Scoring Reference — Updated 2026

ACT Scoring Guide

How ACT scoring works from raw answers to composite score — including full raw-to-scaled conversion tables for all four sections, national percentile data, college benchmarks, and Writing section scoring explained.

Last updated: 2026 · Data from 2023 ACT national norms

1–36

Score range

Each section + composite

~19.5

National average

2023 composite

Wrong-answer penalty

Guess freely

2–12

Writing score

Separate, not in composite

1. How ACT Scoring Works

ACT scoring follows a three-step process: (1) a raw score is calculated from your correct answers, (2) the raw score is converted to a scaled section score on the 1–36 scale using ACT's equating tables, and (3) your composite score is calculated as the simple average of your four section scores.

Step 1

Raw Score

Count correct answers in each section. No deduction for wrong answers or blanks — one point per correct response. English: max 75; Math: max 60; Reading: max 40; Science: max 40.

Step 2

Scaled Score

Raw score is converted to a 1–36 scale using ACT's equating tables. These tables adjust for minor difficulty differences between test dates, so a 30 on one administration equals a 30 on another.

Step 3

Composite Score

Average the four section scaled scores (English + Math + Reading + Science ÷ 4), then round to the nearest whole number. This 1–36 composite is the primary number colleges see.

No Penalty for Wrong Answers

The ACT uses rights-only scoring — you earn one point for each correct answer and zero points for incorrect or blank answers. This means you should always answer every question, even if you must guess randomly. With 4-choice questions (English, Reading, Science), a random guess has a 25% chance of being correct. With 5-choice Math questions, the chance is 20%. Never leave a question blank.

Why Scores Vary Across Test Dates

No two ACT administrations are identical in difficulty. A test with slightly harder passages might require only 37 correct Reading answers to score a 34, while an easier test might require 38. ACT's equating process adjusts for these differences so that a given scaled score means the same thing across all test dates. This is why the raw-to-scaled conversion tables below are approximate — they can shift slightly from one test to the next.

2. Raw-to-Scaled Conversion Tables

These tables show approximate raw score ranges and their corresponding scaled scores for each section. Because ACT equates scores across administrations, exact cutoffs vary slightly by test date — these are based on published norms and are reliable as general guidelines.

How to use these tables

Count your correct answers on a practice test, find your raw score in the left column, and read your estimated scaled score on the right. Add up all four scaled scores and divide by 4 to estimate your composite.

English Section (75 questions)

Correct Answers	Scaled Score
75	36
73–74	35
70–72	34
67–69	33
65–66	32
62–64	31
59–61	30
56–58	29
53–55	28
51–52	27
48–50	26
45–47	25
43–44	24
40–42	23
37–39	22
34–36	21
32–33	20
29–31	19
26–28	18
23–25	17
20–22	16
17–19	15
13–16	14
10–12	13
7–9	12
4–6	11
0–3	1–10

Math Section (60 questions)

Correct Answers	Scaled Score
60	36
58–59	35
55–57	34
52–54	33
50–51	32
47–49	31
44–46	30
42–43	29
39–41	28
37–38	27
34–36	26
32–33	25
30–31	24
27–29	23
25–26	22
22–24	21
20–21	20
18–19	19
15–17	18
13–14	17
11–12	16
9–10	15
7–8	14
5–6	13
3–4	12
1–2	11
0	1–10

Reading Section (40 questions)

Correct Answers	Scaled Score
40	36
39	35
38	34
37	33
35–36	32
34	31
32–33	30
31	29
29–30	28
27–28	27
25–26	26
24	25
22–23	24
20–21	23
18–19	22
16–17	21
15	20
13–14	19
11–12	18
10	17
8–9	16
7	15
5–6	14
4	13
2–3	12
1	11
0	1–10

Science Section (40 questions)

Correct Answers	Scaled Score
40	36
39	35
38	34
37	33
35–36	32
33–34	31
32	30
30–31	29
28–29	28
27	27
25–26	26
23–24	25
21–22	24
19–20	23
17–18	22
16	21
14–15	20
13	19
11–12	18
9–10	17
8	16
6–7	15
5	14
3–4	13
2	12
1	11
0	1–10

What These Tables Tell You About Pacing

The conversion tables reveal an important strategic insight: the jump from a 34 to a 36 is much harder than the jump from a 24 to a 26. On the English section, going from a 34 to a 36 requires getting 4–5 more questions correct; going from a 24 to a 26 requires only 3–4 more correct answers. This means that for most students, improving weak sections is more efficient than trying to perfect already-strong ones.

For example, if your Reading score is 22 (roughly 18–19 correct out of 40), getting 5 more questions right moves you to 24 — a 2-point composite gain. That 5-question improvement is much more attainable through targeted practice than trying to squeeze 2 more points out of a section already at 34.

3. Composite Score Calculation

Your composite score is the arithmetic mean of your four section scaled scores, rounded to the nearest whole number. The formula:

Composite = (English + Math + Reading + Science) ÷ 4

Rounded to the nearest whole number

Worked Example

Section	Raw Score	Scaled Score
English	62 / 75	31
Math	47 / 60	31
Reading	34 / 40	31
Science	31 / 40	30
Composite	—	(31+31+31+30) ÷ 4 = 30.75 → 31

How Rounding Affects Your Score

The composite rounds to the nearest whole number, so .5 rounds up. This has real strategic implications:

Scores of 30.5 round up to 31; scores of 30.4 round down to 30.
A composite of 28.5 (e.g., English 28 + Math 30 + Reading 28 + Science 29 = 115 ÷ 4 = 28.75) rounds up to 29.
Improving one section by 1 point always moves your composite by exactly 0.25 — which either rounds up or down depending on the other scores.
If your composite is currently x.3 (e.g., 28.3), you need 3 additional section points to round up to x+1. If it is x.7, you only need 1 section-point improvement.

Balanced vs. Uneven Scores

Because the composite is an average, balanced performance across sections is rewarded. A student scoring 31, 31, 31, 31 (composite: 31) does better than a student scoring 36, 36, 24, 24 (composite: 30), even though the second student has much higher peak scores. This is why it is generally more efficient to improve your weakest section than to perfect an already-strong section.

4. Subscores & Reporting Categories

In addition to the four section scores and composite, your ACT score report includes several additional scores that provide a more detailed picture of your performance.

STEM Score

1–36

Average of your Math and Science scaled scores. Reported for students interested in STEM fields and programs. A high STEM score (32+) signals strong quantitative and data reasoning ability.

Formula: (Math + Science) ÷ 2

ELA Score

1–36

Average of English, Reading, and Writing (if taken) scaled scores. Reflects overall English language arts performance. Reported alongside composite on official score reports.

Formula: (English + Reading + Writing) ÷ 3

Writing Score

2–12

Reported separately if you took the optional Writing section. Two raters each score 1–6 on four domains (Ideas, Development, Organization, Language). Not included in composite.

Formula: Average of 4 domain scores

Subscore Reporting Categories

Varies

Your score report also breaks down performance within each section by content area — for example, English is broken down by Conventions, Production of Writing, and Language Use. These are reported as reporting category scores.

Formula: Reported as strength/weakness indicators

How Colleges Use Subscores

Most colleges focus primarily on the composite score. However, STEM scores are sometimes specifically referenced in engineering and science program admissions. ELA scores are relevant for honors English placement in college. Subscores within sections are most useful to you as a diagnostic tool — they show exactly which content areas cost you the most points and where to focus your preparation.

5. National Percentile Tables (2023)

Percentile ranks tell you what percentage of test takers scored at or below your score. A percentile of 80 means you scored higher than 80% of all test takers. The data below uses 2023 national norms from ACT, Inc.

~19.5

National Average

2023 composite

50th Percentile

National median

29+

Top 10%

90th percentile

34+

Top 1%

99th percentile

Composite Score	Percentile	Context
36	99+%	~2,000–3,000 students achieve this nationally per year
35	99%	Top 1% of all test takers
34	99%	Top 1–2% nationally
33	98%	Top 2% nationally
32	97%	Competitive at most elite schools
31	96%	Highly competitive
30	95%	Top 5% nationally
29	93%	Strong for most selective schools
28	91%	Top 9% nationally
27	87%	Well above average
26	84%	Top 16% nationally
25	80%	Top 20% nationally
24	74%	Above average
23	68%	Above average
22	62%	Meets ACT college readiness benchmark
21	57%	Slightly above average
20	50%	National median (50th percentile)
19	44%	Slightly below national average
18	38%	Below average
17	32%	Below average
16	26%	Below average
15	20%	20th percentile
14	14%	14th percentile
13	9%	Bottom quartile
12	5%	Bottom 5%

Section Score Averages (2023)

National average scores by section in 2023:

19.0

English average

19.2

Math average

20.5

Reading average

19.9

Science average

6. College Score Requirements

The table below shows the middle 50% ACT composite range for admitted students at 25 competitive US universities. These are approximate ranges based on Common Data Sets and publicly available admissions data. These are not cutoffs — students can be admitted below or above this range. Scores are one factor among many.

School	Middle 50% Range	Tier
MIT	34–36	Highly Selective
Harvard University	34–36	Highly Selective
Stanford University	33–35	Highly Selective
Yale University	33–35	Highly Selective
Princeton University	33–35	Highly Selective
Columbia University	34–35	Highly Selective
University of Pennsylvania	33–35	Highly Selective
Duke University	33–35	Highly Selective
Dartmouth College	33–35	Highly Selective
Brown University	33–35	Highly Selective
Vanderbilt University	34–35	Very Selective
Georgetown University	32–35	Very Selective
Northeastern University	33–35	Very Selective
NYU	31–34	Very Selective
University of Michigan	31–34	Very Selective
Tufts University	32–34	Very Selective
Emory University	31–34	Very Selective
UC Berkeley	28–34	Selective
UCLA	27–34	Selective
Boston University	30–34	Selective
University of Virginia	31–34	Selective
Georgia Tech	32–35	Selective
University of Florida	27–32	Selective
University of Texas at Austin	26–33	Selective
Penn State University	25–30	Moderately Selective

Many schools have adopted test-optional policies in recent years; however, a growing number of highly selective schools — including Yale, Dartmouth, Harvard, and MIT — have reinstated testing requirements as of 2024–2025. Always check each school's current official admissions policy, as these can change year to year.

What "Middle 50%" Actually Means

The middle 50% range (also called the 25th–75th percentile range) means that 25% of admitted students scored below the lower number, and 25% scored above the upper number. Half of admitted students fall within this range. A score below the 25th percentile for a school does not mean automatic rejection — it just means your test score is below average for that school's admitted class, and other factors (essays, GPA, recommendations, extracurriculars) carry more weight in compensating.

Schools That Require ACT Writing

Most schools no longer require the ACT Writing section. However, check the following types of institutions specifically, as requirements vary: University of California campuses (most no longer require it), schools that use test scores for merit scholarship eligibility, honors program requirements, and some program-specific requirements (e.g., nursing or education programs). Always verify directly on each school's admissions website.

7. Superscoring

ACT superscoring means combining your highest section score from each test date to create a new, higher composite. ACT, Inc. began offering an official ACT superscore on score reports as of 2020. Many — though not all — colleges accept or prefer the ACT superscore.

Superscoring Example

Section	Test Date 1 (Oct)	Test Date 2 (Feb)	Test Date 3 (Jun)	Superscore (Best)
English	32	30	31	32
Math	28	33	32	33
Reading	29	28	34	34
Science	30	32	31	32
Composite	30	31	32	33

In this example, the student's best single-sitting composite was a 32, but the superscore composite is 33. This is a meaningful difference for college admissions.

Which Colleges Accept the ACT Superscore?

A large and growing number of colleges accept or prefer the ACT superscore, including many Ivy League schools and most major state universities. However, not all schools do — some require you to send a single test date's scores or use the highest single-sitting composite. Always check each school's specific score-use policy on their admissions website before making strategic retaking decisions.

Superscoring Strategy: How Many Times to Retake

If your target schools superscore, retaking the ACT is a low-risk strategy. Focus each retake on your weakest section from your previous sitting. For example, if your first sitting produced English 32, Math 28, Reading 30, Science 31, prioritize Math preparation for your second sitting — improving Math by even 4 points (28 to 32) would raise the superscore composite by 1 point.

8. Writing Section Score

The optional ACT Writing section is scored on a 2–12 scale. It is reported separately and does NOT affect your composite score. Two trained human raters each score your essay on four domains on a 1–6 scale; the two raters' scores for each domain are summed (2–12 per domain), and those domain scores are averaged to produce the final Writing score.

The Four Writing Scoring Domains

Domain	Score Range	What It Measures
Ideas and Analysis	2–12	Does the essay critically engage with all three perspectives? Does it establish a clear, nuanced position? Is there original thinking, or merely restating what the prompt says?
Development and Support	2–12	Are arguments supported with specific, relevant evidence? Does each claim have reasoning behind it? Are examples concrete and well-explained?
Organization	2–12	Is the essay clearly structured? Does it have an introduction, logical body paragraphs, and a conclusion? Are transitions smooth and purposeful?
Language Use and Conventions	2–12	Is writing precise, varied, and clear? Are sentence structures varied? Are grammar, spelling, and punctuation mostly correct? Does vocabulary serve the argument?

Writing Score Interpretation

10–12

Excellent

8–9

Strong

6–7

Adequate

4–5

Weak

2–3

Very Weak

Should You Take the Writing Section?

Check every school on your list — most do not require it, but some do. If any of your target schools require it, you must register with Writing. You cannot add Writing after the fact.
A weak Writing score does not hurt your composite — since it is reported separately, even a low score has no impact on the 1–36 composite that most colleges use.
When in doubt, take it — the extra $25 is worth avoiding the possibility of needing to retake the entire exam just to add Writing.
Schools historically requiring Writing included some University of California campuses, certain honors programs, and some scholarship programs. Check current requirements as policies evolve.

9. Score Reporting Timeline

After taking the ACT, scores become available on your ACT account at act.org according to the following general timeline. Note that computer-based (digital) test results are typically available faster than paper-based results.

Multiple-choice scores

~2 weeks

English, Math, Reading, and Science section scores are released first. You will receive an email notification when scores are available in your ACT account.

Writing score

~2–4 additional weeks

Writing scores require human graders and are released separately, typically 2–4 weeks after multiple-choice scores. Total wait for Writing: up to 5–6 weeks.

Free score reports (4 schools)

2–6 weeks

When you register, you can designate up to 4 free score recipients. Scores are sent to those schools as soon as they are available.

Additional score reports

3–5 business days

After scores are released, you can order additional score reports for $18 per recipient (as of 2024). Reports are typically received by schools within 3–5 business days.

Score validity

5 years

ACT scores are valid for 5 years from the test date for most purposes. Some programs or scholarship organizations may accept older scores; check their specific policies.

Score cancellation window

After viewing

You can view your scores before deciding whether to send them to colleges. ACT's policy allows you to choose which test dates to send to each school.

Score Holds and Investigations

In rare cases, ACT may place a hold on scores for testing irregularity investigations. This can delay score release significantly. If your scores are delayed beyond the expected timeline without explanation, contact ACT's customer service.

10. What Is a Good ACT Score?

There is no universal "good" ACT score — it depends entirely on your goals. Below are practical benchmarks organized by context.

By College Competitiveness

Exceptional

Top 1–2%

34–36

Competitive for the most selective universities in the country. At this level, test scores are effectively removed as a concern.

Excellent

Top 5–10%

30–33

Strong for most selective universities. This range puts you above the median for many highly selective schools and well above average for most others.

Competitive

Top 20–30%

25–29

Competitive for selective state universities and many private colleges. Strong for many schools; approaching the median for very selective schools.

Above Average

Top 30–55%

21–24

Above the national average of 19.5. Competitive for many four-year universities. Below average for highly selective schools.

Average

25th–45th

17–20

Around or below the national average. Competitive for many regional universities, community colleges, and less selective four-year schools.

Needs Improvement

Bottom 25%

Below 17

Significant improvement is needed for competitive college admissions. Focus on fundamental skill gaps in whichever sections are lowest.

Defining Your Personal Target Score

The most useful benchmark is the middle 50% ACT range for each of your specific target schools. Look up the Common Data Set for each school (search "[school name] Common Data Set") and find the ACT middle 50% in section C9. Your target composite should be at or above the 75th percentile (upper end of the middle 50% range) for schools where test scores matter to your application.

The right goal

A "good" score is one that removes test scores as a concern at your target schools — not the highest possible score. Once you are at or above the 75th percentile for your target school, additional score improvements have diminishing returns compared to improving other parts of your application.

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