Is 1280 a Good SAT Score? (2026)

Why a 1280 is the middle of the class at three big universities, where it sits at the floor of the range, and what 20 more points would change.

Yes, a 1280 is a good SAT score. It sits at the 89th percentile nationally and the 83rd percentile among students who actually take the SAT, so you outscored about five in six recent test takers. It is 235 points above the class of 2026 average of 1045.

A 1280 also has an unusual property this year: it is the exact median SAT score of fall 2025 first-years at Baylor, the University of Denver and Texas A&M, according to each school's own Common Data Set. Below you will see the full list, the schools where it sits at the bottom of the range, and why the 1300 line, 20 points away, is worth real money at two southern universities.

What Percentile Is a 1280 SAT Score?

Here is how a 1280 compares with nearby scores in the College Board's current percentile tables:

The national percentile compares you with all US 11th and 12th graders, whether or not they take the SAT. The user percentile compares you with students who took the SAT and graduated in the past three school years, the group you actually compete with in admissions. By that measure, about 17% of test takers scored higher than you.

A 1280 sits on the top step of the "good" band, one rung under "very good." The 20 points to 1300 add two user-percentile points, which matters less than the specific cutoffs that land at 1300, covered in the scholarship section below. If your 1280 is an even 640 in each section, both sit at the 82nd user percentile. The full chart is in our SAT percentiles guide.

Colleges Where a 1280 Is Competitive

These ranges come from each university's 2025-26 Common Data Set (section C9). They describe fall 2025 enrolled first-years who submitted SAT scores:

Three readings of that table are worth spelling out:

• Texas A&M's range describes most of its class. Over three quarters of A&M's fall 2025 first-years sent an SAT, so a 1280 there is truly the middle student, not the middle of a small self-selected group. At Oregon only about one in ten sent the SAT, so its range is a thinner guide. Our Texas A&M SAT and ACT guide has the school's other numbers.
• Every school on the list is test-optional for fall 2027 applicants. Texas A&M says it "will not require ACT or SAT scores" for freshman applicants, TCU makes scores optional for students graduating high school through 2028, and Penn State lets first-year applicants choose whether to submit.
• Oregon barely uses scores at all. The University of Oregon says it is "test-blind" for scholarship consideration and that scores play little to no role in admission. A 1280 is above its median, but it will not earn you merit money there.

At a median-score school, sending a 1280 is a judgment call rather than an automatic yes. It neither lifts nor lowers you against the enrolled class, so it helps most when the rest of your application is also at the school's middle and you want one more sign of readiness. If you send it, many colleges let you report it yourself first; our walkthrough on how to self-report SAT scores covers the Common App's testing section.

Reach Schools With a 1280

Above this tier, a 1280 falls at or below the 25th percentile:

• Penn State University Park. It is in the table above for a reason: a 1280 is the exact 25th percentile, so about three in four enrolled students who sent the SAT scored higher. It is a fit on paper and a stretch on the score.
• University of Vermont. UVM's 2025-26 Common Data Set reports 1300-1430 (median 1360) for the 32% of first-years who sent the SAT. UVM's admissions process is test-optional.
• University of Maryland, College Park. Maryland reports 1410-1520 (median 1470) for the 37% who sent the SAT, and says it is test-optional through the fall 2027 application cycle. A 1280 is 130 points under the low end.

At all three you can apply without a score. If the rest of your application is strong, that is often the better choice than sending a number that sits under most of the class.

Does a 1280 Qualify for Scholarships?

Yes, and at two southern universities the line that matters is 1300.

Ole Miss, for out-of-state students. The University of Mississippi's non-resident Academic Merit table, currently posted for 2026-2027 freshmen, places a 1280 in its 1230-1290 band. The next band starts at 1300:

Ole Miss says the yearly amounts are renewable for up to four years when the terms are met, and it accepts SAT superscores, so a 20-point gain in either section from a second sitting is enough. Check the table again when the 2027-2028 version is posted, because the amounts are set year by year.

The University of Alabama. Alabama's 2027 out-of-state automatic merit table puts a 1260-1290 SAT with a 3.50 GPA in the Capstone award at $8,000 a year, and 1300-1320 in the Collegiate award at $10,000. For Alabama residents with a 3.50 GPA, the same 20 points moves you from $7,000 to $8,000 a year. The catch runs the other way from Ole Miss: Alabama says it does not use superscores for scholarships, so the 1300 has to come from a single test date.

Florida students should check the Bright Futures lines in our Bright Futures SAT score guide. Elsewhere, look for automatic award tables on each college's own scholarship page, and read the superscore rule before you plan a retake around one.

Should You Retake the SAT With a 1280?

A 1280 is a good result, so a retake should have a specific target:

• Applying to Ole Miss or Alabama from out of state: retake. Twenty points is the smallest gap on this page and it is worth $2,000 to $3,000 a year at the listed amounts. For Ole Miss, a superscore counts. For Alabama, it has to be one sitting, and only November 7 scores, released November 20, can arrive before UA's December 4 priority deadline for official scores, most safely as a free score send chosen by November 16.
• Penn State is a top choice: retake, or apply test-optional. At the 25th percentile your score sits under most of the enrolled class. Reaching the 1340 median would put you in the middle.
• Applying where 1280 is the median (Baylor, Denver, Texas A&M): optional. A retake to 1330 or more would move you into the upper half, but your essays and grades likely move the decision more.
• Applying where 1280 is above the median (Oregon, TCU, Colorado Boulder): stop testing and send it where scores are used.

On timing: if you took the October 3 SAT, your scores arrive on Friday, October 16. The next test dates are November 7 (register by October 23, late registration through October 27; scores November 20) and December 5 (register by November 20, late registration through November 24; scores December 18), per the College Board's test calendar. If you are applying early in November, ask each school whether it will still accept November or December scores before you count on a retake.

Plan your score sends at the same time. Four score reports per registration are free if you order them by 9 days after the test date, and each one after that costs $15. For November 7 the free window closes November 16, four days before scores come out. If you are sure you will send the result to Ole Miss or Alabama for scholarships, use free reports there; if a school only gets your best sitting under its policy, our guide to SAT superscoring explains what each policy means.

How to Go From 1280 to 1350

Seventy points takes you from the 83rd to the 89th user percentile and above the median at Penn State. At 1280 you already handle most questions, so the work is about finding the few categories that keep costing you.

1. Read the Knowledge and Skills section of your score report first. The College Board says it shows your performance on each of the eight content areas, four in Reading and Writing and four in Math. The one or two weakest areas are where to start.
2. In Math, move up to quadratics and nonlinear functions. If linear equations and percentages feel safe, the next points are in vertex form, exponential growth and systems with one nonlinear equation. Graphing them in Desmos is a fast check.
3. In Reading and Writing, work the inference and "most logically completes" questions. These reward finding the sentence that proves the answer. If you cannot point to it, you are guessing.
4. Time the second module. A good first module gives you a harder second one, which is a sign you are on track. Practice under the real clock so the harder questions do not throw off your pace.
5. Take two full Bluebook practice tests before your next test date and review every miss, including lucky guesses.

For short daily practice, Larry Learns has quick SAT quizzes from 25,000+ SAT and ACT practice questions. The free plan includes 3 quizzes a day, and your progress and score estimate follow you across web, iPhone and Android. If a friend is retaking too, a duel keeps both of you practicing.

1280 SAT: Where It Fits

• You scored higher than about 83% of recent SAT takers and 89% of all US 11th and 12th graders.
• A 1280 concords to a 27 on the ACT in the official ACT/SAT concordance.
• You are at the median at Baylor, Denver and Texas A&M, above it at Oregon, TCU and Colorado Boulder, and at the 25th percentile at Penn State.
• You are 20 points under the 1300 scholarship band at both Ole Miss and Alabama.

For the neighboring bands, see our guides to a 1250, a 1300 and a 1380 SAT score.

Frequently Asked Questions About a 1280 SAT Score

Is 1280 a good SAT score?

Yes. A 1280 is at the 89th percentile nationally and the 83rd among SAT takers, 235 points above the class of 2026 average of 1045. It is the median score of enrolled first-years at Baylor, Denver and Texas A&M.

Can I get into Texas A&M with a 1280?

A 1280 is exactly the median SAT of Texas A&M's fall 2025 enrolled first-years, and more than three quarters of that class sent an SAT, so your score matches the middle of a large group. Admission still depends on your grades, coursework and the major you apply to.

Is 1280 good enough for Penn State?

It is at the bottom edge. A 1280 is the 25th percentile at Penn State University Park, whose middle 50% for fall 2025 was 1280-1410. Penn State lets you choose whether to submit, so a strong applicant can also apply without the score.

What ACT score is equal to a 1280 SAT?

The official ACT/SAT concordance matches a 1280 SAT to a 27 on the ACT. SAT totals from 1260 to 1290 all concord to a 27.

Is it worth retaking the SAT for 20 points?

At 1280 it can be. The 1300 line moves you up a scholarship band at both Ole Miss (out-of-state) and Alabama, worth $1,000 to $3,000 a year depending on your GPA and residency. If neither school is on your list, 20 points rarely changes an admission decision.

Ready to push past 1280? Take a free SAT practice quiz to find your weakest domain, or create a free account to track your score estimate before November 7.