
1,021
Texas
1,001
Michigan
1,000
DC
985
Florida
983
Illinois
981
New Mexico
976
Rhode Island
971
Delaware
968
Idaho
968
Oklahoma
951
West Virginia
938

SAT Scores by State [Updated May 2023]

SAT Scores by State [Updated May 2023]

The SAT is a standardized test widely used for college admissions. The SAT was originally called the Scholastic Aptitude Test and was later called the Scholastic Assessment Test. The exam is owned, developed, and published by the College Board. The exam was started in 1926 and has been used for 94 years for college and university undergraduate program admissions.

The SAT comprises three parts: Mathematics, Critical Reading and Writing, and an optional SAT Essay section. The exam takes about three hours to complete plus 50 minutes for the essay. The Mathematics and Critical Reading and Writing sections are scored on a scale of 200 to 800 points, combining to give a total score of 400 to 1600. Essays are scored on a scale of 2-8 on each of the three criteria, totaling a score between 6 and 24.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many SATs were canceled for thousands of students, and future SATs will have very limited capacity to meet social distancing guidelines. Additionally, college admissions are trying to be as flexible as possible for students who have had their exams canceled.

In addition to college admissions, SAT scores can compare school districts' performance and evaluate state educational programs. Several factors affect SAT scores. These include:

  • Educational achievement levels: instruction and institutional factors, such as teacher-to-student ratios, affect students' performance in school and on the SAT.
  • Cultural factors: race, ethnicity, and culture can impact test scores for a few reasons, such as the attitude and lower expectations of minority group test-takers.
  • Socioeconomic status: socioeconomic status can affect a student's regular attendance in school and the ability to buy practice and study materials for the SAT.
  • Psychological factors: cognitive development factors (such as long-term memory) can impact one's ability to learn and retain information, while psychological disorders, such as anxiety or ADHD, could hinder one's ability to perform well.

SAT Scores by State

According to the College Board, the average SAT score in 2022 was 1050. Participation rates ranged from 1% in Mississippi and North Dakota to 100% in the District of Columbia Lower participation rates in some states can be for a few reasons, including that more students may opt to take the ACT and that only the highest-performing, most prepared students take the SAT. Because cultural and socioeconomic factors and the quality of schools vary greatly between districts and states, average SAT scores vary greatly.

The following ten states had the highest average SAT scores: Wisconsin (1252), Wyoming (1244), Kansas (1238), Utah (1233), Mississippi (1226), Minnesota (1225), Nebraska (1222), Kentucky (1219), South Dakota (1219), and North Dakota (1212). Other states with average scores over 1200 include Montana, Tennessee, and Missouri. All thirteen of these states have participation rates between 1% and 6%, most likely indicating that only the highest-performing students took the SAT in 2022.

The following ten states had the lowest SAT scores: West Virginia (938), Oklahoma (951), Delaware (968), Idaho (968), Rhode Island (971), New Mexico (976), Illinois (981), Florida (983), the District of Columbia (985), and Michigan (1000). Participation rates were much higher among these states, with most states having 84% to 100% participation, except for Oklahoma, which had 17%, New Mexico with 42%, and Delaware with 65%.

Here are the 10 states with the highest average SAT scores:

  1. Wisconsin: 1,252
  2. Wyoming: 1,244
  3. Kansas: 1,238
  4. Utah: 1,233
  5. Mississippi: 1,226
  6. Minnesota: 1,225
  7. Nebraska: 1,222
  8. Kentucky: 1,219
  9. South Dakota: 1,219
  10. North Dakota: 1,212

SAT Scores by State [Updated May 2023]

SAT Scores by State [Updated May 2023]

Notes:
- EBRW is an abbreviation for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, one of the two halves of the SAT test (Math being the other)
- The average combined SAT score in 2022 was 1050 out of a possible 1600.
- Average SAT scores are often significantly impacted by the percentage of students who take the SATs in each state. For example, Wisconsin has the highest average SAT score in the country, but only 2% of students (likely many of the state's brightest students) take the SAT exam. By comparison, New Hampshire has exactly average scores, but a full 81% of all students take the SATs.

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SAT Scores by State [Updated May 2023]

Sources