United States Private Colleges Ranked by Highest SAT Score

Below is a list of the 783 private colleges in the United States with the highest SAT Score for incoming freshmen. California Institute of Technology leads the list with an average SAT Score of 1555. Alternatively, check out the ACT version of these rankings.

The SAT is a standardized test used by colleges to evaluate applicants. It is not a guarantee of success in college, but it is a strong indicator of academic potential.

List of United States Private Colleges Ranked by Highest SAT Score
College Average SAT Score

Elsah, Illinois

1145

New Orleans, Louisiana

1145

Detroit, Michigan

1145

York, Pennsylvania

1145

Lynchburg, Virginia

1145

Demorest, Georgia

1141

Notre Dame, Indiana

1140

Louisville, Kentucky

1140

Milton, Massachusetts

1140

Berrien Springs, Michigan

1140

Saint Joseph, Minnesota

1140

Banner Elk, North Carolina

1140
1140

Loretto, Pennsylvania

1140

Hampden-Sydney, Virginia

1140
1140
1137

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

1137

This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: August 2026

Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.