UT Austin SAT: Average Scores, Ranges, and What You Need to Know

UT Austin's SAT scores demonstrate a highly competitive applicant pool that reflects the university's status as a top public research institution. With an average of 1360 and a middle 50% range spanning 1230 to 1490, you are looking at a school where the vast majority of admitted students score in the 89th percentile or higher nationally. The spread of 260 points across the middle range shows meaningful diversity in the test performance of admitted students, indicating that while academic excellence is clearly expected, the school does evaluate applicants holistically rather than treating SAT as a rigid threshold.

UT Austin's SAT scores demonstrate a highly competitive applicant pool that reflects the university's status as a top public research institution. With an average of 1360 and a middle 50% range spanning 1230 to 1490, you are looking at a school where the vast majority of admitted students score in the 89th percentile or higher nationally. The spread of 260 points across the middle range shows meaningful diversity in the test performance of admitted students, indicating that while academic excellence is clearly expected, the school does evaluate applicants holistically rather than treating SAT as a rigid threshold.

Regarding what score you should absolutely try to achieve at UT Austin, you should aim not to fall significantly below 1150, which represents roughly the first percentile of your regional competitive pool. While technically a small number of students have been admitted with scores below this mark, these rare admissions typically involved extraordinary strengths in other areas, such as being in the top 6% of a Texas high school class (which guarantees automatic admission), having an exceptional GPA paired with rigorous coursework, or demonstrating remarkable extracurricular achievements. Any score substantially below 1150 would make admission unlikely unless you possess truly distinctive credentials elsewhere. The closer you can push your score toward 1400 and beyond, the stronger your academic profile becomes, but this alone does not overcome a weak high school transcript or lack of engagement in meaningful activities outside the classroom.

UT Austin requires standardized test scores for the 2025-2026 application cycle and beyond, marking a significant shift from its test-optional policies that were in place from 2020 to 2024. You must submit either an SAT or ACT score as part of your application, with exceptions only available for students who demonstrate genuine hardship in accessing standardized testing. The university made this change after analyzing data showing that students who submitted test scores performed significantly better in their first semester of college, with those who opted in achieving approximately 0.86 grade points higher average during their first fall semester compared to those who did not submit scores. If you believe you qualify for a testing waiver based on exceptional hardship circumstances, you should contact the admissions office directly, but this exception is reserved for truly extenuating situations.

UT Austin does not employ superscoring for the SAT, which means the school will not combine your best section scores from different test dates to create a higher composite. Instead, UT Austin will consider the highest composite score you submit from a single test date, even if you took the exam multiple times. You should strongly encourage to send all your test scores to the university so that they evaluate your strongest single attempt, but the school will not pick your best Reading and Writing score from one date and your best Math score from another date. This policy does mean you should focus on performing your best on any single test sitting rather than banking on the ability to mix and match sections from different attempts.

Your SAT score functions as one important component among many in UT Austin's holistic admissions review, which seeks to understand you as a complete person rather than a collection of numbers. The admissions committee evaluates your high school transcript, the rigor of courses you took, your GPA (which averages around 3.83 for admitted students), teacher recommendations, your personal essays that reveal your character and aspirations, and your extracurricular involvement and demonstrated leadership. A strong SAT score cannot compensate for weak academics, limited course rigor, or minimal extracurricular engagement, nor can it overcome a pattern of declining grades or lack of intellectual curiosity shown throughout your high school years. Instead, your test score works alongside these other elements to create a complete picture of whether you are ready for the academic demands at UT Austin and what you might contribute to the campus community.

At a school as selective as UT Austin with a 29% acceptance rate and nearly all admitted students showing strong test scores, your SAT score alone becomes a necessary but not sufficient credential for admission. The admissions officers use your test score to confirm your academic readiness for UT Austin's rigorous coursework, but they ultimately seek students who demonstrate leadership, unique talents, meaningful contributions to their communities, or compelling personal narratives that explain what makes you special. You could have a 1500 SAT and still face rejection if your overall application lacks authenticity, depth, or evidence of genuine intellectual growth and engagement. Conversely, a score slightly below the middle range might not disqualify you if the rest of your profile is exceptionally strong and tells a compelling story about your potential to thrive and make an impact at UT Austin, especially if you are in the top tier of your high school class or demonstrate extraordinary achievements.

AdmitStudio users who have found success at top colleges often approach their applications as a single, cohesive story, not a checklist of impressive achievements. Rather than treating essays, activities, and recommendations as separate pieces, they focus on presenting themselves as a clear, memorable individual with defined values, motivations, and strengths. Their essays help admissions officers understand why they pursued certain activities, how their experiences shaped them, and what kind of person they would be on campus. This clarity makes it easier for readers to grasp who the applicant is within just a few minutes of review.

AdmitStudio users who are successful also tend to use their essays to connect and reinforce the rest of their application, not repeat it. The essay highlights a few core traits, such as curiosity, leadership, resilience, or initiative, while the activities list and recommendations quietly support those same traits with evidence. By aligning every part of the application around a consistent narrative, these students stand out not because they try to be extraordinary, but because they are specific, authentic, and intentional. Admissions officers come away with a strong sense of the applicant's identity and how they would uniquely contribute to the university community.