What’s a good ACT score? 2026 ranges, averages, and colleges that fit your score.
What’s a good ACT score? Nationally, anything above 20 beats the average, while a 24 lands in the top 20%. Meanwhile, a score of 28 or higher puts you in the top 10%.
But your score only matters in the context of the colleges on your list. A 28 might be a strong number at one school and a long shot at another.
Instead of chasing a magic number, you need to know three things: how the ACT is scored, where your scores rank nationally, and the 50th percentile of submitted scores at the colleges on your list.
Our guide walks you through it all, using the ACT’s newest national ranks and adding some colleges with published ranges. We also include a list of colleges where a score in the low-to-mid 20s is “in range.”
ACT score ranges
ACT scores range from 1 to 36 for each section and for the composite score. Colleges look at your composite first, which averages your section scores.
The test changed in 2025, and that matters for your composite. Under the new ACT, composite scores are calculated from three sections: English, Math, and Reading. Science is now optional and no longer counts toward the composite. The essay remains optional.
| Score | Range | Counts toward composite? |
|---|---|---|
| English | 1-36 | Yes |
| Math | 1-36 | Yes |
| Reading | 1-36 | Yes |
| Science (optional) | 1-36 | No, reported separately, plus a STEM score |
| Writing (optional) | 1-12 | No, reported separately, plus an ELA score |
| Composite | 1-36 | Average of English, Math, and Reading |
The new version is also shorter: 125 minutes without Science or Writing, with 175 questions instead of 215.
So, what’s a good ACT score?
The national average ACT composite for the Class of 2026 was 19.2, down slightly from 19.4 the year before. That makes 20 the practical line: score above it, and you’re better than the average test taker.
Percentiles tell you even more than the average. The ACT offers the national ranks, showing the share of recent graduates who scored at or below a given composite. The ranks are the ACT’s newest, based on the classes of 2024–2026 and used for tests taken from September 2026 through August 2027
| ACT Composite | National rank | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | 100th | Perfect score |
| 34–35 | 99th | Top 1% |
| 32–33 | 97th–98th | Top 3% |
| 30–31 | 94th–96th | Top 6% |
| 28–29 | 91st–93rd | Top 10% |
| 26–27 | 86th–89th | Top 15% |
| 24–25 | 80th–83rd | Top 20% |
| 22–23 | 72nd–77th | Above average |
| 20–21 | 63rd–68th | Just above average |
| 18–19 | 52nd–58th | About average |
| 16–17 | 41st–47th | Slightly below average |
| 15 and below | 34th or lower | Below average |
A quick read of the table above.
- A 21 beats two-thirds of test takers.
- A 24 puts you in the top 20%
- A 28 puts you in the top 10%
- A 30 puts you in the top 6%
As a rule of thumb, a 24 or higher is a good ACT score by national standards, while a 28 or higher is great. But national rank is only half the picture. The other half is your college list.
At Ivy Plus schools and elite publics, median scores often start at 33 or higher.
A good ACT depends on your college list
A 27 is better than 89% of test takers, but it's still far below the typical range at the most selective schools. What counts as a “good” score changes from one college to the next.
The best way to measure your scores is against each college's middle 50% range of admitted applicants. Colleges publish these in their Common Data Set. Look at Section C9, which lists the 25th and 75th percentile of ACT composite scores for enrolled first-year students who submitted scores.
| School | Middle 50% ACT (25th–75th) |
|---|---|
| Vanderbilt | 34–35 |
| Ohio State | 27–32 |
| Michigan State | 25–31 |
| University of Oklahoma | 23–28 |
Use two numbers to sort your list:
- At or above the 75th percentile: your score is a real strength there.
- Inside the middle 50%: you’re a competitive applicant, and the rest of your file decides it.
- Below the 25th percentile: the score works against you. Consider retaking the test, or applying test-optional if the school allows it.
Test scores are only one input, of course. Our guide to estimating your chances of admission covers how GPA, coursework, and the rest of your file fit.
You don’t need a perfect score to get into a good college. At many universities, a score in the mid-20s is right in range.
Colleges where a lower ACT score is in range
With a score in the mid- to low-20s, you might not be a competitive applicant at the most selective schools. In this case, you might apply without submitting a score if the school allows it. And test-blind schools like UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego don’t consider your score at all.
But if you’re applying with a score in the mid- to low-20s, you have more options than you think. Each school below is a large, well-known university where a composite of 20 or 21 sits at or near the 25th percentile.
| School | Middle 50% ACT (25th–75th) |
|---|---|
| West Virginia University | 20–26 |
| Kansas State University | 20–27 |
| Oklahoma State University | 20–27 |
| University of Arizona | 20–28 |
| University of Arkansas | 21–28 |
| University of Iowa | 21–28 |
| Iowa State University | 21–28 |
| University of Kentucky | 21-28 |
| University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) | 21–29 |
| University of Alabama | 22–31 |
Every school on the above list is a flagship or major public research university. Most admit three out of four applicants. At schools like Kansas State, a 24 sits right at the median, which can also help when merit scholarships are awarded.
A quick way to use this table: if your score is at or above the school’s 75th percentile, it may be both a strong safety and scholarship candidate. If it’s between the two numbers, it’s a likely target.
If you have a strong GPA and lower test scores, see how to build your college list using data and find schools that fit your full profile.
Should you retake the ACT?
Retaking the ACT makes sense when a few more points would move you into the middle 50% at the schools you care about. It’s also worth it if you didn’t prep much the first time. Among Class of 2025 graduates who took the ACT more than once, scores rose by an average of 2.4 points.
It may not be worth it if your score already fits your list, or if more prep time would cut into your grades, sleep, or applications.
If you do retake the test, a targeted plan beats simply taking more practice tests. Empowerly’s ACT test prep program pairs students with tutors who build plans around their weakest sections. Empowerly reports that most students raise their scores by at least three points.
Should you submit your score to a test-optional school?
A simple rule: submit scores if it’s at or above the school’s median, and think hard about it if your score falls below its 25th percentile. Even at test-optional schools, a strong score improves your odds and can also help with merit aid and course placement.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good ACT score?
A good ACT score is one at or above the middle 50% range of the colleges you're applying to. Nationally, a 24 or higher puts you in the top 20% of test takers, and a 28 or higher puts you in the top 10%.
What is the ACT score range?
ACT scores range from 1 to 36. Your composite is the average of your English, Math, and Reading scores, rounded to the nearest whole number. Science and Writing are optional and reported separately.
What is the average ACT score?
The national average composite for the class of 2026 was 19.2.
What's the highest score on the ACT?
The highest possible score is 36. Fewer than 1% of test takers earn one.
Is a 20 a good ACT score?
A 20 is slightly above the national average, at the 63rd percentile. It sits at the 25th percentile at several large public universities, including Kansas State, Oklahoma State, and the University of Arizona.
Find the score that fits your list
A good ACT score isn't a single number. It's the score that opens the right doors for you, whether that means admission to your top choice, a merit scholarship, or a spot in an honors program.
If you're not sure where your score lands, or whether to retake, an Empowerly counselor can compare your ACT, GPA, and coursework against real admitted-student data for the schools on your list. Book a free consultation to build a testing plan and a college list that fits.