The average SAT total climbed 16 points to 1045, the second straight year of gains, and every demographic group improved.
Higher Ed Dive reported that the high school class of 2026 outperformed the class of 2025 on the SAT. The mean total score reached 1045, a 16-point increase.
Average scores rose in both the reading and writing section and the math section. Scores also rose for all student demographic groups.
It is the second year in a row of gains. The College Board says the results show continued recovery from pandemic-era declines. Reading and Writing rose 7 points to 528, and Math rose 9 points to 517. More than 1.95 million students in the class of 2026 took the SAT.
A 16-point jump is a real move for an average, and it lands as more selective colleges bring back test requirements. Yale and Columbia have both reinstated them, and every Ivy now requires scores.
A national mean of 1045 says little about what a selective college expects. Look up the middle 50% range for each school on your list and aim for the upper half of it.
If more applicants submit strong scores, a middling score does less to help you at schools that weigh tests. Plan enough time to prepare and retake if you need to.
The October SAT and ACT are the last dates most schools will consider for early decisions and early action. If you are applying early and still need a score, register now.
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