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.
| College | Average SAT Score |
|---|---|
|
Avila University
Kansas City, Missouri |
880 |
|
Livingstone College
Salisbury, North Carolina |
880 |
|
Paine College
Augusta, Georgia |
876 |
|
Ottawa University Ottawa
Ottawa, Kansas |
875 |
|
Virginia Union University
Richmond, Virginia |
867 |
|
Bloomfield College of Montclair State University
Bloomfield, New Jersey |
865 |
|
Saint Augustine's University
Raleigh, North Carolina |
860 |
|
Alice Lloyd College
Pippa Passes, Kentucky |
835 |
|
Manor College
Jenkintown, Pennsylvania |
830 |
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.