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.

The average ACT score: Turn this planning or scoring concept into a clear physical or editorial visual metaphor rather than a generic dashboard
≈ 19The national average Composite, on the 1–36 scale.
~50thThe percentile a 19 lands at — about the midpoint.
19–20The band the average has hovered in recently.
SimilarEnglish, Math and Reading averages track the Composite.
The number in context

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.

CompositeApprox. percentileHow it relates to the average
19National averageThe typical Composite nationwide
20~50thAbout the midpoint of all test-takers
22~63rdA few points above the average
24~74th–75thClearly above average
26~82ndWell above the middle of the pack
30~93rdFar above average — about the top 7%
What to make of it

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.

It's a midpoint

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 moves slowly

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.

Sections track it

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.

Try free questions
How the average is built

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.
FAQ

Average ACT score questions

What is the average ACT score?
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. Figures are approximate and shift slightly year to year; confirm current numbers on act.org.
Is 19 a good ACT score?
A 19 is right around the national average, so it's neither above nor below the typical test-taker. Whether it's good depends on your target colleges — for some schools it's in range, while more selective ones look for higher. Good is best measured against the middle 50% range of where you're applying, not against the average. See what counts as a good score →
What percentile is the average ACT score?
The average Composite of about 19 corresponds to roughly the 50th percentile, meaning a 19 scores higher than about half of test-takers. A 20 sits near the same midpoint. Percentiles are approximate — the authoritative figures are in act.org's National Ranks table.
Has the average ACT score changed?
The national average Composite has hovered around 19–20 in recent years, drifting by a few tenths of a point from year to year rather than swinging dramatically. Because it moves slowly, 19 remains a reliable benchmark for the middle of the pack. Always confirm the latest figure on act.org.
What is the average score on each ACT section?
The section averages for English, Math and Reading are similar to the Composite — each lands near the high teens to about 20 on the 1–36 scale. Because the Composite is their average, no single section is far off from the others nationally. Confirm current section averages on act.org.

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.

ACT score targets, by schoolACT scores283
Adelphi University Alabama A & M University American University Angelo State University Appalachian State University Arkansas State University Arkansas Tech University Auburn University Augusta University Austin Peay State University Ball State University Baylor University Belmont University Binghamton University Bowling Green State University Bridgewater State University Brigham Young University Brigham Young University-Idaho Brown Carnegie Mellon Case Western Reserve University Central Michigan University Chapman University Clemson University Coastal Carolina University College of Charleston Colorado Mesa University Colorado School of Mines Columbia Columbus State University Cornell Dartmouth DePaul University DeVry University-Illinois Drexel University Duke Duquesne University East Carolina University East Tennessee State University East Texas A&M University Eastern Kentucky University Eastern Michigan University Elon University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide Fairfield University Farmingdale State College Fayetteville State University Ferris State University Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Florida Atlantic University Florida Gulf Coast University Florida International University Florida State University Fordham University Fort Hays State University George Mason University George Washington University Georgetown Georgia College & State University Georgia Southern University Georgia State University Georgia State University-Perimeter College Georgia Tech Gonzaga University Grand Canyon University Grand Valley State University Harvard High Point University Hofstra University Howard University Illinois State University Indiana University-Bloomington Indiana University-Indianapolis Indiana University of Pennsylvania Iowa State University Jacksonville State University James Madison University Johns Hopkins Kansas State University Kennesaw State University Kent State University at Kent Lamar University Lehigh University Long Island University Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Louisiana State University at Alexandria Louisiana Tech University Loyola Marymount University Loyola University Chicago Marist University Marquette University Marshall University McNeese State University Metropolitan State University of Denver Miami University-Oxford Michigan Michigan State University Michigan Technological University Middle Georgia State University Middle Tennessee State University Mississippi State University Missouri State University-Springfield Missouri University of Science and Technology MIT Montana State University Morgan State University Murray State University New Jersey Institute of Technology New Mexico State University New York University Norfolk State University North Carolina A & T State University North Carolina State University at Raleigh Northeastern University Northern Kentucky University Northwestern Northwestern State University of Louisiana Notre Dame Nova Southeastern University NYU Ohio State University Ohio University Oklahoma State University Old Dominion University Oregon State University Pace University Pennsylvania State University Pennsylvania State University-World Campus Pennsylvania Western University Prairie View A & M University Princeton Purdue University Purdue University Fort Wayne Purdue University Northwest Quinnipiac University Radford University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rochester Institute of Technology Rowan University Rutgers University-New Brunswick Saginaw Valley State University Salisbury University Sam Houston State University Santa Clara University Savannah College of Art and Design Seton Hall University Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania South Dakota State University Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Southern Methodist University Southern University and A & M College Saint Cloud State University St. John's University-New York Saint Louis University Stanford State University of New York at New Paltz State University of New York at Oswego Stephen F Austin State University Stockton University Stony Brook University SUNY Brockport Syracuse University Tarleton State University Tennessee Technological University Texas A & M International University Texas A&M University-College Station Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi Texas A&M University-San Antonio Texas Christian University Texas Southern University Texas State University Texas Tech University The College of New Jersey The University of Alabama The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga The University of Tennessee-Knoxville The University of Texas at Arlington The University of Texas at Dallas The University of Texas at El Paso The University of Texas at San Antonio The University of Texas at Tyler The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Towson University Troy University Tulane University of Louisiana University at Buffalo University of Akron Main Campus University of Alabama at Birmingham University of Alabama in Huntsville University of Arizona University of Arkansas University of Central Arkansas University of Central Florida University of Cincinnati University of Colorado Boulder University of Colorado Colorado Springs University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus University of Connecticut University of Dayton University of Delaware University of Denver University of Georgia University of Hawaii at Manoa University of Houston University of Houston-Clear Lake University of Houston-Downtown University of Idaho University of Illinois Chicago University of Iowa University of Kansas University of Kentucky University of Louisiana at Lafayette University of Louisiana at Monroe University of Louisville University of Maryland-Baltimore County University of Maryland-College Park University of Massachusetts-Amherst University of Massachusetts-Boston University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth University of Massachusetts-Lowell University of Memphis University of Miami University of Michigan-Dearborn University of Minnesota-Duluth University of Minnesota-Twin Cities University of Mississippi University of Missouri-Columbia University of Missouri-Kansas City University of Missouri-St Louis University of Nebraska-Lincoln University of Nevada-Las Vegas University of Nevada-Reno University of New Hampshire University of New Mexico University of North Carolina at Charlotte University of North Carolina at Greensboro University of North Carolina at Pembroke University of North Carolina Wilmington University of North Florida University of North Georgia University of North Texas University of Northern Colorado University of Northern Iowa University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus University of Oregon University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus University of Rochester University of San Francisco University of South Alabama University of South Carolina-Columbia University of South Dakota University of 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