SAT Participation in the Class of 2025 Surpasses 2 Million Test Takers for the First Time Since 2020

College Board

• September 30, 2025

The 2025 SAT Suite of Assessments Annual Report released today shows that more than 2 million students in the high school class of 2025 took the SAT^® at least once, up from 1.97 million in the class of 2024. The class of 2025 was the first to surpass more than 2 million SAT takers since the covid-19 pandemic and the first majority-digital cohort, with 97% of students taking a digital SAT.

Consistent with the all-time high set by the class of 2024, 68% of SAT takers in this year's graduating class took the SAT during the school day rather than on the weekend. The 2024-25 school year was the first full school year of digital testing for the SAT Suite in the United States, including the PSAT/NMSQT^® administered in fall 2024, the PSAT™ 10 administered in spring 2025, and the SAT and PSAT™ 8/9 assessments administered throughout the school year.

As SAT participation returns to pre-pandemic numbers, the class of 2025 is the fourth largest SAT cohort in the 100-year history of the assessment. The growth in test taking reinforces that students and educators in high schools and colleges recognize the value of the SAT as a way to identify students' knowledge and strengths, and connect them to resources and opportunities for colleges, scholarships, and careers.

"SAT participation increasing alongside the complete transition to digital testing shows that students and educators continue to value the SAT and appreciate the overall digital testing experience," said Priscilla Rodriguez, senior vice president of College Readiness Assessments. "With digital testing we are able to improve and enhance the student and school experience, while maintaining the rigor the SAT is known for: measuring the knowledge and skills that students need to succeed in college and career."

SAT School Day

SAT School Day continues to grow since its introduction over a decade ago, matching the record highs set by last year's graduating class. Nearly 1.36 million students in the class of 2025 took the SAT through the SAT School Day program, marking its eighth consecutive year of growth in participation.

SAT School Day provides schools, districts, and states a way to offer the SAT to juniors and seniors in school, on a weekday, often free to students. And with digital testing, students can take SAT School Day on any school day during a one-month window in the fall or a two-month window in the spring, giving students and educators more flexibility than paper testing provided.

Mean SAT Scores

Average SAT scores for the class of 2025 are 521 in Reading and Writing (RW) and 508 in Math. Although these averages increased slightly from last year, they are still substantially lower than average scores prior to the pandemic. Average RW and Math scores for the class of 2019 were 531 and 528, respectively-declines in average SAT performance since the pandemic are consistent with recently reported declines in National Assessment of Educational Progress scores among 12th graders.

In the class of 2025, 39% of SAT takers met or exceeded both the RW and Math college readiness benchmarks, which indicate a likelihood for success in credit-bearing college coursework. Benchmark achievement is also notably lower than prior to the pandemic, when 45% of the class of 2019 demonstrated college readiness in both RW and Math.

PSAT/NMSQT

Approximately 3.4 million students participated in the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 in the 2024-25 school year.

The PSAT/NMSQT is the only qualifying test for the National Merit^® Scholarship Program, an academic competition for recognition and scholarships. PSAT-related assessments also provide students with benefits like connection to free practice resources; more than $350 million in scholarship opportunities; opportunities to hear from colleges and scholarship programs; information about their potential to succeed in Advanced Placement^® courses; and resources like BigFuture School and Career Insights to explore college and career possibilities.

The Benefits of Taking the SAT

As a standardized, research-backed assessment of core reading, writing, and math skills, the SAT helps colleges identify students who can succeed on their campus. For the class of 2025, 1.4 million students' SAT scores affirmed or exceeded their high school grades-meaning their SAT score was a point of strength on their college application. Many colleges-including privates, publics, and state higher ed systems-have continued to reinstate their test score requirements. Even colleges that remain test optional continue to use test scores for students once they enroll, for reasons such as advising on coursework, helping identify students needing early support, or helping guide students on their majors. Research has also shown that test scores are highly predictive of post-college earnings and employment success, helping guide students toward majors and career preparation that align with their goals.

The SAT is a test for any student-no matter where they live, go to school, or the curriculum they learn-to show what they know and demonstrate their readiness for college and beyond. The SAT can help students stand out, prove their readiness, and unlock life-changing scholarships, college, and career opportunities.