Is a 22 a good ACT score? It's the 72nd percentile (above average, ~1110 SAT). See colleges where a 22 is competitive, scholarship odds, and retake advice.
Larry Learns
A 22 ACT lands at the 72nd percentile — above average, and competitive at accessible state flagships like Kansas, Iowa, and Kentucky, though a reach at more selective schools. Here's where a 22 gets you admitted, what merit aid it opens, and why a focused retake is one of the highest-leverage moves you can make.
A 22 is an above-average ACT score: it sits at the 72nd percentile nationally, meaning you scored higher than roughly 72% of test-takers and comfortably above the national average of 19.4. For students targeting accessible state flagships and large public universities, a 22 is a genuinely workable score; for selective and highly selective schools, it's a stretch you'll want to close before applying.
What Percentile Is a 22 ACT Score?
A 22 ACT composite lands at the 72nd percentile on the most recent official ACT national norms (based on ACT-tested graduates of 2023, 2024, and 2025, used for tests taken September 2025 through August 2026). That means a 22 beats about 72% of everyone who takes the ACT and puts you well above the national average composite of 19.4 (graduating class of 2024). On the established 2018 ACT/SAT concordance, a 22 maps to roughly an 1110 SAT.
ACT Composite
National Percentile
SAT Equivalent
36
100
1590
34
99
1500
32
97
1430
30
94
1370
28
91
1310
24
80
1180
22
72
1110
20
63
1040
For more detail on how these ranks are calculated, see our guides to ACT percentiles and the ACT to SAT conversion. You can also compare against the average ACT score to see exactly how far above the middle a 22 sits.
Colleges Where a 22 ACT Is Competitive
A 22 is competitive at a range of large public universities. The catch worth knowing up front: all six schools below are test-optional, and these middle-50% ranges reflect only the students who chose to submit ACT scores — typically a higher-scoring, self-selecting subset. That's especially true at Cincinnati, where only about 31% of enrolled students submitted an ACT, so its band overstates the typical admitted profile. Every range below was pulled directly from each school's official 2024-25 Common Data Set.
College
Middle 50% ACT
Where a 22 Lands
Kansas State University
20-27 (median 23)
Within range — between the 25th percentile (20) and median (23). A strong fit, with 81% of enrolled students submitting ACT scores.
University of Kansas
20-28 (median 24)
Within range — sits between the 25th percentile (20) and the median (24), so it's comfortably inside the band.
University of Iowa
21-28 (median 24)
Within range — just above Iowa's 25th percentile (21) but below the median (24). Solidly inside the band.
University of Kentucky
21-28 (median 25)
Within range — just above Kentucky's 25th percentile (21), below the median (25). Inside the band but on the lower half.
University of Alabama
22-30 (median 26)
At the 25th percentile — the bottom edge of Alabama's band (median 26). In range, but below the typical admitted student.
University of Cincinnati
24-29 (median 27)
Below the 25th percentile (24) — a reach. Only about 31% submitted ACT scores, so the range reflects a self-selected submitting pool.
The honest takeaway: a 22 is solidly within range at accessible state schools like Kansas State, Kansas, Iowa, and Kentucky, it's at the bottom edge at Alabama (exactly the 25th percentile), and it's a reach at Cincinnati. To see how a 22 stacks up against named programs you may be considering, browse the per-school admissions pages such as Ohio State, Penn State, and Purdue.
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Reach Schools to Aim For
If you want to stretch a notch above this band, a couple of schools from the list above already function as reaches at a 22:
University of Alabama (22-30 ACT, median 26): a 22 is exactly at the 25th percentile — technically in range but at the bottom edge. Treat it as a target-to-reach. A 24 or higher would move you to the middle of the band and unlock better automatic merit.
University of Cincinnati (24-29 ACT, median 27): a 22 is below the 25th percentile (24), making Cincinnati a reach. Because it's heavily test-optional (only about 31% submitted), applying test-optional with a strong GPA may be the better route than submitting a 22.
If your goal sits further up the selectivity ladder, the next tiers — the 24, 25, and 26 bands — are the realistic stretch targets to plan a retake around. Understanding what makes a good ACT score overall will help you set a target that matches your college list.
Does a 22 ACT Qualify for Scholarships?
A 22 opens real, often automatic merit aid at large public universities that publish score-based scholarship grids — but it rarely qualifies for the top tiers. At the University of Alabama, for example, automatic out-of-state merit historically begins around a 23-24 ACT combined with GPA thresholds, so a 22 sits just under the entry rung and would typically need a higher GPA or a one-point retake to trigger guaranteed money.
Many flagship and regional publics (Kentucky, Kansas, Kansas State, and similar schools) post stacked GPA-plus-test grids where a 22 lands in a modest-but-real award band — think partial annual scholarships rather than full rides. At more selective schools, a 22 alone almost never guarantees aid; competitive and full-ride awards there cluster at 30+ ACT.
Bottom line: at a 22, expect meaningful automatic or competitive merit at accessible state schools (strongest when paired with a 3.5+ GPA), but not full-tuition guarantees. Always confirm each school's current published scholarship table, since thresholds change yearly and several schools have shifted their grids as they went test-optional.
Should You Retake the ACT With a 22?
Retaking is usually worth it at a 22. You're sitting at the steepest part of the curve, where a few more correct answers move you several percentile points. Going from a 22 (72nd percentile) to a 24 (80th percentile, about 1180 SAT) or a 25-26 shifts you from the bottom edge to the middle of most accessible state-school bands — and unlocks higher automatic-scholarship tiers.
Concretely, two extra points takes you from "in range but below the median" at schools like Alabama and Kentucky to "right at or above the median," and it can flip a reach like Cincinnati into a genuine target. Plan one more sitting with targeted prep before your application deadlines so you have time to convert the gains into a submitted score.
How to Raise a 22 ACT Score
At a 22, the composite is usually dragged down by one or two lagging sections rather than across-the-board weakness — so a focused plan moves the needle fast. Here's where to aim:
Fix your weakest section first. Diagnose your lowest of the four sections (often Science or Math pacing at this band) and concentrate there — fixing the worst section moves the composite the fastest.
Drill timing and pacing. Many students at this band lose points to running out of time, not to content gaps. Practice full timed sections, learn to triage hard questions, and guarantee an answer on every bubble — there's no wrong-answer penalty on the ACT.
Treat ACT Science as a data-reading section, not a knowledge test. Learn to pull answers straight from the graphs and tables. For students in the 20-24 range, this is one of the quickest point gains available.
Take at least two official full-length practice tests under real timing before your retake, so you can convert raw-score gains into a reliable composite improvement.
A 22 is an above-average ACT score that beats about 72% of test-takers, concords to roughly an 1110 SAT, and clears the national average of 19.4 by a comfortable margin. It puts you solidly in range at accessible state flagships like Kansas State, Kansas, Iowa, and Kentucky, at the bottom edge at Alabama, and into reach territory at more selective schools. It opens modest-but-real merit aid at score-grid publics without guaranteeing the top tiers. Because you're on the steepest part of the curve, a focused retake is one of the highest-leverage moves you can make before your applications go out.
Frequently Asked Questions About a 22 ACT Score
Is a 22 ACT score good?
Yes — a 22 is an above-average ACT score. It falls at the 72nd percentile, meaning you outscored about 72% of test-takers and landed well above the national average composite of 19.4. It's competitive at many large public universities, though below the bar for selective schools.
What percentile is a 22 ACT score?
A 22 is at the 72nd percentile on the current official ACT national norms (graduates of 2023-2025, used for tests taken September 2025 through August 2026). That means it beats roughly 72% of all ACT test-takers.
What SAT score is equivalent to a 22 ACT?
On the official 2018 ACT/SAT concordance, a 22 ACT is equivalent to about an 1110 SAT. You can see the full mapping in our ACT to SAT conversion guide.
What colleges can I get into with a 22 ACT?
A 22 is solidly within range at accessible state schools such as Kansas State (20-27), the University of Kansas (20-28), the University of Iowa (21-28), and the University of Kentucky (21-28). It's at the bottom edge at the University of Alabama (22-30) and a reach at the University of Cincinnati (24-29). Remember most of these ranges reflect only students who submitted scores.
Should I retake the ACT if I got a 22?
Usually yes. At a 22 you're on the steepest part of the scoring curve, so a few more correct answers can move you several percentile points. Climbing to a 24 (80th percentile) or higher shifts you into the middle of most accessible state-school bands and unlocks better automatic scholarships. With targeted prep, it's a high-return retake.
