Is a 1550 SAT score good?

Yes. A 1550 is a strong score on the SAT. It's in the top 1% of recent SAT takers and in the top 1% of all U.S. 11th and 12th graders, by College Board's percentiles. Whether it's good for you depends on your colleges: it's inside or above the middle 50% of enrolled freshmen at 925 of the 925 colleges we track with published SAT ranges.

Updated November 2, 2026

percentile of recent SAT takers: 99+
percentile of all U.S. 11th and 12th graders: 99+
colleges where it's in or above the middle 50%: 925 of 925
ACT equivalent: 35

Percentiles: College Board, SAT Nationally Representative and User Percentiles. User group percentiles count students who graduated in the past three school years; nationally representative ones are weighted to stand for all U.S. 11th and 12th graders. Checked October 31, 2026. ACT equivalent: ACT and College Board concordance (2018).

Key takeaways

A 1550 is inside or above the middle 50% at every college we track with a published SAT range.
It's worth sending at every test-optional college we can estimate; UCLA and Berkeley don't read scores at all.
Michigan Tech's out-of-state award starts at 1540 with a 3.8 GPA, and Missouri's Perfect Score Scholarship at 1570 for residents.

How a 1550 compares across colleges

Where 1550 falls against the middle 50% of enrolled freshmen who sent scores, at public and at private colleges.

Where a 1550 falls in colleges' middle 50% SAT ranges
Where a 1550 falls	Public (378)	Private (547)
Above the 75th percentile	378	521
Inside the middle 50%	0	26
Below the 25th percentile	0	0

Colleges we track with a published SAT range: each college's Common Data Set, or the federal College Scorecard where it has none.

Selective private colleges where a 1550 is in range

The private colleges with the highest middle 50% that still includes 1550, most selective first.

Selective private colleges where a 1550 is in range
College	Middle 50% SAT (Fall 2025)	2026-27 test policy	Sent an SAT
Johns Hopkins University	1530-1565	Required	57%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	1520-1570	Required	83%
Stanford University	1520-1570	Required	56%
Duke University	1510-1570	Optional	48%
Northwestern University	1520-1560	Optional	48%
Columbia University in the City of New York	1510-1560	Optional	50%
Rice University	1510-1560	Recommended	59%
Vanderbilt University	1510-1560	Optional	24%
Carnegie Mellon University	1500-1560	Varies by applicant	66%
Harvey Mudd College	1500-1560	Optional	55%

Sources: each college's Common Data Set (or College Scorecard) and admissions page, linked in the table.

Where does a 1550 fall short?

On score, nowhere. A 1550 is inside or above the middle 50% at every college we track with a published SAT range, including MIT (1520-1570), Harvard (1510-1580) and Johns Hopkins (1530-1565).

The colleges still listed as reaches on this page are there for their admit rates: those admitting fewer than 15% of applicants are a reach for everyone, whatever the score.

Should you send a 1550 to test-optional colleges?

Yes, everywhere you have the choice: a 1550 is above our estimate of the typical SAT of freshmen who enrolled without one at every test-optional college we can estimate. Where a score is required, as at Harvard, Stanford and MIT for 2026-27, send your best one.

The one place a 1550 doesn't count is a test-blind college: UCLA and Berkeley don't read SAT scores for admission in 2026-27.

Which scholarships does a 1550 earn?

A few awards start in the 1500s. Michigan Tech's National Scholars Program pays out-of-state students $21,000 a year from 1540 with a 3.8 GPA, and Tennessee pays $18,000 a year from 1490 with a 4.0.

For Missouri residents, the Perfect Score Scholarship starts at 1570 and covers tuition and fees plus a $3,500 yearly stipend. National Merit, which runs on the PSAT/NMSQT, is often worth more at this level; we track colleges with National Merit scholarships.

Where 1550 fits, college by college

Each college we track, with its middle 50% of enrolled freshmen, where 1550 falls in it, whether to send it, and the merit aid whose SAT minimum it meets. Pick a score within 20 points of 1550 or a state to redraw the lists.

SAT score

State

At 1550: 2 target, 50 reach and 858 likely colleges; worth sending to 762 of 762 test-optional colleges.

Target colleges for 1550 (2)

1550 is inside the middle 50% of enrolled freshmen, or at a test-optional college it's worth sending. Most selective first.

Target colleges for 1550
College	SAT, middle 50%	Send this score?	Merit at this score
Franklin W Olin College of EngineeringNeedham, MA · Admits 25%	SAT, middle 50%1493 to 1558Upper half of the middle 50%	Send this score?Send itTest optional. Send from 1470	Merit at this scoreNone we track
Jewish Theological Seminary of AmericaNew York, NY · Admits 49%	SAT, middle 50%1440 to 1580Upper half of the middle 50%	Send this score?No estimateTest optional	Merit at this scoreNone we track

Reach colleges for 1550 (50)

1550 is below the middle 50% but above the bottom 10% or so, or the college admits under 15% of applicants, a reach for everyone. Closest first.

Reach colleges for 1550
College	SAT, middle 50%	Send this score?	Merit at this score
Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD · Admits 6%	SAT, middle 50%1530 to 1565Upper half of the middle 50%	Send this score?RequiredTest required	Merit at this scoreNone we track
Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA · Admits 4%	SAT, middle 50%1510 to 1580Upper half of the middle 50%	Send this score?RequiredTest required	Merit at this scoreNone we track
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA · Admits 5%	SAT, middle 50%1520 to 1570Upper half of the middle 50%	Send this score?RequiredTest required	Merit at this scoreNone we track
Stanford UniversityStanford, CA · Admits 4%	SAT, middle 50%1520 to 1570Upper half of the middle 50%	Send this score?RequiredTest required	Merit at this scoreNone we track
Duke UniversityDurham, NC · Admits 5%	SAT, middle 50%1510 to 1570Upper half of the middle 50%	Send this score?Send itTest optional. Send from 1480	Merit at this scoreNone we track
Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL · Admits 7%	SAT, middle 50%1520 to 1560Upper half of the middle 50%	Send this score?Send itTest optional. Send from 1480	Merit at this scoreNone we track
University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA · Admits 5%	SAT, middle 50%1510 to 1570Upper half of the middle 50%	Send this score?RequiredTest required	Merit at this scoreNone we track
Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, NY · Admits 5%	SAT, middle 50%1510 to 1560Upper half of the middle 50%	Send this score?Send itTest optional. Send from 1470	Merit at this scoreNone we track
Rice UniversityHouston, TX · Admits 8%	SAT, middle 50%1510 to 1560Upper half of the middle 50%	Send this score?Send itTest recommended. Send from 1480	Merit at this scoreNone we track
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN · Admits 5%	SAT, middle 50%1510 to 1560Upper half of the middle 50%	Send this score?Send itTest optional. Send from 1470	Merit at this scoreNone we track

Likely colleges for 1550 (131)

1550 is above the 75th percentile of enrolled freshmen at a college admitting 15% or more. Closest first.

Likely colleges for 1550
College	SAT, middle 50%	Send this score?	Merit at this score
Carleton CollegeNorthfield, MN · Admits 22%	SAT, middle 50%1460 to 1530Above the middle 50%	Send this score?Send itTest optional. Send from 1410	Merit at this scoreNone we track
Case Western Reserve UniversityCleveland, OH · Admits 35%	SAT, middle 50%1440 to 1530Above the middle 50%	Send this score?Send itTest optional. Send from 1380	Merit at this scoreNone we track
Rhode Island School of DesignProvidence, RI · Admits 19%	SAT, middle 50%1396 to 1530Above the middle 50%	Send this score?Send itTest optional. Send from 1320	Merit at this scoreNone we track
University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI · Admits 16%	SAT, middle 50%1370 to 1530Above the middle 50%	Send this score?Send itTest optional. Send from 1360	Merit at this scoreNone we track
University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC · Admits 17%	SAT, middle 50%1400 to 1530Above the middle 50%	Send this score?Send itTest optional; required below a 2.8 GPA. Send from 1330	Merit at this scoreNone we track
University of TulsaTulsa, OK · Admits 62%	SAT, middle 50%1223 to 1530Above the middle 50%	Send this score?Send itTest optional. Send from 1210	Merit at this scoreNone we track
University of Missouri-Kansas CityKansas City, MO · Admits 65%	SAT, middle 50%1115 to 1525Above the middle 50%	Send this score?Send itTest optional. Send from 1060	Merit at this scoreNone we track
Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA · Admits 16%	SAT, middle 50%1460 to 1520Above the middle 50%	Send this score?Send itTest optional. Send from 1410	Merit at this scoreNone we track
Northeastern University OaklandOakland, CA · Admits 17%	SAT, middle 50%1420 to 1520Above the middle 50%	Send this score?Send itTest optional. Send from 1390	Merit at this scoreNone we track
Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA · Admits 22%	SAT, middle 50%1420 to 1520Above the middle 50%	Send this score?Send itTest optional. Send from 1380	Merit at this scoreNone we track

Not listed: 727 more colleges where 1550 is more than 150 points above the middle 50%.

Automatic scholarships with an SAT minimum at or below 1550

132 colleges we track publish an automatic merit award with an SAT minimum at or below 1550, including colleges not listed above. Each award's other requirements, usually a GPA, are listed with it, and the college's page has every rule. Largest first.

Troy UniversityALFull cost of attendanceScholars PLUS Award. 3.70+ GPA, 1450+ SAT or 33+ ACT
Andrews UniversityMIFull tuitionAPS/SAT Scholars. 1490+ SAT or 34+ ACT, PSAT/NMSQT 1470+ also qualifies
Murray State UniversityKYFull tuitionGSP, GSA, GSE and CHA Scholarships. 3.50+ GPA, 1200+ SAT or 25+ ACT, participant in GSP, GSA, GSE or CHA; ACT composite. In-state students
Southern Adventist UniversityTNFull tuitionRenewable Full Tuition Scholarship. 1490+ SAT or 34+ ACT, Single test date composite (not superscored)
Southwestern Adventist UniversityTXFull tuitionSouthwestern Scholars Award. 1500+ SAT
The University of AlabamaALFull tuitionPresidential Scholarship (in-state). 3.50+ GPA, 1360+ SAT or 30+ ACT. In-state students
University of Alabama in HuntsvilleALFull tuitionSaturn V (in-state). 4.00+ GPA, 1390+ SAT or 31+ ACT, award is tuition (yearly value listed as 'Tuition'). In-state students
University of South AlabamaALFull tuitionUSA Freshman Admission Scholarship, full tuition (in-state). 3.50+ GPA, 1420+ SAT or 32+ ACT. In-state students

What 50 more points changes

At 1600, 2 colleges move up a band, 0 test-optional colleges become worth sending to, and 5 colleges have a larger scholarship whose SAT minimum it meets. See every college at 1600.

Moves up a band (2)

Franklin W Olin College of EngineeringTarget to likely
Jewish Theological Seminary of AmericaTarget to likely

Meets a larger award's SAT minimum (5)

University of Nebraska-LincolnFull cost of attendance
University of Missouri-ColumbiaFull tuition
University of Louisville$21,000 a year
Tennessee Technological University$10,000 a year
Johnson University$8,000 a year

We sort by score alone, with the same rules as our college pages, because this page doesn't ask for your GPA. SAT ranges are the middle 50% of enrolled freshmen who sent scores, mostly the Fall 2025 entering class, from each college's Common Data Set or the federal College Scorecard. Test policies are for fall 2027. "Send from" is our estimate of the typical SAT of freshmen who enrolled without one. Scholarships come from each college's published policy, linked.

What costs points at a 1550?

At 1550, the points left are mostly slips: a misread "not," an answer for x when the question asked for 2x, a choice in Reading and Writing that's only half supported. Under the SAT's scoring, one careless error on an easy question can cost more than missing a hard one.

Before deciding to retake a 1550, compare the gain to what you need. It's already inside or above every range we track, so another 50 points matters only for a specific award, such as the 1570 and 1600 minimums above, or for your own goals. We've written more about what to practice above 1500.

Other SAT scores

1500 is 50 lower; 1600 is 50 higher. Every score from 900 to 1600 is on the SAT scores page. To check one college against your score and GPA, use the submit or retake tool.

Common questions about a 1550 SAT

Is a 1550 a good SAT score?

What percentile is a 1550 on the SAT?

A 1550 is in the top 1% among students who took the SAT and graduated in the past three school years (College Board's user group percentiles). Against all U.S. 11th and 12th graders, including those who don't take the SAT (College Board's nationally representative percentiles), it's in the top 1%.

What colleges can I get into with a 1550 SAT?

By score alone, a 1550 makes 2 colleges we track a target, including Franklin W Olin College of Engineering and Jewish Theological Seminary of America, and 858 colleges likely: it's above the middle 50% of their freshmen. Grades, courses and the rest of your file count too, and colleges admitting under 15% of applicants are a reach for everyone.

Should I send a 1550 to test-optional colleges?

At 762 of the 762 test-optional colleges where we estimate the typical score of freshmen who enrolled without one, a 1550 is at or above it, so sending it helps. Each college's row in the table gives the call.

What ACT score is a 1550 SAT?

A 1550 SAT matches a 35 on the ACT, by the concordance tables ACT and College Board published together in 2018.

Should I retake the SAT with a 1550?

It depends on your list. Fifty more points, 1600, would move up a band at 2 colleges and meet a richer scholarship's SAT minimum at 5 colleges. If none of those colleges is on your list, you may get more from spending that time on the rest of your application.

Have another question? Email us at team@getsharp.app.