Average ACT Score by State: Full Rankings and Trends (2026)

Where a state lands in the ACT rankings says far more about how many of its students sit for the exam than how prepared they are, which is why the order can look upside down next to the SAT. Here's what the state-by-state picture actually reveals.

What is the average ACT score by state?

The national average ACT composite score is 19.2 out of 36 for the graduating class of 2026, with about 38 percent of graduates taking the test. But state averages run from a low of 17.3 in Nevada to a high of 27.2 in Connecticut. That huge spread is not a map of where students are smartest. It is almost entirely a map of how many students in each state take the ACT.

This guide ranks every state by average ACT composite and shows its participation rate right beside it. With the ACT, the relationship runs the opposite way from what most people expect: the states with the highest averages are the ones where almost nobody takes the ACT. For the national picture and percentile tables, see our average ACT score guide, and you can compare the same pattern on the other test in our average SAT score by state breakdown.

Average ACT score by state: full rankings

The table below ranks every state plus Washington, D.C. by average ACT composite for the class of 2026, with each state's participation rate next to it. The data is published by ACT. Watch the two columns move in opposite directions.

The pattern is impossible to miss: every state near the top tests under 10 percent of its graduates, while nearly every state at the bottom tests 90 percent or more of them.

Why participation rate flips the rankings

State ACT averages are mostly a measure of who sits for the test, not how strong the schools are. Two very different groups of states show up:

• ACT-mandatory states: many states, mostly in the South, the Midwest and the Mountain West, give the ACT to every junior for free during the school day. For the class of 2026, eleven states tested 100 percent of graduates: Alabama, Arizona, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wyoming. Because the average includes every student, not just the college-bound ones, it sits below 20 in all of them.
• SAT-first states: in places like Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and California, the SAT is the default test, so only a small, highly motivated group chooses the ACT. That self-selected pool posts averages between about 26 and 27. California averages 26.1 with just 3 percent participation.

This is why a state's ACT average and its SAT average often tell opposite stories. The same state can look near the bottom on one test and near the top on the other, purely because of which test its students are required to take. You can see that mirror image in our SAT by state rankings.

States with the highest average ACT scores

The ten highest-scoring states (plus D.C.) all share one trait: very low ACT participation. These are SAT-first regions where only college-bound students opt into the ACT.

If you live in one of these states, do not be intimidated by an average in the mid-20s. You are scored against a national pool, not your state's small self-selected group, so a score below your state average can still be strong nationally.

States with the lowest average ACT scores

Seven of the ten lowest-scoring states test 100 percent of their graduates, and two more test over 90 percent; Hawaii, at 66 percent, is the one exception. The low average is the direct result of testing every single student, including those who are not headed to a four-year college.

If you live in one of these states, your state average is pulled down by universal testing. Scoring above it is common for college applicants, so judge yourself against national percentiles instead.

What your state's average means for you

The key point: colleges read your ACT score against national percentiles and their own applicant pool, not against your state average. A 24 is the same 24 whether you earned it in Nevada or Connecticut. So treat the state table as context, never as your target.

Set your goal using two better benchmarks:

• National percentiles. A composite of 19 to 20 is right around the middle nationally, based on ACT score data. See exactly where your score lands in our ACT percentiles guide.
• Your target colleges' middle-50% ranges. What counts as a good score depends entirely on where you apply. Our good ACT score guide breaks down the ranges that matter.

You can turn any practice result into a composite with our score calculator and measure the gap to your target.

Improve your ACT score wherever you live

Your state's average is set by test policy and participation, neither of which you control. Your own score is fully in your hands, and focused practice moves it the same way in every state. Start a free ACT practice quiz to find your baseline, then drill the question types that cost you the most points. Work through full-length ACT practice on Larry Learns to track your climb toward your target composite.

Frequently Asked Questions About Average ACT Scores by State

What is the average ACT score by state?

For the class of 2026, state average ACT composites range from 17.3 in Nevada to 27.2 in Connecticut, against a national average of 19.2. The wide spread is driven mostly by how many students in each state take the ACT, not by differences in school quality.

Which state has the highest average ACT score?

Connecticut has the highest average ACT composite at 27.2, ahead of Washington, D.C. (27.0) and Massachusetts (26.7). All three have very low ACT participation, so only the most college-focused students take the test there.

Which state has the lowest average ACT score?

Nevada has the lowest average ACT composite at 17.3, followed by Oklahoma at 17.4, a tie at 17.7 between Arizona and Hawaii, and Mississippi at 17.8. Four of those five test 100 percent of graduates, so the average reflects every student.

Why do states that require the ACT have lower averages?

When a state tests every junior, the average includes students of all ability levels, not just the college-bound. States where the ACT is optional report higher averages because only motivated, self-selected students take it.

Does my state's average ACT score affect my college chances?

No. Colleges compare your score to national percentiles and to their own applicants, not to your state average. A strong score is strong everywhere, so set your goal using national percentiles and your target colleges' score ranges.

Why is my state's ACT average so different from its SAT average?

Most students take whichever test their state provides for free. In ACT-mandatory states, nearly everyone takes the ACT (lower average) while only a few take the SAT (higher average), and the reverse holds in SAT states. The two averages reflect different, opposite test-taking populations.