Your SAT total is the number colleges see first. This calculator adds your two section scores into that total, and shows roughly how it compares with other students who took the SAT recently.
How to Use It
- Enter your Reading and Writing Score (200 to 800).
- Enter your Math Score (200 to 800).
- Press Calculate to see your total, the share of recent test takers at or below it, and your stronger section.
How It Works
The digital SAT has two sections, each scored from 200 to 800 in steps of 10. The total is their sum:
So totals run from 400 to 1600. To place your total, the calculator uses College Board’s user percentiles, which compare you with students who graduated in the last three school years. Its bands start at scores College Board publishes: 1000 is at the 47th percentile, 1050 the 55th, 1200 the 75th, 1400 the 93rd and 1520 the 98th.
Worked Example
A student scores 620 in Reading and Writing and 650 in Math:
A 1270 falls between 1200 (75th percentile) and 1400 (93rd), so about 75% to 93% of recent test takers scored the same or lower. Math is the stronger section.
Tips and Common Mistakes
- Compare with your colleges, not just everyone. A college’s middle 50% range for admitted students tells you more than a national percentile.
- Use the right percentile. Your score report also shows a nationally representative percentile, which includes students who never take the SAT, so the two can differ by several points.
- Check for superscoring. Many colleges combine your best Reading and Writing and your best Math across test dates.
- Section scores end in 0. If yours doesn’t, check it again; every SAT section score is a multiple of 10.
- Plan a retake with time to spare. Scores aren’t instant, so check when yours will arrive and leave room before application deadlines.