Washington students exceed national averages in college readiness assessments

Washington’s K–12 public school students continue to outperform the national average on college readiness assessments, according to recent data from the College Board and ACT. The College Board administers the SAT and Advanced Placement (AP) exams, while ACT manages the ACT exam. These tests are used to evaluate students’ preparedness for college, and students may earn college credit by achieving qualifying scores on AP exams.

“With advocacy from my office and other partners, our Legislature has steadily increased student access to advanced courses over the past few years,” said State Superintendent Chris Reykdal. “These efforts have created more opportunities for students to earn college credit while in high school, and to earn high scores on national college admissions tests, and we are already seeing the dividends from those investments. Our students are outperforming their peers consistently on these and other comparative tests.”

Washington has seen consistent growth in both participation and achievement on AP, SAT, and ACT exams, with student performance remaining above the national average.

“Our students are looking to be challenged,” said James Noble, a high school social studies teacher for Spokane Public Schools. “When we give students the opportunity to engage in coursework that pushes their thinking, they rise to the moment. Our learners are graduating high school better prepared for college, career, and lifelong success. They make me proud every day!”

AP courses offer high school students a chance to earn college credit by scoring 3, 4, or 5 on AP assessments. In 2025, 54,313 Washington public school students took 99,949 AP exams, with 77% earning qualifying scores. Both participation in AP exams and the number of qualifying scores have risen steadily since 2021. In 2024, Washington public K–12 students potentially earned over 204,000 college credits through AP exams.

“Having access to AP courses, and achieving a qualifying score to earn college credit, lowers future out-of-pocket costs for higher education,” Reykdal said. “It’s a much smaller investment while students are in high school than it is when they are in college, and our students are showing us year after year that they are up for the challenge.”

In 2024, legislative funding helped cover AP exam fees for low-income students, saving families more than $795,000. However, this support was not continued in 2025 due to budget constraints.

For the SAT, which assesses reading, writing, and math skills, 28,870 Washington students took the exam in 2025. While this is a slight decrease from 2024, overall participation has increased since 2021. Students are considered ready for college and careers if they meet SAT benchmarks in both Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW) and Math.

Although fewer Washington students take the ACT compared to other states—since it is not required for graduation—3,088 students took the ACT in 2025. Among them, 80% met the English benchmark, 62% met math, 71% met reading, and 62% met science benchmarks. Overall, 64% of ACT test-takers met at least three of four benchmarks. The average composite ACT score for Washington students reached a five-year high, maintaining a margin of at least five points above the national average for three consecutive years.

“Across the state, our students continue to push themselves in advanced courses and on advanced tests, and they continue to perform well above the national average,” Reykdal said. “These results are a true testament to the efforts of our students, educators, and families.”