SAT Score to GPA Calculator: Current 1600 and Old 2400 Formats
Enter your SAT total score, and the calculator returns an approximate GPA across four international scales simultaneously, 4.0, 5.0, 7.0, and 10.0, using a proportional conversion.
Before calculating: SAT scores and GPA are independent measures. GPA reflects cumulative academic performance over years of coursework. The SAT is a standardised aptitude test taken on one or two sittings. No official formula exists to convert one directly into the other. The tool uses a proportional approach: your SAT score, as a percentage of the maximum, is mapped to the GPA scale; this is a practical approximation, not an endorsed equivalency.
If you have an old SAT score out of 2400, change the SAT maximum field from 1600 to 2400 before calculating.
SAT to GPA: Quick Reference Table (Proportional Method)
What the proportional formula returns for common SAT scores on a 4.0 scale:
| SAT Score (out of 1600) | SAT % of Max | Approx. GPA (4.0 scale) |
|---|---|---|
| 1600 | 100% | 4.00 |
| 1520 | 95% | 3.80 |
| 1450 | 90.6% | 3.63 |
| 1400 | 87.5% | 3.50 |
| 1350 | 84.4% | 3.38 |
| 1300 | 81.3% | 3.25 |
| 1200 | 75% | 3.00 |
| 1100 | 68.8% | 2.75 |
| 1000 | 62.5% | 2.50 |
| 900 | 56.3% | 2.25 |
| 800 | 50% | 2.00 |
These are proportional estimates only. The section below compares them against the College Board’s published correlation data.
Two Methods: and Why They Give Different Answers
Two approaches are used for SAT-to-GPA conversion, and they yield different results. Understanding why helps you use each correctly.
Proportional method (what this calculator uses): Your SAT score is divided by the scale maximum to get a percentage, then that percentage is applied to the GPA scale. A 1400 out of 1600 is 87.5%, which gives a 3.50 on a 4.0 scale. This is consistent, scale-agnostic, and works for any SAT maximum, including the old 2400 format. It treats the SAT and GPA as comparable percentage measures, which is an approximation.
Correlation method (what research data shows): College Board’s October 2024 study tracked 111,899 students over four years of college and found that SAT scores rise in lockstep with eventual college GPA, but the relationship is correlational, not formulaic. Among students with the same high school GPA, those scoring 1400–1600 on the SAT had consistently higher college GPAs than those scoring 1000–1190. Students at Ivy-Plus colleges who scored 1600 earned a first-year college GPA 0.43 points higher on average than students who scored 1200.
The correlation data does not yield a single GPA for each SAT score. It produces a range of typical outcomes. The table below shows those ranges alongside the proportional calculation.
SAT Score Ranges and Typical College GPA: What Research Shows
Published College Board correlation research, compared against the proportional calculation:
| SAT Range (1600 max) | Proportional GPA (4.0) | Typical College GPA Range (research) |
|---|---|---|
| 1400–1600 | 3.50–4.00 | 3.5–4.0 |
| 1200–1390 | 3.00–3.48 | 3.0–3.5 |
| 1000–1190 | 2.50–2.98 | 2.5–3.1 |
| 800–990 | 2.00–2.48 | Variable — 2.0–2.8 |
| Below 800 | Below 2.00 | Highly variable |
The proportional formula and the correlation ranges align most closely in the 1200–1450 band. They diverge more at the upper and lower extremes, where individual variation is highest. The research ranges are averages across large populations; a student with 1000 SAT can achieve a 3.5 college GPA, and a student with 1600 SAT can fall below 3.0. The correlation is real and consistent; it is not a ceiling or floor for any individual.
Old SAT Out of 2400: How to Use This Calculator
The SAT was scored out of 2400 until March 2016. That version had three sections: Math, Critical Reading, and Writing, each worth 800 points. The redesigned SAT was reduced to 1600 by combining Critical Reading and Writing into one Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section. In March 2024, the SAT went fully digital but kept the same 1600-point scale.
To convert an old SAT score, change the SAT maximum field from 1600 to 2400 before entering your score. Common old SAT values converted proportionally:
| Old SAT Score (out of 2400) | SAT % | GPA (4.0 scale) |
|---|---|---|
| 2400 | 100% | 4.00 |
| 2100 | 87.5% | 3.50 |
| 2000 | 83.3% | 3.33 |
| 1800 | 75% | 3.00 |
| 1600 | 66.7% | 2.67 |
| 1400 | 58.3% | 2.33 |
Note that the old SAT → new SAT conversion is not simply multiplying by 2/3. A 1800 on the old SAT converts to roughly a 1290 on the new, not 1200. If you need to convert an old score to the current 1600 scale first, use the College Board’s official concordance tables.
Multiple GPA Scales: Why the Calculator Shows Four Simultaneously
The advanced panel displays your SAT score converted to four GPA scales simultaneously: 4.0 (US standard), 5.0, 7.0 (used at some Australian and other international institutions), and 10.0 (used in India and several other countries).
This is useful when applying to programmes across different countries where the expected GPA format varies. The same proportional formula applies to each: your SAT percentage multiplied by the scale maximum. A 1400 out of 1600 (87.5%) gives 3.50 on 4.0, 4.38 on 5.0, 6.13 on 7.0, and 8.75 on 10.0.
Who Uses a SAT-to-GPA Conversion?
This conversion comes up in three situations more often than any others.
International applications: Some universities outside the US require a GPA from all applicants, including those who took the SAT instead of completing a GPA-based curriculum. The proportional conversion provides a defensible working figure for enquiries and eligibility checks, though most institutions accept a direct SAT score when GPA is unavailable.
Homeschool students: Homeschooled students who self-assign a GPA sometimes use their SAT score as a corroborating or alternative academic measure when applying to colleges that request both.
Cross-system comparison: Students want to understand roughly where their SAT score sits relative to the GPA expectations they see on college admissions pages, not for submission, but for a sense of where they stand.
FAQ: SAT Score to GPA Calculator
What GPA is a 1400 SAT?
Proportional to 1600, 1400 is 87.5%, which corresponds to a 3.50 GPA on a 4.0 scale. College Board’s correlation research places SAT scores in the 1400-1600 range alongside typical college GPAs of 3.5–4.0, so the proportional figure and the research range align well at this score level.
What GPA is a 1200 SAT?
Proportionally, 1200 / 1600 = 75%, giving a 3.00 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Research places SAT scores in the 1200-1390 range alongside typical college GPAs of 3.0–3.5. The average 2024 SAT score was 1024, so a 1200 is meaningfully above the national average.
What GPA is a 1000 SAT?
Proportionally, 1000 / 1600 = 62.5%, giving a 2.50 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Research correlation data place this range (1000-1190) alongside typical college GPAs of 2.5-3.1, making it one of the more variable bands—outcomes spread widely at this score level.
What GPA is a 1500 SAT?
Proportionally, 1500 / 1600 = 93.75%, giving a 3.75 GPA on a 4.0 scale. This is within the College Board’s top SAT band (1400–1600), associated with typical college GPAs in the 3.5–4.0 range.
What GPA is a 1600 SAT score?
A perfect 1600 out of 1600 = 100%, which gives a 4.00 GPA on a 4.0 scale. For other scales: 5.00 on a 5.0 scale, 7.00 on a 7.0 scale, 10.00 on a 10.0 scale. In the College Board’s correlation research, students at Ivy-Plus colleges who scored 1600 earned a first-year college GPA 0.43 points higher on average than students who scored 1200.
What GPA is a 2000 SAT out of 2400?
A: Set the SAT maximum to 2400. A 2000/2400 = 83.3%, giving a 3.33 GPA on a 4.0 scale. The old 2400-scale SAT ran until March 2016. A 2000 on the old test corresponds to roughly 1410 on the current 1600 scale, according to the College Board’s concordance tables.
Why does this calculator give a different result than other SAT-to-GPA tools?
Different tools use different methods. Some use percentile-matching (pairing SAT percentile ranks with GPA percentile distributions). Some routes go through ACT as an intermediate step. This calculator uses direct proportional scaling: the SAT score is divided by the maximum and then multiplied by the GPA scale. Each method is a different approximation of the same underlying question, and there is no single correct answer because SAT and GPA are inherently different measures.
Can I use my SAT score instead of a GPA for college applications?
A: At most US colleges, SAT and GPA are separate application components; one does not replace the other. For international programmes that require a GPA, some accept a direct SAT score in place of a GPA for students whose education system does not produce one. For homeschooled students, this varies widely by institution. Contact the admissions office of your programme to ask about its policy on students without a conventional GPA.
Enter your SAT score above to see the proportional GPA equivalent across four scales. For anything beyond comparison and planning, official applications, credential submissions, and scholarship eligibility, check the specific requirements of the institution you are applying to. SAT and GPA are independent measures; no conversion replaces the actual documents.