How U.S. colleges' SAT and ACT Scores Changes

SAT Score Key Trends

SAT Scores have Risen: The average SAT score has increased by 125.5 points, from 1,059 to 1,185.
ACT Scores have Risen: The average ACT score has increased by 1.5 points, from 23.5 to 25.

The 2025 average SAT scores submitted by enrolled students in U.S. colleges is 1,185. Compared to the SAT scores of 10 years ago, the score becomes higher from 1,059 to 1,185. The 25^th percentile SAT score is 1,081 and the 75^th percentile score is 1,288 at U.S. colleges. The U.S. colleges' average ACT scores is 25 and it is higher than 24, score of 10 years ago.

SAT Scores Over Time

The average SAT score of the last 10 years is 1,020 (25^th percentile) and 1,226 (75^th percentile). The submitted SAT scores of admitted students are relatively competitive and high (above the national average) at U.S. colleges.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in SAT scores at U.S. colleges since 2025.

Year	Total			Math			EBRW
Year	25^th	50^th	75^th	25^th	50^th	75^th	25^th	50^th	75^th
2014-15	950	1,059	1,168	479	534	588	471	526	580
2015-16	946	1,055	1,164	476	531	585	470	525	579
2016-17	946	1,055	1,164	476	531	585	470	525	579
2017-18	1,019	1,119	1,218	507	557	607	512	562	611
2018-19	1,030	1,128	1,225	512	561	610	518	567	615
2019-20	1,029	1,129	1,229	512	563	613	517	567	616
2020-21	1,028	1,126	1,224	511	561	610	517	566	614
2021-22	1,053	1,155	1,257	522	574	626	531	581	631
2022-23	1,068	1,170	1,272	530	582	633	538	589	639
2023-24	1,073	1,175	1,276	531	583	634	542	593	642
2024-25	1,081	1,185	1,288	532	586	639	549	599	649
Average	1,020	1,123	1,226	508	560	612	512	564	614

^*SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing replaces SAT critical reading and writing since year 2017.

^**The SAT Writing score is excluded from the total scores for year from 2011 to 2016.

$U.S. colleges SAT Math Score Trends Chart$

U.S. colleges SAT EBRW (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing) Trends Chart

ACT Scores Over Time

The average ACT score of the last 10 years is 21 (25^th percentile) and 26 (75^th percentile). The submitted ACT scores of admitted students are around national average at U.S. colleges. The following table and chart show the changes in ACT scores at U.S. colleges since 2025.

Year	Composite			English			Math
Year	25^th	50^th	75^th	25^th	50^th	75^th	25^th	50^th	75^th
2014-15	21	24	26	20	23	26	20	23	25
2015-16	21	24	26	20	23	26	19	22	25
2016-17	21	24	26	20	23	26	19	22	25
2017-18	21	24	26	20	23	26	20	23	25
2018-19	21	24	26	20	23	26	19	22	25
2019-20	20	23	26	20	23	26	19	22	25
2020-21	21	24	26	20	24	27	19	23	26
2021-22	21	24	27	20	24	27	20	23	26
2022-23	22	25	27	21	25	28	20	23	26
2023-24	22	25	27	21	24	28	20	23	26
2024-25	22	25	28	21	25	28	20	23	27
Average	21	24	26	20	24	27	20	23	26

$U.S. colleges ACT Math Score Trends Chart$

Admission Test Scores Trends for U.S. colleges

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SAT Score Key Trends

SAT Scores Over Time

ACT Scores Over Time