The percentiles that various SAT scores for college-bound seniors correspond to are summarized in the following chart:[17][18]
| Percentile | Score, 1600 Scale (official, 2006) | Score, 2400 Scale (official, 2006) |
|---|---|---|
| 99.93/99.98* | 1600 | 2400 |
| 99+ ** | ≥1540 | ≥2280 |
| 99 | ≥1480 | ≥2200 |
| 98 | ≥1450 | ≥2140 |
| 97 | ≥1420 | ≥2100 |
| 93 | ≥1340 | ≥1990 |
| 88 | ≥1280 | ≥1900 |
| 81 | ≥1220 | ≥1800 |
| 72 | ≥1150 | ≥1700 |
| 61 | ≥1090 | ≥1600 |
| 48 | ≥1010 | ≥1500 |
| 36 | ≥950 | ≥1400 |
| 24 | ≥870 | ≥1300 |
| 15 | ≥810 | ≥1200 |
| 8 | ≥730 | ≥1090 |
| 4 | ≥650 | ≥990 |
| 2 | ≥590 | ≥890 |
| * The percentile of the perfect score was 99.98 on the 2400 scale and 99.93 on the 1600 scale. | ||
| ** 99+ means better than 99.5 percent of test takers. | ||
The older SAT (before 1995) had a very high ceiling. In any given year, only seven of the million test-takers scored above 1580. A score above 1580 was equivalent to the 99.9995 percentile.[19]
SAT-ACT score comparisons
Although there is no official conversion chart between the SAT and its biggest rival, the ACT, the College Board released an unofficial chart based on results from 103,525 test takers who took both tests between October 1994 and December 1996;[20] however, both tests have changed since then. Several colleges have also issued their own charts. The following is based on the University of California's conversion chart.[21]
| SAT (Prior to Writing Test Addition) | SAT (With Writing Test Addition) | ACT Composite Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1600 | 2400 | 36 |
| 1560–1590 | 2340–2390 | 35 |
| 1520–1550 | 2280–2330 | 34 |
| 1480–1510 | 2220–2270 | 33 |
| 1440–1470 | 2160–2210 | 32 |
| 1400–1430 | 2100–2150 | 31 |
| 1360–1390 | 2040–2090 | 30 |
| 1320–1350 | 1980–2030 | 29 |
| 1280–1310 | 1920–1970 | 28 |
| 1240–1270 | 1860–1910 | 27 |
| 1200–1230 | 1800–1850 | 26 |
| 1160–1190 | 1740–1790 | 25 |
| 1120–1150 | 1680–1730 | 24 |
| 1080–1110 | 1620–1670 | 23 |
| 1040–1070 | 1560–1610 | 22 |
| 1000–1030 | 1500–1550 | 21 |
| 960–990 | 1440–1490 | 20 |
| 920–950 | 1380–1430 | 19 |
| 880–910 | 1320–1370 | 18 |
| 840–870 | 1260–1310 | 17 |
| 800–830 | 1200–1250 | 16 |
| 760–790 | 1140–1190 | 15 |
| 720–750 | 1080–1130 | 14 |
| 680–710 | 1020–1070 | 13 |
| 640–670 | 960–1010 | 12 |
| 600–630 | 900–950 | 11 |
Correlations with IQ
Frey and Detterman (2003) analyzed the correlation of SAT scores with intelligence test scores.[22] They found SAT scores to be highly correlated with general mental ability, or g (r=.82 in their sample, .86 when corrected for non-linearity). The correlation between SAT scores and scores on the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices was .483 (.72 corrected for restricted range). They concluded that the SAT is primarily a test of g. Beaujean and colleagues (2006) have reached similar conclusions.[23]
