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SAT Historical Percentiles for 2010, 2009, 2008

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If you took the SAT from 2008-2010, you may be wondering what your percentile score is on the SAT. Is a 2000 on the SAT in 2010 the same percentile score as a 2000 in 2008? Do percentile scores change over time?

In this article, I will explain SAT percentile scores, how they change, and I'll provide the percentile scores for SAT combined scores and section scores for 2010, 2009, and 2008.

 

What Are Percentile Scores?

Percentile scores reveal how well you did in relation to other people. If you scored in the 99th percentile, then you did better than 99% of the people who took the test. If you scored in the 40th percentile, then you scored higher than 40% of the people who took the test.

The College Board determines its percentile scores annually from the scores of college-bound high school seniors who took the SAT. The higher your percentile score, the better you did relative to other high school seniors.

 

Do Percentile Scores Change?

Generally, percentile scores for equivalent SAT scores stay the same from year to year. For example, a combined SAT score of 1800 was the 81st percentile in 2010, 2009, and 2008.

However, percentile scores for the same combined and section scores can change very slightly. A combined score of 2100 was the 96th percentile in 2010, but it was the 97th percentile in 2009 and 2008. Similarly, a score of 640 on Critical Reading was the 88th percentile in 2010 and 2009, but it was the 87th percentile in 2008.

The SAT does try to utilize its scoring system so that equivalent SAT scores are indicative of the same percentile scores and skill level, regardless of when the test was taken. The purpose of the SAT is to provide a valid way to compare students. A score of 1700 from April 2015 is supposed to be equivalent to a 1700 from both May 2015 and May 2007. 

 

How Should You Use This Data and Why Is It Important?

Your percentile score is the most straightforward way to determine if you got a good or bad SAT score. If you scored higher than the majority of test-takers, then you did well. However, when you apply to a specific college, you're being compared to the other students who apply to that school. Most colleges publicize their 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores. If you want to be competitive for admission at a certain college, then your target score should be around the school's 75th percentile score.

Also, percentile scores help put your scores in context. There may not seem to be much difference between a 680 on the Critical Reading section and a 600 on Math, but that Critical Reading score is the 93rd percentile while the Math score is the 74th or 75th. Raising each section score by 100 points would raise the Critical Reading percentile ranking by 6 points but the Math by about 15. If you're considering retaking the SAT, your percentile scores can help you determine how you should prioritize your time.

Similarly, a small composite score increase can have a huge impact on your percentile score if you received a middle score. For example, a 1520 is the 51st or 52nd percentile but a 1760 is the 77th or 78th. Raising your score 250 points can raise your score from average to among the top 1/4 of test-takers.

Finally, seeing the percentile scores for multiple years shows how little variance there is between percentile scores for the same SAT composite or section score in different years. If you're worried about how an older SAT score stacks up with more recent scores, take a look at these charts to get an idea of how it compares.

 

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Frii Spray/Flickr

 

Composite Score Percentiles, 2008-2010

Score 2010 Percentile 2009 Percentile 2008 Percentile
2400 99+ 99+ 99+
2390 99+ 99+ 99+
2380 99+ 99+ 99+
2370 99+ 99+ 99+
2360 99+ 99+ 99+
2350 99+ 99+ 99+
2340 99+ 99+ 99+
2330 99+ 99+ 99+
2320 99+ 99+ 99+
2310 99+ 99+ 99+
2300 99+ 99+ 99+
2290 99+ 99+ 99+
2280 99+ 99 99
2270 99 99 99
2260 99 99 99
2250 99 99 99
2240 99 99 99
2230 99 99 99
2220 99 99 99
2210 99 99 99
2200 99 99 99
2190 98 98 98
2180 98 98 98
2170 98 98 98
2160 98 98 98
2150 98 98 98
2140 98 97 98
2130 97 97 97
2120 97 97 97
2110 97 97 97
2100 97 97 97
2090 96 96 96
2080 96 96 96
2070 96 96 96
2060 95 95 95
2050 95 95 95
2040 95 95 95
2030 94 94 94
2020 94 94 94
2010 94 94 94
2000 93 93 93
1990 93 93 93
1980 92 92 92
1970 92 92 92
1960 91 91 91
1950 91 91 91
1940 90 90 90
1930 90 90 90
1920 89 89 89
1910 89 89 89
1900 88 88 88
1890 87 87 88
1880 87 87 87
1870 86 86 86
1860 85 86 86
1850 85 85 85
1840 84 84 84
1830 83 83 84
1820 82 83 83
1810 82 82 82
1800 81 81 81
1790 80 80 80
1780 79 79 80
1770 78 79 79
1760 77 78 78
1750 76 77 77
1740 75 76 76
1730 75 75 75
1720 74 74 74
1710 73 73 73
1700 72 72 72
1690 71 71 71
1680 70 70 70
1670 68 69 69
1660 67 68 68
1650 66 67 67
1640 65 66 66
1630 64 65 65
1620 63 64 64
1610 62 63 62
1600 61 62 61
1590 59 61 60
1580 58 59 59
1570 57 58 58
1560 56 57 57
1550 54 56 55
1540 53 55 54
1530 52 53 53
1520 51 52 52
1510 49 51 51
1500 48 50 49
1490 47 49 48
1480 46 47 47
1470 44 46 46
1460 43 45 44
1450 42 44 43
1440 41 42 42
1430 39 41 41
1420 38 40 39
1410 37 39 38
1400 36 37 37
1390 35 36 36
1380 33 35 35
1370 32 34 33
1360 31 33 32
1350 30 32 31
1340 29 30 30
1330 28 29 29
1320 26 28 28
1310 25 27 27
1300 24 26 26
1290 23 25 25
1280 22 24 24
1270 21 23 23
1260 20 22 22
1250 19 21 21
1240 18 20 19
1230 18 19 18
1220 17 18 17
1210 16 17 17
1200 15 16 16
1190 14 15 15
1180 13 14 14
1170 13 14 13
1160 12 13 13
1150 11 12 12
1140 11 11 11
1130 10 1 11
1120 9 10 10
1110 9 10 9
1100 8 9 9
1090 8 8 8
1080 7 8 8
1070 7 7 7
1060 6 7 7
1050 6 6 6
1040 5 6 6
1030 5 6 5
1020 5 5 5
1010 4 5 5
1000 4 4 4
990 4 4 4
980 3 4 4
970 3 3 3
960 3 3 3
950 3 3 3
940 3 3 3
930 2 2 2
920 2 2 2
910 2 2 2
900 2 2 2
890 2 2 2
880 1 2 1
870 1 1 1
860 1 1 1
850 1 1 1
840 1 1 1
830 1 1 1
820 1 1 1
810 1 1 1
800 1 1 1
790 1 1 1
780 1- 1- 1-
770 1- 1- 1-
760 1- 1- 1-
750 1- 1- 1-
740 1- 1- 1-
730 1- 1- 1-
720 1- 1- 1-
710 1- 1- 1-
700 1- 1- 1-
690 1- 1- 1-
680 1- 1- 1-
670 1- 1- 1-
660 1- 1- 1-
650 1- 1- 1-
640 1- 1- 1-
630 1- 1- 1-
620 1- 1- 1-
610 1- 1- 1-
600 -- -- --

 

 

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Enokson/Flickr

 

Section Score Percentiles

Here are the percentile scores for each section for 2008-2010.

 

Critical Reading

Score 2010 Percentile 2009 Percentile 2008 Percentile
800 99  99 99
790 99  99  99 
780 99  99  99 
770 99  99  99 
760 99  99  99 
750 98  98  98 
740 98  98  98 
730 97  97  97 
720 97  97  96 
710 96  96  96 
700 95  95  95
690 94  94  94 
680 93  93  93 
670 92  92  92 
660 91  91  90 
650 89  89  89 
640 88  88  87 
630 86  85  85 
620 84  84  83 
610 82  82  82 
600 80  79  79 
590 77  77  77 
580 75  75  74 
570 72  72  71 
560 69  69  68 
550 66  66  65 
540 63  63  62 
530 59  60  58 
520 56  56  55 
510 53  53  51 
500 50  49  48 
490 46  46  44 
480 42 42  41 
470 39  39  37 
460 35  36  34 
450 32  32  31 
440 29  28  27 
430 26  26  25 
420 23  22  22 
410 20  20  19 
400 17  17  17 
390 15  15  15 
380 13  13  12 
370 11  11  10 
360 9  9  9 
350 8  8  7 
340 6  6  6 
330 5 5  5 
320 4  4  4 
310 3  4  4 
300 3  3  3 
290 2  2  3 
280 2  2  2 
270 2  2  2 
260 1  1  1 
250 1  1  1 
240 1  1  1 
230 1  1  1 
220 1  1  1 
210 1  1  1 
200 --  --  -- 

 

 

Mathematics

Score 2010 Percentiles 2009 Percentiles 2008 Percentiles
800 99 99 99
790 99 99 99
780 99 99 99
770 98 98 99
760 98 98 98
750 97 97 98
740 97 97 97
730 96 96 97
720 95 95 96
710 94 94 95
700 93 94 93
690 92 92 92
680 90 91 91
670 89 89 89
660 87 88 88
650 85 85 86
640 84 83 83
630 82 81 81
620 80 79 79
610 77 77 76
600 75 74 74
590 72 72 71
580 70 69 68
570 66 67 66
560 64 63 63
550 61 61 60
540 58 58 56
530 54 55 53
520 51 51 50
510 48 48 47
500 45 45 43
490 41 41 40
480 38 38 36
470 35 35 33
460 31 31 30
450 28 28 27
440 26 26 25
430 23 23 22
420 20 20 19
410 17 17 16
400 15 15 14
390 13 13 12
380 11 11 11
370 9 9 9
360 8 8 7
350 6 6 6
340 5 6 5
330 4 5 4
320 4 4 4
310 3 3 3
300 2 2 3
290 2 2 2
280 1 2 2
270 1 1 1
260 1 1 1
250 1 1 1
240 1 1 1
230 1 1- 1
220 1- 1- 1
210 1- 1- 1-
200 -- -- --

 

 

Writing

Score 2010 Percentiles 2009 Percentiles 2008 Percentiles
800 99+ 99+ 99+
790 99 99+ 99+
780 99 99 99
770 99 99 99
760 98 99 99
750 98 99 99
740 98 98 98
730 98 98 98
720 97 97 97
710 96 96 97
700 96 96 96
690 95 95 95
680 94 94 94
670 93 93 93
660 92 92 92
650 90 90 90
640 89 89 89
630 87 87 87
620 86 85 85
610 84 84 83
600 82 81 81
590 79 79 79
580 77 77 76
570 75 74 73
560 72 72 71
550 69 69 68
540 66 66 64
530 63 63 62
520 60 59 58
510 57 56 54
500 53 52 51
490 50 49 47
480 46 46 44
470 43 42 40
460 39 39 37
450 36 35 33
440 32 32 30
430 29 29 27
420 25 25 23
410 22 22 20
400 19 19 18
390 17 17 15
380 14 14 13
370 12 12 11
360 10 10 9
350 8 8 7
340 7 7 6
330 5 5 5
320 4 4 4
310 4 4 3
300 3 3 3
290 2 2 2
280 2 1 2
270 1 1 1
260 1 1 1
250 1 1 1
240 1 1 1
230 1 1 1
220 1- 1- 1-
210 1- 1- 1-
200 -- -- --

 

 

What's Next?

Check out the SAT historical percentiles for 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011, and learn more about how to understand your SAT scores. Also, you may be interested in this post about whether SAT scores predict success.

Finally, read this article if you're wondering if you need SAT scores to transfer colleges.

 

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About the Author
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Justin Berkman

Justin has extensive experience teaching SAT prep and guiding high school students through the college admissions and selection process. He is firmly committed to improving equity in education and helping students to reach their educational goals. Justin received an athletic scholarship for gymnastics at Stanford University and graduated with a BA in American Studies.



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