The engine in the Cirrus SR20 has a peculiarity: the oil dipstick reads differently based on the orientation.
Reading the Oil Level
Make sure the dipstick handle is pointing aft, not toward the front, both when checking the oil and when you're done checking.
Also make sure the dipstick is fully seated - you'll hear and feel a "click."
Here is the proper orientation:
If you insert the dipstick in the "other" orientation, it will read low by as much as a quart to a quart and a half, leading to the possibility of over-filling the oil.
Inserting the Dipstick
The dipstick will rotate about 1/4 turn as you insert it. To insert it:
1. Face the dipstick away from you - toward the right side of the cowl.
2. Gently insert it, with one hand on the yellow handle and the other on the dipstick, guiding it in.
3. As you insert it, the dipstick should gently rotate to the right to settle in the position pictured above.