What is the average ACT score?
A plain-English look at the national average Composite — what it is, what percentile it maps to, and how it has held steady — so you have a benchmark for reading any ACT result.
The national average ACT Composite is about 19. Because the Composite is the average of English, Math and Reading on the 1–36 scale, a 19 sits roughly at the 50th percentile — about the middle of all test-takers. The average has hovered around 19–20 in recent years, and the section averages are similar. These figures are approximate and shift slightly year to year — confirm the latest numbers on act.org.
Why 19 is the benchmark for "the middle"
The Composite is the average of three core sections, so the national average Composite tells you where the typical test-taker lands. A few reference points make the 19 easier to place against the rest of the scale.
| Composite | Approx. percentile | How it relates to the average |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | National average | The typical Composite nationwide |
| 20 | ~50th | About the midpoint of all test-takers |
| 22 | ~63rd | A few points above the average |
| 24 | ~74th–75th | Clearly above average |
| 26 | ~82nd | Well above the middle of the pack |
| 30 | ~93rd | Far above average — about the top 7% |
Three things the average does and doesn't tell you
An average is a useful anchor, but it isn't a goal. Here's how to read the national Composite without letting it set your target.
The average marks the middle, not a target.
A Composite near 19 is the center of the national distribution — half of test-takers score above it, half below. It's a reference point for "typical," not a number you should aim for. Your target should come from your colleges' ranges.
It has held near 19–20 for years.
The national average drifts by a few tenths from year to year rather than jumping, so 19 stays a dependable benchmark. Because it's approximate and updated periodically, always check the current figure on act.org.
English, Math and Reading averages are alike.
Since the Composite is the average of those three sections, none sits far from the others nationally — each lands in the high teens to about 20. That's why a single section average rarely surprises once you know the Composite.
See where you'd land versus the average.
Answer a few real-format ACT questions and get a practice estimate — a range, not an official prediction — to compare against the national midpoint.
An average of averages
Your Composite is the average of your English, Math and Reading scores, each on the 1–36 scale, rounded to the nearest whole number. The optional Science section is reported separately and does not count toward the Composite. The national average is simply the typical Composite across all recent test-takers — which is why it lands near 19 and why the section averages, being its components, look so similar. Every figure here is approximate and nationally representative; act.org publishes the authoritative tables.
How to use the average
- Treat 19 as the national midpoint, not as your goal.
- Set your target from your colleges' middle-50% ranges instead.
- Compare a practice estimate to the average to gauge your starting point.
- Check act.org for the latest Composite and section averages.
Average ACT score questions
What is the average ACT score?
Is 19 a good ACT score?
What percentile is the average ACT score?
Has the average ACT score changed?
What is the average score on each ACT section?
Keep learning about ACT scores.
Know the average. Now aim past it.
Start free, answer a few real-format ACT questions, and get a practice estimate toward your target Composite.