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
1055

Grand Rapids, Michigan

1052

Lagrange, Georgia

1051

Cuthbert, Georgia

1050

Waleska, Georgia

1050

Davenport, Iowa

1050

Baldwin City, Kansas

1050

Hartsville, South Carolina

1050

Minneapolis, Minnesota

1049

Young Harris, Georgia

1045

Albion, Michigan

1045

Brevard, North Carolina

1045

Columbus, Ohio

1045

Scranton, Pennsylvania

1045

Charleston, South Carolina

1045

Ashland, Wisconsin

1045
1044

Cresson, Pennsylvania

1043

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.