Research · Test scores · October 2026

Average SAT score in every state for the class of 2025, and what moves it

Name: Average SAT score in every state for the class of 2025, and what moves it
Creator: Test Prep Gurus (High School Reach)
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

As of October 2026: The national mean SAT total for the class of 2025 was 1029, with a mean of 521 in reading and writing and 508 in math. State means ran from 875 in New Mexico, where 100% of graduates tested, up to 1254 in North Dakota, where 1% did.

The table holds every state's mean SAT total, both section means, and the share of graduates who tested. It does not describe a single high school or a single student.

Analysis: Test Prep Gurus (High School Reach, highschoolreach.com), October 2026. Figures and the table may be quoted with attribution to Test Prep Gurus.

The findings, in plain English

A state mean moves with the share of students who test. In every state where at least 85% of graduates tested, the mean total sits at or below 989. In every state where 5% or fewer tested, the mean is at least 1150. New Mexico tested 100% of its graduates and posted 875. North Dakota tested 1% and posted 1254. The spread is mostly about who sat for the test.

States that test everyone are reporting their whole class. Indiana and Michigan also tested 100% of graduates, at 950 and 953. Illinois and Rhode Island tested 99%, at 961 and 935. Those states give the SAT to nearly every senior, often on a school day, so the mean counts students who are not applying to college at all. Nebraska's 1249 rests on 357 test takers.

Reading and writing runs ahead of math in every state. The national mean is 521 in reading and writing and 508 in math. New Mexico reports 451 and 424. North Dakota reports 631 and 623. The order holds in every state, so a student whose math trails their reading score is in ordinary company.

Mean SAT score and participation, class of 2025

Listed alphabetically, with each state's own College Board report behind the state name.

State	Mean total	Mean reading and writing	Mean math	Share of graduates who tested	Test takers
Alabama	1,172	601	570	3%	1,556
Alaska	1,097	567	530	27%	2,332
Arizona	1,194	606	588	10%	8,327
Arkansas	1,177	609	568	2%	783
California	1,096	555	541	26%	123,259
Colorado	987	505	482	90%	59,203
Connecticut	989	505	484	91%	41,532
Delaware	933	480	453	94%	11,249
District of Columbia	958	493	466	85%	5,675
Florida	970	502	468	87%	204,840
Georgia	1,038	532	506	56%	74,667
Hawaii	1,125	574	551	29%	4,173
Idaho	1,003	512	490	69%	16,381
Illinois	961	488	473	99%	142,400
Indiana	950	485	464	100%	82,126
Iowa	1,211	616	595	2%	972
Kansas	1,238	626	612	2%	803
Kentucky	1,181	607	574	2%	1,182
Louisiana	1,195	613	582	2%	1,234
Maine	1,078	558	521	39%	5,420
Maryland	1,003	514	488	73%	53,955
Massachusetts	1,114	566	548	57%	43,814
Michigan	953	487	466	100%	106,047
Minnesota	1,210	612	598	3%	2,149
Mississippi	1,223	624	598	1%	426
Missouri	1,174	600	575	4%	2,411
Montana	1,205	622	584	5%	485
Nebraska	1,249	630	619	1%	357
Nevada	1,177	601	576	7%	2,378
New Hampshire	1,017	523	495	76%	12,514
New Jersey	1,061	538	523	66%	73,197
New Mexico	875	451	424	100%	23,439
New York	1,045	527	518	62%	127,054
North Carolina	1,165	590	575	22%	26,598
North Dakota	1,254	631	623	1%	80
Ohio	1,018	515	503	20%	28,070
Oklahoma	1,150	590	560	2%	1,257
Oregon	1,127	581	546	24%	10,192
Pennsylvania	1,084	555	529	47%	63,879
Rhode Island	935	481	455	99%	11,429
South Carolina	1,017	524	493	53%	30,772
South Dakota	1,214	619	595	2%	161
Tennessee	1,189	608	581	4%	3,100
Texas	964	490	474	74%	301,020
Utah	1,229	622	606	2%	867
Vermont	1,115	576	539	49%	2,857
Virginia	1,112	567	544	48%	49,936
Washington	1,095	560	535	35%	28,870
West Virginia	911	474	437	93%	16,901
Wisconsin	1,240	624	616	2%	1,219
Wyoming	1,234	638	597	1%	80

Graduating class of 2025: students who took the SAT at least once during high school, counted once each. Participation is College Board's own estimate, since the denominator is a projection of each state's graduate count rather than a headcount. A few rows rest on very few students, so they describe a small group rather than a state's seniors.

How to read a state mean

A state mean is the average total score of the graduates in that state who took the SAT at least once. It is not the average of all graduates. When a state pays for every student to take the test at school, the mean includes the whole class. When only college-bound students sign up, the mean describes a group that chose itself.

So read the participation column first and the mean second. Two states only compare cleanly when the share of graduates tested is close. A state that tests everyone will score lower than a state where only college-bound students test, and that is a fact about participation rather than about schools.

What this table does not say

These are state totals, so nothing here describes one high school. A strong school in a low-scoring state and a struggling school in a high-scoring state are both invisible at this level.

The small rows deserve care. North Dakota's 1254 comes from 80 test takers and Wyoming's 1234 from 80 as well, out of whole graduating classes. College Board does not mark those rows as small, and we print them as published.

What a family should do with this

A state mean is not a target. The numbers that matter are the score ranges at the colleges your student is considering, which sit far above the mean in most states.

Two practical steps. Find out whether your state gives the SAT free on a school day, because that decides whether your student has to register and pay a fee of their own. Then set the goal from the published range at each college on the list, and treat the state mean as background.

Questions parents ask

What was the average SAT score for the class of 2025?

The national mean SAT total for the class of 2025 was 1029, with a mean of 521 in reading and writing and 508 in math.

Why are average SAT scores so much higher in some states?

When a state pays for every student to take the test at school, the mean includes the whole class.

Should my kid aim for our state's average SAT score?

A state mean is not a target.

Method & sources: The source is College Board's 2025 SAT Suite of Assessments Annual Report: the national Total Group report for the national figures and each state's own report for its row. The population is the graduating class of 2025, meaning students who took the SAT at least once during high school. Participation shares are College Board estimates, because the denominator is a projection of each state's graduate count. Rows are listed alphabetically by state, and the District of Columbia is included.

This brief as data: /research/average-sat-score-by-state-2025.json. Free for editorial use with attribution to Test Prep Gurus (High School Reach).

Average SAT score in every state for the class of 2025, and what moves it

Mean SAT score and participation, class of 2025

How to read a state mean

What this table does not say

What a family should do with this

Where does your student stand?