| Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... |
Wondering if a 1460 is a good SAT score? You’re not alone; many students ask whether this score is strong enough for top colleges and competitive scholarships.
The short answer is yes, 1460 is a very good SAT score. It’s about 400 points above the national average and places you in the 96th percentile, meaning you scored better than 96% of test-takers. A 1460 is competitive for most top-100 universities and qualifies you for many scholarships. However, it’s slightly below the middle 50% SAT range at most top 20 and Ivy League schools, where admitted students often submit scores above 1500. Still, with strong grades, extracurriculars, and essays, a 1460 can be part of a compelling college application — even at highly selective schools.
Keep reading to learn how a 1460 stacks up nationally, what colleges you can target, and how it could impact your eligibility for top scholarships.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- How Good Is a 1460 SAT Score, Statistically Speaking?
- What Colleges Can I Get into with a 1460 SAT Score?
- Is a 1460 SAT Score Good for Top-20 Schools?
- Is a 1460 SAT Score Good for Scholarships?
- Key Takeaways: How Good Is a 1460 SAT Score?
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What’s Next?
Let’s begin by considering where 1460 stands in terms of SAT statistics.
How Good Is a 1460 SAT Score, Statistically Speaking?
The first statistic to which we can compare 1460 is the national average digital SAT score. According to the College Board, since the debut of the digital SAT, the average composite SAT score is about 1060. Thus, 1460 is about 400 points higher than the average (mean) SAT score. So, 1460 is a strong SAT score.
To see just how strong a score of 1460 is, we can also consider the 1460 SAT score percentile. As of this writing, a 1460 SAT score is in the 96th percentile. In other words, a 1460 on the SAT is in the top 4 percent of SAT scores.
Finally, let’s do an SAT-to-ACT score conversion. The ACT website’s concordance table of ACT and SAT scores shows that a 1460 SAT composite score is equivalent to a 33 ACT composite score. Since an ACT score of 33 is a 98th percentile score, we once again see that 1460 is a strong SAT score.
So, if you’ve been wondering, “Is a 1460 SAT score good or bad?” in terms of statistics, 1460 is a very good SAT score.
KEY FACT:
1460 is 400 points higher than the average SAT score and is a 96th percentile score.
At the same time, what matters most to you probably isn’t whether 1460 is higher than other test-takers’ SAT scores. Rather, it’s what schools a 1460 SAT score will get you into. So, let’s consider the answer to that question next.
What Colleges Can I Get into with a 1460 SAT Score?
The short answer to the question of what college or university you can get into with a 1460 SAT score is … any college or university! By itself, it is an outstanding score! However, that answer doesn’t capture the full story, since 1460 is better for some schools than for others.
SAT scores that are competitive for a particular school are generally those at or above the school’s average SAT score, or at least within the middle 50 percent of SAT scores of accepted students at that school. (To learn more about the meaning of the middle 50 percent of SAT scores, read this post: What is a good SAT score for college?) So, let’s see how a 1460 SAT score compares with school averages and middle 50 percent SAT score ranges.
Looking at the top 100 national universities, as ranked by US News and World Report, we find that 1460 is above the average SAT score at most of them. For example, 1460 is higher than UNC Chapel Hill’s average SAT score of around 1430. It’s also higher than the University of California, Berkeley’s average SAT score of around 1415. Those schools are ranked 27th and 17th, respectively.
For some other highly ranked schools, 1460 is not above the average SAT score but is within the middle 50 percent of SAT scores. For instance, 1460 is in the middle 50 percent of SAT scores at Emory (ranked 24th), which range from 1460 to 1550. It’s also within the middle 50 percent of scores at Notre Dame (ranked 18th), which range from 1440 to 1540.
KEY FACT:
1460 is an above-average SAT score for most top 100 universities.
So, what about the schools ranked at the very top?
Is a 1460 SAT Score Good for Top-20 Schools?
We have seen that 1460 is in the middle 50 percent of some highly respected schools. However, for most top-20 schools,1460 is not in the middle 50 percent. So, while 1460 is a strong SAT score, it’s not particularly competitive for most top-20 schools.
Now, you may be saying, “Wait. You said I can get into any school with a 1460.” Yes, I did, and it’s true that 1460 is good enough for any school, since it indicates that an applicant’s level of college readiness is high. So, you can get into any school with a 1460 SAT score, as long as it is part of a very strong college application.
All the same time, a 1460 won’t help you stand out for most top-20 schools. One reason for this is that some top-20 schools have gone test-optional. So, applicants aren’t required to provide standardized test scores. As a result, only applicants with strong SAT scores submit them. This causes the average SAT scores at these schools to be very high. Because of this fact, it may make sense not to submit that score, even though it is rather strong.
A final note: while an SAT score of 1460 won’t be competitive for admission to the top 20 private universities, it gives you an edge at nearly every public university in the U.S. Keep this in mind when you are looking at schools to which you’d like to apply.
KEY FACT:
Though 1460 is a strong SAT score, it is no longer within the middle 50 percent of SAT scores at most top-20 schools.
SAT scores can also help with getting scholarships. So, let’s explore how good a 1460 SAT score is for scholarships.
Is a 1460 SAT Score Good for Scholarships?
There are many scholarships that you can qualify for with a 1460 SAT score. For example, the SAT score requirement for the Gladys Carol Scholarship Program is 1300. The SAT score requirement for the New Mexico Tech Gold Scholarship is 1360. And there are many other scholarships you can be eligible for with a 1460. So, with an SAT score of 1460, you can apply for many scholarships that could cover at least part of your college costs.
Also, at some schools, an SAT score of 1460 may be high enough for getting a full-ride scholarship, if your score is part of a strong application. That said, full-ride scholarships are not common. So, if you want to get this type of scholarship and your SAT score is 1460, it may make sense for you to do some more test preparation to improve your SAT score to break the 1500 level.
KEY FACT:
A 1460 SAT score satisfies the requirements of many scholarships.
Let’s now wrap up with some takeaways from what we’ve discussed.
Key Takeaways: How Good Is a 1460 SAT Score?
Here is what we have seen about a 1460 SAT score:
- 1460 is a strong SAT score that is around 400 points above average and is a 96th percentile score.
- For most colleges and universities, including most top 100 colleges and universities, 1460 is a competitive SAT score that is above average or within the middle 50 percent range of SAT scores.
- For most top 20 schools, a 1460 SAT score is good enough for getting in, but not above average or within the middle 50 percent range.
- A 1460 SAT score meets the SAT score requirements for many scholarships.
The bottom line: 1460 is a good SAT score that indicates that an applicant has learned the high school curriculum thoroughly and is well-prepared for college.
Let’s now answer some common questions about a 1460 SAT score.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is 1460 a good SAT score for Ivy League schools?
Just a few years ago, 1460 was within the middle 50 percent of SAT scores at many Ivy League schools. However, in recent years, the middle 50 percent SAT score ranges at Ivy League schools have moved upward, partly because of test-optional policies of Ivy League admissions. So, now 1460 is below the mid-50 range for the Ivies. Thus, while a few years ago 1460 would have been considered a good SAT score for Ivy League schools, it’s now an OK SAT score for Ivy League schools.
Can I get into Harvard with a 1460 SAT?
An SAT score of 1460 is high enough to get into Harvard. That said, Harvard’s most recent middle 50 percent SAT score range was 1500 to 1580. So, 1460 is no longer within Harvard’s mid-50 range and thus is an OK — but not great — SAT score for getting into Harvard.
Can I get into MIT with a 1460 SAT?
The most recent middle 50 percent SAT score range at MIT is around 1510 to 1580. So, 1460 is below the mid-50 range at MIT. Thus, although you can get into MIT with a 1460 total score (as long as your SAT Math score is over 700), 1460 is an OK but not great SAT score for MIT.
Can I get into Duke with a 1460 SAT?
Duke’s most recent middle 50 percent SAT score range was 1520 to 1570. So, 1460 is below Duke’s mid-50 SAT score range. Thus, while it’s possible to get into Duke with a 1460, 1460 is a below-average SAT score for Duke.
What’s Next?
If you want to increase your SAT Math score, you can get some ideas from our article on advanced SAT Math section techniques and our article on how to get an 800 on SAT Math.
If you’re having trouble getting yourself motivated to prepare for the SAT, the ideas in our post on how to motivate yourself to study for the SAT could be just what you need.
