What's a Good ACT Score? Find Out Now.

To answer "What is a good ACT score?" you have to remember your main objective... to get into your top choice school. This article will review how ACT scores are calculated, how your scores compare to others (percentiles), and what average scores are for some top public and private universities.

In today’s increasingly competitive environment, the ACT is arguably one of the most, if not the most, important part of the application process for colleges and universities across the nation.

In simple terms, the ACT is a standardized test that challenges a student’s knowledge on four key subjects: English, Math, Reading, and Science. There is a fifth component that is optional: Writing.

So, let’s say you accomplish the challenging task of completing the ACT in the nearly three hours allotted. How do you access this score and more importantly, what does your score actually mean? Throughout this article we will provide you a snapshot of what a good ACT score can mean and how that score will be relevant to the specific universities you are applying to.

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ACT SCORING - Understanding What Makes A Good ACT Score

The ACT is graded on a scale of 1 to 36 (36 being the perfect ACT score). Each section is graded on this scale based on the number of the correct answers and the average of these scores is your composite score. This composite score coincides to a percentile of how well you did in comparison to other students taking the ACT. The higher the percentile the better you did than the majority of the general population. For example, if you scored in the 75th percentile, you scored better than 75% of the people who took the ACT (wow!).

ACT Score Report

Sample ACT Score Report - Source: ACT.org

It is important to keep in mind that the ACT follows a normal distribution curve. In other words, it is going to be rarer to score much higher than the average or far lower.

That being said, the average ACT score as of 2018 was a 20.8. So, if you score a 21 you did better than half the people who took the ACT. Depending on your mind frame, that’s pretty good!

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To see how your scores, compared to the overall population of test-takers please reference the snapshot below of ACT score percentiles:

ACT Score Percentiles

ACT Scale Score	Composite	English	Math	Reading	Science
1	1	1	1	1	1
2	1	1	1	1	1
3	1	1	1	1	1
4	1	1	1	1	1
5	1	1	1	1	1
6	1	1	1	1	1
7	1	1	1	1	1
8	1	1	1	1	1
9	1	3	1	1	1
10	1	6	1	3	2
11	1	11	1	5	4
12	4	14	1	9	6
13	9	18	3	13	10
14	15	24	10	18	14
15	21	30	20	22	18
16	27	36	31	28	25
17	34	40	40	33	30
18	40	44	48	38	37
19	46	48	52	43	44
20	52	53	57	49	50
21	58	59	60	54	57
22	64	64	65	60	64
23	69	70	69	66	71
24	74	75	74	70	77
25	78	79	79	74	82
26	82	82	83	77	86
27	85	84	88	80	88
28	88	86	91	82	90
29	91	88	93	84	92
30	93	90	95	87	94
31	95	91	96	89	95
32	96	93	97	92	96
33	98	94	98	94	97
34	99	96	99	97	98
35	99	99	99	99	99
36	100	100	100	100	100
Avg	20.8	20.2	20.5	21.3	20.7

Source: ACT.org

A composite score of 16 would place you at having only performed better than 27% of of students, which is a poor score. A 20 places you at the average. A 24 places you having done better than about three quarters (75%) of the students taking the ACT (a good score!). Any score above 28 is very exceptional and any score above a 35 is absolutely phenomenal!

As previously referenced, this test follows a normal distribution curve. So, as you can see from 1 to 8 is all in the first percentile and 35 to 36 is all in the 99th percentile. Where it gets interesting is in the 18 to 24 composite score range.

The ACT allows for an unlimited number of attempts. A couple point increase in the 18 through 24 range can make an impactful difference. Say you score an 18 on your first attempt (no worries) and by your third attempt you have now scored a 24… that’s a 20% increase and places you well over the average.

Summary of Average, Good, and Excellent ACT Scores

16 or lower = poor (you are in the bottom 25% of test takers)
21 = average (about half of test takers do worse than you)
24 = good (you scored better than 75% of test takers)
29+ = excellent (you scored better than 90 percent of the population)

What a Good ACT Score Should Mean for You

Throughout the article we’ve discussed what your score means in comparison to national averages but what does “good” mean for you? In other words, what score do YOU need to get into the college of YOUR dreams?

Important to understand - it’s all relative.

A score of 29 places you in the top 10% (pretty amazing) and can be a strong score for universities such as New York University, Penn State, University of Texas A&M and many others but a score of 29 would unfortunately be very low for selective schools like Ivy Leagues or MIT.

In complete contrast, a score of 29 would be phenomenal at less selective schools like CSU Northridge (average score of 20) or Ohio University (average score of 24). It all depends on where you want to apply and what college you want to attend.

Important to note that the higher your test score the more opportunity for merit-based scholarships. Also, a higher test score will help if your GPA isn’t too high. Keep in mind that at selective schools this is not the case. They’re expecting near perfect scores and exceptional grade point averages across the board.

So, with all that being said, lets take a look at the most popular universities and their average accepted ACT composite scores:

ACT Scores of Top 100 Public Universities

Institution name	Enrollment	ACT Composite 25th Percentile	ACT Composite 75th Percentile
Texas A & M University-College Station	67,929	25	30
University of Central Florida	66,059	24	29
Ohio State University-Main Campus	59,837	27	31
Florida International University	56,718	22	27
University of Florida	52,669	28	32
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	51,848	26	31
The University of Texas at Austin	51,525	26	33
Arizona State University-Tempe	51,164	22	29
Michigan State University	50,019	23	28
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	48,216	26	32
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus	47,119	25	30
The University of Texas at Arlington	46,497	20	27
University of Washington-Seattle Campus	46,166	27	32
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	46,002	30	33
University of Houston	45,364	23	27
University of California-Los Angeles	44,027	29	34
Indiana University-Bloomington	43,710	25	31
University of South Florida-Main Campus	43,540	24	29
University of Wisconsin-Madison	42,977	27	31
Purdue University-Main Campus	42,699	25	31
University of California-Berkeley	41,891	30	34
Florida State University	41,362	26	30
California State University-Northridge	41,319	17	22
California State University-Fullerton	40,905	19	24
University of Maryland-College Park	40,521	29	33
Texas State University	38,666	20	26
The University of Alabama	38,563	23	32
University of North Texas	38,276	21	27
California State University-Long Beach	37,622	20	26
University of Georgia	37,606	26	31
University of California-Davis	37,380	25	32
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus	37,155	23	28
Texas Tech University	36,996	22	27
Iowa State University	36,158	22	28
George Mason University	35,984	24	30
Kennesaw State University	35,846	21	26
San Jose State University	35,835	19	26
University of California-San Diego	35,772	27	33
University of Colorado Boulder	35,338	25	30
University of California-Irvine	35,242	25	32
San Diego State University	35,158	23	28
University of South Carolina-Columbia	34,731	25	30
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	34,440	25	30
North Carolina State University at Raleigh	34,432	26	31
Colorado State University-Fort Collins	33,083	22	28
Georgia State University	32,816	19	26
University of Utah	32,800	22	29
University of Iowa	32,166	23	28
California State University-Sacramento	31,255	17	23
Oregon State University	30,896	22	28
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College	30,861	23	28
University of Missouri-Columbia	30,844	23	29
The University of Texas at San Antonio	30,768	20	25
Virginia Commonwealth University	30,675	21	27
University at Buffalo	30,648	24	28
Washington State University	30,614	20	26
University of Illinois at Chicago	30,539	20	26
University of Nevada-Las Vegas	30,471	19	24
University of Massachusetts-Amherst	30,340	26	31
Florida Atlantic University	30,208	21	26
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	29,911	28	33
Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis	29,791	19	26
Auburn University	29,776	24	30
San Francisco State University	29,758	18	24
University of Kentucky	29,465	22	28
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus	29,376	30	34
Ohio University-Main Campus	29,369	22	26
University of North Carolina at Charlotte	29,317	22	26
East Carolina University	29,131	20	24
Kent State University at Kent	28,972	21	25
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus	28,642	27	32
California State University-Los Angeles	28,531	15	20
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus	28,527	23	29
West Virginia University	28,406	21	27
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville	28,321	24	30
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley	27,809	17	22
Utah State University	27,679	21	27
The University of Texas at Dallas	27,642	26	32
University of Kansas	27,625	23	28
University of Connecticut	27,578	26	31
University of Arkansas	27,558	23	29
Wayne State University	27,064	21	28
Portland State University	26,693	19	25
University of New Mexico-Main Campus	26,221	19	25
University of Nebraska-Lincoln	26,079	22	29
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona	26,053	20	27
Stony Brook University	25,989	26	31
California State University-Fresno	25,325	16	22
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus	25,295	22	28
The University of Texas at El Paso	25,078	16	22
University of California-Santa Barbara	25,057	28	33
Grand Valley State University	25,049	21	26
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee	24,988	20	25
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus	24,839	21	27
Clemson University	24,387	27	31
Old Dominion University	24,375	18	25
University of Virginia-Main Campus	24,360	29	33
Boise State University	24,121	21	26
University of Delaware	23,774	25	29
Missouri State University-Springfield	23,697	21	26
Average ACT Score of Top 100 Public Universities		22.9	28.4

ACT Scores of Top 100 Private Universities

Institution name	Enrollment	ACT Composite 25th Percentile	ACT Composite 75th Percentile
Liberty University	75,044	21	27
Brigham Young University-Idaho	51,881	20	25
New York University	51,123	29	33
University of Southern California	45,687	30	34
Brigham Young University-Provo	34,334	27	32
Boston University	33,355	29	32
Harvard University	31,120	32	35
Columbia University in the City of New York	30,454	31	34
George Washington University	27,973	29	32
University of Pennsylvania	25,367	32	35
Johns Hopkins University	25,151	33	35
Drexel University	24,190	24	30
Cornell University	23,016	31	34
Syracuse University	22,484	25	30
Northwestern University	22,008	32	34
Northeastern University	21,489	32	34
St John's University-New York	21,340	22	29
Nova Southeastern University	20,793	23	28
Georgetown University	19,005	30	34
Stanford University	17,534	32	35
Baylor University	17,059	26	31
University of Miami	17,003	28	32
Loyola University Chicago	16,673	24	29
Rochester Institute of Technology	16,584	26	32
University of Chicago	16,227	32	35
Duke University	16,130	31	35
Fordham University	16,037	27	31
Washington University in St Louis	15,303	32	34
Boston College	14,628	31	33
Saint Louis University	14,581	25	31
Emory University	14,263	30	33
Carnegie Mellon University	13,869	32	35
American University	13,858	26	30
Savannah College of Art and Design	13,163	21	27
Saint Leo University	13,099	20	25
Pace University-New York	12,986	21	27
Yale University	12,974	32	35
Webster University	12,736	21	26
Vanderbilt University	12,592	32	35
University of Notre Dame	12,467	32	34
Tulane University of Louisiana	12,384	30	33
Case Western Reserve University	11,824	30	33
Southern Methodist University	11,789	28	32
University of Rochester	11,648	29	33
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	11,466	33	35
Tufts University	11,449	31	34
University of Denver	11,434	25	30
Marquette University	11,426	24	29
Hofstra University	11,131	24	29
University of San Francisco	11,063	22	28
Villanova University	10,967	30	33
University of Dayton	10,882	24	29
Texas Christian University	10,489	25	30
The New School	10,389	24	28
Quinnipiac University	10,200	23	27
University of the Cumberlands	10,097	19	25
Brown University	10,095	31	35
Lindenwood University	10,025	20	25
California Baptist University	9,941	19	25
Azusa Pacific University	9,926	21	27
University of St Thomas	9,878	24	29
Seton Hall University	9,801	24	28
Loyola Marymount University	9,618	26	31
Regent University	9,488	19	27
Chapman University	9,392	25	30
Howard University	9,392	22	28
Duquesne University	9,190	24	29
University of San Diego	8,905	26	30
The University of Tampa	8,895	22	27
Creighton University	8,654	25	30
Mercer University	8,653	25	30
Santa Clara University	8,629	28	32
University of the Incarnate Word	8,603	17	23
LIU Post	8,499	21	26
Regis University	8,341	20	26
University of New England	8,281	21	26
Princeton University	8,273	31	35
University of La Verne	8,159	19	25
Saint Joseph's University	8,085	23	28
Belmont University	8,012	24	29
Adelphi University	7,978	22	27
Indiana Institute of Technology	7,871	17	23
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus	7,846	20	25
Pepperdine University	7,710	26	31
Maryville University of Saint Louis	7,689	21	27
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	7,592	28	32
Gonzaga University	7,506	26	30
New York Institute of Technology	7,403	21	27
Barry University	7,358	17	20
Concordia University-Wisconsin	7,288	20	26
Seattle University	7,278	24	29
MCPHS University	7,208	22	28
Campbellsville University	7,207	18	24
Suffolk University	7,201	21	26
Illinois Institute of Technology	7,164	25	31
Southeastern University	7,163	18	24
Rice University	7,022	33	35
Lehigh University	7,017	29	32
University of New Haven	6,984	21	27
LIU Brooklyn	6,982	19	27
Average ACT Scores of Top 100 Private Universities		25.4	29.9

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

Finding What a Good ACT Score is for Your School

To find the average ACT scores for schools you are interested in, try searching on Google for: your school choice freshman profile

For example, if you Google: University of Michigan freshmen profile, you will get the following results:

search for ACT scores

Clicking on the Student Profile link will lead to:

ACT scores by school

which will show you the ACT score ranges (25th to 75th percentiles) for the incoming freshman class.

How to Improve Yourself if Your ACT Score Falls “Short”

First, don’t freak out! University Admissions take into consideration many different things (GPA, extracurriculars, volunteering, etc.). Also, as previously mentioned, you can take the ACT as many times as you please before college application deadlines are due. This is why it is recommended to really get ahead and take the test at least once before reaching your junior year of high school (you don’t even have to study for this attempt!).

Let’s discuss some possible strategies.

Re-take the test! Say you are two or three points below what you need. Analyze your weakest sections of the test and really hone in on these sections and prep, prep, prep. Time is your friend here – more hours put in equals a higher chance of improving your score:
- 1-2 ACT Point Improvement: 20 hours
- 2-4 ACT Point Improvement: 40 hours
- Fortunately, there are countless services available to you: ACT practice tests, ACT test prep books, tutors, classes, etc. Click this link to see what some of your options might be: ACT Test Prep
Don’t waste time re-taking! If you missed your goal score by only one point retaking the entire test may not be worth your time. It may be in your best interest to instead spend the time you would’ve spent prepping by working on improving other parts of your application. For example, asking for recommendation letters from teachers or joining an extracurricular activity. Colleges want well-rounded students.
Adjust your list of schools. While you should always shoot for the stars and apply to your dream school it is important to be realistic. If you are 4 points short, with no opportunity to re-take the exam or are unable to gain that many points, you should consider other options. Add some safety schools to the mix!

Review & Key Takeaways:

The composite scale ranges from 1 to 36.
The national composite ACT score is a 20.8
A 21 would place you at an average score.
A 24 is a good score.
A 28 is excellent.
A 35+ is absolutely phenomenal.

Its all relative. Your score is “good” if meets the criteria for getting into the list of colleges you are applying to. There is always room for improvement when utilizing the right tools.

What is a Good ACT Score?

ACT SCORING - Understanding What Makes A Good ACT Score

- Get $37,000 Worth of Scholarship Money

ACT Score Percentiles

Summary of Average, Good, and Excellent ACT Scores

What a Good ACT Score Should Mean for You

ACT Scores of Top 100 Public Universities

ACT Scores of Top 100 Private Universities

Finding What a Good ACT Score is for Your School

How to Improve Yourself if Your ACT Score Falls “Short”

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