Is 1420 a Good SAT Score? (2026)

Where a 1420 sits at strong public flagships, why it is the exact line for the University of Alabama's $28,000 out-of-state Presidential Scholarship, and when a retake is worth it.

Yes, a 1420 is an excellent SAT score. It is at the 98th percentile nationally and the 94th percentile among SAT takers, which means only about 6 in 100 recent test takers scored higher. It is 375 points above the class of 2026 average of 1045.

A 1420 also sits on an interesting line. It is the 75th percentile at the University of Georgia, almost exactly the median at the University of Florida, and near the bottom of the range at Maryland. And for out-of-state students it is the exact minimum for the University of Alabama's Presidential Scholarship. Below: the percentile math, the colleges where a 1420 fits, the scholarship detail that trips people up, and a retake plan built for this band.

What Percentile Is a 1420 SAT Score?

Here is a 1420 next to nearby scores in College Board's current SAT percentile tables:

The national percentile compares you with a research sample weighted to represent all US 11th and 12th graders. The user percentile compares you with SAT takers who graduated in the past three school years, which is closer to your competition in admissions. Your own score report shows a third number, the All Tester Percentile; our guide to the SAT score report explains how it differs.

At this height the curve is nearly flat. From 1400 to 1420 you gain one user-percentile point, and from 1420 to 1450 you gain one more. So a retake here is never about the percentile. It is about specific lines that colleges and scholarships draw, which is what the rest of this page is about. The full chart is in our SAT percentiles guide.

Colleges Where a 1420 Is Competitive

These ranges come from each university's 2025-26 Common Data Set (section C9), which reports the middle 50% SAT scores of first-year students who enrolled in fall 2025 and submitted an SAT:

The table splits into two halves. At Georgia, Ohio State and Florida, a 1420 is at or above the median, so the score is a strength in your file. At Illinois, Wisconsin and Maryland, it is inside the range but below the middle, so it keeps you in the conversation without setting you apart.

Read the ranges with the submission rates in mind. At Florida 78% of enrolled first-years sent an SAT, and at Georgia 70% did, so those numbers describe most of the class. At Illinois it was 43%, at Maryland 37%, at Ohio State 25%, and at Wisconsin under 12%, so those SAT ranges describe a smaller group.

Policies matter too. Georgia's admissions office says "There is no test optional pathway to UGA," and it superscores both the SAT and ACT. Ohio State reinstated its ACT/SAT requirement for Columbus campus first-year applicants starting with the 2026 admissions cycle. Florida superscores the SAT, ACT and CLT and encourages applicants to submit all their scores. For more on Georgia, see our SAT and ACT scores for UGA guide.

Reach Schools With a 1420

• University of Southern California. USC's 2025-26 Common Data Set puts enrolled first-years who submitted the SAT at 1470-1540, so a 1420 is 50 points below the 25th percentile. Only 33% of that class submitted an SAT.
• The most selective private universities, where ranges usually start near 1500. At those schools a 1420 is below the typical range, and grades, rigor and essays carry the application.

One useful middle case: Florida State lists a middle 50% SAT of 1380-1480 for students admitted for fall 2026, so a 1420 sits inside FSU's admitted range. Admitted ranges run higher than enrolled ranges, so this is a different measure from the table above.

Does a 1420 Qualify for Scholarships?

Yes, and one award lines up with 1420 exactly. The University of Alabama's 2027 out-of-state automatic merit scholarships put the Presidential tier at 1420. Only Presidential Elite, which needs a 1600 SAT and a 4.0 GPA, sits above it:

Three details decide whether your 1420 counts:

• It must be one sitting. UA says it does not use superscores for scholarship purposes and uses the total score from a single test date. A 1420 built from the Math of one test and the Reading and Writing of another does not qualify.
• It must be official. Self-reported scores on the application have to be backed by an official SAT report from College Board to count for automatic merit awards.
• The deadline comes before the December SAT scores. For summer or fall 2027, UA's application deadline and official score reports are due by December 4. December 5 SAT scores are released December 18, after that date, and UA says students who miss its priority deadline may be considered for scholarships on a funds available basis. The November 7 SAT (scores November 20) is the last 2026 date that fits.

The jump from 1410 to 1420 is worth $4,000 a year at UA for an out-of-state student, which makes a 10-point gain unusually valuable. For Alabama residents, the in-state Presidential Scholarship (tuition) starts at 1360 with a 3.50 GPA, so a 1420 already clears it.

Outside Alabama, a 1420 is competitive for many automatic and competitive merit programs, but every school sets its own numbers, and many use residency, GPA and deadlines as well. Read each scholarship page for the score type it accepts: single sitting or superscore.

Should You Retake the SAT With a 1420?

At 1420 a retake needs a specific reason. Here is how the decision shakes out by situation:

• Out-of-state student applying to Alabama with a 1420 from one sitting: you have reached the Presidential tier, the highest below Presidential Elite (1600). Retake only for admissions elsewhere.
• Your 1420 is a superscore: for UA's automatic awards you need 1420 in a single test. Retake on November 7 if you can.
• Applying to Illinois, Wisconsin or Maryland: a retake is reasonable. Moving to 1450 to 1470 would put you at or near the median of all three.
• Applying to Georgia, Ohio State or Florida: you are already at or above their medians. Your time is probably better spent on essays and grades.
• Applying where ranges start near 1500: a gain to the high 1400s helps if you plan to submit, but weigh it against the rest of your application.

Timing, from College Board's test calendar: if you took the October 3 SAT, your scores arrive October 16. The remaining fall 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). Check that each college accepts December scores for your application round before you count on it. If the test has been a stretch, colleges that superscore the SAT let you focus your prep on one section.

How to Go From 1420 to 1500

At 1420 you are missing a small number of questions. Our estimate, from how the adaptive test weighs difficulty, is that most of them are among the hardest on the test, so the practice that helps now is narrow and precise.

1. Check your section split. If one section is 50 or more points behind the other, put most of your time there.
2. Go after Advanced Math. It carries 13 to 15 of the 44 Math questions and covers nonlinear functions, nonlinear equations and equivalent expressions. Our SAT advanced math practice set targets them.
3. Clean up rule-based Reading and Writing. Standard English Conventions questions (boundaries, and form, structure and sense) test fixed rules, so every miss there is a cheap point to recover.
4. Prove every inference. On Information and Ideas questions, point to the sentence that supports your choice before you pick it.
5. Take full Bluebook practice tests under timing and review every miss, including lucky guesses.

For short daily practice between full tests, Larry Learns has quick SAT quizzes drawn from 25,000+ SAT and ACT practice questions, with 3 free quizzes a day on web, iPhone and Android.

1420 SAT: Where It Fits

• You scored higher than about 94% of recent SAT takers and 98% of all US 11th and 12th graders.
• A 1420 concords to a 32 on the ACT in the official ACT/SAT concordance tables.
• You are at the 75th percentile at Georgia and just above the median at Florida.
• You meet the exact SAT minimum for the University of Alabama's out-of-state Presidential Scholarship, from one sitting.

For the neighboring bands, see our guides to a 1380, a 1400 and a 1450 SAT score.

Frequently Asked Questions About a 1420 SAT Score

Is 1420 a good SAT score?

Yes, it is an excellent score. A 1420 is at the 98th percentile nationally and the 94th among SAT takers, 375 points above the class of 2026 average of 1045. It is at or above the median at Georgia, Ohio State and Florida.

What ACT score is equal to a 1420 SAT?

The official ACT/SAT concordance matches a 1420 to a 32 on the ACT. SAT totals from 1420 to 1440 all concord to a 32.

Is 1420 enough for the University of Alabama Presidential Scholarship?

For out-of-state students entering in 2027, yes: the Presidential Scholarship requires a 1420 to 1600 SAT and a 3.50 GPA and is worth $28,000 a year. The 1420 must come from a single test date, because UA does not superscore for scholarships.

Can I get into the University of Florida with a 1420?

Your score is competitive there. UF's enrolled first-years in fall 2025 had a middle 50% SAT of 1330-1490 with a median of 1410, so a 1420 is just above the middle of enrolled students who submitted the SAT.

Should I retake the SAT with a 1420?

Retake if your 1420 is a superscore and you need it from one sitting for a scholarship, or if your target schools have medians around 1450 to 1470. If you are already at or above your schools' medians, a retake is optional.

How much better is a 1450 than a 1420?

Only one user-percentile point: 95th versus 94th. The bigger difference is positional. A 1450 is the median at Wisconsin and above the median at Illinois, where a 1420 sits in the lower half.

Ready to turn 1420 into a 1450 or higher? Take a free SAT practice quiz to find the questions you are still missing, or create a free account to track your progress before test day.