Table 226.20.

SAT mean scores of college-bound seniors, by sex: 1966-67 through 2015-16

School year	SAT1									Scholastic Aptitude Test (old scale)
	Critical reading score			Mathematics score			Writing score2			Verbal score			Mathematics score
	Total	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
1966-67	543	540	545	516	535	495	†	†	†	466	463	468	492	514	467
1967-68	543	541	543	516	533	497	†	†	†	466	464	466	492	512	470
1968-69	540	536	543	517	534	498	†	†	†	463	459	466	493	513	470
1969-70	537	536	538	512	531	493	†	†	†	460	459	461	488	509	465
1970-71	532	531	534	513	529	494	†	†	†	455	454	457	488	507	466
1971-72	530	531	529	509	527	489	†	†	†	453	454	452	484	505	461
1972-73	523	523	521	506	525	489	†	†	†	445	446	443	481	502	460
1973-74	521	524	520	505	524	488	†	†	†	444	447	442	480	501	459
1974-75	512	515	509	498	518	479	†	†	†	434	437	431	472	495	449
1975-76	509	511	508	497	520	475	†	†	†	431	433	430	472	497	446
1976-77	507	509	505	496	520	474	†	†	†	429	431	427	470	497	445
1977-78	507	511	503	494	517	474	†	†	†	429	433	425	468	494	444
1978-79	505	509	501	493	516	473	†	†	†	427	431	423	467	493	443
1979-80	502	506	498	492	515	473	†	†	†	424	428	420	466	491	443
1980-81	502	508	496	492	516	473	†	†	†	424	430	418	466	492	443
1981-82	504	509	499	493	516	473	†	†	†	426	431	421	467	493	443
1982-83	503	508	498	494	516	474	†	†	†	425	430	420	468	493	445
1983-84	504	511	498	497	518	478	†	†	†	426	433	420	471	495	449
1984-85	509	514	503	500	522	480	†	†	†	431	437	425	475	499	452
1985-86	509	515	504	500	523	479	†	†	†	431	437	426	475	501	451
1986-87	507	512	502	501	523	481	†	†	†	430	435	425	476	500	453
1987-88	505	512	499	501	521	483	†	†	†	428	435	422	476	498	455
1988-89	504	510	498	502	523	482	†	†	†	427	434	421	476	500	454
1989-90	500	505	496	501	521	483	†	†	†	424	429	419	476	499	455
1990-91	499	503	495	500	520	482	†	†	†	422	426	418	474	497	453
1991-92	500	504	496	501	521	484	†	†	†	423	428	419	476	499	456
1992-93	500	504	497	503	524	484	†	†	†	424	428	420	478	502	457
1993-94	499	501	497	504	523	487	†	†	†	423	425	421	479	501	460
1994-95	504	505	502	506	525	490	†	†	†	428	429	426	482	503	463
1995-96	505	507	503	508	527	492	†	†	†	—	—	—	—	—	—
1996-97	505	507	503	511	530	494	†	†	†	—	—	—	—	—	—
1997-98	505	509	502	512	531	496	†	†	†	—	—	—	—	—	—
1998-99	505	509	502	511	531	495	†	†	†	—	—	—	—	—	—
1999-2000	505	507	504	514	533	498	†	†	†	†	†	†	†	†	†
2000-01	506	509	502	514	533	498	†	†	†	†	†	†	†	†	†
2001-02	504	507	502	516	534	500	†	†	†	†	†	†	†	†	†
2002-03	507	512	503	519	537	503	†	†	†	†	†	†	†	†	†
2003-04	508	512	504	518	537	501	†	†	†	†	†	†	†	†	†
2004-05	508	513	505	520	538	504	†	†	†	†	†	†	†	†	†
2005-06	503	505	502	518	536	502	497	491	502	†	†	†	†	†	†
2006-07	502	504	502	515	533	499	494	489	500	†	†	†	†	†	†
2007-08	502	504	500	515	533	500	494	488	501	†	†	†	†	†	†
2008-09	501	503	498	515	534	499	493	486	499	†	†	†	†	†	†
2009-10	501	503	498	516	534	500	492	486	498	†	†	†	†	†	†
2010-11	497	500	495	514	531	500	489	482	496	†	†	†	†	†	†
2011-12	496	498	493	514	532	499	488	481	494	†	†	†	†	†	†
2012-13	496	499	494	514	531	499	488	482	493	†	†	†	†	†	†
2013-14	497	499	495	513	530	499	487	481	492	†	†	†	†	†	†
2014-15	495	497	493	511	527	496	484	478	490	†	†	†	†	†	†
2015-163	494	495	493	508	524	494	482	475	487	†	†	†	†	†	†

—Not available.

†Not applicable.

1 Data for 1966-67 to 1985-86 were converted to the recentered scale by using a formula applied to the original mean and standard deviation. For 1986-87 to 1994-95, individual student scores were converted to the recentered scale and then the mean was recomputed. For 1995-96 to 1998-99, nearly all students received scores on the recentered scale; any score on the original scale was converted to the recentered scale prior to recomputing the mean. From 1999-2000 on, all scores have been reported on the recentered scale.

2 The SAT writing section was introduced in March 2005.

3 Data for 2015-16 seniors cannot be compared to data for previous graduating cohorts because the 2015-16 data include testing only through January of the senior year and graduating cohort membership was also calculated differently.

NOTE: Data for 1966-67 through 1970-71 are estimates derived from the test scores of all participants. Data for 1971-72 through 2009-10 are for seniors who took the SAT at any time during their high school years through March of their senior year. Data for 2010-11 through 2014-15 are for seniors who took the SAT at any time during their high school years through June of their senior year. Data for 2015-16 are for seniors who took the SAT at any time during their high school years through the January 2016 administration, which was the final administration prior to a major test redesign; because of the smaller number of test administrations and other differences, the 2015-16 data are not comparable to data for earlier years. For all data years, if a student took the SAT more than once, the most recent score on each section was used. Possible scores on each section of the SAT range from 200 to 800. Prior to 2006, the critical reading section was known as the verbal section. The SAT was formerly known as the Scholastic Assessment Test and the Scholastic Aptitude Test.

SOURCE: College Entrance Examination Board, College-Bound Seniors: Total Group Profile [National] Report, 1966-67 through 2015-16, retrieved January 31, 2017, from https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/sat/total-group-2016.pdf. (This table was prepared January 2017.)