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

Macon, Georgia

1042

Huntington, Indiana

1040

Saint Louis, Missouri

1040
1040
1040
1037

Chicago, Illinois

1035

Chicago, Illinois

1035

Cincinnati, Ohio

1035

Wilmington, Ohio

1035

Due West, South Carolina

1035

Knoxville, Tennessee

1035

Danville, Virginia

1034

Jacksonville, Illinois

1031

New Orleans, Louisiana

1031

Quincy, Massachusetts

1031

Fullerton, California

1030

Storm Lake, Iowa

1030

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.