Is 440 a Good SAT Score?

A 440 is low: the below the 1st percentile of SAT takers. Here is what it means and what to do with it.

SAT score
440
Percentile
below 1st
Rating
Low
ACT equivalent

What a 440 SAT score means

A 440 is low. On College Board’s current tables it sits at the below the 1st percentile of students who took the SAT, so you scored at or above roughly 1−% of test-takers (top 99%). Measured against all US juniors and seniors, including those who never take the test, it is the below the 1st percentile. The national average total is about 1025, so a 440 is 585 points below the average.

Which colleges a 440 fits

Admissions readers compare your score with the middle-50% range of admitted students, published in each college’s Common Data Set. A 440 is below the middle-50% range at most four-year universities, though many colleges are test-optional and community-college transfer paths do not require a score. 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 440 breaks down

The total is the sum of two sections scored 200–800, so several combinations produce a 440:

Reading and WritingMathTotal
220220440

Colleges see both sections, and STEM programs in particular look at Math on its own, so a 440 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 440 takes roughly 2 of 54 correct in Reading and Writing and 2 of 44 in Math; try your own numbers in the score calculator.

Moving a 440 up

The next band starts at 900 (Below average), 460 points away. Near this part of the scale each extra correct answer is worth roughly 10–15 points, so that is about 31 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.

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440 SAT score: frequently asked questions

Is 440 a good SAT score?

A 440 is low. It is at the below the 1st percentile of SAT takers, meaning you scored at or above 1−% of students who took the test, and well below average; focused prep moves scores in this range fastest. Whether it is good enough depends on the middle-50% ranges at the colleges you are applying to.

What percentile is a 440 SAT score?

below 1st percentile among SAT takers (SAT User) and below 1st among all US 11th and 12th graders (Nationally Representative), per College Board’s current tables.

What is a 440 SAT score on the ACT?

Below 590, the official concordance does not map SAT scores to an ACT composite; at that level, focus on the SAT percentile instead.

How many questions do I need to get right for a 440?

With balanced sections on the harder Module 2 path, roughly 2 of 54 in Reading and Writing and 2 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 440 to 900?

That is 460 points, which means about 31 more correct answers spread across the sections on the harder Module 2 path. The improvement guide explains where those points usually come from.