What Is a Good ACT Score in 2026?

Marcus took the ACT in September of junior year and got a 26. His first reaction was relief. His second reaction, after ten minutes on his phone, was panic. A college forum said 26 was average. A test prep ad said anything under 30 was "below competitive." His older sister scored a 33 and got into Michigan. His parents wanted to know if he needed a tutor.

The problem with searching "good ACT score" is that every answer is technically correct and practically useless. A 26 is a strong score for dozens of universities and a below-average score at highly selective schools. Without knowing where Marcus plans to apply, the number means nothing.

What you need is not a single benchmark. You need the score ranges for the specific schools on your list, a clear understanding of how your score compares to admitted students at those schools, and a strategy for closing the gap if one exists.

The National Average Is a Starting Point

The national average ACT composite score for the high school graduating class of 2025 was 19.5¹. That number has declined over several years, partly because more states have adopted universal ACT testing, which means the test-taking population now includes students who might not have voluntarily registered.

If you scored above 19.5, you outperformed the national average. But that fact alone tells you almost nothing useful about your admissions chances. A student applying to the University of Arkansas with a 23 is in a competitive position. That same student applying to Vanderbilt with a 23 is well below the typical admitted range.

The national average is a statistical reference point for ACT, Inc. It was never designed to tell you whether your score is good enough for a particular college.

What ACT Percentiles Actually Mean

Your ACT score report includes a percentile rank. A 75th percentile ranking means you scored higher than 75% of all students who took the test. Here are the approximate percentile benchmarks on the current 1-36 scale¹:

• 25th percentile: 14
• 50th percentile: 19
• 75th percentile: 24
• 90th percentile: 29
• 95th percentile: 32
• 99th percentile: 35

Percentiles help you understand where you fall nationally, but admissions offices at selective schools are not comparing you to all 1.4 million test-takers. They are comparing you to the specific pool of students who applied to their institution, and that pool is significantly stronger than the national distribution.

ACT Score Ranges by College Tier

This is the information that actually helps you make decisions. The ranges below represent the middle 50% of admitted students at each tier, meaning the 25th to 75th percentile of enrolled freshmen. Half of admitted students fall within this range, a quarter scored below, and a quarter scored above².

These ranges are approximations drawn from recently published institutional data and shift year to year. Always check the common data set for each school on your list. Every accredited college publishes this data, usually on their admissions or institutional research page.

Three Things About ACT Scores Nobody Tells You

Your Composite Hides the Real Story

The ACT composite is the average of four section scores: English, Math, Reading, and Science. A composite of 28 could come from four 28s or from a 33 in English, a 31 in Reading, a 26 in Science, and a 22 in Math. Those two profiles represent very different students applying to very different programs.

Engineering and STEM programs care more about your math score. Humanities programs pay closer attention to English and Reading. A lopsided score that aligns with your intended major can actually help at programs that evaluate section scores independently.

Check whether your target schools publish section-level data. If your math score is a 24 but the engineering program's 25th percentile math score is 30, your composite might look competitive while your section score signals a problem.

Test-Optional Means You Need to Be Strategic, Not Passive

Over 1,900 four-year colleges have adopted test-optional or test-free policies³. This does not mean your score is irrelevant. It means you have a strategic choice to make.

At test-optional schools, a missing score is treated as neutral. A submitted score below the middle 50% range is treated as a data point that weakens your application. Admissions offices have said this publicly and repeatedly.

The calculation is simple: if your ACT score falls at or above a school's middle 50% range, submit it. If it falls below, don't. This is how test-optional policies are designed to work. Our guide on submitting scores to test-optional colleges breaks down the decision framework in detail.

Superscoring Changes Your Retake Strategy Entirely

Many colleges that consider the ACT practice superscoring, which means they take your highest section score from across all test dates and combine them into a best-possible composite. If you scored a 30 in English and 25 in Math in October, then a 27 in English and 29 in Math in March, your superscore composite would be built from the 30 English and the 29 Math¹.

This changes how you should approach retakes. Instead of trying to raise every section at once, you can focus preparation on the one or two sections dragging down your composite. Each sitting becomes an opportunity to lock in a high section score.

Not every school superscores the ACT. The University of California system, for example, does not accept ACT scores at all. Check each school's policy before building a retake strategy around superscoring.

How to Set Your Personal ACT Target

Here is the process that replaces guessing with data:

Step 1: Start with your school list. You need at least a rough list of target, match, and reach schools before you can set a meaningful score target. If you have not built your list yet, our guide on how to choose a college walks through the process.

Step 2: Look up the middle 50% ACT range for each school. Search for "[school name] common data set" or visit the admissions page directly. Write down the 25th and 75th percentile ACT composites for each school on your list.

Step 3: Set your target at the 75th percentile of your top-choice school. Aiming for the top of the middle 50% range puts your score firmly in the positive column. It becomes a strength rather than a question mark.

Step 4: Measure the gap. Compare your current score or your most recent practice test to your target. The size of that gap determines how much preparation you need and how long it will take.

Step 5: Decide whether the ACT is the right test. If your gap is large and your practice SAT percentile is significantly higher than your ACT percentile, the SAT vs ACT comparison can help you decide whether switching tests is a better use of your time.

Closing the Gap Between Your Score and Your Target

A realistic framework for ACT score improvement:

• 1-2 point gap: Review timing strategies, reduce careless errors. Two to three weeks of focused practice.
• 3-4 point gap: Targeted content review in your weakest section. Four to six weeks of structured prep.
• 5-7 point gap: Comprehensive study plan with regular full-length practice tests. Two to three months.
• 8+ point gap: Extended preparation timeline of four to six months. Consider working with a tutor for your weakest sections, or evaluate whether the SAT might be a better fit. Our ACT prep guide covers how to structure long-term preparation.

The Science Section Is Quietly Killing Composites

The ACT Science section causes more composite score damage than any other section, and most students misunderstand why. It is not testing whether you know biology or chemistry. It is testing whether you can read graphs, interpret experimental data, and draw conclusions under severe time pressure. You get 35 minutes for 40 questions.

Students who approach it as a science test study the wrong material. Students who approach it as a fast-paced data interpretation test score significantly higher. Our ACT science section strategy guide explains how to treat the science section as a reading test and how that shift in approach typically produces the biggest single-section score gains.

If your science score is 3 or more points below your other sections, fixing it may be the fastest path to raising your composite.

When to Stop Chasing Points

Here is what the test prep industry does not want you to hear: once your ACT score is within a school's middle 50% range, additional points have sharply diminishing returns. The difference between a 32 and a 34 at a school whose range is 30-34 is minimal compared to the difference between a generic application essay and a compelling one.

Families spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars trying to push an ACT composite from 31 to 33 when that same investment in essay quality, extracurricular depth, or recommendation letter strategy would produce a larger admissions return. Your score needs to be in range. After that, shift your effort.

What to Do Right Now

If you have not taken the ACT yet, take a full-length practice test this weekend under timed conditions. Use the official practice tests available at act.org. Score it honestly using the scoring guide. That score is your baseline.

If you have already taken the ACT and your score is below your target range, decide whether to retake. Use the gap framework above to estimate how much preparation you need. Then check whether your timeline allows for it before application deadlines.

If your score is already within or above the middle 50% range for your target schools, stop studying for the ACT. Your time is better spent on your application essay or strengthening your activities list. A 30 composite with a memorable essay will outperform a 32 composite with a forgettable one at nearly every school in the country.

Your next step: pull up the admissions data for the three schools you care about most. Write down the middle 50% ACT range for each one. Compare those numbers to your most recent score or practice test result. That gap, or lack of one, is your actual answer to "is my ACT score good enough?"

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a 25 a good ACT score? A 25 places you near the 78th percentile nationally, meaning you scored higher than roughly three out of four test-takers. It is competitive for many state universities and moderately selective colleges with acceptance rates above 40%. For highly selective schools with acceptance rates below 20%, a 25 typically falls below the middle 50% range of admitted students.

What ACT score do I need for Ivy League schools? Most Ivy League institutions report a middle 50% ACT range between 33 and 36. Scoring within this range makes your application competitive from a testing standpoint, but Ivy League admissions are holistic. Students with scores below 33 are admitted every year based on the strength of their full application, including essays, recommendations, and extracurricular achievements.

Should I retake the ACT if I scored a 28? It depends entirely on your target schools. If the schools on your list have a middle 50% range that tops out around 30, a 28 puts you in solid position and a retake offers marginal benefit. If you are aiming at schools where the 75th percentile is 34 or higher, a retake with focused preparation could meaningfully strengthen your application. Weigh whether your time is better spent on score improvement or on other application components.

Is the ACT or SAT easier? Neither test is objectively easier. They test different skills in different formats. The ACT has a science section and tighter time pressure across all sections. The SAT has no science section but includes more complex word problems in math. Students who read quickly and manage time well often prefer the ACT. Students who prefer more time per question often prefer the SAT. The best way to determine which test suits you is to take a full practice test of each and compare your percentile scores. Our SAT vs ACT comparison guide walks through the decision.

How many times should I take the ACT? Two to three attempts is the practical range for most students. The first attempt establishes your baseline. The second attempt, after targeted preparation, usually produces the largest improvement. A third attempt can help if you are focused on raising a specific section score for superscoring purposes or if you had a poor test day. Beyond three attempts, gains are typically minimal and preparation time is better invested in other parts of your college application.

Do colleges see all my ACT scores? ACT gives you the option to send only the scores you choose. Unlike some standardized tests, you are not required to send every score from every sitting. If you took the ACT three times and your second attempt was your strongest, you can send only that score. However, if a school superscores the ACT, sending all scores allows them to build your highest possible composite from across all sittings.