ACT score chart: Composite percentiles
A Composite-to-percentile chart for the ACT's 1–36 scale, so you can see exactly where any Composite ranks against other test-takers across the country.
This chart maps each ACT Composite (1–36) to its approximate percentile — the share of test-takers you'd score above. A 36 is the top of the scale, 34 is around the 99th, 30 about the 93rd, 24 about the 74th–75th, and the national average near 19–20 sits about the 50th. Percentiles are approximate and nationally representative; act.org's National Ranks table is authoritative.
ACT Composite to percentile
Read down the scale to find a Composite, then across to see roughly what share of students you'd rank above. These figures are approximate and nationally representative — act.org's National Ranks table is the authoritative source and shifts slightly year to year.
| ACT Composite | Approx. percentile |
|---|---|
| 36 | Top of the scale |
| 34 | ~99th |
| 32 | ~96th |
| 30 | ~93rd |
| 28 | ~88th |
| 26 | ~82nd |
| 24 | ~74th–75th |
| 22 | ~63rd |
| 20 | ~50th |
| 18 | ~40th |
| 16 | ~30th |
Three things a percentile tells you
A percentile turns a Composite into a rank — a quick way to understand how a score actually compares.
It's a rank, not a percent correct.
Your percentile is where you land against other test-takers — a 90th percentile means you scored higher than about 90% of them. It has nothing to do with how many questions you got right on any one section.
English, Math and Reading rank separately too.
Beyond the Composite, each section has its own 1–36 percentile, so you can see whether your strength leans toward English, Math or Reading. Science, if you take it, ranks on its own as well.
Colleges read percentiles to compare you.
Admissions teams use percentiles to weigh applicants on a common scale — a higher percentile widens the range of schools where your Composite is competitive. There's no cutoff, so use it as a guide, not a verdict.
See where your Composite could land.
Answer a few real-format ACT questions and get a practice estimate — a range, not an official prediction — you can map onto this chart.
From average to elite, at a glance
The chart climbs steeply near the middle and flattens at the top. Around the national average of 19–20 you're near the 50th percentile; by 24 you've passed roughly three-quarters of test-takers; 28 reaches the high 80s, and 30 lands in the top 7% or so. From 32 up, each extra point is worth fewer percentile places because so few people score there — which is why 34–36 sits at the very top. Every figure is approximate; act.org's National Ranks table is authoritative.
How to use this chart
- Find your current or target Composite, then read across to its percentile.
- Compare that percentile to your colleges' middle-50% ranges.
- Remember the steep middle: a few points near 20–26 move your rank a lot.
- Confirm the exact figures in act.org's National Ranks table.
ACT percentile questions
What percentile is a 30 on the ACT?
What percentile is a 24 on the ACT?
What percentile is a 34 on the ACT?
What is the average ACT percentile?
How are ACT percentiles calculated?
Keep reading on ACT scores.
Know the ranking. Now work toward your number.
Start free, answer a few real-format ACT questions, and get a practice estimate toward your target Composite.