1490 SAT Score: Popular Colleges You Can Get Into

Harvard and Stanford are still reaches at 1490, but you're in the conversation at schools most testers never reach. That's a strong score, and it matches about 1,570 colleges. Plenty of those are realistic targets, not only long shots.

How 1490 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: ~34 composite (College Board/ACT concordance).
  • College options: Competitive at 1,570 schools (128 target, 54 reach, 1,388 safety).

Is a 1490 SAT Score Good?

Yes, a 1490 SAT is an outstanding score, right around the 99th percentile. MIT (1520-1580) and Caltech (1530-1580) still sit a bit above you in the middle 50%, so keep them as reaches even though you're close.

Brown and the University of Chicago also stay reaches. Their bands start at 1510, and they admit very few students. A 1490 lands near the high end at Michigan (1360-1530) and UT Austin (1250-1510), where you have a good shot.

Colleges still look at your GPA, essays, activities, and recommendations, so this number is only one piece. If those other parts are solid, a 1490 already supports a very competitive application.

Colleges You Can Get Into with a 1490 SAT

Stanford (1510-1580) and MIT (1520-1580) are dream-school reaches at 1490, and both are tougher to get into. Michigan (1360-1530) lines up more closely, while UCLA (1300-1530) is still a reach because so few students get in. The University of Florida (1320-1480) sits below your score and is a more comfortable match.

Target Schools (Competitive Chance of Admission)

Your 1490 falls inside or above the middle 50% at the University of Florida (1320-1480) and Michigan (1360-1530). That's a good shot if the rest of your application is solid.

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

San Diego, CA

 1090-1300 1195 36% Medium

Columbus, OH

 1310-1480 1395 61% Medium

Irvine, CA

 1230-1430 1330 29% Medium

Waco, TX

 1200-1400 1300 51% Medium
View all 128 target colleges

Reach Schools (Lower Admission Chance)

Even with a strong 1490, many top schools stay reaches. Harvard (1510-1580) and Caltech (1530-1580) start their middle 50% above you and turn away most 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 54 reach colleges

Safety Schools (Very High Chance of Admission)

Your 1490 clears the middle 50% at Penn State (1240-1420) and Arizona State (1100-1320). Odds look strong at backups like these, and there are a lot of them.

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

Orlando, FL

 1200-1350 1275 40% High

Auburn, AL

 1260-1390 1325 46% 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
View all 1,388 safety colleges

View the full list of colleges that accept a 1490 SAT

Top Choices in Popular U.S. States

Browse colleges for a 1490 SAT in popular states:

Local Options for a 1490 SAT

View by state:

Browse by region:

East 1490 SAT Midwest 1490 SAT Mid-Atlantic 1490 SAT New England 1490 SAT Pacific Northwest 1490 SAT South 1490 SAT Southeast 1490 SAT West 1490 SAT

Should you retake the SAT if you have a 1490?

You probably do not need another SAT sitting unless you are chasing schools whose middle 50% starts around 1510 or higher. A 1490 already looks excellent almost everywhere. Try again only if you can realistically push toward 1520 and those points would change your reaches.

Pros of retaking Cons of retaking
May help at MIT, Caltech, and similar reaches Time away from grades and activities
Useful if one section felt weaker than usual Big jumps are harder once you are at 1490

Focused prep often adds about 50-100 points, but gains shrink when you start at 1490. If you try again, target the weaker section and take a few timed practice tests. Steady work over several weeks beats a last-minute cram.

Send the 1490 if you like your options, or prep for one more sitting only if a higher score would change your top reaches.

1490 SAT to ACT Equivalent Conversion

Colleges use concordance tables to compare SAT and ACT scores. The following table shows the 1490 SAT to ACT equivalent and nearby scores for context. These conversions are approximate.

SAT Score ACT Equivalent
1430 32
1450 33
1470 33
1490 34
1510 34
1530 35
1550 35

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

Frequently Asked Questions

A 1490 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