Is a 1020 a Good SAT Score?
By the Cheetah Prep team
A 1020 is a fair score that sits just under the national middle.
About 1,122,780 of the 2,004,965 students in the most recent testing class scored a 1020 or higher.
What a 1020 SAT Score Really Means
That puts a 1020 in the 44th percentile, so you scored higher than about 44 percent of test takers. A 1020 is workable at plenty of colleges, but it is below the middle 50 percent at selective schools. If your list leans competitive, this is the single clearest place to gain ground before you apply.
Whether a 1020 is good enough is really a question about your list. It keeps you in range at 287 of the 787 colleges below that report SAT data. Find your target schools in that group, and if the ones you want sit higher, the tools on this page show exactly how far you have to climb.
What Colleges Can You Get Into With a 1020 SAT Score?
Every school below reports real SAT data. Filter by how a 1020 lands against each one, or search for a specific college. Every name links to its full scores and admissions page.
Your score sits inside their middle 50 percent.
| College | SAT middle 50 | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia's College at WiseVA | 945 to 1120 | 28.5% |
| Southern University and A&MLA | 790 to 1020 | 35.1% |
| LeTourneauTX | 990 to 1330 | 38.0% |
| RegentVA | 990 to 1250 | 38.1% |
| Huston TillotsonTX | 800 to 1160 | 39.1% |
| Arkansas at Pine BluffAR | 845 to 1108 | 41.2% |
| DillardLA | 968 to 1202 | 41.9% |
| West AlabamaAL | 860 to 1120 | 42.6% |
| LynchburgVA | 980 to 1230 | 43.0% |
| Texas A&M InternationalTX | 890 to 1090 | 44.4% |
| Grambling StateLA | 920 to 1080 | 44.9% |
| Coppin StateMD | 880 to 1020 | 45.8% |
| Delaware StateDE | 800 to 1020 | 46.6% |
| Brigham Young University HawaiiHI | 960 to 1190 | 47.0% |
| BelhavenMS | 1010 to 1298 | 49.8% |
| North Carolina A & T StateNC | 1020 to 1190 | 49.9% |
| Louisiana State University ShreveportLA | 1000 to 1195 | 50.5% |
| QuincyIL | 1000 to 1200 | 50.9% |
| Spring ArborMI | 1010 to 1240 | 51.5% |
| West GeorgiaGA | 950 to 1140 | 51.6% |
| William PennIA | 880 to 1110 | 51.9% |
| Puerto Rico at CayeyPR | 843 to 1073 | 53.0% |
| Puerto Rico CarolinaPR | 809 to 1057 | 54.5% |
| FriendsKS | 960 to 1090 | 55.2% |
How Many More Colleges Open Up if You Raise Your Score?
A 1020 keeps you in range at 287 schools today. Drag the target to see how many more come into range as your score climbs.
+111
more colleges in range at a 1070
398
total colleges in range
That is a 50 point climb. A diagnostic shows exactly which topics stand between your 1020 and a 1070.
See how to reach your targetHow to Raise a 1020 SAT Score
The fastest gains come from the section costing you the most points, not from grinding what you already know. Our score plans break a target into weekly work by section, and the diagnostic shows exactly where a 1020 is leaking points. Start there, then drill your weakest skills with real questions until the misses stop.
1020 SAT Score: Frequently Asked Questions
- Is a 1020 a good SAT score?
- A 1020 is in the 44th percentile, meaning you scored higher than about 44 percent of the roughly 2 million students who take the SAT each year. It is below the middle 50 percent at selective schools, so it is the clearest place to improve if your list runs competitive.
- What percentile is a 1020 SAT score?
- A 1020 is in the 44th percentile. About 1,122,780 of the 2,004,965 students in the most recent testing class scored the same or higher.
- What colleges can you get into with a 1020 SAT score?
- A 1020 is in range at 287 of the 787 colleges we track that report SAT data. Use the explorer above to filter them by target, likely, and reach, and open any school for its full admissions picture.
- Is a 1020 good enough for the Ivy League?
- The Ivy League middle 50 percent generally runs from about 1500 to 1580, so a 1020 is below the typical admitted range. A stronger score helps, but these schools weigh essays, rigor, and activities heavily, so it is never the whole story.
- How can I raise a 1020 SAT score?
- Start by finding the section and the specific topics costing you the most points, then drill those with real questions until they stop being misses. Cheetah Prep builds a plan around your weakest skills and shows your projected score as you go. The diagnostic on this page is the fastest way to see where a 1020 is leaking points.
Compare nearby scores