What Is a Good ACT Score in 2026–27? Percentiles & College Targets

A good ACT score is one that strengthens your application for the colleges, programs, and scholarships you are actually targeting.

Nationally, the 2026–27 ACT rank table places:

• 20 at the 63rd percentile;
• 22 at the 72nd;
• 25 at the 83rd;
• 28 at the 91st;
• 30 at the 94th;
• 32 at the 97th;
• 34 at the 99th.

Those are strong benchmarks, but admissions context matters more than a national label. For more on ACT scoring and prep, see our ACT guides.

Current ACT scoring reminder

The enhanced ACT Composite is on the familiar 1–36 scale.

For the current test, Composite is based on:

• English;
• Math;
• Reading.

Science is optional and does not enter the Composite.

This is important because older ACT articles describe a four-section Composite including Science. For a full walkthrough of the current section-by-section format, see our enhanced ACT guide.

2026–27 ACT Composite percentile table

ACT says the current national ranks are based on ACT-tested high school graduates from 2024, 2025, and 2026, and are used for tests taken from September 2026 through August 2027.

Selected Composite ranks:

ACT reports a Composite mean of 19.1 in this national-rank table.

A “national rank” means the percentage of recent ACT-tested graduates who scored at or below that score. For a deeper breakdown of every Composite-to-percentile mapping, see our ACT score percentiles guide.

Is a 20 ACT good?

A 20 is around the 63rd national percentile in the current ACT table.

That means it is above the performance of a majority of the comparison group.

Whether it is good for admissions depends on your list.

At some institutions it may be competitive. At more selective colleges it may fall below the normal submitted-score range.

Is a 22 ACT good?

A 22 is around the 72nd percentile.

That is a solid national score.

If 22 is below your target college range, look for high-return improvements in:

• ACT English rules;
• core algebra;
• pacing;
• passage navigation.

Is a 25 ACT good?

A 25 is around the 83rd percentile.

That is a strong national result.

A student at 25 should not automatically chase 30. First ask:

• what do target colleges report?
• is there a scholarship threshold?
• are practice scores already above 25?
• which section has the clearest upside?

Is a 28 ACT good?

A 28 is around the 91st percentile.

That places you roughly in the top 9% of the current ACT comparison group.

For many colleges, 28 can be highly competitive. For some selective institutions, it may sit below the middle of the submitted-score distribution.

Is a 30 ACT good?

Yes. A 30 is around the 94th percentile.

That is an excellent national score.

At this level, retesting should have a reason:

• target college range;
• scholarship cutoff;
• clear practice-test evidence;
• a weak section dragging down the Composite.

Is a 32 ACT good?

A 32 is around the 97th percentile.

That is an exceptional national score.

The strategic question becomes whether the marginal value of another point or two is larger than the value of time spent on:

• grades;
• essays;
• applications;
• activities;
• coursework.

Is a 34 ACT good?

A 34 is around the 99th percentile.

This is an elite score nationally.

A retake can still make sense for a specific reason, but “35 sounds better” alone is not always enough reason to spend another test cycle.

What about a 36?

A 36 is the maximum Composite score.

It is an outstanding result, but admissions are not a one-variable ranking system. A 36 does not guarantee admission to any particular college.

How to set your ACT target

Step 1: List your colleges

Include:

• likely;
• target;
• reach.

Step 2: Find each college's current ACT data

Use official admissions pages or Common Data Set data when available.

Record the 25th and 75th percentile scores among enrolled score-submitters.

Step 3: Compare your score

A practical interpretation:

• below the 25th percentile: likely a weaker component for that college;
• inside the middle 50%: broadly aligned with submitting students;
• at or above the 75th percentile: relative score strength.

This is not an admissions guarantee.

Test-optional changes the question

At a test-optional college, do not ask only:

“Is 28 good?”

Ask:

“Does a 28 add useful positive evidence for this specific institution?”

A nationally strong score can still be below a very selective college's typical submission range. If you're weighing whether to report your score at all, our guide on submitting scores at test-optional colleges walks through the decision.

Conversely, a score below 30 can be highly valuable at many schools.

International students: should you interpret ACT percentiles differently?

The ACT national-rank table is based on ACT-tested high school graduates, primarily a US reporting context.

International applicants should still use it as general score context, but their college-specific target ranges matter more.

Your goal is not to rank yourself against a hypothetical global ACT population. Your goal is to decide whether the score strengthens the application at the universities receiving it.

Science score: does it matter anymore?

Science is optional for current national testing and does not enter the Composite.

However, students who take it still receive a Science score.

Potential reasons to take Science include:

• STEM interest;
• program expectations;
• desire to present an additional strength;
• school/counselor advice.

Do not assume that every STEM applicant must take Science. Verify the policies relevant to your target institutions.

Section imbalance matters

Suppose two students have a 30 Composite.

Student A:

• English 31
• Math 31
• Reading 28

Student B:

• English 35
• Math 24
• Reading 31

Same Composite, different story.

If Student B is applying to quantitative programs, Math may deserve focused improvement even if the total score looks strong.

When should you retake?

Retake when:

• current score is below your target college range;
• practice performance shows credible upside;
• one section has a clear repair path;
• scholarship money depends on a threshold;
• test day was unrepresentative.

Think twice when:

• score is already strong for the list;
• gains have plateaued;
• another cycle harms schoolwork;
• you are chasing prestige rather than application value.

How to improve by score range

Below 20

Build fundamentals.

• grammar;
• algebra;
• reading process;
• basic pacing.

20–25

Fix repeatable gaps.

• punctuation;
• functions;
• geometry;
• passage navigation;
• timing.

25–30

Move from broad prep to targeted prep.

• analyze error clusters;
• reduce slow questions;
• improve difficult-item selection.

30–34

Precision matters.

• advanced content gaps;
• subtle grammar/rhetoric;
• high-difficulty Math;
• careless errors;
• pacing under fatigue.

34–36

The remaining errors are sparse and expensive. You need forensic review, not more generic lessons.

How MastaPrep can use your ACT target

A target score should influence recommendations.

A student at 18 aiming for 23 needs:

• foundations;
• high-frequency rules;
• consistent pacing.

A student at 32 aiming for 34 needs:

• narrow error analysis;
• advanced questions;
• precision.

A useful platform should not give both students the same daily lesson because they both clicked “ACT.”

FAQ

What is the average ACT score?

The current 2026–27 national-rank table reports a Composite mean of 19.1.

Is 25 a good ACT score?

Yes nationally. It is around the 83rd percentile.

Is 30 a good ACT score?

Yes. It is around the 94th percentile.

Is 32 a good ACT score?

Yes. It is around the 97th percentile.

Is 34 a good ACT score?

Yes. It is around the 99th percentile.

Does ACT Science count in the Composite?

No. The current enhanced Composite is based on English, Math, and Reading.

What ACT score do I need for college?

There is no universal target. Compare your score to the current range at the colleges on your list.

Official references

• ACT national ranks: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/national-ranks.html
• ACT enhanced structure: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-preparation/act-exam-sections-and-structure.html

---

Trademark note: SAT® is a registered trademark of College Board. ACT® is a registered trademark of ACT Education Corp. MastaPrep is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by College Board or ACT Education Corp.