1480 SAT Score: Popular Colleges You Can Get Into

You're looking at a 99th percentile SAT, and that's a strong score. About 1,570 colleges fit a 1480, and you can seriously consider schools like Stanford and MIT even though they remain reaches. Admit rates there are still tiny, so treat them as ambitious, not automatic.

How 1480 SAT Compares Nationally

  • Percentile: 99th - higher than about 99% of recent test-takers.
  • National average: Above 1050 - you're above the typical score.
  • ACT equivalent: ~33 composite (College Board/ACT concordance).
  • College options: Competitive at 1,568 schools (136 target, 52 reach, 1,380 safety).

Is a 1480 SAT Score Good?

Yes, a 1480 SAT is an excellent score. Very few testers land here, and it keeps highly selective private colleges on the table.

Harvard's middle 50% runs 1510-1580, so you are a bit below that band and it stays a reach. Same story at Princeton. Michigan is a better match: 1480 is comfortably inside its 1360-1530 range, which makes it a solid target rather than a long shot.

UCLA still counts as a reach even though 1480 overlaps its 1300-1530 middle 50%, mostly because so few applicants get in. A high SAT helps, but it does not erase that competition.

Colleges You Can Get Into with a 1480 SAT

Caltech and Columbia will be tougher to get into. Caltech's middle 50% is 1530-1580 and Columbia's is 1510-1580, so a 1480 is just under both. Brown is in the same highly selective group. Michigan and the University of Florida are closer fits, with your score inside or at the top of their middle 50%. Admissions officers still read GPA, essays, activities, and recommendations, so use the tables as a score guide, not a promise.

Target Schools (Competitive Chance of Admission)

At Michigan (1360-1530) and UT Austin (1250-1510), a 1480 lands inside the middle 50%. That is a good shot at both if your grades and activities back it up.

College SAT Range Avg SAT Acceptance Rate Your Chance

Gainesville, FL

 1320-1480 1400 24% Medium

Austin, TX

 1250-1510 1380 27% Medium

Ann Arbor, MI

 1360-1530 1445 16% Medium

Tallahassee, FL

 1270-1410 1340 24% Medium

Clemson, SC

 1240-1410 1325 38% Medium

Coral Gables, FL

 1320-1480 1400 19% Medium

Athens, GA

 1270-1480 1375 38% Medium

Blacksburg, VA

 1280-1450 1365 55% Medium

Orlando, FL

 1200-1350 1275 40% Medium

San Diego, CA

 1090-1300 1195 36% Medium

Auburn, AL

 1260-1390 1325 46% Medium

Columbus, OH

 1310-1480 1395 61% Medium
View all 136 target colleges

Reach Schools (Lower Admission Chance)

Many top schools stay reaches even with a 1480. MIT's middle 50% is 1520-1580 and Stanford's is 1510-1580, so you are below the usual band, and both admit only a sliver of applicants.

College SAT Range Avg SAT Acceptance Rate Your Chance

Pasadena, CA

 1530-1580 1555 3% Low

Cambridge, MA

 1520-1580 1550 5% Low

Cambridge, MA

 1510-1580 1545 4% Low

Stanford, CA

 1510-1580 1545 4% Low

Chicago, IL

 1510-1580 1545 4% Low

New York, NY

 1510-1580 1545 4% Low

Princeton, NJ

 1510-1580 1545 5% Low

Providence, RI

 1510-1580 1545 5% Low

Baltimore, MD

 1520-1570 1545 6% Low

Philadelphia, PA

 1510-1570 1540 5% Low

Evanston, IL

 1510-1570 1540 8% Low

Houston, TX

 1510-1570 1540 8% Low
View all 52 reach colleges

Safety Schools (Very High Chance of Admission)

You are well above the typical range at Penn State (1240-1420) and Michigan State (1180-1360). Odds look strong at both.

College SAT Range Avg SAT Acceptance Rate Your Chance

Tempe, AZ

 1100-1320 1210 90% High

University Park, PA

 1240-1420 1330 61% High

East Lansing, MI

 1180-1360 1270 85% High

Tuscaloosa, AL

 1170-1400 1285 77% High

Lexington, KY

 1070-1290 1180 93% High

Greenville, NC

 1070-1240 1155 89% High

Honolulu, HI

 1081-1293 1187 87% High

Tucson, AZ

 1150-1420 1285 86% High

Boulder, CO

 1240-1430 1335 78% High

San Marcos, TX

 980-1200 1090 89% High

Lubbock, TX

 1090-1280 1185 73% High

Houston, TX

 1160-1340 1250 74% High
View all 1,380 safety colleges

View the full list of colleges that accept a 1480 SAT

Top Choices in Popular U.S. States

Browse colleges for a 1480 SAT in popular states:

Local Options for a 1480 SAT

View by state:

Browse by region:

East 1480 SAT Midwest 1480 SAT Mid-Atlantic 1480 SAT New England 1480 SAT Pacific Northwest 1480 SAT South 1480 SAT Southeast 1480 SAT West 1480 SAT

Should you retake the SAT if you have a 1480?

You probably do not need another SAT if you are happy with this 1480. A retake mainly helps if you are chasing the most selective schools, where 1510 and up is more typical. Otherwise, your time is better spent on essays and grades.

Pros of retaking Cons of retaking
Could push you into the 1510-1580 SAT range Gains are not guaranteed near the top
May help at MIT, Stanford, or similar reaches Takes time from essays and activities
Second chance if one section was weak Most colleges already see 1480 as strong

Focused prep often adds about 50-100 SAT points, though jumps get smaller near the top of the scale. Drill the section that dragged you down, take a couple of timed practice tests, and review every miss. If your practice scores stall around 1480, another official test may not change much.

Apply with the 1480 you have, or sit for one more test only if those extra points would change your reach schools.

1480 SAT to ACT Equivalent Conversion

Colleges use concordance tables to compare SAT and ACT scores. The following table shows the 1480 SAT to ACT equivalent and nearby scores for context. These conversions are approximate.

SAT Score ACT Equivalent
1420 32
1440 32
1460 33
1480 33
1500 34
1520 34
1540 35

Individual colleges may interpret scores slightly differently, so treat concordance as a guide rather than an exact rule.

Frequently Asked Questions

A 1480 SAT places you in about the 99th percentile nationally, meaning you scored higher than about 99% of recent test-takers.

Next Steps

Published: August 19, 2026