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
Converse University Spartanburg, South Carolina	1130
Texas Lutheran University Seguin, Texas	1130
Ave Maria University Ave Maria, Florida	1129
Wittenberg University Springfield, Ohio	1127
Saint Martin's University Lacey, Washington	1127
Lindenwood University Saint Charles, Missouri	1126
Tuskegee University Tuskegee, Alabama	1125
Southern California Institute of Architecture Los Angeles, California	1125
Elmhurst University Elmhurst, Illinois	1125
University of St Francis Joliet, Illinois	1125
Spring Arbor University Spring Arbor, Michigan	1125
Manhattanville University Purchase, New York	1125
Mercy University Dobbs Ferry, New York	1125
Montreat College Montreat, North Carolina	1125
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Wake Forest, North Carolina	1125
Saint Vincent College Latrobe, Pennsylvania	1125
Southern Wesleyan University Central, South Carolina	1125
Ripon College Ripon, Wisconsin	1125

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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.