States with the Highest and Lowest SAT Scores in 2023 (2024)

The SAT is one of the most important placement exams that many high school students take. It could determine whether or not they get into their desired college or university, affecting their entire future, or it may affect the scholarships they get. The minimum score on the SAT is 400, and the highest you can get is 1600. That said, the national average currently rests at 1050.

So how does your state's test score stack up against the others? And where does it fall relative to the nation's average? Analysts here at Learner crunched the numbers to find out. Take a look at our map below to see where your state's average SAT score ranks!

The top spots for the highest average SAT scores are:

1. Wisconsin - 1252
2. Wyoming - 1244
3. Kansas - 1238
4. Utah - 1233
5. Mississippi - 1226
6. Minnesota - 1225
7. Nebraska - 1222
8. Kentucky and South Dakota - 1219 (tied)
9. North Dakota - 1212
10. Montana - 1206

The states with the lowest SAT scores are:

1. West Virginia - 938
2. Oklahoma - 951
3. Delaware - 968
4. Rhode Island - 971
5. New Mexico - 976
6. Illinois - 981
7. Florida - 983
8. District of Columbia - 985
9. Idaho - 986
10. Michigan - 1000

Interesting Data Findings

• Wisconsin came in with the highest mean SAT score at 1252 , which is 202 points above the national average.
• West Virginia ranked as the state with the lowest score—112 points below the nation’s average and an average score of 938
• On average, the national SAT score is 1050

Some states tied for their ranking:

• Kentucky and South Dakota each had an average score of 1219, putting both of them in 8th place.
• Missouri and Tennessee tied for 11th place, both with a score of 1200.
• Hawaii and Virginia’s average SAT score was 1124, putting them in the 21st spot.

Methodology

We compiled the national and individual state SAT Suite Results for 2022 from the College Board to find out which states had the highest and lowest SAT scores. We then compared each state’s mean SAT score with the national average to understand which states had a mean score higher or lower than the national average.

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SAT Tests are Back

At the height of the pandemic, many higher learning institutions dropped the SAT and ACT requirements for admission consideration. Two years later, there are a lot of discussions around which colleges and universities are remaining test-optional moving forward as the things affected by the COVID-19 pandemic start to return to normalcy. Now high school students are back to balancing their high school GPA, community service, and SAT or ACT scores to qualify for a merit-based scholarship.

Does your high school require the SAT to graduate?

Not all do. Ask your counselor or any teacher at the school whether this is required to get your high school diploma. If the answer is yes, then, unfortunately, there's no way around it! The good news is that we're here to help.

Applying to a University of College school?

University of California schools, including UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz, have announced that at least for the class of 2022, they will remain SAT and ACT optional.

Which schools require the SAT?

Some schools that have decided to reinstate the SAT requirement as part of the admission process are the University of Central Florida, Florida State University, University of Florida, University of South Florida, University of Georgia, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgetown University, and Simmons University. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced earlier this year that students applying to the university in 2022 (to graduate in 2023) would once again have to submit SAT or ACT exam scores.

What countries accept the SAT?

Want to see the world while you learn? There's so much you can learn by immersing yourself in different countries and cultures that books can't teach you. If you're looking to widen your breadth and study abroad, some universities in the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, and Singapore accept SAT Scores.

What's a good SAT Score for 2022 Overall?

It's a race to the top (half)! Your SATs are benchmarked against your peers, and if your test scores rank higher than average, the better. Although the SAT is only one part of your admission process and in no way indicates what you are capable of or how great you truly are, if it's being added as a part of your application package, then it’s best to aspire for your highest possible score.

Here's how the numbers stack up: