Best colleges for 1150 SAT Score are listed here. If you have achieved a SAT score of 1150, 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 1150 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 1150 SAT Score Good for 2026?
A 1150 SAT score is considered Average — National Norm. Nationally, this puts you in the 44th–54th percentile among approximately 1.7 million annual test-takers.
Strategic Admissions Guidance — 2026 Cycle
A 1150 puts you right at the national average — roughly the middle of the pack among all SAT test-takers. That is a meaningful baseline, and it tells colleges that you are prepared for college-level work. It does not close doors; it simply defines which doors are most naturally open to you right now.
The honest counselor conversation here is this: your college options are real and plentiful, but they will be strongest at open-access universities, regional state schools, and colleges with acceptance rates above 60%. These are not consolation prizes — many of them have genuinely excellent programs, particularly in career-oriented fields like nursing, education, business, and engineering technology.
For the 2026 cycle, test-optional policies remain widespread among schools in the 50–80% acceptance rate range. I recommend evaluating each school individually: if your 1150 is below their reported 25th percentile, apply test-optional and let your transcript and personal statement carry the weight. If your score is at or above their 25th percentile, submit it — it helps.
One strong recommendation at this score level: invest real energy in your personal statement. Students with average test scores who write a specific, vivid, and memorable essay consistently outperform students with higher scores who submit generic or vague essays. The essay is where your score stops mattering and your voice starts.
What a 1150 Means in the 2026 Admissions Cycle
In the 2026 admissions cycle, standardized test scores have made a significant structural comeback after years of test-optional experimentation. MIT, Yale, Harvard, Dartmouth, and many other elite institutions now require SAT or ACT scores for all applicants. This shift means your score carries more weight than it did in 2021–2024 — but it is not the only thing that matters. Admissions offices continue to evaluate your transcript (course rigor and grade trend), personal statement, letters of recommendation, and extracurricular story as a complete picture.
To help you identify the right college list, our team has analyzed Common Data Set (CDS) submissions from hundreds of US and Canadian universities to categorize schools into Reach, Match, and Safety tiers specifically for a 1150 applicant. See the full school list below.
Best Colleges for 1150 SAT Score
Following is the list of colleges that accept 1150 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 |
|
University of Missouri-Kansas City | Missouri | 1230 | 570 - 750 | 580 - 790 | 74.99% | Match |
|
Oglethorpe University | Georgia | 1230 | 573 - 670 | 533 - 650 | 60.06% | Match |
|
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | New Hampshire | 1229 | 570 - 670 | 550 - 650 | 86.87% | Match |
|
Holy Cross College | Indiana | 1229 | 490 - 660 | 490 - 640 | 73.71% | Match |
|
University of Houston | Texas | 1229 | 580 - 660 | 570 - 670 | 69.53% | Match |
|
Roger Williams University | Rhode Island | 1228 | 580 - 660 | 550 - 640 | 87.78% | Match |
|
Sweet Briar College | Virginia | 1227 | 560 - 670 | 540 - 640 | 71.74% | Match |
|
University of Mount Union | Ohio | 1227 | 560 - 620 | 510 - 670 | 80.1% | Match |
|
United States Merchant Marine Academy | New York | 1226 | 570 - 650 | 570 - 650 | 32.47% | Match |
|
Marymount Manhattan College | New York | 1226 | 580 - 670 | 520 - 630 | 78.88% | Match |
|
Wentworth Institute of Technology | Massachusetts | 1226 | 570 - 660 | 570 - 660 | 85.37% | Match |
|
Valparaiso University | Indiana | 1226 | 540 - 660 | 540 - 650 | 92.22% | Match |
|
Goucher College | Maryland | 1225 | 560 - 683 | 520 - 683 | 72.9% | Match |
|
Bridgewater College | Virginia | 1225 | 530 - 660 | 540 - 715 | 90.81% | Match |
|
California Lutheran University | California | 1224 | 577 - 660 | 557 - 660 | 88.88% | Match |
|
Adelphi University | New York | 1224 | 580 - 650 | 560 - 660 | 77.51% | Match |
|
Xavier University | Ohio | 1224 | 530 - 658 | 530 - 640 | 87.73% | Match |
|
Meredith College | North Carolina | 1224 | 590 - 650 | 520 - 610 | 74.66% | Match |
|
Berry College | Georgia | 1223 | 570 - 658 | 530 - 620 | 61.85% | Match |
|
Queens University of Charlotte | North Carolina | 1223 | 560 - 650 | 550 - 650 | 67.68% | Match |
|
Elon University | North Carolina | 1222 | 580 - 675 | 563 - 630 | 67.31% | Match |
|
John Brown University | Arkansas | 1222 | 590 - 675 | 540 - 670 | 67.64% | Match |
|
University of Minnesota-Duluth | Minnesota | 1221 | 578 - 670 | 550 - 665 | 81.75% | Match |
|
University of Mobile | Alabama | 1220 | - | - | 72.51% | Safety |
|
Mississippi State University | Mississippi | 1220 | 570 - 690 | 540 - 720 | 76.32% | Match |
|
University of Minnesota-Rochester | Minnesota | 1220 | - | - | 71.83% | Safety |
|
Otterbein University | Ohio | 1220 | - | - | 83.3% | Safety |
|
University of Iowa | Iowa | 1220 | 570 - 660 | 560 - 660 | 84.67% | Match |
|
Saint Johns University | Minnesota | 1220 | 575 - 635 | 570 - 645 | 90.48% | Match |
|
University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Louisiana | 1219 | 560 - 645 | 560 - 610 | 88.83% | Match |
|
Rider University | New Jersey | 1219 | 560 - 660 | 540 - 650 | 79.4% | Match |
|
Kettering University | Michigan | 1219 | 520 - 640 | 540 - 670 | 79.09% | Match |
|
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | Pennsylvania | 1219 | 540 - 650 | 550 - 660 | 97.13% | Match |
|
Franciscan University of Steubenville | Ohio | 1218 | 570 - 660 | 530 - 630 | 72.23% | Match |
|
Rockhurst University | Missouri | 1218 | 553 - 638 | 563 - 608 | 69.05% | Match |
|
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | Pennsylvania | 1218 | 560 - 650 | 550 - 670 | 96.39% | Match |
|
Rowan University | New Jersey | 1216 | 560 - 660 | 540 - 650 | 77.82% | Match |
|
MCPHS University | Massachusetts | 1216 | 540 - 640 | 540 - 700 | 85.21% | Match |
|
St. John's University-New York | New York | 1215 | 560 - 660 | 550 - 660 | 79.67% | Match |
|
Presbyterian College | South Carolina | 1214 | 550 - 650 | 530 - 630 | 72.34% | Match |
|
Messiah University | Pennsylvania | 1214 | 560 - 670 | 540 - 670 | 78.48% | Match |
|
Wisconsin Lutheran College | Wisconsin | 1214 | 540 - 660 | 520 - 640 | 79.05% | Match |
|
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | Pennsylvania | 1213 | 560 - 660 | 550 - 660 | 95.71% | Match |
|
SUNY at Fredonia | New York | 1213 | 520 - 650 | 540 - 640 | 79.2% | Match |
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Florida Institute of Technology | Florida | 1213 | 570 - 660 | 560 - 660 | 62.53% | Match |
|
University of Kentucky | Kentucky | 1213 | 550 - 640 | 530 - 650 | 92.38% | Match |
|
Ouachita Baptist University | Arkansas | 1212 | 530 - 660 | 530 - 630 | 68.52% | Match |
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Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley | Pennsylvania | 1212 | 575 - 660 | 565 - 655 | 94.21% | Match |
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Quinnipiac University | Connecticut | 1212 | 560 - 650 | 540 - 650 | 77% | Match |
|
Ohio University-Main Campus | Ohio | 1212 | 560 - 650 | 540 - 640 | 84.76% | Match |
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Whitworth University | Washington | 1212 | 560 - 670 | 540 - 650 | 86.77% | Match |
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Drury University | Missouri | 1212 | 540 - 650 | 510 - 660 | 58.87% | Match |
|
Jacksonville University | Florida | 1211 | 570 - 640 | 540 - 620 | 57.29% | Match |
|
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | Pennsylvania | 1211 | 570 - 660 | 540 - 680 | 95.33% | Match |
|
Susquehanna University | Pennsylvania | 1211 | 550 - 660 | 540 - 630 | 78.71% | Match |
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Walsh University | Ohio | 1210 | 508 - 590 | 548 - 625 | 78.18% | Match |
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Arcadia University | Pennsylvania | 1210 | 553 - 650 | 530 - 660 | 79.19% | Match |
|
CUNY Queens College | New York | 1210 | 540 - 660 | 560 - 660 | 68.52% | Match |
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Wabash College | Indiana | 1210 | 540 - 630 | 560 - 670 | 62.78% | Match |
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University of Toledo | Ohio | 1209 | 530 - 640 | 520 - 660 | 94.83% | Match |
|
Carroll University | Wisconsin | 1209 | 530 - 610 | 520 - 650 | 58.41% | Match |
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Nebraska Wesleyan University | Nebraska | 1209 | 500 - 610 | 520 - 600 | 83.75% | Match |
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Stetson University | Florida | 1208 | 560 - 660 | 530 - 630 | 86.43% | Match |
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Bellarmine University | Kentucky | 1208 | 535 - 613 | 540 - 630 | 93.59% | Match |
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St. John Fisher University | New York | 1207 | 560 - 640 | 560 - 640 | 67.8% | Match |
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University of Hartford | Connecticut | 1207 | 560 - 650 | 540 - 630 | 83.01% | Match |
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Maryland Institute College of Art | Maryland | 1207 | 455 - 580 | 460 - 640 | 77.29% | Match |
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Christopher Newport University | Virginia | 1207 | 560 - 670 | 540 - 630 | 87.96% | Match |
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Coe College | Iowa | 1206 | 520 - 660 | 560 - 620 | 70.67% | Match |
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Roberts Wesleyan University | New York | 1205 | 495 - 640 | 470 - 610 | 77.78% | Match |
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Calvin University | Michigan | 1205 | 530 - 670 | 540 - 670 | 71.31% | Match |
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Alfred University | New York | 1205 | 540 - 640 | 560 - 640 | 48.33% | Match |
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Howard University | District of Columbia | 1205 | 560 - 660 | 540 - 638 | 34.89% | Match |
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Chatham University | Pennsylvania | 1205 | 550 - 670 | 520 - 620 | 70.11% | Match |
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Monmouth University | New Jersey | 1204 | 570 - 640 | 555 - 630 | 89.54% | Match |
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University of St Thomas | Texas | 1204 | 545 - 680 | 530 - 660 | 93.34% | Match |
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Northwest University | Washington | 1204 | 520 - 660 | 520 - 665 | 88.05% | Match |
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Samford University | Alabama | 1203 | 550 - 650 | 520 - 610 | 82.23% | Match |
|
University of North Carolina at Charlotte | North Carolina | 1202 | 550 - 650 | 560 - 670 | 80.21% | Match |
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Methodist University | North Carolina | 1201 | 550 - 630 | 560 - 590 | 75.2% | Match |
|
Eastern Connecticut State University | Connecticut | 1200 | 570 - 670 | 540 - 650 | 80.55% | Match |
|
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton | Pennsylvania | 1200 | 540 - 650 | 520 - 670 | 91.04% | Match |
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DeSales University | Pennsylvania | 1199 | 550 - 650 | 540 - 640 | 78.58% | Match |
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SUNY Maritime College | New York | 1199 | 545 - 640 | 546 - 645 | 78.51% | Match |
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Iowa State University | Iowa | 1199 | 550 - 660 | 560 - 690 | 89.13% | Match |
|
William Peace University | North Carolina | 1198 | 590 - 640 | 550 - 640 | 97.36% | Match |
|
Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | Pennsylvania | 1198 | 550 - 690 | 550 - 650 | 80.27% | Match |
|
Suffolk University | Massachusetts | 1197 | 560 - 660 | 530 - 620 | 84.74% | Match |
|
Birmingham-Southern College | Alabama | 1197 | 580 - 670 | 570 - 670 | 51.94% | Match |
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Hanover College | Indiana | 1197 | 540 - 640 | 530 - 600 | 83.97% | Match |
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Hamline University | Minnesota | 1197 | 593 - 695 | 553 - 698 | 89.83% | Match |
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Milligan University | Tennessee | 1195 | 580 - 640 | 540 - 650 | 70.27% | Match |
|
Dominican University of California | California | 1194 | 525 - 673 | 545 - 618 | 95.62% | Match |
|
Roanoke College | Virginia | 1193 | 560 - 650 | 530 - 620 | 80.07% | Match |
|
Molloy University | New York | 1193 | 540 - 660 | 540 - 650 | 75.64% | Match |
|
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide | Florida | 1193 | 540 - 650 | 530 - 610 | 61.75% | Match |
|
Concordia College at Moorhead | Minnesota | 1192 | 560 - 730 | 600 - 690 | 63.06% | Reach |
|
Martin Luther College | Minnesota | 1191 | 538 - 653 | 540 - 603 | 82.57% | Match |
|
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver | Pennsylvania | 1191 | 520 - 660 | 530 - 660 | 92.2% | Match |
|
Seattle Pacific University | Washington | 1191 | 530 - 660 | 520 - 660 | 91.09% | Match |
|
University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Nebraska | 1191 | 550 - 660 | 540 - 670 | 77.07% | Match |
|
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | Wisconsin | 1190 | - | - | 73.25% | Safety |
|
University of Wisconsin-Platteville | Wisconsin | 1190 | - | - | 87.26% | Safety |
|
University of New Haven | Connecticut | 1190 | 560 - 640 | 530 - 620 | 80.55% | Match |
|
Minnesota State University-Mankato | Minnesota | 1190 | - | - | 91.33% | Safety |
|
Ramapo College of New Jersey | New Jersey | 1190 | 560 - 640 | 560 - 630 | 73.22% | Match |
|
The College of Saint Scholastica | Minnesota | 1190 | - | - | 93.78% | Safety |
|
Norwich University | Vermont | 1190 | 540 - 650 | 520 - 670 | 73.61% | Match |
|
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Scranton | Pennsylvania | 1190 | 540 - 640 | 530 - 640 | 94.87% | Match |
|
Elizabethtown College | Pennsylvania | 1190 | 560 - 650 | 530 - 630 | 76.77% | Match |
|
Old Dominion University | Virginia | 1190 | 570 - 660 | 540 - 630 | 90.52% | Match |
|
Lebanon Valley College | Pennsylvania | 1190 | 553 - 660 | 540 - 640 | 74.53% | Match |
|
Anderson University | South Carolina | 1190 | 560 - 660 | 530 - 630 | 52.81% | Match |
|
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | Wisconsin | 1190 | - | - | 76.08% | Safety |
|
Louisiana Tech University | Louisiana | 1190 | 500 - 630 | 545 - 660 | 72.57% | Match |
|
St Catherine University | Minnesota | 1190 | - | - | 94.07% | Safety |
|
The University of Montana | Montana | 1190 | - | - | 95.6% | Safety |
|
Cottey College | Missouri | 1190 | - | - | 66.31% | Safety |
|
Utah State University | Utah | 1189 | 530 - 660 | 530 - 640 | 93.62% | Match |
|
Abilene Christian University | Texas | 1189 | 540 - 650 | 520 - 640 | 63.88% | Match |
FAQ for SAT Score: 1150
How does a 1150 SAT score compare to the ACT?
A 1150 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 1150 SAT score?
With a 1150 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 1150 SAT score?
A 1150 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 1150 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 1150 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 1150 SAT score if submitted?
Yes, many test-optional colleges will consider a 1150 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 1150 SAT?
A 1150 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 1150 SAT?
NYU’s average SAT score is much higher than 1150, so your chances of getting in with a 1150 are slim. However, if you have exceptional extracurriculars, unique talents, or strong essays, it may still be worth applying.
Is 1150 a good SAT score for Harvard?
Harvard’s average SAT score is in the 1500-1600 range, so a 1150 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 1150 SAT?
MIT’s average SAT score is significantly higher than a 1150, 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 1150 SAT score?
Princeton’s SAT average is closer to 1500, so a 1150 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 1150 SAT score good?
A 1150 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 1150 SAT score?
With a 1150 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.
