SAT score lookup

Is a 1280 SAT Score Good?

A 1280 out of 1600 is above average for test takers nationally — approximately the 81th percentile, meaning you scored at or above roughly 81% of students. It converts to an ACT score of about 27 on the official concordance.

What a 1280 means for your college list

Measure	Value
Approximate national percentile	81th
Equivalent ACT score	27
Colleges where this is at or above the 75th percentile	80
Colleges where this falls inside the middle 50%	94
Colleges where this is below the 25th percentile	103

Those counts are drawn from the 277 four-year colleges in our dataset that report SAT ranges. A score above a college’s 75th percentile makes testing a strength in that applicant pool; inside the range it is neutral; below the 25th percentile the rest of the application has to do the work.

Colleges where a 1280 is a strength

• Grand Canyon University (Arizona, mid-50% 1006–1113)
• Kennesaw State University (Georgia, mid-50% 1000–1220)
• Florida International University (Florida, mid-50% 1070–1260)
• Texas State University (Texas, mid-50% 980–1200)
• University of North Texas (Texas, mid-50% 980–1230)
• Texas Tech University (Texas, mid-50% 1090–1280)
• The University of Texas at Arlington (Texas, mid-50% 1010–1240)
• The University of Texas at San Antonio (Texas, mid-50% 1000–1220)
• University of Arkansas (Arkansas, mid-50% 1030–1220)
• The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (Texas, mid-50% 880–1090)
• Georgia State University (Georgia, mid-50% 940–1180)
• University of Nevada-Las Vegas (Nevada, mid-50% 1010–1240)

Colleges where a 1280 is right in range

• Texas A&M University-College Station (Texas, mid-50% 1150–1400)
• University of Central Florida (Florida, mid-50% 1200–1350)
• Purdue University (Indiana, mid-50% 1200–1480)
• The University of Texas at Austin (Texas, mid-50% 1250–1510)
• University of Arizona (Arizona, mid-50% 1150–1420)
• Pennsylvania State University (Pennsylvania, mid-50% 1240–1420)
• Michigan State University (Michigan, mid-50% 1180–1360)
• University of Houston (Texas, mid-50% 1160–1340)
• Indiana University-Bloomington (Indiana, mid-50% 1170–1400)
• University of South Florida (Florida, mid-50% 1130–1320)
• The University of Alabama (Alabama, mid-50% 1170–1400)
• Brigham Young University (Utah, mid-50% 1270–1460)

Reach colleges with a 1280

• Ohio State University (Ohio, mid-50% 1310–1480)
• Rutgers University-New Brunswick (New Jersey, mid-50% 1310–1500)
• University of Wisconsin-Madison (Wisconsin, mid-50% 1380–1520)
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Illinois, mid-50% 1310–1520)
• University of Florida (Florida, mid-50% 1320–1480)
• University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (Michigan, mid-50% 1360–1530)
• University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (Minnesota, mid-50% 1300–1500)
• University of Maryland-College Park (Maryland, mid-50% 1400–1530)

Frequently asked questions

Is 1280 a good SAT score?

A 1280 is above average, around the 81th percentile nationally. Whether it is good enough depends on your list: it sits at or above the 75th percentile at 80 of the 277 colleges we track and inside the middle 50% at 94 more.

What ACT score is equivalent to a 1280 SAT?

Using the official ACT/College Board concordance, a 1280 SAT is comparable to an ACT score of about 27.

What colleges can I get into with a 1280 SAT?

A 1280 is in range or above at 174 of the 277 four-year colleges in our dataset. Test scores are one factor among grades, coursework rigour, essays and extracurriculars.

Percentiles are approximate and shift with each testing cohort; college ranges come from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and can lag the current cycle.

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