Short answer: The national average ACT composite is around 19.2, based on data from more than a million test-takers. A score of 26 puts a student in the top 17% nationally, and fewer than 1 in 1,000 students earn a perfect 36. The ACT is considered one of the more improvable standardized tests with focused, diagnostic-driven prep.
Key takeaways
- The national average ACT composite is approximately 19.2, with section averages in the high teens to low twenties.
- Only 2,000-5,000 students out of roughly 1.4 million test-takers score a perfect 36 each year.
- Ivy League ACT ranges cluster between 32 and 36, depending on the specific school.
- A focused 8-to-12-week prep window commonly produces a 3-to-6-point composite gain.
What is the average ACT score?
The national average composite is approximately 19.2, drawn from data across more than a million test-takers. Section averages run close behind: English around 18.6, Math around 19.0, Reading around 20.1, and Science around 19.6.
ACT score range: lowest to highest
The ACT composite scale runs from 1 to 36. Scoring a 36 is exceedingly rare: only about 2,000 to 5,000 students out of roughly 1.4 million test-takers achieve it in a given year, meaning fewer than 1 in 1,000 test-takers hit a perfect score.
What is a good ACT score?
| Score Range | Percentile Band |
|---|---|
| 33-36 | Top 1-2% |
| 28-32 | Top 10-20% |
| 24-27 | Top 30-40% |
| 20-23 | Around average |
| 16-19 | Below average |
ACT scores for Ivy League schools
| School | Middle 50% ACT | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard | 34-36 | ~3% |
| Columbia | 34-36 | ~3.9% |
| Princeton | 34-35 | ~4% |
| UPenn | 34-35 | ~6% |
| Yale | 33-35 | ~5% |
| Cornell | 33-35 | ~8% |
| Dartmouth | 32-35 | ~5.4% |
| Brown | 34-36 | ~5.4% |
How average ACT scores have changed over time
National average composites have drifted slightly over the past five years, generally staying within a point or two of 19-20. Small year-to-year shifts are normal and typically don't signal anything specific about test difficulty, just natural variation in the test-taking population.
How to improve your ACT score
The ACT is often considered one of the more improvable standardized tests, especially with diagnostic-first prep. A realistic timeline for most students is 8 to 12 weeks, with gains of 3 to 6 points common when prep is targeted at specific weak areas rather than general review. Two or more full-length timed practice tests, paired with systematic review of every wrong answer, tends to drive the most reliable improvement.
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