ACT Scoring Guide 2026–27: Composite, Section Scores, Science, STEM, and Superscores

The biggest ACT scoring change students still get wrong in 2026 is this:

Composite=average of English + Math + Reading

Science is no longer part of the Composite for current ACT administrations.

If you take Science, you still receive:

• a Science score on the 1–36 scale;
• a STEM score based on Math + Science.

The ACT score scale remains 1–36.

This page explains the current system—not the older four-section Composite still described on some outdated pages.

Current ACT Composite

For current ACT testing:

$$\text{Composite}= \frac{\text{English}+\text{Math}+\text{Reading}}{3}$$

Then rounded to the nearest whole number under ACT's score-reporting rules.

Example:

English:

$$30$$

Math:

$$28$$

Reading:

$$32$$

Average:

$$\frac{30+28+32}{3} = 30$$

Composite:

$$\boxed{30}$$

Science is optional and separate

If you choose Science:

• Science receives its own 1–36 score;
• it does not change the current Composite;
• it contributes to STEM score with Math.

This is strategically important.

A Science score of 35 does not raise an EMR Composite of 30 to something higher.

The Composite remains based on:

• English;
• Math;
• Reading.

STEM score

If you take Science, ACT reports a STEM score based on:

$$\boxed{\frac{\text{Math}+\text{Science}}{2}}$$

rounded according to ACT reporting rules.

Example:

Math:

$$31$$

Science:

$$35$$

STEM:

$$\frac{31+35}{2}=33$$ $$\boxed{33}$$

Writing is separate too

Optional ACT Writing has its own score system.

It does not enter the Composite.

Students who take Writing may also receive an ELA-related score using the relevant component results, but the core ACT Composite remains English + Math + Reading.

Section scores remain 1–36

The current section-score scale remains:

1 to 36

for:

• English;
• Math;
• Reading;
• Science if taken.

Do not assume the shorter enhanced ACT means a new 1–40 or percentage-based scale.

Raw score vs scaled score

Raw score:

number of scored questions answered correctly.

Scaled score:

converted 1–36 score.

There is not one permanent raw-to-scale conversion table you should memorize.

Conversion can vary by form because ACT equates forms so scores remain comparable.

That means:

"How many can I miss for a 30?"

does not have one universal answer across every administration.

Use official practice scoring tables for that specific form.

Field-test questions

The enhanced ACT contains embedded field-test items.

These questions look like ordinary test questions but are not used in your operational score.

You are not told which they are.

Therefore:

answer every question seriously.

Do not try to identify experimental questions during testing.

Why forms can convert differently

Suppose one form is slightly harder.

A raw score may convert differently so the scaled score retains comparable meaning.

That is the purpose of equating.

You should not interpret:

45 correct on one form

as automatically the same scaled score as:

45 correct on every form.

Composite rounding

Because Composite averages three section scores, decimals can occur.

Example:

English:

$$31$$

Math:

$$30$$

Reading:

$$29$$

Average:

$$30$$

Easy.

Now:

$$31+30+30=91$$ $$\frac{91}{3}=30.33...$$

Composite:

rounds according to ACT rules to the nearest whole score.

Do not assume section scores themselves are averaged with Science.

Superscore: current method

ACT Superscore uses your highest:

• English;
• Math;
• Reading

section scores across eligible test dates.

Then those best sections are averaged into the Superscore Composite.

Science is no longer part of the Superscore Composite, though your highest Science and STEM information can still appear if you took Science.

Superscore example

Test 1:

• English 31
• Math 27
• Reading 30

Test 2:

• English 29
• Math 32
• Reading 29

Best:

• English 31
• Math 32
• Reading 30

Superscore:

$$\frac{31+32+30}{3}=31$$ $$\boxed{31}$$

See ACT Superscore for the dedicated policy guide.

Colleges control how they use scores

ACT can report a Composite and Superscore.

A college decides:

• whether ACT is required/optional;
• whether it superscores;
• whether Science matters for a program;
• whether official score reports are required;
• whether all administrations are considered.

Do not assume ACT's Superscore availability means every college uses it identically.

Science can still matter

Science is outside the Composite, but that does not mean:

Science is meaningless.

Possible uses:

• STEM score;
• college/program consideration;
• evidence of science reasoning;
• local/state/school requirements.

Check target-college policy.

Score report layers

A score report can contain:

• Composite;
• section scores;
• reporting-category information;
• Science score if taken;
• STEM score if applicable;
• Writing/ELA information if applicable;
• superscore information where requested.

Do not reduce the entire report to one number.

Reporting categories

ACT section reports include performance categories.

Examples:

Math:

• Algebra;
• Functions;
• Geometry;
• Statistics & Probability;
• Number & Quantity.

Reading:

• Key Ideas & Details;
• Craft & Structure;
• Integration of Knowledge & Ideas.

These are useful diagnostically.

But they should not be overinterpreted from a tiny number of questions.

Score bands vs one-point obsession

A one-point section difference can reflect a small number of questions.

Study decisions should be driven by:

• repeated skill errors;
• practice trends;
• timing patterns.

Not:

"My Geometry bar looks one notch lower."

Use score reports as evidence, not destiny.

Score release and reporting are different

Student score release:

when you can see result.

College score sending:

separate process depending on reporting method and institution.

Do not assume:

score visible = every college automatically has it.

Score choice

Depending on college policy and ACT options, you may choose which scores/reports to send.

But institution rules vary.

Always check current college admissions page before using score strategy.

What does a 30 mean?

A 30 is a scaled ACT Composite.

It does not mean:

• 30 questions correct;
• 30%;
• exactly the same raw score on every form.

Use percentile/college-context guides separately.

See What Is a Good ACT Score?.

Percentiles

Percentiles compare your score to a reference population.

Example:

90th percentile

means score was at or above roughly 90% of the reference group.

It does not mean:

90% correct.

See ACT Score Percentiles.

Raw-score trap

Students often say:

"I missed 5, so I should get a 34."

Without a specific form conversion, that is unreliable.

Better:

• use form's official scoring table;
• track scaled section score;
• track error patterns.

Composite-change math

If current:

• E 30
• M 30
• R 30

Composite:

$$30$$

If Math rises to 33:

$$\frac{30+33+30}{3}=31$$

So 3-point section gain raises Composite by about 1 point here.

This helps prioritize.

Section leverage

Because Composite has three equal components, improvements in any one section contribute equally mathematically.

But your easiest available improvement may not be equal.

If:

• English 25;
• Math 34;
• Reading 33;

English likely has more room for high-return repair.

Superscore leverage

If your best Math is already 35, another administration mainly has value if:

• English;
• Reading;
• other strategic goal

can improve.

Superscore planning should focus on weak best-section values.

Should you take Science?

Scoring answer:

Science does not enter the current Composite.

Decision answer:

depends on your colleges/programs, STEM goals, requirements, and whether a Science score adds value.

Do not decide solely from the Composite formula.

Old score articles can mislead

Before September 2025, legacy discussions often described Composite as average of four sections:

• English;
• Math;
• Reading;
• Science.

That is obsolete for current ACT administrations.

Current Composite is EMR.

Score consistency

ACT designed the enhanced score scale to remain comparable in meaning.

A current 30 is still reported on the familiar 1–36 scale.

Do not treat enhanced ACT as requiring a completely different admissions language.

Worked example: Composite

E=27, M=31, R=29

$$\frac{27+31+29}{3}=29$$

Composite:

$$\boxed{29}$$

Worked example: STEM

M=31, S=32

$$\frac{31+32}{2}=31.5$$

Reported STEM score follows ACT rounding/reporting convention.

Worked example: Superscore

Date A:

• E 28
• M 33
• R 30

Date B:

• E 31
• M 31
• R 32

Best:

• E 31
• M 33
• R 32

$$\frac{31+33+32}{3}=32$$

Superscore:

$$\boxed{32}$$

Fast scoring checklist

Before making a score decision, verify:

1. current Composite = EMR;
2. Science separate;
3. college policy;
4. superscore policy;
5. score-release/application timing;
6. whether another test has clear section-improvement value.

Common scoring myths

Myth 1

Science still lowers Composite. No under current scoring.

Myth 2

Every form has same miss-count conversion. No.

Myth 3

Superscore includes Science in Composite. Not under current method.

Myth 4

Percentile = percent correct. No.

Myth 5

Optional Science = never useful. Not necessarily.

Myth 6

One lower administration ruins all future reporting. Depends on college/reporting policy.

Current-policy source of truth

For current ACT score calculation, prioritize official ACT material.

Scoring changed recently enough that old prep articles can be stale.

Check official policy again if:

• applying in a later cycle;
• using school-day/state testing;
• deciding about Science;
• sending superscores.

How old and new ACT scores coexist

Students may have older ACT administrations whose Composite used English, Math, Reading, and Science.

Those historical scores remain reported as originally earned.

ACT did not retroactively recalculate old Composite scores under the new EMR formula.

When a college receives multiple administrations spanning the transition, check how that institution handles them.

ACT's own current superscore process can use best section scores across administrations while applying the current EMR Composite definition for the Superscore.

Enhanced ACT and score comparability

The enhanced ACT is shorter, but ACT designed linking/equating so the familiar 1–36 scale remains meaningful.

Do not assume:

fewer questions means each question is worth a fixed larger number of scaled points.

Scaled scoring is not simple point multiplication.

Reporting-category percentages are not section scores

A score report may show category performance.

That is diagnostic information.

It is not:

a second official section score.

Example:

Algebra category appears weaker.

Use it to guide review.

Do not average category bars to recreate Math score.

STEM score use

STEM score averages Math and Science from the same administration.

This is different from a Composite superscore assembled across dates.

If you care about STEM score:

Math and Science performance on the relevant administration both matter.

ELA score

If Writing is taken, ACT may report an ELA score derived from English, Reading, and Writing-related results under current reporting rules.

Do not confuse:

• ELA;
• Composite;
• Writing score.

They answer different questions.

When a one-point Composite increase is possible

Because Composite averages three integers, section improvements can cross rounding thresholds.

Example:

E=29, M=29, R=30

Average:

$$29.33$$

Now raise English to 30:

$$\frac{30+29+30}{3}=29.67$$

That can round to:

$$30$$

So one section point can sometimes change Composite, but not always.

Score strategy should use college context

Before retesting, record:

• current Composite;
• best E/M/R;
• target college ranges;
• superscore policy;
• testing deadline;
• Science relevance.

Then ask:

Which section improvement could actually change my submission decision?

This is more useful than chasing a generic "good score."

Beware unofficial conversion charts

A generic website may publish:

miss 3 = 35.

Treat such charts as rough examples unless tied to a specific official form.

For practice:

use the official conversion for that practice test.

For real ACT:

rely on reported scale score.

Score-release delays and irregularities

Most scores follow normal release processes, but individual results can take longer for reasons such as:

• answer-document issues;
• irregularities;
• verification.

Do not build an application plan with zero buffer.

Check current ACT release guidance near your administration.

FAQ: ACT scoring 2026–27

What sections count toward Composite?

English, Math, Reading.

Does Science count?

No, not in current Composite.

What is ACT scale?

1–36 for core section scores and Composite.

Is Science scored if I take it?

Yes, separately on 1–36 and used for STEM score.

Can raw-to-scale conversion vary?

Yes, by form.

Does current Superscore use Science?

Science is not part of current Superscore Composite; best E/M/R are used.

Related MastaPrep guides

• Enhanced ACT Guide
• ACT Superscore
• ACT Score Percentiles
• What Is a Good ACT Score?
• ACT Test Dates 2026–27

Final takeaway

Current ACT scoring is simpler than the legacy system:

$$\boxed{\text{Composite}=\frac{E+M+R}{3}}$$

Science:

separate.

STEM:

Math + Science average if Science taken.

Superscore:

best English, Math, Reading across eligible tests.

Always distinguish:

• raw score;
• scaled score;
• percentile;
• Composite;
• Superscore.

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Official ACT references:
https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act-postsecondary-professionals/scores/multi-scores.html
https://www.act.org/content/act/en/students-and-parents/high-school-success/testing-advice-for-the-act/superscore-faqs.html
https://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/R2519-Design-Framework-for-the-ACT-Enhancements-2026-02.pdf

Trademark note: ACT® is a registered trademark of ACT Education Corp. MastaPrep is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ACT Education Corp.