SAT/ACT

What Is a Good ACT Score?

Q: What is a good ACT score?

It depends on your colleges: about 33–35 for the most selective, 27–32 for many strong universities.

Q: Is the ACT science section required?

No. Science is optional and not included in the composite score.

Q: Is the ACT or SAT better for Indian students?

Neither. Colleges accept both equally; choose the one you score higher on.

Learn ACT score range, college readiness benchmarks, middle 50 percent ranges, and what ACT score is competitive for US universities.

5 min readPublished 2026-08-04Last reviewed 2026-09-29

By Oxbrivy Editorial Team. Reviewed by Oxbrivy study-abroad testing desk.

Quick answer

A good ACT score depends on your colleges. The ACT is scored from 1 to 36. Since 2025 the composite score is the average of English, Math and Reading; Science is optional and reported separately. The national average is around 19–20. For the most selective colleges, admitted students typically score about 33–35; many strong universities see 27–32.

Key takeaways

Scale: 1–36.
Composite = average of English, Math and Reading.
Science and Writing are optional and not in the composite.
Most selective colleges: about 33–35.
Aim for at or above the middle of your colleges’ ranges.

Oxbrivy practical ranking

Use this as a starting point, then personalise it with your budget, profile, and course.

College testing policy

Best for: Checking whether each college is test required, optional, preferred, flexible, or blind.

Watch out: Old test-optional lists can be wrong for the 2026 cycle.

Score value

Best for: Comparing SAT or ACT scores with each college's middle 50 percent range.

Watch out: A score is only good or weak in relation to a target college, program, and scholarship rule.

Deadline strategy

Best for: Planning attempts, retakes, superscore use, and score-sending before ED, EA, RD, and scholarship deadlines.

Watch out: Retaking without a real payoff can steal time from grades, essays, and applications.

ACT scores by college selectivity

Approximate middle-50% ranges; check each college’s published figures:

Typical ACT composite ranges by college type
College type	Typical middle 50%
Most selective (Ivy League, MIT, Stanford)	About 33–35
Highly selective universities	About 31–34
Selective universities	About 26–31
Many other four-year colleges	About 20–26

Campus representing admissions tests, scholarships, and college fit — SAT/ACT decisions should be made college by college, not by generic score myths.

The ACT format

The ACT now has a shorter core of English, Math and Reading, which make up the composite. Science is optional and reported separately, and Writing remains optional.

Colleges that require testing accept the ACT and SAT equally.

Take a diagnostic of both; choose the one where you score higher.

Study abroad admissions guide representing SAT and ACT planning — Oxbrivy helps students compare testing policy, score value, scholarships, and application deadlines in one workflow.

Setting your target

Look up the middle-50% ACT range at each college on your list and aim for the midpoint of your most ambitious realistic choices.

Some colleges superscore the ACT; check each college’s policy.

The Oxbrivy Admit Probability Engine shows how your score fits each college.

Frequently asked questions