SAT Scores
Is 1290 a Good SAT Score?
It depends on where you're applying. A 1290 is inside or above the published middle-50% SAT range at 65 of the 142 colleges we track, and below it at 77. It converts to an ACT 27.
ACT equivalent
27
Official concordance
In range or above
65
of 142 colleges
Below the range
77
of 142 colleges
56 colleges where a 1290 is inside the middle 50%
Your score looks like a typical enrolled student's here. Most selective first.
- Florida State University1270–1410
- University of Texas at Austin1250–1510
- University of Georgia1270–1480
- Clemson University1240–1410
- University of Central Florida1200–1350
- Howard University1090–1320
- The University of Tennessee-Knoxville1200–1370
- University of South Florida1130–1320
- Texas Christian University1140–1350
- Syracuse University1270–1440
- Auburn University1260–1390
- Purdue University1200–1480
- Baylor University1200–1400
- University of Connecticut1210–1440
- Virginia Tech1280–1450
- Texas A&M University1150–1400
- University of Pittsburgh1280–1460
- University of South Carolina1180–1360
- Pennsylvania State University1240–1420
- The University of Texas at Dallas1160–1410
- University of Vermont1290–1440
- Hofstra University1230–1400
- University of Delaware1190–1370
- James Madison University1170–1340
- Seton Hall University1220–1390
- Louisiana State University1180–1340
- University of Houston1160–1340
- University at Buffalo1210–1380
- Miami University-Oxford1220–1390
- DePaul University1140–1330
- University of Oklahoma1140–1330
- The University of Alabama1170–1400
- Oregon State University1140–1400
- University of Illinois Chicago1130–1350
- Mississippi State University1100–1350
- University of Denver1240–1410
- University of Colorado Boulder1240–1430
- Indiana University1170–1400
- University of Missouri1150–1330
- Drexel University1240–1440
- Marquette University1200–1360
- Loyola University Chicago1170–1360
- Gonzaga University1190–1380
- St. John's University-New York1150–1340
- University of Iowa1130–1330
- Michigan State University1180–1360
- University of Cincinnati1160–1370
- University of Utah1190–1380
- University of Arizona1150–1420
- George Mason University1160–1360
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln1098–1330
- University of New Hampshire1090–1330
- University of Oregon1130–1360
- Iowa State University1120–1360
- University of Kentucky1070–1290
- University of Kansas1070–1300
9 colleges where a 1290 is above the 75th percentile
Your score is higher than three quarters of enrolled students at these schools.
- Florida International University1070–1260
- Florida Atlantic University1040–1200
- University of Rhode Island1020–1280
- University of North Texas980–1230
- Texas Tech University1090–1280
- University of Arkansas1030–1220
- West Virginia University1010–1220
- Virginia Commonwealth University1010–1270
- University of Mississippi1000–1200
The closest reaches for a 1290
A 1290 is below the 25th percentile at 77 of the 142 colleges that publish a range. These are the ones where the gap is smallest.
- North Carolina State University1300–1470
- University of Minnesota1300–1500
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign1310–1520
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick1310–1500
- University of Massachusetts-Amherst1310–1500
- Ohio State University1310–1480
- University of Miami1320–1480
- University of Florida1320–1480
- Fordham University1320–1480
- Stony Brook University1330–1500
- Binghamton University1340–1500
- Southern Methodist University1340–1490
Keep this list for a 1290
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Frequently asked questions
Is 1290 a good SAT score?
A 1290 is at or above the 25th percentile of enrolled students at 65 of the 142 colleges in our dataset that publish an SAT range. It is above the 75th percentile at 9 of them and below the 25th percentile at 77. Whether that is good depends on which of those groups your target schools fall into.
What is a 1290 SAT in ACT terms?
A 1290 SAT is equivalent to an ACT Composite of 27 on the official ACT/SAT concordance published by College Board and ACT. An ACT 27 ranks at the 89th percentile of ACT test takers nationally.
Should I retake the SAT with a 1290?
A retake is worth the most at schools where a 1290 is below the 25th percentile, because that is where your score is working against you. At schools where you are already inside the middle 50%, a retake is optional. At schools where you are above the 75th percentile, the SAT is no longer what holds your application back.
SAT ranges are the 25th to 75th percentile of enrolled first-year students, sourced from College Scorecard API — U.S. Department of Education (api.data.gov) and Editorial overrides layer (overrides.json) — Common Data Set & institutional sources. ACT national ranks: ACT Score National Ranks, 2026-2027 reporting year.