What SAT score is required for Harvard? Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University is well-known as an extremely difficult school to get into. Ranking at #3 for 2026 Best National Universities compiled by U.S. News, Harvard is definitely seen as an elite Ivy League University. While many ask “what SAT score is needed for Harvard,” there is no actual cutoff for what Harvard will accept, as it has holistic admissions that considers multiple factors. In this blog, we’ll cover the average SAT score range of enrolled Harvard students to help students better understand what range of scores is competitive.
While Harvard has not released the average SAT Composite score for a freshman who has enrolled at Harvard, their average SAT Math subscore is 785, while their SAT ERW average is 760. Most students score in the 700s or higher on their subscores. 98% of all accepted students had at least a 700 in Math, and 95% of students had at least a 700 in ERW. Below is a table that breaks down the 25th and 75th Percentile scores for the SATs of freshmen students enrolled at Harvard.
| Assessment | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 770 | 800 | 785 |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing | 740 | 780 | 760 |
Continuing the trend of many US Universities, Harvard will be test-required for this application cycle. All students applying will be required to submit SAT or ACT test results.
Ideally, you should aim to have your scores hit the 75th percentile in order to increase your chances of being accepted. Of course, Harvard looks at many different aspects of a candidate’s application, but higher scores can increase your odds of admission.
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