Best colleges for 1181 SAT Score are listed here. If you have achieved a SAT score of 1181, then you must choose at least 5 of the below listed colleges, as not only your chances of admissions will be good but also these colleges will be a good match for you. The following list of best suitable colleges for 1181 SAT scores is given so that you can choose a more suitable college, and may not choose a less competitive college or loose admissions because you have applied to a more competitive college.
Is a 1181 SAT Score Good for 2026?
Yes, a 1181 SAT score is considered Average to Above Average. Nationally, this performance puts you in the 55th-72nd percentile of nearly 2 million annual test-takers.
Strategic Admissions Guidance
A 1181 is a respectable result that demonstrates college readiness. You will find many excellent options among mid-sized state schools and private liberal arts colleges. Since many schools in this range remain test-optional for 2026, evaluate each school: if your 1181 is above their reported average, submit it. If it is below, consider leaning on your high school transcript and personal achievements instead.
What does a 1181 mean for your applications?
In the 2026 admissions cycle, universities are increasingly looking for 'data-backed' proof of academic readiness. A 1181 serves as a standardized metric that complements your GPA. However, remember that admissions officers also weigh your extracurricular involvement, leadership roles, and the difficulty of your high school curriculum (AP/IB classes).
To help you build a balanced college list, we have analyzed thousands of data points from the Common Data Set (CDS) to categorize the schools below into Reach, Match, and Safety categories specifically for a 1181 applicant.
Best Colleges for 1181 SAT Score
Following is the list of colleges that accept 1181 SAT Score.
| Logo | Institute | State | Average SAT Score | SAT Reading Scores | SAT Math Scores | Acceptance Rate | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logo | Institute | State | Average SAT Score | SAT Reading Scores | SAT Maths Scores | Acceptance Rate | Status |
|
Earlham College | Indiana | 1261 | 590 - 710 | 540 - 670 | 73.24% | Match |
|
St. Mary's College of Maryland | Maryland | 1261 | 590 - 710 | 540 - 660 | 77.3% | Match |
|
University of Mary Washington | Virginia | 1260 | 610 - 690 | 560 - 650 | 85.79% | Match |
|
Valparaiso University | Indiana | 1260 | 580 - 680 | 560 - 680 | 94.15% | Match |
|
University of Alabama in Huntsville | Alabama | 1259 | 613 - 700 | 613 - 730 | 78.1% | Reach |
|
Champlain College | Vermont | 1259 | 603 - 698 | 560 - 650 | 55.68% | Match |
|
Washington College | Maryland | 1259 | 620 - 710 | 570 - 680 | 74.71% | Reach |
|
Saint Mary's College | Indiana | 1259 | 560 - 680 | 540 - 648 | 83.89% | Match |
|
California Lutheran University | California | 1258 | 580 - 660 | 570 - 660 | 87.18% | Match |
|
Goucher College | Maryland | 1258 | 580 - 688 | 533 - 640 | 80.24% | Match |
|
Duquesne University | Pennsylvania | 1257 | 590 - 670 | 570 - 660 | 87.49% | Match |
|
Western Washington University | Washington | 1257 | 590 - 690 | 540 - 650 | 92.69% | Match |
|
Bryant University | Rhode Island | 1256 | 580 - 650 | 583 - 670 | 68.81% | Match |
|
University of North Carolina School of the Arts | North Carolina | 1256 | 590 - 690 | 525 - 660 | 31.78% | Match |
|
George Mason University | Virginia | 1255 | 580 - 670 | 560 - 680 | 90% | Match |
|
University of Massachusetts-Lowell | Massachusetts | 1255 | 580 - 668 | 590 - 680 | 85.95% | Match |
|
State University of New York at New Paltz | New York | 1254 | 590 - 680 | 570 - 660 | 58.27% | Match |
|
Saint Michael's College | Vermont | 1253 | 600 - 678 | 560 - 637 | 85.15% | Match |
|
Cornell College | Iowa | 1253 | 600 - 690 | 570 - 690 | 79.33% | Match |
|
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | South Dakota | 1252 | 570 - 680 | 590 - 698 | 82.69% | Match |
|
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | Ohio | 1252 | 580 - 670 | 580 - 690 | 86.22% | Match |
|
Cedarville University | Ohio | 1250 | 580 - 690 | 550 - 690 | 64.88% | Match |
|
Biola University | California | 1250 | 565 - 695 | 540 - 670 | 56.63% | Match |
|
Hastings College | Nebraska | 1250 | 0 - 0 | 0 - 0 | 71.33% | Safety |
|
Transylvania University | Kentucky | 1250 | 580 - 700 | 540 - 660 | 90.79% | Match |
|
University of Missouri-Columbia | Missouri | 1249 | 580 - 670 | 560 - 670 | 79.13% | Match |
|
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide | Florida | 1247 | 570 - 650 | 550 - 630 | 57.67% | Match |
|
Westminster College | Utah | 1247 | 608 - 700 | 558 - 673 | 69.75% | Match |
|
Hendrix College | Arkansas | 1246 | 580 - 680 | 553 - 648 | 60.28% | Match |
|
Truman State University | Missouri | 1246 | 510 - 650 | 560 - 680 | 45.05% | Match |
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Drew University | New Jersey | 1245 | 580 - 690 | 540 - 650 | 72.66% | Match |
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Manhattan College | New York | 1245 | 570 - 660 | 570 - 670 | 82.3% | Match |
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Michigan Technological University | Michigan | 1245 | 560 - 670 | 570 - 680 | 93.68% | Match |
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Thomas Jefferson University | Pennsylvania | 1244 | 570 - 670 | 560 - 680 | 88.85% | Match |
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Juniata College | Pennsylvania | 1244 | 570 - 680 | 550 - 660 | 76.16% | Match |
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Austin College | Texas | 1243 | 580 - 690 | 580 - 680 | 54.37% | Match |
|
Saint Joseph's University | Pennsylvania | 1242 | 580 - 670 | 570 - 660 | 88.68% | Match |
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University of Houston | Texas | 1241 | 580 - 660 | 580 - 670 | 66.24% | Match |
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James Madison University | Virginia | 1241 | 580 - 670 | 560 - 650 | 78.31% | Match |
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Luther College | Iowa | 1241 | 520 - 640 | 555 - 690 | 75.32% | Match |
|
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | Oklahoma | 1240 | 570 - 670 | 560 - 660 | 72.92% | Match |
|
Nazareth College | New York | 1240 | 570 - 660 | 570 - 660 | 83.94% | Match |
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Ohio Wesleyan University | Ohio | 1239 | 570 - 678 | 553 - 680 | 52.18% | Match |
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LeTourneau University | Texas | 1239 | 560 - 690 | 560 - 690 | 48.83% | Match |
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College of Charleston | South Carolina | 1239 | 580 - 660 | 550 - 640 | 75.69% | Match |
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University of Tulsa | Oklahoma | 1239 | 540 - 680 | 538 - 670 | 69.18% | Match |
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Eckerd College | Florida | 1238 | 580 - 670 | 540 - 630 | 65.09% | Match |
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Xavier University | Ohio | 1238 | 570 - 660 | 550 - 650 | 84.54% | Match |
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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach | Florida | 1237 | 570 - 660 | 570 - 680 | 64.53% | Match |
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Salisbury University | Maryland | 1237 | 600 - 660 | 580 - 660 | 91.06% | Match |
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University of Scranton | Pennsylvania | 1237 | 580 - 660 | 570 - 660 | 84.35% | Match |
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New College of Florida | Florida | 1236 | 580 - 710 | 523 - 650 | 75.41% | Match |
|
University of Utah | Utah | 1236 | 600 - 690 | 590 - 700 | 89.13% | Reach |
|
University of South Florida | Florida | 1235 | 580 - 660 | 560 - 670 | 43.93% | Match |
|
Minneapolis College of Art and Design | Minnesota | 1234 | 600 - 730 | 570 - 650 | 56.89% | Match |
|
Adelphi University | New York | 1233 | 560 - 650 | 550 - 660 | 72.78% | Match |
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Emmanuel College | Massachusetts | 1233 | 590 - 660 | 570 - 650 | 79.69% | Match |
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Taylor University | Indiana | 1233 | 550 - 660 | 540 - 650 | 74.61% | Match |
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Sweet Briar College | Virginia | 1232 | 520 - 680 | 500 - 680 | 75.75% | Match |
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MCPHS University | Massachusetts | 1232 | 530 - 660 | 560 - 710 | 88.26% | Match |
|
University of Illinois Chicago | Illinois | 1232 | 560 - 660 | 550 - 680 | 78.69% | Match |
|
Whittier College | California | 1231 | 550 - 650 | 590 - 690 | 75.45% | Match |
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University of Missouri-Kansas City | Missouri | 1231 | 625 - 760 | 620 - 790 | 69.48% | Reach |
|
Wabash College | Indiana | 1230 | 560 - 650 | 562 - 670 | 61.49% | Match |
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University of Arizona | Arizona | 1229 | 570 - 680 | 570 - 690 | 86.76% | Match |
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Messiah University | Pennsylvania | 1229 | 550 - 670 | 540 - 670 | 79.41% | Match |
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Hollins University | Virginia | 1228 | 583 - 690 | 530 - 608 | 72.4% | Match |
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Samford University | Alabama | 1227 | 550 - 650 | 530 - 620 | 83.26% | Match |
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Le Moyne College | New York | 1226 | 560 - 640 | 570 - 650 | 78.28% | Match |
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Millsaps College | Mississippi | 1223 | 610 - 699 | 525 - 655 | 67.83% | Match |
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University of Iowa | Iowa | 1222 | 570 - 670 | 560 - 670 | 86% | Match |
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Drury University | Missouri | 1221 | 590 - 700 | 560 - 660 | 63.43% | Match |
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DePaul University | Illinois | 1221 | 550 - 660 | 520 - 640 | 70.17% | Match |
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Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | Louisiana | 1221 | 580 - 660 | 560 - 660 | 75.72% | Match |
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University of Mobile | Alabama | 1220 | 0 - 0 | 0 - 0 | 84.08% | Safety |
|
Meredith College | North Carolina | 1220 | 600 - 680 | 540 - 640 | 73.18% | Match |
|
Pace University | New York | 1220 | 580 - 670 | 540 - 630 | 82.93% | Match |
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University of Minnesota-Duluth | Minnesota | 1220 | 570 - 680 | 550 - 670 | 80.7% | Match |
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Ohio Dominican University | Ohio | 1220 | 0 - 0 | 0 - 0 | 52.42% | Safety |
|
Rockhurst University | Missouri | 1220 | 0 - 0 | 0 - 0 | 66.46% | Safety |
|
High Point University | North Carolina | 1220 | 563 - 640 | 540 - 640 | 78.88% | Match |
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Elmira College | New York | 1220 | 553 - 630 | 565 - 642 | 95.95% | Match |
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Benedictine College | Kansas | 1220 | 560 - 690 | 550 - 670 | 98.83% | Match |
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Concordia College at Moorhead | Minnesota | 1220 | 0 - 0 | 0 - 0 | 65.53% | Safety |
|
Berea College | Kentucky | 1220 | 578 - 673 | 558 - 625 | 24.58% | Reach |
|
The College of Saint Scholastica | Minnesota | 1220 | 0 - 0 | 0 - 0 | 96.61% | Safety |
|
Long Island University | New York | 1219 | 550 - 660 | 550 - 670 | 92.65% | Match |
|
Birmingham-Southern College | Alabama | 1218 | 590 - 670 | 560 - 610 | 57.17% | Match |
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John Brown University | Arkansas | 1218 | 570 - 710 | 530 - 680 | 56.64% | Match |
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Saint Anselm College | New Hampshire | 1218 | 560 - 650 | 560 - 640 | 82.3% | Match |
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St. John's University-New York | New York | 1218 | 560 - 650 | 550 - 660 | 84.67% | Match |
|
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | New Hampshire | 1217 | 570 - 660 | 550 - 660 | 86.99% | Match |
|
United States Merchant Marine Academy | New York | 1217 | 570 - 660 | 580 - 670 | 27.35% | Reach |
|
Salve Regina University | Rhode Island | 1216 | 580 - 660 | 550 - 620 | 69.53% | Match |
|
Quinnipiac University | Connecticut | 1216 | 570 - 650 | 550 - 650 | 83.79% | Match |
|
Springfield College | Massachusetts | 1216 | 550 - 640 | 550 - 660 | 75.63% | Match |
|
Wittenberg University | Ohio | 1216 | 535 - 680 | 515 - 690 | 93.93% | Match |
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Wentworth Institute of Technology | Massachusetts | 1215 | 550 - 660 | 570 - 680 | 92.31% | Match |
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Roger Williams University | Rhode Island | 1215 | 570 - 640 | 550 - 630 | 90.99% | Match |
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University of Redlands | California | 1215 | 563 - 650 | 550 - 628 | 81.87% | Match |
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Mississippi State University | Mississippi | 1215 | 540 - 640 | 530 - 640 | 75.19% | Match |
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Gordon College | Massachusetts | 1215 | 558 - 663 | 528 - 650 | 91.76% | Match |
|
Rider University | New Jersey | 1214 | 560 - 650 | 540 - 650 | 84.13% | Match |
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Franciscan University of Steubenville | Ohio | 1214 | 570 - 680 | 530 - 640 | 66.65% | Match |
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Hanover College | Indiana | 1214 | 550 - 650 | 540 - 620 | 74.11% | Match |
|
Ramapo College of New Jersey | New Jersey | 1214 | 560 - 650 | 540 - 645 | 70.47% | Match |
|
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | Pennsylvania | 1213 | 550 - 650 | 550 - 660 | 95.55% | Match |
|
Florida Institute of Technology | Florida | 1213 | 560 - 660 | 560 - 660 | 64.37% | Match |
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Hope College | Michigan | 1213 | 550 - 670 | 540 - 660 | 80.45% | Match |
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Widener University | Pennsylvania | 1212 | 545 - 650 | 560 - 640 | 87.69% | Match |
|
Carroll University | Wisconsin | 1212 | 520 - 670 | 540 - 670 | 72.14% | Match |
|
Arcadia University | Pennsylvania | 1212 | 558 - 680 | 530 - 640 | 77.57% | Match |
|
Alfred University | New York | 1211 | 540 - 650 | 545 - 640 | 50.61% | Match |
|
SUNY Maritime College | New York | 1211 | 570 - 650 | 570 - 650 | 80.33% | Match |
|
University of North Carolina at Asheville | North Carolina | 1210 | 600 - 685 | 545 - 655 | 74.31% | Match |
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Berry College | Georgia | 1210 | 570 - 660 | 540 - 630 | 66.31% | Match |
|
Bradley University | Illinois | 1208 | 530 - 640 | 520 - 640 | 75.14% | Match |
|
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | Pennsylvania | 1207 | 550 - 660 | 545 - 670 | 95.44% | Match |
|
Whitworth University | Washington | 1207 | 570 - 690 | 540 - 660 | 90.52% | Match |
|
Oglethorpe University | Georgia | 1207 | 540 - 650 | 525 - 655 | 70.99% | Match |
FAQ for SAT Score: 1181
How does a 1181 SAT score compare to the ACT?
A 1181 SAT score is roughly equivalent to a 23-24 on the ACT. It is considered slightly below average for highly selective schools but competitive for many public universities and less competitive private schools. You might consider applying to a range of schools with varying selectivity to maximize your chances.
What scholarships are available for a 1181 SAT score?
With a 1181 SAT, you may qualify for partial merit-based scholarships at many state schools. However, competitive private schools will likely offer fewer scholarship opportunities at this level. You may still be eligible for financial aid based on other aspects of your application.
Can I get into Ivy League schools with a 1181 SAT score?
A 1181 SAT score is significantly below the average for Ivy League schools, which generally expect scores closer to 1500. While your score may not make you competitive for these institutions, there are still other top schools where a 1181 will be sufficient.
Should I retake the SAT to improve my score?
If you’re targeting highly selective schools, retaking the SAT could be beneficial to improve your chances of admission. If your main goal is to attend a state school or mid-tier private college, your current score may already position you well, and retaking the test might not be necessary.
What is the national average SAT score?
The national average SAT score is around 1050, so your 1181 is above average. It’s a good score for many colleges, though you may want to consider improving it if you're aiming for more competitive schools.
Do test-optional colleges consider a 1181 SAT score if submitted?
Yes, many test-optional colleges will consider a 1181 SAT score if submitted. While not at the highest end, it still gives them a sense of your academic ability. Be sure to complement your score with strong essays, extracurriculars, and GPA.
What GPA is a 1181 SAT?
A 1181 SAT score typically corresponds with a GPA of around 3.0 to 3.4. This shows that you have the potential to succeed in college, though you may need to bolster your application with strong recommendation letters or compelling personal essays.
Can I get into NYU with a 1181 SAT?
NYU’s average SAT score is much higher than 1181, so your chances of getting in with a 1181 are slim. However, if you have exceptional extracurriculars, unique talents, or strong essays, it may still be worth applying.
Is 1181 a good SAT score for Harvard?
Harvard’s average SAT score is in the 1500-1600 range, so a 1181 is below their typical score. It’s unlikely to be competitive for Harvard, but you may still have strong options at other schools with slightly lower average SAT scores.
Can I get into MIT with a 1181 SAT?
MIT’s average SAT score is significantly higher than a 1181, making it an unlikely choice for admission with this score. However, you can still consider other top-tier schools with a lower average score if you excel in other areas like STEM or extracurriculars.
Can I get into Princeton with a 1181 SAT score?
Princeton’s SAT average is closer to 1500, so a 1181 SAT is below their typical range. However, you may still be competitive at other top-tier schools with slightly lower average scores, depending on your academic and extracurricular achievements.
Is a 1181 SAT score good?
A 1181 SAT score is above average, but it may limit your options at highly selective colleges. However, many good public universities and private colleges will see your score as competitive, so don’t be discouraged. Keep up your efforts and focus on applying strategically.
Which colleges can I get into with a 1181 SAT score?
With a 1181 SAT score, you’re competitive at many state universities and some private schools with moderate selectivity. Consider schools like University of Arizona, University of Oregon, or Marquette University where your score will make you a strong applicant.
