Is 500 a good SAT score?

If you got a 500 SAT score, you're probably wondering how you compare to other students, and whether a 500 is good enough to get into college.

The truth is, it depends on your personal college goals and where you want to apply. We have the complete guide for you here. On this page, you'll find statistics about your score and what colleges you're competitive for. You can also use our Chance Estimator tool to figure out your chances of getting into your target schools.

500 SAT Score Standings

Here's how you compare to other students and how many colleges you are competitive for:

  • score-percent Percentile: 1st

    Out of the 2.13 million test-takers, 2131030 scored the same or higher than you.

  • score-compete Competitive For: 2 Schools

    You can apply to 2 colleges and have a good shot at getting admitted.

  • score-missing Missing Out On: 1495 Schools

    You have a very low chance of getting into 1495 schools with this score.

Top Choice Colleges Chances

Can you get into your top choice colleges?

We've collected data from millions of students and thousands of colleges to figure out your chances at getting admitted with a 500 SAT score. You'll also see how your chances improve with a higher SAT score.

To add a school to your list, type in part of the school name, choose from the dropdown, and click the button.


What if you improved your SAT score by 200 points? You would:
  • be competitive for 4 more schools in the country
  • raise your chances of getting into target schools from 0.11% to 0.32%
Are you ready to get serious about your SAT prep and improve your score by 160 points?

PrepScholar guarantees that with our online prep program, you'll improve your score by 160 points, or you get all your money back.

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Other Schools For You

What schools can you get into with an SAT score of 500?

We've picked out a set of schools that are within range. Click on each school to learn more about it.



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Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into

These schools have average SAT scores that are close to a 500. If you apply to these schools, you'll have a decent chance of admission. If you improve your SAT score by 200 points, you'll significantly improve your chances and get almost guaranteed admission for most schools.

School Name Location SAT Avg ACT Avg
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Johnstown, PA 570 22
Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids, IA 550 22

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Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into

With a 500 SAT score, you're already strongly competitive for these schools. You're very likely to get admitted if you apply. If you improve your SAT score, your Safety Schools will get better and better.

School Name Location SAT Avg ACT Avg
Trinity Christian College Palos Heights, IL 490 24
Grambling State University Grambling, LA 450 18


See a Different SAT Score

Curious about what your profile is with a different score? Choose any score from the entire SAT score range to see what you'd be able to do!


Exclusive: Want to learn how to improve your SAT score by 160 points? image description

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.



Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2024 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.


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