Is 1220 a Good SAT Score?
A 1220 puts you at the 79 percentile of SAT takers — a good score — top quarter of test takers and above the admitted-student midpoint at many state flagships.
1220 on the SAT = 79 percentile (vs. the 1029 national average).
- Score1220
- Percentile (test takers)79
- vs. national average+191 pts
- VerdictAbove average
Source: College Board 2025–26 percentile tables (test takers, past three classes).
Scores near 1220
| SAT score | Percentile (test takers) |
|---|---|
| 1160 | 71 |
| 1180 | 74 |
| 1200 | 76 |
| 1220 | 79 |
| 1240 | 81 |
| 1260 | 83 |
| 1280 | 84 |
Jump to: 1170 · 1210 · 1230 · 1270 · next milestones: 1300 · 1400
What a 1220 means in practice
The national average is 1029, so a 1220 sits above it by 191 points — a good score — top quarter of test takers and above the admitted-student midpoint at many state flagships. 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 1220 a good SAT score?
A 1220 is at the 79 percentile of SAT takers — a good score — top quarter of test takers and above the admitted-student midpoint at many state flagships.
What percentile is a 1220 SAT score?
79th percentile among students who took the SAT in the past three graduating classes, per College Board tables.
Can I get into college with a 1220?
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.