Is 1030 a Good SAT Score?

A 1030 is average: the 52nd percentile of SAT takers. Here is what it means and what to do with it.

SAT score
1030
Percentile
52nd
Rating
Average
ACT equivalent
20

What a 1030 SAT score means

A 1030 is average. On College Board’s current tables it sits at the 52nd percentile of students who took the SAT, so you scored at or above roughly 52% of test-takers (top 48%). Measured against all US juniors and seniors, including those who never take the test, it is the 54th percentile. The national average total is about 1025, so a 1030 is 5 points above the average. On the official concordance it is equivalent to about a 20 composite on the ACT.

Which colleges a 1030 fits

Admissions readers compare your score with the middle-50% range of admitted students, published in each college’s Common Data Set. A 1030 is inside the range at many regional public universities and open-access four-year colleges, and below the range at most flagships. Ranges move a little each year, and a growing number of colleges are test-optional, so check each college’s current policy; the good-score guide lists sample ranges.

How a 1030 breaks down

The total is the sum of two sections scored 200–800, so several combinations produce a 1030:

Reading and WritingMathTotal
5155151030
5654651030
4655651030

Colleges see both sections, and STEM programs in particular look at Math on its own, so a 1030 built on a strong Math score reads differently from the same total the other way round. With balanced sections on the harder Module 2 path, a 1030 takes roughly 33 of 54 correct in Reading and Writing and 25 of 44 in Math; try your own numbers in the score calculator.

Moving a 1030 up

The next band starts at 1100 (Above average), 70 points away. Near this part of the scale each extra correct answer is worth roughly 10–15 points, so that is about 5 more questions right, spread across both sections. At this level the fastest gains usually come from the grammar rules in Reading and Writing and the core algebra in Math, and from being accurate on Module 1 so you are routed to the harder Module 2. See how to improve your SAT score, and remember that most colleges superscore, so a retake can target one section.

Nearby scores

Last updated September 2026. Percentiles from College Board’s current SAT User and Nationally Representative tables; ACT equivalents from the official 2018 concordance; college ranges approximate.

More calculators & guides

Calculators & converters

Scores, guides & resources

1030 SAT score: frequently asked questions

Is 1030 a good SAT score?

A 1030 is average. It is at the 52nd percentile of SAT takers, meaning you scored at or above 52% of students who took the test, and close to the national average of about 1025. Whether it is good enough depends on the middle-50% ranges at the colleges you are applying to.

What percentile is a 1030 SAT score?

52nd percentile among SAT takers (SAT User) and 54th among all US 11th and 12th graders (Nationally Representative), per College Board’s current tables.

What is a 1030 SAT score on the ACT?

A 1030 concords to an ACT composite of about 20 on the official ACT/College Board table.

How many questions do I need to get right for a 1030?

With balanced sections on the harder Module 2 path, roughly 33 of 54 in Reading and Writing and 25 of 44 in Math. The exact count varies by test form and by which Module 2 you receive; use the calculator to try your own split.

How do I get from 1030 to 1100?

That is 70 points, which means about 5 more correct answers spread across the sections on the harder Module 2 path. The improvement guide explains where those points usually come from.