Understanding Your Score
The ACT gives you a percentile ranking for your overall score (out of 36). Your percentile rank tells you how you did on the ACT compared to other test-takers. For example, if you have a percentile ranking of 90, it means that you scored higher than 90% of other students who took that test.
For most competitive universities, we recommend trying to score at least within the 95th percentile.
Composite Score | Percentile Ranking |
---|---|
33 - 36 | 99 |
32 | 98 |
31 | 97 |
30 | 95 |
29 | 93 |
28 | 90 |
27 | 87 |
26 | 83 |
25 | 79 |
24 | 74 |
23 | 68 |
Understanding Your Score
The ACT gives you a percentile ranking for your overall composite score as well as for each of the four section scores: English, Math, Reading and Science.
The following table is the most recent data regarding 2017-2018 percentile statistics from ACT.org.
Score | Composite | English | Math | Reading | Science |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
36 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 |
35 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 |
34 | 99 | 98 | 99 | 99 | 99 |
33 | 99 | 97 | 98 | 97 | 98 |
32 | 98 | 95 | 97 | 95 | 98 |
31 | 97 | 94 | 96 | 93 | 97 |
30 | 95 | 92 | 95 | 90 | 95 |
29 | 93 | 90 | 93 | 87 | 94 |
28 | 90 | 88 | 91 | 84 | 93 |
27 | 87 | 85 | 88 | 81 | 90 |
26 | 83 | 82 | 84 | 78 | 87 |
25 | 79 | 79 | 79 | 75 | 86 |
24 | 74 | 74 | 73 | 72 | 77 |
23 | 68 | 69 | 67 | 66 | 70 |
22 | 62 | 64 | 61 | 61 | 63 |
21 | 56 | 58 | 56 | 56 | 56 |
20 | 49 | 51 | 52 | 48 | 48 |
19 | 42 | 44 | 47 | 42 | 39 |
18 | 36 | 39 | 42 | 36 | 32 |
17 | 29 | 35 | 36 | 30 | 26 |
16 | 23 | 31 | 27 | 25 | 21 |
15 | 17 | 26 | 15 | 20 | 16 |
14 | 12 | 20 | 6 | 16 | 12 |
13 | 7 | 16 | 2 | 11 | 9 |
12 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 6 |
Understanding Your Score
The ACT gives you a percentile ranking for your overall score (out of 36). Your percentile rank tells you how you did on the ACT compared to other test-takers. For example, if you have a percentile ranking of 90, it means that you scored higher than 90% of other students who took that test.
For most competitive universities, we recommend trying to score at least within the 95th percentile.
Composite Score | Percentile Ranking |
---|---|
33 - 36 | 99 |
32 | 98 |
31 | 97 |
30 | 95 |
29 | 93 |
28 | 90 |
27 | 87 |
26 | 83 |
25 | 79 |
24 | 74 |
23 | 68 |
Understanding Your Score
The ACT gives you a percentile ranking for your overall composite score as well as for each of the four section scores: English, Math, Reading and Science.
The following table is the most recent data regarding 2017-2018 percentile statistics from ACT.org.
Score | Composite | English | Math | Reading | Science |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
36 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 |
35 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 |
34 | 99 | 98 | 99 | 99 | 99 |
33 | 99 | 97 | 98 | 97 | 98 |
32 | 98 | 95 | 97 | 95 | 98 |
31 | 97 | 94 | 96 | 93 | 97 |
30 | 95 | 92 | 95 | 90 | 95 |
29 | 93 | 90 | 93 | 87 | 94 |
28 | 90 | 88 | 91 | 84 | 93 |
27 | 87 | 85 | 88 | 81 | 90 |
26 | 83 | 82 | 84 | 78 | 87 |
25 | 79 | 79 | 79 | 75 | 86 |
24 | 74 | 74 | 73 | 72 | 77 |
23 | 68 | 69 | 67 | 66 | 70 |
22 | 62 | 64 | 61 | 61 | 63 |
21 | 56 | 58 | 56 | 56 | 56 |
20 | 49 | 51 | 52 | 48 | 48 |
19 | 42 | 44 | 47 | 42 | 39 |
18 | 36 | 39 | 42 | 36 | 32 |
17 | 29 | 35 | 36 | 30 | 26 |
16 | 23 | 31 | 27 | 25 | 21 |
15 | 17 | 26 | 15 | 20 | 16 |
14 | 12 | 20 | 6 | 16 | 12 |
13 | 7 | 16 | 2 | 11 | 9 |
12 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 6 |