A good ACT score depends on where you’re applying, but as a general benchmark, a composite score of 23 or higher puts you above roughly 75% of test takers nationally. A score of 28 or above reaches the 90th percentile, and anything 33 and up enters the range competitive for the most selective universities in the country. The ACT is scored on a scale of 1 to 36, with the composite being the average of your four section scores (English, Math, Reading, and Science).
How ACT Scores Break Down by Percentile
Your percentile tells you what percentage of students scored at or below your composite. The current national ranks, based on graduates from 2023 through 2025, give a clear picture of where different scores land:
- 18 composite: 52nd percentile, meaning you scored higher than about half of all test takers
- 23 composite: 76th percentile
- 28 composite: 91st percentile
- 35 composite: 99th percentile
The national average hovers right around 18 to 19. So if your score is in the low 20s, you’re already performing above the majority of students. But “good” really comes down to what you want the score to do for you: get you admitted, earn you scholarship money, or make you competitive at a top-tier school. Each of those goals requires a different number.
Scores for Competitive Public Universities
Most state flagship universities admit students across a wide range of ACT scores, but the middle 50% of enrolled students (the range between the 25th and 75th percentile of admitted students) gives you a realistic target. At schools known for strong academics, those ranges tend to fall between the mid-20s and low 30s.
For example, large public research universities commonly see mid-50% ranges like 25 to 31, 27 to 32, or 28 to 33, depending on the school’s selectivity. The most competitive public institutions, particularly top engineering and science schools, can have ranges pushing into the 30 to 34 range. If your score falls within or above a school’s middle 50%, you’re in solid shape for admission, at least from a testing standpoint.
Scoring below the 25th percentile for a given school doesn’t automatically disqualify you. Admissions offices weigh GPA, course rigor, essays, and extracurriculars alongside test scores. But landing within or above the mid-50% range significantly strengthens your application.
Scores for Highly Selective Private Universities
If you’re aiming at Ivy League schools or similarly selective private institutions, the bar is considerably higher. The middle 50% ACT ranges at these schools cluster tightly between 33 and 36. At Harvard, Columbia, and Brown, the middle 50% is 34 to 36. Cornell and Yale fall at 33 to 35. Stanford and Duke both sit at 34 to 35. MIT’s middle 50% is 35 to 36.
Top liberal arts colleges follow a similar pattern. Schools like Williams, Pomona, and Wellesley report middle 50% ranges of 33 to 35. Swarthmore’s range is 33 to 34.
These numbers can feel intimidating, but keep two things in mind. First, “middle 50%” means a full quarter of admitted students scored below the lower number. Second, these schools practice holistic admissions, so a 32 paired with exceptional achievements elsewhere in your application can still result in an acceptance. That said, scoring in the 33 to 36 range keeps you from being an outlier in the applicant pool.
Scores That Unlock Merit Scholarships
One of the most practical reasons to aim for a higher ACT score is scholarship money. Many universities offer automatic merit scholarships tied to specific ACT and GPA combinations, and the financial impact can be significant.
The general pattern at large public universities works like a ladder: higher scores and higher GPAs unlock bigger annual awards. A score of 25 paired with a solid GPA might earn you a few thousand dollars per year. Move up to 28 or 29, and annual awards can reach $7,000 to $9,000. At the top end, a score of 30 or above combined with a GPA of 3.5 or higher can qualify you for full tuition coverage at some schools, worth tens of thousands of dollars over four years.
A perfect 36 paired with a 4.0 GPA can unlock the most generous packages: full tuition extended through graduate school, housing stipends, and research funding. Even a jump of two or three points on the ACT can mean thousands of additional dollars per year, which makes retaking the test one of the highest-return investments of your time.
What Counts as Good for Your Situation
Rather than fixating on a single number, think about your score in the context of your goals. Here’s a practical framework:
- 18 to 22: At or somewhat above the national average. Competitive for many open-admission and moderately selective schools. You may want to retake if you’re targeting more selective universities or merit aid.
- 23 to 27: Above average, putting you in the top quarter to top 12% of test takers. Competitive at a wide range of four-year universities and likely to qualify for some merit scholarships at larger schools.
- 28 to 32: Strong scores in the 90th percentile and above. Competitive at most public flagships and many selective private institutions. This range often maximizes merit scholarship opportunities.
- 33 to 36: Elite range, placing you in roughly the top 2% to top 1% nationally. Competitive at the most selective schools in the country.
Your section scores matter too, not just the composite. Some programs weight certain sections more heavily. Engineering programs may pay closer attention to your Math score, while humanities programs might focus on English and Reading. If one section is dragging your composite down, targeted prep in that area can lift your overall score efficiently.
How to Improve Your Score
The ACT is a learnable test. Most students improve between their first and second attempts, and focused preparation can produce gains of 2 to 4 points or more on the composite. A few strategies tend to produce the best results.
Start with a full-length, timed practice test to identify your weakest section. Spending 10 hours on your lowest-scoring subject will almost always yield a bigger composite boost than spreading that time evenly across all four. The Science section, despite its name, is primarily a data interpretation test. Learning to read graphs and tables quickly can produce fast score gains. The Math section covers content up through basic trigonometry, so if you haven’t taken those courses yet, waiting to test until you have can make a real difference.
Timing is one of the biggest challenges on the ACT. The test gives you less time per question than the SAT, so practicing under timed conditions is essential. Many students know the material but run out of time. Building speed through repeated timed practice sections, rather than untimed review, addresses this directly.
You can take the ACT up to 12 times, and most colleges accept your highest composite through superscoring (combining your best section scores across multiple test dates). There’s no penalty for retaking, and colleges generally only see the scores you choose to send.