Your complete guide to 2022 ACT scores, including the scoring range, percentiles and college averages.
Let's dig into average scores, the scoring range, college averages and more
Let's cover everything you ever wanted to know about ACT scores, including the ACT scores range, percentiles and averages. We'll even take a look at average admitted ACT scores at various popular colleges. Let's jump in.
1. ACT Scores Introduction
• What is a good ACT score?
• ACT Score Percentiles
• ACT Scores: the Good, the Bad and the Average
• What is a good ACT score for you?
2. College ACT Scores Data
• ACT Scores Range at Select Colleges
• ACT Scores Averages at 50 Popular Universities
• ACT Scores and College Admissions
3. How to Raise Your ACT Score
4. ACT Scores Final Thoughts
5. ACT Scores FAQ
The ACT is made up of four sections, and each of those is scored from 1-36. Your composite score is the average of your four scored sections, and those averages do round up. There is also a separate essay that is scored from 1-12. The average composite ACT score is 20.6.
A few other key points:
There are 75 questions on the English Test, and you will have 45 minutes to complete the section. The maximum score is 36, and the average score is 19.9. This will be the first section on the ACT, and each question has four answer choices.
The ACT Mathematics Test features 60 questions with a time limit of 60 minutes. The maximum score is 36, and students are allowed to use a calculator. The average score is 20.2, and each question has five answer choices. Questions get harder as you progress through the section, but all questions have equal weight.
The Reading Test features 40 questions across four passages, and the time limit is just 35 minutes. There will be one prose fiction passage, one social science passage, one humanities passage and one natural science passage. Each question has four answer choices, and the average score is 21.2.
The Science Test features 40 questions spread across seven passages. There will be three charts and graphs passages, three experiments passages and one conflicting viewpoints passage. Each questions has four answer choices, and the average score is 20.4.
We average just under 4 points of improvement, and all of our tutors have scored in the 99th percentile
A good score gets you into the college you want to attend and gets you a scholarship if you need it. Okay, duh. But what sort of score actually does that? Maybe you’ve taken the test and know your score, or maybe you’re still picking your test date and are trying to make your college shortlist.
Either way, we're about to lay out everything you need to know about ACT scores, including percentiles, the average score at a ton of top colleges and the amount of improvement you might see in your ACT score with some prep.
See how your ACT score stacks up against other test takers:
| ACT Score | English Percentile | Math Percentile | Reading Percentile | Science Percentile | Composite Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 |
| 35 | 99 | 99 | 98 | 99 | 99 |
| 34 | 96 | 99 | 96 | 98 | 99 |
| 33 | 94 | 98 | 94 | 97 | 98 |
| 32 | 92 | 97 | 91 | 96 | 96 |
| 31 | 91 | 96 | 89 | 95 | 95 |
| 30 | 89 | 94 | 86 | 93 | 93 |
| 29 | 88 | 93 | 84 | 92 | 90 |
| 28 | 86 | 91 | 82 | 90 | 88 |
| 27 | 84 | 88 | 80 | 88 | 85 |
| 26 | 82 | 84 | 77 | 85 | 82 |
| 25 | 79 | 79 | 74 | 82 | 78 |
| 24 | 75 | 74 | 71 | 77 | 74 |
| 23 | 71 | 70 | 66 | 71 | 70 |
| 22 | 65 | 65 | 61 | 64 | 64 |
| 21 | 60 | 61 | 55 | 58 | 59 |
| 20 | 55 | 58 | 50 | 51 | 53 |
| 19 | 49 | 54 | 44 | 45 | 47 |
| 18 | 45 | 49 | 39 | 39 | 41 |
| 17 | 41 | 42 | 34 | 32 | 35 |
| 16 | 37 | 33 | 29 | 26 | 28 |
| 15 | 32 | 21 | 24 | 19 | 22 |
| 14 | 25 | 11 | 19 | 14 | 16 |
| 13 | 19 | 4 | 14 | 10 | 10 |
| 12 | 15 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 5 |
| 11 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 10 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Scores range from 1-36, and the average ACT score in 2020 is 20.6. There are four separate sections, and the average score across these sections actually varies pretty substantially. The average score on the English Test is 19.9; the average score on the Mathematics Test is 20.2; the average score on the Reading Test is 21.2; the average score on the Science Test is 20.6.
Okay, so those are the averages. But what’s a good score? What’s a bad one? What kind of score will make you cry? Those are much tougher questions to answer. A good place to start is a few key score percentiles from our chart above:
That gives us a starting point to understand what counts as a good ACT score. But what about a good score for you?
Unfortunately, this question is not an easy one to answer. For most students, their college prospects depend largely on two things:
Both of these factors are absolutely huge, and at competitive colleges, both need to be strong. A student with a 34 but a bad GPA is probably an outsider at most Ivy League schools. Similarly, a student with a great GPA but a poor test performance isn’t super competitive at a lot of really competitive universities. Thus, we can’t really talk about bad scores without having the context of GPA.
Instead, we can say this: A bad ACT score is one that is weaker than your GPA.
Okay, that’s kind of a non-answer. But it’s the truth. If you want to go to a top-tier state university like the University of Texas-Austin, a 25 is probably a bad score. However, a 25 might be a great score if you want to go to a lot of other pretty good schools. Many students would be thrilled to have a 25, but others might feel devastated.
Bottom line: The ACT score you need is determined by the college you want to attend.
Make the decision with real data, not hunches. You'll get immediate access, and scoring is automatic.
Since good ACT scores are determined by target universities, let’s look at what types of colleges have average ACT scores in various ranges:
34+: The best universities in the world, including Harvard, Stanford, Cal Tech, MIT and Princeton.
31-33: Almost-Ivies, like UC-Berkeley, University of Michigan, University of Virginia, UCLA and Notre Dame.
27-30: Tons of good private and public universities, including the University of Texas at Austin, University of Florida, George Washington University and Pepperdine.
25-26: This is probably the most common range for quality state universities, including the University of Colorado, University of Arizona and Texas A&M. There are also many quality private schools in this range, including TCU and Syracuse.
22-24: Broad range of schools, including flagship state universities like the University of Missouri and Ole Miss and quality second-tier state universities like the University of Illinois-Chicago and UC-Riverside.
Below 21: There are actually quite a few universities in this category, including tons of non-flagship state universities and a lot of small private colleges. Some examples include Arkansas State University, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Regis University and Illinois State.
What can you gather from this? Three things:
ACT scores at competitive universities have gotten really, really high.
| College Name | Average ACT Score |
|---|---|
| Arizona State University | 26 |
| Cal Tech | 36 |
| Colorado State University | 26 |
| Florida International University | 26 |
| Florida State University | 28 |
| Harvard University | 34 |
| Indiana University | 28 |
| Kansas State University | 24 |
| Louisiana State University | 26 |
| MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) | 35 |
| Michigan State University | 26 |
| NYU | 32 |
| Northern Arizona University | 22 |
| Oklahoma State University | 25 |
| Princeton University | 34 |
| Rice University | 34 |
| Rutgers | 28 |
| San Diego State University | 26 |
| SMU (Southern Methodist University) | 31 |
| Stanford University | 34 |
| Texas A&M | 29 |
| Texas Tech University | 25 |
| The Ohio State University | 30 |
| UCLA | 31 |
| University of Alabama | 27 |
| University of Arizona | 25 |
| University of Arkansas | 27 |
| University of California at Berkeley | 31 |
| University of Calfornia at Irvine | 29 |
| University of Central Florida | 27 |
| University of Chicago | 34 |
| University of Florida | 30 |
| University of Georgia | 30 |
| University of Illinois | 29 |
| University of Illinois at Chicago | 24 |
| University of Kansas | 26 |
| University of Maryland | 31 |
| University of Michigan | 33 |
| University of Minnesota | 28 |
| University of Missouri | 26 |
| University of Oklahoma | 26 |
| University of South Florida | 27 |
| University of Southern California | 32 |
| University of Texas at Austin | 30 |
| University of Washington | 30 |
| University of Wisconsin | 30 |
| Vanderbilt University | 34 |
| Virginia Tech | 28 |
| Yale University | 34 |
We average just under 4 points of improvement, and all of our tutors have scored in the 99th percentile
Like we said above, ACT scores and GPA/class rank make up the vast majority of the admissions calculation. In fact, many schools will use these figures as their initial filter before moving on to further aspects of a student’s application.
For many schools, a great ACT score can help offset a mediocre GPA or class rank. Schools differ in how they weight the various portions of a student’s application, but a less-than-stellar GPA will always look better next to a strong ACT score.
Of course, if you plan on targeting top-tier colleges, you will need a sufficiently high ACT score and GPA. At the most competitive universities, standards are so high that very, very few students are shoo-ins, regardless of their ACT scores and GPA. I’ve known of perfect-scoring students who were rejected at multiple Ivy League schools!
We have spent thousands and thousands of hours figuring out how to help students do better on this test. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for every student, but there are some things that will work for the vast majority of students. This information isn't a replacement for a comprehensive prep program, but it will be useful to any student looking to raise their ACT score. While you're at it, you might want to check out our Free ACT Prep Guide.
It's tempting to try to cram for the ACT. But remember that the test covers years of school concepts. It's a ton of material, and you won't be able to get it done in a week and do it justice. So don't try. Instead, start early and make consistent, steady progress.
Most students are surprised at the progress they can make in 6-8 weeks of dedicated prep. Just four or five hours a week for a couple months is enough for most students to significantly improve their academic concept understanding and become confident in the most important test-taking strategies.
You hear a lot of people talk about little tricks that can massively raise your score. Don't buy into it. The big gains come from getting better on the actual grammar, algebra, etc. that is tested.
There is no substitute for putting in the time, and you should spend this time on official practice tests. The good news is that there are a lot of free official practice tests
Based on your practice test results, you should know where you are weak and where you are strong. Make a list of your biggest weaknesses and move through the relevant content in a methodical way. Rinse and repeat.
A good plan is one that leads you up to a specific test date and also features weekly goals for the amount of time you should spend on prep. Use your practice tests to track your progress toward your goal and determine where this time should be spent.
There is no magic number for what constitutes a great ACT score. Your starting point of reference is your targeted schools list. That will tell you what your goal should be. Once you’ve created your list and looked at the average ACT scores for your target schools, you should have an idea of what kind of score you will need in order to be competitive. If you have a low GPA, you’ll need to be even higher.
To some people, a 25 is a great score. If you’re looking at colleges with an average score of 22, a 25 is fantastic. You’re likely to get in, assuming your GPA is in order. However, that same 25 becomes much less impressive if you are targeting a school with an average ACT score of 32. If they have an average of 32, you have some serious work to do.
Fortunately, scores can improve, and if you’ve made it through this entire post, you might have the commitment needed to get YOUR great ACT score :).
Still have questions on how your scores fit into the college admissions puzzle? We'll try to answer them.
Maybe! Different colleges give different weight to scores and GPA. Having a good score but a bad GPA is certainly better than having a bad score and a bad GPA, but how much that bad GPA will hurt your really does depend on the colleges you are considering. Obviously, a good GPA is better than a bad GPA, but there is a good chance you will find some competitive universities that will give significant weight to a great score.
The answer is pretty much the same as the good score/bad GPA question: Maybe. Just as some colleges will give weight to a great score, some will give less weight to ACT scores and more weight to GPA and class rank. There is a limit to this potential, however. The odds of getting into Harvard with a 22 are extremely low, regardless of your GPA. The lesson here is that top colleges expect both high scores and a high GPA. Having one or the other is better than having neither, though.
Most students can raise their scores significantly through consistent hard work. What does "significantly" mean? It means you will be competitive at colleges you are not currently competitive at. Going from a 20 to a 23 is a significant jump, just as going from a 32 to a 34 is a significant jump. That doesn't mean all students will do this, though. The reason is simply that not all students are prepared to put in consistent hard work. A tutor can help with this, but plenty of students can do it on their own.
No. Both tests are standardized, which means they are scored in comparison to other students who take the test. The way ACT scores are compared to ACT scores is through percentiles, and a 50th percentile score on the ACT means you did better than 50% of other test takers -- which is exactly what a 50th percentile score the ACT means. Neither test is easier than the others in general, but there are some considerations that could make one a better pick than the other for you. Request a diagnostic quiz to see which one is right for you.
"Superscore" refers to the practice of taking the highest sub-score for each section across all testings and combining them to make the highest possible test score. For example, if you scored a 25/28/26/25 (English/Math/Reading/Science) on one test date and a 28/26/28/27 on the next, your superscore would be 28/28/28/27. That would give you a 28 composite score, which would be one point higher than your otherwise-best composite score of 27 (your second test). Some colleges do this, some don't. It varies greatly. There are even some colleges that do this for admissions purposes but not for scholarships, and some colleges do the exact opposite. Most schools will state their policy on their website.
No, probably not! Your ACT scores are just one part of your college preparation, and they don't say anything great about you as a person. The biggest indicator of your potential for success in college is your willingness to put in the work. While it is a good idea to get the best score you can, which will allow you to get into the college of your choice, don't fret if you end up with a less-than-stellar score. Plenty of successful people didn't do well on the ACT.
Some students can get meaningfully higher scores by prepping on their own. Some can't. Doing ACT tutoring with a professional prep company has its advantages. You can work more efficiently because the tutor will help you prioritize where to spend time, you can move through the material in an organized, systemic way and the tutor can help you through your content weaknesses, whether those include brushing up on old algebra you haven't done in years or fixing some bad grammar habits. Students who can get the same results on their own usually have a lot of time and no shortage of drive to do it. If this isn't you, or if you need results now, a tutor might be a good option.
No. This is a myth. Because the tests are standardized, there's no advantage to taking one test date over another.