Is a 1170 a Good SAT Score?
By the Cheetah Prep team
A 1170 is a solid, above average SAT score.
About 601,490 of the 2,004,965 students in the most recent testing class scored a 1170 or higher.
What a 1170 SAT Score Really Means
That puts a 1170 in the 70th percentile, so you scored higher than about 70 percent of test takers. A 1170 opens the door at a large number of four year colleges and clears the average comfortably. It falls short of the most selective schools, so the right move depends on where you want to apply and how far your list reaches above this number.
Whether a 1170 is good enough is really a question about your list. It keeps you in range at 570 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 1170 SAT Score?
Every school below reports real SAT data. Filter by how a 1170 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 |
|---|---|---|
| College of the OzarksMO | 1050 to 1220 | 12.0% |
| BereaKY | 1156 to 1335 | 19.3% |
| Florida Agricultural and MechanicalFL | 1030 to 1180 | 20.6% |
| Citadel Military College of South CarolinaSC | 1085 to 1285 | 22.7% |
| SpelmanGA | 1108 to 1320 | 24.9% |
| FiskTN | 1140 to 1510 | 37.4% |
| LeTourneauTX | 990 to 1330 | 38.0% |
| RegentVA | 990 to 1250 | 38.1% |
| Illinois WesleyanIL | 1120 to 1340 | 39.3% |
| HowardDC | 1090 to 1320 | 41.3% |
| DillardLA | 968 to 1202 | 41.9% |
| LynchburgVA | 980 to 1230 | 43.0% |
| SouthwesternTX | 1130 to 1300 | 43.0% |
| South FloridaFL | 1130 to 1320 | 43.2% |
| Texas ChristianTX | 1140 to 1350 | 44.5% |
| Brigham Young University HawaiiHI | 960 to 1190 | 47.0% |
| CUNY Bernard M BaruchNY | 1100 to 1400 | 47.5% |
| RollinsFL | 1160 to 1370 | 47.5% |
| AustinTX | 1100 to 1310 | 47.6% |
| College of IdahoID | 1070 to 1280 | 49.1% |
| Oklahoma BaptistOK | 1070 to 1240 | 49.4% |
| 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% |
How Many More Colleges Open Up if You Raise Your Score?
A 1170 keeps you in range at 570 schools today. Drag the target to see how many more come into range as your score climbs.
+63
more colleges in range at a 1220
633
total colleges in range
That is a 50 point climb. A diagnostic shows exactly which topics stand between your 1170 and a 1220.
See how to reach your targetHow to Raise a 1170 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 1170 is leaking points. Start there, then drill your weakest skills with real questions until the misses stop.
1170 SAT Score: Frequently Asked Questions
- Is a 1170 a good SAT score?
- A 1170 is in the 70th percentile, meaning you scored higher than about 70 percent of the roughly 2 million students who take the SAT each year. It is above the national average and works at a wide range of colleges.
- What percentile is a 1170 SAT score?
- A 1170 is in the 70th percentile. About 601,490 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 1170 SAT score?
- A 1170 is in range at 570 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 1170 good enough for the Ivy League?
- The Ivy League middle 50 percent generally runs from about 1500 to 1580, so a 1170 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 1170 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 1170 is leaking points.
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