By state

Texas colleges by SAT score

30 Texas schools with published score bands, from the U.S. Department of Education — highest band first.

By PrepScore · Updated 1 September 2026 · How we research and update content

In short

Among Texas colleges in the federal dataset, Rice University has the highest enrolled-student SAT band at 1510–1570. The table below lists 30 Texas schools' middle-50% SAT and ACT ranges, highest first — each links to a page on setting a target for that school. Every figure is the enrolled middle 50% from College Scorecard, retrieved 2026-09-01.

Texas schools, by enrolled SAT band

Middle 50% of enrolled students (College Scorecard, 2026-09-01). A dash means the school reports no band for that test.
School	SAT (mid 50%)	ACT	Undergrads
Rice University	1510–1570	34–35	5k
The University of Texas at Austin	1250–1510	27–33	43k
Southern Methodist University	1340–1490	30–34	7k
The University of Texas at Dallas	1160–1410	24–32	22k
Texas A&M University	1150–1400	25–31	60k
Baylor University	1200–1400	27–32	15k
Texas Christian University	1140–1350	26–31	11k
University of Houston	1160–1340	23–29	38k
Texas Tech University	1090–1280	23–28	32k
The University of Texas at Arlington	1010–1240	19–27	32k
University of North Texas	980–1230	19–27	34k
The University of Texas at San Antonio	1000–1220	19–25	31k
Texas State University	980–1200	19–25	36k
The University of Texas at Tyler	1010–1200	20–26	7k
Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi	970–1193	19–25	8k
Stephen F Austin State University	970–1170	18–24	9k
West Texas A & M University	950–1170	18–23	7k
Tarleton State University	980–1160	19–24	13k
East Texas A&M University	910–1150	18–24	10k
University of Houston-Clear Lake	970–1150	20–25	6k
Angelo State University	910–1150	18–24	6k
Lamar University	930–1140	18–25	8k
Sam Houston State University	930–1120	17–24	18k
University of Houston-Downtown	940–1110	16–22	13k
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley	880–1090	15–21	29k
Texas A & M International University	890–1090	16–22	7k
The University of Texas at El Paso	860–1080	17–22	21k
Prairie View A & M University	860–1080	16–21	9k
Texas A&M University-San Antonio	840–1070	15–21	7k
Texas Southern University	800–1000	15–19	7k

How to read a middle 50%

A quarter of enrolled students scored below the band and a quarter above it. It describes who enrolled — not a cutoff, and not who was admitted.

Pick a school for the full picture — the section split, what the band means for a target, and where the figure comes from. Or browse every state.

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Frequently asked questions

Which Texas college has the highest SAT scores?

In the federal dataset, Rice University — an enrolled middle 50% of 1510–1570. Bands describe enrolled students, not cutoffs.

What SAT score do I need for college in Texas?

It spans the table above — from 800–1000 to 1510–1570 across 30 schools. Pick the schools you mean and aim at the upper half of their bands.

Where do these numbers come from?

The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (IPEDS), retrieved 2026-09-01. Each school's own page links its federal profile.