1510 SAT Score: Popular Colleges You Can Get Into

Harvard and Stanford both report a middle 50% that starts at 1510, so your score is right at the floor of their usual range. Those schools are still reaches because they admit so few people. About 1,570 colleges fit a 1510, and you're in a good spot with that score.

How 1510 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 (115 target, 53 reach, 1,402 safety).

Is a 1510 SAT Score Good?

Yes, a 1510 SAT is an excellent score. It overlaps the middle 50% at Princeton (1510-1580) and Columbia (1510-1580), even though both stay reaches thanks to tiny admit rates.

You're a little below the usual band at MIT (1520-1580) and Caltech (1530-1580), so those are tougher reaches. Michigan is a more comfortable target, with a middle 50% of 1360-1530 that your score sits near the top of.

Admissions offices still look at GPA, essays, activities, and recommendations. The 1510 gets you a serious look at selective schools, but the rest of your application has to back it up.

Colleges You Can Get Into with a 1510 SAT

Stanford, Brown, and the University of Chicago all post middle 50% ranges of 1510-1580, so your score is at the low end of what they typically enroll. Each is still a reach because competition is fierce. UCLA (1300-1530) is also a reach even though 1510 sits high in that band. The University of Florida is a stronger target, where 1510 is above the usual 1320-1480 range.

Target Schools (Competitive Chance of Admission)

At Michigan and UT Austin, a 1510 lands near the top of the middle 50%. You have a good shot at both of those well-known publics.

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

College Park, MD

 1400-1530 1465 45% Medium
View all 115 target colleges

Reach Schools (Lower Admission Chance)

Even a strong 1510 leaves many top schools as reaches. MIT's middle 50% starts at 1520 and Caltech's starts at 1530, 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 53 reach colleges

Safety Schools (Very High Chance of Admission)

Your 1510 is well above the middle 50% at Penn State (1240-1420) and Arizona State (1100-1320). Odds look strong across a huge set of these schools.

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

Waco, TX

 1200-1400 1300 51% High

Lexington, KY

 1070-1290 1180 93% High

College Station, TX

 1150-1400 1275 57% High

Greenville, NC

 1070-1240 1155 89% High

Honolulu, HI

 1081-1293 1187 87% High

Tucson, AZ

 1150-1420 1285 86% High
View all 1,402 safety colleges

View the full list of colleges that accept a 1510 SAT

Top Choices in Popular U.S. States

Browse colleges for a 1510 SAT in popular states:

Local Options for a 1510 SAT

View by state:

Browse by region:

East 1510 SAT Midwest 1510 SAT Mid-Atlantic 1510 SAT New England 1510 SAT Pacific Northwest 1510 SAT South 1510 SAT Southeast 1510 SAT West 1510 SAT

Should you retake the SAT if you have a 1510?

A 1510 is already high enough that most students do not need another sitting. If you are aiming at Caltech, MIT, or similar schools where the middle 50% starts above your score, one more test can still help. Otherwise, your time is probably better spent on grades and essays.

Pros of retaking Cons of retaking
May push you into the MIT or Caltech range Score gains above 1500 are often small
Can help at the most selective reaches Takes time from grades, essays, and activities

Serious prep often adds about 50-100 SAT points, though movement gets smaller once you are already at 1510. Drill your weaker section with official practice tests and review every miss instead of cramming the whole exam again.

Send the 1510 if your college mix already looks right, or book one more test if a few extra points would change your reaches.

1510 SAT to ACT Equivalent Conversion

Colleges use concordance tables to compare SAT and ACT scores. The following table shows the 1510 SAT to ACT equivalent and nearby scores for context. These conversions are approximate.

SAT Score ACT Equivalent
1450 33
1470 33
1490 34
1510 34
1530 35
1550 35
1570 36

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

Frequently Asked Questions

A 1510 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