The common SAT rating for the highschool class of 2026 climbed to 1045, a 16-point acquire over the category of 2025, in accordance with the School Board’s 2026 SAT Suite annual report launched this week. It marks the second consecutive yr of will increase, with scores up throughout all demographic teams. This marks a optimistic enchancment popping out of Covid as extra college students select to ship SAT scores even when schools don’t require them.
Each take a look at sections improved. Studying and Writing rose 7 factors to 528, which the School Board says returns that part to pre-pandemic ranges. Math gained 9 factors to 517 however nonetheless trails the 523 common posted by the category of 2020. College students can evaluate their very own outcomes in opposition to what counts as an excellent SAT rating.
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Why It Issues
The SAT enchancment is coming at a time when take a look at non-compulsory is ending at many schools nationwide. Each Ivy League college now requires take a look at scores, and Notre Dame would require the SAT or ACT beginning with fall 2028 candidates. Within the class of 2026, 42% of take a look at takers met or exceeded each the Studying and Writing and Math school readiness benchmarks, approaching the 45% the category of 2019 reached, per the School Board.
The report additionally discovered that greater than 1.3 million college students earned SAT scores that affirmed or exceeded their highschool GPA, making the rating a energy on their software. That held for greater than 82% of Black and Latino college students and practically 80% of first-generation college students, a helpful sign at a time when grade inflation makes GPAs more durable for admissions workplaces to learn.
The Particulars
- Greater than 1.95 million college students within the class of 2026 took the SAT, a 2.5% lower from the prior class and the primary drop because the pandemic-affected class of 2021.
- Participation nonetheless grew in 42 states and the District of Columbia, whereas worldwide participation rose 13.5%.
- SAT College Day, usually free to college students, accounted for 65% of take a look at takers, with greater than 10,000 colleges providing it.
- About 3 million college students took the PSAT/NMSQT, the one qualifying take a look at for the Nationwide Advantage Scholarship. Imply scores on PSAT-related assessments ticked up after three straight years of declines.
How This Connects
Math stays the weak spot, and that strains up with different knowledge we’ve tracked. U.S. teenagers ranked twenty third in math on the 2026 international examination, and UC San Diego’s remedial math class stuffed up this yr.
For households, scores carry a direct monetary payoff as a result of many faculties tie benefit support to check outcomes, which may offset a part of the $34,019 households spent on school final yr.
What’s Subsequent
The category of 2027 is testing now, and its fall SAT and PSAT/NMSQT outcomes will present whether or not the maths restoration continues.
Households deciding whether or not to check can verify which schools require the SAT or ACT for 2027 and evaluate paid and free SAT prep choices, together with the School Board’s free Official SAT Observe on Khan Academy.
Editor: Colin Graves
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