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How ACT defines a good score
ACT's own guidance is short: "A good ACT score is one that meets or exceeds the average score of students admitted to the colleges you're applying to." A 24 can be a strong score for one student's list and a low one for another's. That's why the most useful number isn't a national cutoff but the range your colleges report for the students they admit.
ACT still gives rough bands. On its score guide, a Composite of 18 to 20 is "widely accepted at regional and open-admission colleges," 20 to 23 is "competitive at many mid-tier colleges," and 24 to 28 is a "strong score for more selective colleges and universities." It adds that "some universities expect scores in the 30s, while others consider mid-20s competitive" (ACT score guide).
ACT percentiles by score
Percentiles tell you where a score sits nationally. ACT calls them national ranks: the percent of recent test-takers who scored at or below a given score. The current table is based on ACT-tested high school graduates of 2024, 2025 and 2026, and ACT uses it for tests taken from September 2026 through August 2027 (ACT national ranks).
Each bubble shows a Composite score and its national rank. Select a score for its full breakdown: SAT equivalent, raw scores needed and the colleges where it falls in range. Scores 15 to 32 are grouped on three pages (15 to 19, 20 to 25, 26 to 32), and 33 to 36 each have their own page.
- ACT 36100%
- ACT 3599%
- ACT 3499%
- ACT 3398%
- ACT 3297%
- ACT 3196%
- ACT 3094%
- ACT 2993%
- ACT 2891%
- ACT 2789%
- ACT 2686%
- ACT 2583%
- ACT 2480%
- ACT 2377%
- ACT 2272%
- ACT 2168%
- ACT 2063%
- ACT 1958%
- ACT 1852%
- ACT 1747%
- ACT 1641%
- ACT 1534%
| Score | Composite | English | Math | Reading | Science | STEM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| 35 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 98 | 99 | 99 |
| 34 | 99 | 97 | 99 | 97 | 99 | 99 |
| 33 | 98 | 96 | 98 | 95 | 98 | 98 |
| 32 | 97 | 95 | 97 | 93 | 97 | 97 |
| 31 | 96 | 94 | 96 | 91 | 96 | 96 |
| 30 | 94 | 93 | 95 | 89 | 95 | 95 |
| 29 | 93 | 92 | 94 | 87 | 93 | 94 |
| 28 | 91 | 90 | 93 | 85 | 92 | 92 |
| 27 | 89 | 88 | 91 | 83 | 91 | 90 |
| 26 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 81 | 89 | 88 |
| 25 | 83 | 84 | 84 | 78 | 86 | 85 |
| 24 | 80 | 81 | 81 | 75 | 82 | 81 |
| 23 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 71 | 77 | 77 |
| 22 | 72 | 74 | 74 | 66 | 70 | 73 |
| 21 | 68 | 70 | 71 | 61 | 65 | 69 |
| 20 | 63 | 64 | 68 | 56 | 60 | 64 |
| 19 | 58 | 58 | 64 | 51 | 54 | 58 |
| 18 | 52 | 54 | 60 | 47 | 48 | 52 |
| 17 | 47 | 50 | 53 | 42 | 41 | 45 |
| 16 | 41 | 46 | 45 | 37 | 34 | 36 |
| 15 | 34 | 41 | 33 | 33 | 27 | 27 |
| 14 | 28 | 34 | 21 | 28 | 19 | 17 |
| 13 | 20 | 28 | 11 | 22 | 14 | 10 |
| 12 | 13 | 23 | 6 | 16 | 10 | 5 |
| 11 | 6 | 18 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 2 |
| 10 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Show scores 9 to 1
| Score | Composite | English | Math | Reading | Science | STEM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 8 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Section ranks use the same score scale. STEM is the average of Math and Science and only appears if you take Science.
Where the top quarter, top tenth and top 1% start
Many guides call a 24 "top 25%." ACT's current table puts it a little higher than that:
- Top quarter: a 23 is at the 77th rank and a 24 at the 80th, so the top quarter starts at about 23.
- Top tenth: a 28 is at the 91st rank and a 29 at the 93rd.
- Top 1%: a 34 and a 35 are both at the 99th rank, and a 36 is the 100th.
- National average: ACT reports an average Composite of 19.4 for 2024 (ACT) and the same 19.4 for the graduating class of 2025 (ACT state averages, class of 2025). A 19 is at the 58th rank and a 20 at the 63rd.
More on the average, and why different sources report different numbers, is in our average ACT score guide.
How to judge your own score
- Get your score. If it's a practice test, the raw-score calculator converts your correct answers to section scores, a Composite and a national rank.
- List your colleges' ranges. ACT recommends researching the average scores at your target colleges to set your goal. Many colleges publish the ACT range of the students they admit.
- Compare, then decide on a retake. If you're below the range at the colleges you care about most, a retake may help. ACT says students who first score between 13 and 29 raise their Composite by an average of one point when they retest (ACT retest guidance). Our retake guide covers limits and superscoring.
Superscores and the Enhanced ACT
Many students send a superscore, which averages your best English, Math and Reading from every test since September 2016 (ACT superscore FAQs). On the Enhanced ACT, Science is optional and doesn't count toward the Composite (ACT Student Blog), so older four-section Composites and new three-section Composites aren't built the same way. ACT says Composite scores from before the change don't change. See the Enhanced ACT explained for the details.
What other guides say
- Cutoffs differ slightly. Kaplan says "a good ACT score is a composite score of 23 or higher," putting you in the top 25%. That matches ACT's current table better than guides that use 24 for the top quarter.
- Percentile bands line up. The Princeton Review lists 26 to 29 as the 85th to 93rd percentile and 30 to 33 as the 94th to 98th. ACT's current table gives 86 to 93 and 94 to 98.
- Everyone agrees on one thing: your colleges' admitted-student range matters more than any national label.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 20 a good ACT score?
A 20 is slightly above ACT's reported 2024 national average of 19.4 and sits at the 63rd national rank. ACT's guide describes 20 to 23 as competitive at many mid-tier colleges. Whether it's good for you depends on the colleges you're applying to.
Is a 27 a good ACT score?
A 27 is at the 89th national rank, so it's at or above the scores of about 89% of recent test-takers. ACT calls 24 to 28 a strong score for more selective colleges. Compare it with the admitted-student ranges at your colleges.
Is 15 a bad ACT score?
A 15 is at the 34th national rank and below the 2024 average of 19.4. It may still meet requirements at some open-admission colleges, but check each college. If you're retaking, ACT reports that students who first score between 13 and 29 improve by an average of one point on a retest.
What ACT score is top 1%?
On ACT's current national ranks, a 34 and a 35 are both at the 99th rank and a 36 is at the 100th, so the top 1% starts at about 34.
What is the average ACT score?
ACT reports an average Composite of 19.4 for 2024 and 19.4 for the graduating class of 2025.
Related guides
Sources and how this page is built
How this page is built
Research current as of:
Cedrick Reese built this guide for TutoringForAct.com from ACT's own score guide, its national ranks table for tests taken September 2026 through August 2027, and ACT's 2025 state averages report. Every percentile on this page is copied from ACT's table, not estimated. The page is rechecked each time ACT publishes new national ranks or average scores, and the bands it quotes are compared against ACT's score guide at the same time.
Sources
- Understanding Your ACT Scores (ACT)
- ACT Test Score Percentiles and National Ranks (ACT)
- Average ACT Test Scores by State (ACT)
- Average ACT Scores by State, Graduating Class of 2025 (ACT)
- Can You Retake the ACT? (ACT)
- ACT Superscore FAQs (ACT)
- The Enhanced ACT Explained (ACT Student Blog)
- What Is a Good ACT Score? (Kaplan, January 2, 2026)
- What is a Good ACT Score? (The Princeton Review)
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