Together with the ACT, the SAT is one of the most widely administered college admissions tests in the United States; more than 3 million high school students take these tests annually. As such, these scores are among the best to use when comparing the relative college-preparedness of a high school’s graduates.

The tables below show three sets of numbers:

  1. Total is a combination of EBRW and Math for a maximum of 1600 points
  2. EBRW stands for Evidence Based Reading and Writing, with a maximum score of 800 points
  3. Math is scored out of a maximum of 800 points

The College Board, the administrator of the SAT, asserts that the minimum score to be considered college and career ready is a combined score of 1010 (480 EBRW and 530 Math). Students who score at this benchmark have a 75% chance of earning at least a C in a first-semester college course.

Top Houston ISD High Schools by SAT Scores

Of the 48 HISD high schools reporting SAT scores for the Class of 2017, the:

  • Students at Debakey and Carnegie scored in the 90th percentile (top 10%), which is impressive
  • Total average score across the top 5 schools was 1,234, which was the 75th percentile, and significantly above the national average
  • Total average score across all schools was 937, which was the 27th percentile and below the national average score of 1060 (50th percentile)
wdt_ID Rank School Total EBRW Math
1 1 Debakey H S For Health Prof 1,367 670 697
2 2 Carnegie Vanguard H S 1,341 664 677
3 3 Perfor & Vis Arts H S 1,254 642 611
4 4 Bellaire H S 1,104 550 554
5 5 Challenge Early College H S 1,104 560 544
6 6 East Early College H S 1,090 548 542
7 7 Eastwood Academy 1,087 532 555
8 8 North Houston Early College H S 1,040 513 528
9 9 Lamar H S 1,031 524 507
10 10 Energy Institute H S 1,024 515 509
Rank School Total EBRW Math

Top Greater Houston Public High Schools by SAT Scores

Of the 61 Houston-area high schools reporting SAT scores for the Class of 2017, the:

  • Students at the Texas-wide public magnet Texas Academy of Math and Science are really smart; they scored in the 99th percentile or the top 1% of test takers nationwide
  • Total average score across all schools was 961, which was 33rd percentile and below the national average score of 1060 (50th percentile)
  • Average scores between EBRW and Math were almost exactly the same
wdt_ID Rank School District Total EBRW Math
1 1 Texas Academy Of Mathematics & Sci University Of North Texas 1,465 715 754
2 2 Debakey H S For Health Prof Houston ISD 1,367 670 697
3 3 Carnegie Vanguard H S Houston ISD 1,341 664 677
4 4 Perfor & Vis Arts H S Houston ISD 1,254 642 611
5 5 Kerr H S Alief ISD 1,155 578 577
6 6 Harmony School Of Innovation-Sugar Harmony School Of Science - Housto 1,154 572 582
7 7 Bellaire H S Houston ISD 1,104 550 554
8 8 Challenge Early College H S Houston ISD 1,104 560 544
9 9 East Early College H S Houston ISD 1,090 548 542
10 10 Eastwood Academy Houston ISD 1,087 532 555
Rank School District Total EBRW Math

About the Data

  • This dataset from the Texas Education Agency looks at SAT scores for the Class of 2017, which was the most recently available data at the time of analysis.
  • Not every school requires all students to take the SAT nor do all schools report scores to the TEA; school districts in the Greater Houston list above include Aldine, Alief, Cypress-Fairbanks, Harmony Schools (charter), and Houston

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