What is a good ACT score?

A plain-English answer that ties "good" to where you're applying, not to a pass line — plus the national benchmarks that tell you whether a Composite is above average, strong or elite.

A good ACT score is one at or above the range of the colleges you're targeting — the ACT has no passing score, so "good" is relative to your goal. As a national benchmark, the average Composite is about 19 (≈ 50th percentile). Above that, 24+ is clearly above average (~74th–75th percentile), 30+ is strong (≈ 93rd percentile, about the top 7%), and 34–36 is elite (top ~1%). Percentiles and averages are approximate — confirm current figures on act.org.

What counts as a good ACT score: Turn this planning or scoring concept into a clear physical or editorial visual metaphor rather than a generic dashboard
≈ 19National average Composite — about the 50th percentile.
24+Above average — roughly the 74th–75th percentile.
30+Strong — about the 93rd percentile, top ~7%.
34–36Elite — the top ~1% of test-takers.
The honest answer

"Good" is set by your target, not a pass line

The single most useful way to define a good score is to compare it to where you want to go. The ACT is reported on a 1–36 scale with no passing mark — it ranks you against other test-takers, and colleges read it against their own admitted students.

CompositeApprox. percentileWhat it means
36Top of the scalePerfect — top ~1% or less
34~99thElite; in range for the most selective schools
30~93rdStrong; top ~7% of test-takers
26~82ndAbove average; competitive at many colleges
24~74th–75thAbove average; solid at many state universities
20~50thAbout the middle of the pack
19National averageThe typical Composite nationwide
How to set your number

Three ways to know what's good for you

Skip the one-size-fits-all answer. A few quick checks turn "is this good?" into a clear target Composite.

Target range

Match your colleges' middle 50%.

Every school publishes the middle-50% ACT range of its admitted students. Aim for the top of that band: if a school's range is 27–32, a 32 makes your score a clear asset rather than a question mark.

Percentile lens

Know where you rank nationally.

A Composite around 24 already beats roughly three-quarters of test-takers, and 30+ puts you in the top 7%. Use percentiles to gauge how far above the average ≈ 19 you've climbed — they're approximate, so confirm on act.org.

Whole application

A score is one piece, not the verdict.

Colleges read your Composite alongside grades, rigor and your story. A score at or above a school's range keeps you in the conversation; it doesn't decide the outcome on its own, and there's no guaranteed cutoff.

See where you'd land today.

Answer a few real-format ACT questions and get a practice estimate — a range, not an official prediction — toward your target Composite.

Try free questions
Reading the bands

From average to elite, in plain terms

The national average Composite sits near 19, which is roughly the 50th percentile. From there, the low 20s pull ahead of the pack, 24+ is firmly above average, and 30+ lands in the top 7% or so. The narrow band of 34–36 is elite — the top 1% — and is what the most selective colleges tend to report. None of these are pass lines; they're reference points for judging a Composite against the country and against your own goal.

How to reach a good ACT score

  • Look up each target college's middle-50% ACT range, then set your target at or above its top.
  • Take a full-length timed test to find your starting Composite and weakest section.
  • Practice the sections that move your Composite most — English, Math and Reading.
  • Answer every question; there's no wrong-answer penalty on the ACT.
By school

What's a good ACT score for…

Approximate middle-50% Composite ranges for popular colleges — always confirm on each school's official admissions site, as ranges and testing policies change every cycle.

FAQ

Good ACT score questions

What is a good ACT score?
A good ACT score is one at or above the middle 50% range of the colleges you're targeting. As a national benchmark, the average Composite is about 19, so anything above the low 20s is above average; 24 and up is clearly above average, 30 and up is strong, and 34–36 is elite. The honest answer is that good is relative to your goal, not a fixed pass line — the ACT has no passing score. See where any Composite ranks →
Is a 24 on the ACT good?
Yes — a 24 Composite is solidly above average, roughly the 74th–75th percentile, meaning you scored higher than about three-quarters of test-takers. It's competitive at many state universities and a wide range of colleges, though selective schools often look for higher. Percentiles are approximate — confirm current figures on act.org.
Is a 30 on the ACT good?
A 30 is a strong score, around the 93rd percentile — roughly the top 7% of test-takers. It puts you in range for many selective colleges. Whether it's good enough depends on the specific schools on your list and the rest of your application.
What ACT score do I need for top colleges?
The most selective colleges typically report middle-50% ACT ranges in the low-to-mid 30s, so applicants there often aim for 33–36. The most reliable approach is to look up each target school's published middle 50% range and set your target Composite at or above the top of that band.
What is the highest ACT score?
The highest possible ACT Composite is 36, which sits at the very top of the 1–36 scale. A 36 is achieved by a small fraction of test-takers — roughly the top 1% or less — and is considered a perfect Composite.

Know what's good. Now work toward your number.

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 South Florida University of Southern Indiana University of St Thomas University of Toledo University of Utah University of Vermont University of West Florida University of West Georgia University of Wisconsin-Madison UPenn USC Utah State University Valdosta State University Vanderbilt Villanova University Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Virginia State University Wake Forest University Wayne State University West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Texas A & M University West Virginia University Western Carolina University Western Kentucky University Western Washington University Wichita State University William & Mary Yale Youngstown State University