Is 1160 a Good SAT Score?
A 1160 puts you at the 71 percentile of SAT takers — a solid, above-average score — usable at most schools, below the midpoint at selective ones.
1160 on the SAT = 71 percentile (vs. the 1029 national average).
- Score1160
- Percentile (test takers)71
- vs. national average+131 pts
- VerdictAbove average
Source: College Board 2025–26 percentile tables (test takers, past three classes).
Scores near 1160
| SAT score | Percentile (test takers) |
|---|---|
| 1100 | 63 |
| 1120 | 66 |
| 1140 | 69 |
| 1160 | 71 |
| 1180 | 74 |
| 1200 | 76 |
| 1220 | 79 |
Jump to: 1110 · 1150 · 1170 · 1210 · next milestones: 1200 · 1300
What a 1160 means in practice
The national average is 1029, so a 1160 sits above it by 131 points — a solid, above-average score — usable at most schools, below the midpoint at selective ones. Percentiles compress at the top: 40 points around 1000 moves you ~7 percentile ranks, while 40 points past 1500 moves you one. Superscoring (mixing best section scores across dates) is accepted at most selective schools, so section-level retakes are usually the efficient move.
Frequently asked questions
Is 1160 a good SAT score?
A 1160 is at the 71 percentile of SAT takers — a solid, above-average score — usable at most schools, below the midpoint at selective ones.
What percentile is a 1160 SAT score?
71th percentile among students who took the SAT in the past three graduating classes, per College Board tables.
Can I get into college with a 1160?
Yes — admissions is a match game, not a bar exam. Aim for schools whose middle-50% range brackets your score, and remember most U.S. colleges are test-optional.
Sources & methodology
Sources: College Board — Understanding SAT Scores.
Percentiles are official College Board user norms; verdicts are editorial guidance, not admissions predictions.