Trends in SAT test scores, overall and by race/ethnicity, 1975-76 to 2015-16
Verbal/Critical reading scores
| School year | All students | White | Black |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975-76 | 510 | 529 | 408 |
| 1977-78 | 508 | 525 | 408 |
| 1978-79 | 506 | 523 | 406 |
| 1979-80 | 503 | 521 | 406 |
| 1980-81 | 503 | 521 | 408 |
| 1981-82 | 505 | 523 | 418 |
| 1982-83 | 504 | 522 | 416 |
| 1983-84 | 505 | 524 | 419 |
| 1984-85 | 510 | 527 | 424 |
| 1986-87 | 509 | 526 | 429 |
| 1987-88 | 507 | 524 | 431 |
| 1988-89 | 506 | 525 | 429 |
| 1989-90 | 503 | 521 | 430 |
| 1990-91 | 501 | 520 | 429 |
| 1991-92 | 502 | 521 | 430 |
| 1992-93 | 503 | 523 | 431 |
| 1993-94 | 502 | 522 | 430 |
| 1996- 97 | 505 | 526 | 434 |
| 1999- 2000 | 505 | 528 | 434 |
| 2000- 01 | 506 | 529 | 433 |
| 2001- 02 | 504 | 527 | 430 |
| 2002- 03 | 507 | 529 | 431 |
| 2003- 04 | 508 | 528 | 430 |
| 2004- 05 | 508 | 532 | 433 |
| 2005-06 | 503 | 527 | 434 |
| 2006-07 | 502 | 527 | 433 |
| 2007-08 | 502 | 528 | 430 |
| 2008-09 | 501 | 528 | 429 |
| 2009-10 | 501 | 528 | 429 |
| 2010-11 | 497 | 528 | 428 |
| 2011-12 | 496 | 527 | 428 |
| 2012-13 | 496 | 527 | 431 |
| 2013-14 | 497 | 529 | 431 |
| 2014-15 | 495 | 529 | 431 |
| 2015-16 | 494 | 528 | 430 |
Mathematics Scores
| School year | All students | White | Black |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975-76 | 500 | 518 | 382 |
| 1977-78 | 496 | 511 | 382 |
| 1978-79 | 495 | 509 | 387 |
| 1979-80 | 494 | 508 | 389 |
| 1980-81 | 494 | 509 | 391 |
| 1981-82 | 495 | 509 | 395 |
| 1982-83 | 496 | 510 | 399 |
| 1983-84 | 499 | 513 | 404 |
| 1984-85 | 502 | 515 | 407 |
| 1986-87 | 503 | 514 | 409 |
| 1987-88 | 503 | 515 | 415 |
| 1988-89 | 503 | 516 | 417 |
| 1989-90 | 503 | 516 | 416 |
| 1990-91 | 501 | 514 | 416 |
| 1991-92 | 503 | 516 | 416 |
| 1992-93 | 505 | 518 | 420 |
| 1993-94 | 506 | 519 | 420 |
| 1996- 97 | 511 | 526 | 423 |
| 1999- 2000 | 514 | 530 | 426 |
| 2000- 01 | 514 | 531 | 426 |
| 2001- 02 | 516 | 533 | 427 |
| 2002- 03 | 519 | 534 | 426 |
| 2003- 04 | 518 | 531 | 427 |
| 2004- 05 | 520 | 536 | 431 |
| 2005-06 | 518 | 536 | 429 |
| 2006-07 | 515 | 534 | 429 |
| 2007-08 | 515 | 537 | 426 |
| 2008-09 | 515 | 536 | 426 |
| 2009-10 | 516 | 536 | 428 |
| 2010-11 | 514 | 535 | 427 |
| 2011-12 | 514 | 536 | 428 |
| 2012-13 | 514 | 534 | 429 |
| 2013-14 | 513 | 534 | 429 |
| 2014-15 | 511 | 534 | 428 |
| 2015-16 | 508 | 533 | 425 |

Notes: 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.
Source: Annual College-Bound Seniors: Total Group Profile (National) Reports published by College Entrance Examination Board, 1966-67 through 2015-2016.
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