SAT & ACT Score Calculator
Understand your scores with our comprehensive conversion tables. See how raw scores translate to scaled scores, where you rank nationally, and what your scores mean for college admissions.
SAT Raw to Scaled Score Conversion
The SAT has two sections: Reading & Writing (54 questions) and Math (44 questions). Each section is scored 200-800 for a total of 400-1600. The digital SAT uses adaptive testing, so exact conversions vary slightly by test form.
| Raw Score (approx.) | R&W Scaled | Math Scaled | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 54 (perfect) | 800 | 800 | 99+% |
| 50 | 750-770 | 770-790 | 99% |
| 45 | 700-720 | 730-750 | 95-97% |
| 40 | 650-670 | 680-700 | 85-90% |
| 35 | 600-620 | 630-650 | 73-80% |
| 30 | 550-570 | 580-600 | 55-65% |
| 25 | 500-520 | 530-550 | 40-50% |
| 20 | 450-470 | 470-490 | 25-33% |
| 15 | 400-420 | 420-440 | 12-18% |
| 10 | 350-370 | 360-380 | 5-8% |
ACT Scoring Explained
The ACT composite score (1-36) is the average of your four section scores, each also scored 1-36. There is no penalty for wrong answers.
English
Grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills
Math
Pre-algebra through trigonometry
Reading
Reading comprehension across four passages
Science
Data interpretation, research summaries, conflicting viewpoints
| Raw Score Range | Scaled Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| 72-75 (English) | 36 | 99+% |
| 67-71 | 33-35 | 98-99% |
| 60-66 | 29-32 | 91-97% |
| 52-59 | 25-28 | 78-88% |
| 43-51 | 21-24 | 57-74% |
| 33-42 | 17-20 | 30-51% |
| 24-32 | 13-16 | 10-25% |
| 15-23 | 9-12 | 1-6% |
Percentile Rankings & What They Mean
Top 1% nationally. Competitive for Ivy League and top-10 schools.
Highly competitive. Strong candidate for top-25 universities.
Above average. Competitive for many selective colleges.
Average range. Meets requirements for many state universities.
Below average. May need supplemental application strengths.
What Your Score Means for College Admissions
While test scores are just one part of your application, they remain an important factor at most colleges. Here is a general guide to score expectations by selectivity tier.
Most Selective
MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Princeton
Highly Selective
UCLA, UMich, Georgetown, NYU, Emory
Selective
Ohio State, Penn State, U of Florida, UW-Madison
Moderately Selective
Arizona State, U of Oregon, Indiana U, Temple
These ranges are approximate and based on the middle 50% of admitted students. Admissions decisions also consider GPA, extracurriculars, essays, and recommendations. A strong application can compensate for a score slightly below the range.