Is 1050 a Good SAT Score? (2026)

What a 1050 means for your college list, state scholarships, and the November and December retake dates.

A 1050 is a solid, slightly above average SAT score. It sits in the 58th percentile nationally and the 55th percentile among actual SAT takers, and it is 21 points above the national average of 1029 for the class of 2025. In plain terms, you scored as well as or better than more than half of your peers.

Whether it is good enough depends on your list. A 1050 lands inside the typical range at many regional public universities, and it is a workable score at test-optional schools. It is below the typical range at selective colleges. If you just opened your September 12 scores, here is how to read a 1050 honestly and what to do next.

What Percentile Is a 1050 SAT Score?

College Board publishes two percentiles for every total score on its SAT percentile tables (checked September 2026). The nationally representative percentile compares you with all US 11th and 12th graders, including students who never take the SAT. The user percentile compares you with students from the last three graduating classes who actually tested.

Your own score report may show a slightly different number. College Board's Fall 2026 score report shows an "All Tester" percentile based on the past three classes of 12th-grade SAT takers worldwide, and the online portal adds country and state percentiles (Fall 2026 Understanding Scores guide). Any of these will put a 1050 close to the middle. For the full table, see our SAT percentiles guide.

Two Averages: Why a 1050 Can Feel Lower Than It Is

The national mean of 1029 comes from College Board's 2025 SAT Suite Annual Report, which covers about 2 million students in the class of 2025. By that measure a 1050 is above average. Our average SAT score guide breaks the number down further.

But the same report splits students by how they tested, and the gap is large:

• Students who tested only on a school day (many states and districts offer the SAT during the school day) averaged 906.
• Students who tested only on a weekend, like the September 12 test, averaged 1173.

Weekend testers are more likely to be students who signed up on their own with specific colleges in mind. So if your friends all took the Saturday test, a 1050 can look ordinary next to theirs, even though it beats most students nationally. Both facts are true. The one that matters is how your score compares with the colleges you are applying to, which is the next section.

One more useful check: College Board's college and career readiness benchmarks are 480 in Reading and Writing and 530 in Math. Meeting a benchmark predicts a 75% likelihood of earning a C or higher in a related first-semester college course. A 1050 can meet both (for example, 510 + 540), or it can hide a Math score below 530. In the class of 2025, 64% of students met the Reading and Writing benchmark but only 41% met the Math one. Look at your section split before deciding what to study.

Colleges Where a 1050 Is Competitive

These universities report a middle-50% SAT range (25th to 75th percentile of enrolled freshmen who submitted scores) that includes 1050, according to each school's Common Data Set, section C9 (the entering class is listed next to each name):

Two things to notice. First, at the first two schools a 1050 is at or above the median score for enrolled freshmen, not a long shot. Second, look at the "sent SAT" column. At North Carolina A&T, only 19% of enrolled freshmen submitted an SAT and 20% an ACT, so most were admitted without a test score, on grades, coursework, and the rest of the application. The middle-50% range only describes the students who chose to send scores.

That is the test-optional reality at many schools that admit students in this band. A common rule of thumb is to send your score where it sits at or above the school's median and to consider holding it back where it falls below the 25th percentile. Check each college's own policy page, since some colleges still require scores and others use them for course placement. At more selective schools, where the 25th percentile starts above about 1150, a 1050 is below the typical range, and your grades and essays will carry more of the weight. If you are aiming a notch higher, see what an 1100 SAT score or an 1150 SAT score opens up.

Does a 1050 Qualify for Scholarships?

At this score, state programs and need-based aid usually matter more than a college's automatic merit grid. Two state examples show how close to the line a 1050 sits:

• Tennessee HOPE Scholarship: entering freshmen qualify with a 21 ACT or a 1060 SAT or a 3.0 overall GPA, according to the state's College for TN portal. A 1050 is 10 points short on the test route, but a 3.0 GPA gets you there without the SAT. The award is up to $2,250 per semester in the first two years at a four-year school.
• Louisiana TOPS Opportunity: LOSFA's TOPS test-score Q&A lists a minimum SAT of 1030 for the Opportunity award, along with a 2.50 TOPS core GPA and the core curriculum. A 1050 clears the score requirement.

Many universities publish automatic merit scholarships tied to SAT scores, but the larger tiers often start above 1050, so check each school's financial aid page for its exact grid. Everyone should file the FAFSA at studentaid.gov, since federal and state need-based grants do not depend on test scores at all.

Should You Retake the SAT With a 1050?

A retake makes sense for a lot of students at 1050, but not all of them. A quick way to decide:

• Your colleges have medians near 1050 or lower: You are already a typical admit. A retake is optional. Spend the time on your essays and grades.
• Your colleges have medians of 1100 to 1200: A retake is worth it. Moving into the middle of their range makes it an easy call to submit your score.
• A scholarship line sits just above you (like Tennessee's 1060 without a 3.0 GPA): Retake. A small gain has a direct dollar value.
• Your Math is below 530: Even if admissions is covered, raising Math toward the benchmark helps with placement and first-year courses.

Retakes carry little risk. College Board's Score Choice lets you pick which test dates to send, though some colleges ask for all scores. Many colleges also superscore, combining your best section scores across dates.

How to Go From 1050 to 1150

Registration for October 3 has closed, so your realistic next dates this fall are below (from College Board's SAT dates and deadlines; see our SAT test dates guide for the full year):

From the end of September, November 7 is under six weeks away and December 5 is about ten. Pick December if you can, unless an early deadline needs the November score. A plan that fits either date:

1. Start with your score report. It breaks your performance into eight content domains, four in Reading and Writing and four in Math. Circle the two weakest.
2. Fix the Math side first if it is under 530. Algebra and Problem-Solving and Data Analysis are two of the four Math domains, and both are built on skills you can review directly.
3. Drill grammar rules for Reading and Writing. Standard English Conventions questions follow a limited set of rules, which makes them one of the more coachable parts of the section.
4. Practice a little every day. Short daily sessions beat one long weekend cram. Larry Learns has 25,000+ SAT and ACT practice questions, and the free plan includes 3 quizzes and 3 AI explanations a day.
5. Take one full practice test in Bluebook about two weeks before test day, then spend your last sessions on the question types you missed.

Official SAT Prep on Khan Academy, College Board's free partner program, is another no-cost option for content review.

Frequently Asked Questions About a 1050 SAT Score

Is 1050 a good SAT score?

It is slightly above average. A 1050 is in the 58th percentile nationally and 21 points above the class of 2025 average of 1029. It is a typical admitted-student score at many regional public universities, but below the range at selective colleges.

What is a 1050 SAT equivalent to on the ACT?

About a 20. The official ACT/SAT concordance tables from 2018 map SATs of 1030 to 1050 to an ACT 20. Those tables predate the digital SAT and the enhanced ACT, so treat the match as approximate. See is 20 a good ACT score for the ACT side.

Should I send a 1050 to test-optional colleges?

Send it where 1050 is at or near the school's median SAT, like Stephen F. Austin (median 1040) or Texas Woman's (median 1010). Consider leaving it off where it falls below the 25th percentile. Always check the school's own policy page first.

Can I get into a UC school with a 1050?

UC says it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions or scholarships, so a 1050 will not help or hurt your admission decision there. UC may still use submitted scores to meet some minimum requirements or for course placement after you enroll. Your grades, coursework, and personal insight essays carry the decision.

How long does it take to go from 1050 to 1150?

There is no guaranteed timeline, and it depends on where your points are going. Students who find a clear weak area, like Math below 530, and practice it daily for six to nine weeks give themselves the best shot. The December 5 test fits that window.

Want to see where your points are hiding? Take a free SAT practice quiz to find your weakest question types, then create a free account to keep practicing before your retake.