Is a 25 a Good ACT Score? (2026)

A 25 on the ACT lands in the 83rd percentile, well above the national average, and it opens doors at dozens of state flagships while sitting in a genuine merit-aid sweet spot. Here is exactly which colleges a 25 makes competitive, the scholarship dollars it can unlock, and whether one more sitting is worth your time.

A 25 is a Good ACT score: it places you in the 83rd percentile nationally, meaning you scored higher than about 83% of test-takers, and it comfortably clears the national average of 19.4. It's a strong, money-saving score for students targeting state universities and flagship publics, especially across the South and Midwest where it lands in the merit-aid sweet spot. It's less of an advantage if your reach list is built around highly selective private universities, where the admitted middle sits well above this band.

What Percentile Is a 25 ACT Score?

A 25 composite corresponds to the 83rd percentile on ACT's current official National Ranks table, so you beat roughly 83% of all test-takers. Here is how a 25 compares to nearby scores, along with the SAT total each one concords to:

A 25 concords to an SAT total of about 1210. If you want to dig deeper into how these rankings are built, see our full breakdown of ACT percentiles and the ACT to SAT conversion table. For the bigger-picture view, our guide to a good ACT score explains how each tier maps to admissions outcomes.

Colleges Where a 25 ACT Is Competitive

A 25 is squarely competitive at a wide band of public universities. The key is reading each school's middle-50% ACT range, which spans the 25th to 75th percentile of enrolled freshmen. Below are six schools verified directly from each institution's official 2024-2025 Common Data Set, with an honest read on where a 25 lands at each:

The pattern is clear: at schools like Iowa and Kansas a 25 is genuinely above-average, while at Tennessee it sits right at the bottom edge. The test-optional caveats matter too: at Cincinnati and especially Michigan State, the published range reflects a small, self-selected pool of score-submitters, which pushes the numbers upward. Check whether your other credentials make submitting a 25 a net positive at those schools.

Reach Schools to Aim For

If a 25 is your current score, it's worth keeping a couple of slightly more selective targets on your list to stretch toward. These are realistic reach-to-match schools where a 25 is admissible but on the lower end of the admitted pool:

• University of Tennessee, Knoxville (25-31): A 25 is exactly at the 25th percentile, making UT-Knoxville a realistic reach/match. You're admissible but on the low end, so lean on a strong GPA and a sharp application to compete.
• University of Cincinnati (24-29): Near the 25th percentile of submitters at a test-optional school. A 25 is a match-to-slight-reach here; weigh whether submitting actually strengthens your profile.

Pushing your composite a few points higher meaningfully widens this reach list. Compare how the adjacent tiers play out in our guides to a 26 ACT, a 28 ACT, and a 30 ACT score.

Does a 25 ACT Qualify for Scholarships?

Yes, and this is where a 25 earns its keep. A 25 is a genuine merit-aid sweet spot at large public universities, which is exactly where its dollar value is highest. The University of Alabama, for instance, publishes automatic, stackable scholarships keyed to ACT score and GPA, and a 25 (paired with a qualifying GPA) qualifies for a defined tier rather than leaving aid to a committee's discretion. Many flagships across the South and Midwest, including Kentucky, Mississippi schools, and Arizona-area publics, run similar published grids where a 25 unlocks several thousand dollars per year.

At schools like Iowa, Kansas, and Cincinnati, where a 25 is at or above the median, expect competitive but not guaranteed consideration. Be realistic at the top end, though: a 25 won't move the needle for merit money at highly selective private universities, and full-ride or full-tuition national scholarships in this band are fiercely competitive and almost never awarded on a 25 alone. Those weigh GPA, essays, leadership, and often an interview. Always confirm current thresholds on each school's own financial-aid page, because merit grids change every year.

Should You Retake the ACT With a 25?

It depends entirely on your target schools. A 25 is already above the national average of 19.4 and sits in the 83rd percentile, so it's a fine score for admission to most state universities and unlocks merit aid at many of them. If a 25 covers your reach list and your money, it stands on its own.

But if you're aiming for flagship honors colleges, more selective publics, or larger automatic-scholarship tiers, a retake is worth it. Pushing from 25 to 28-30 is very achievable for many students, and it meaningfully increases both admission odds and aid dollars. Because almost all colleges superscore or take your highest sitting, there's very little downside to one more attempt. The rule of thumb: retake if a few points clearly change your money or your reach list. Our walkthrough on how to prep for the ACT can help you plan that next sitting.

How to Raise a 25 ACT Score

A 25 composite almost always hides one section that's dragging the rest down. Closing that gap is the fastest route to a higher number. Three concrete tactics:

1. Target your weakest section first. A 25 composite usually masks one drag section, often Science or Math pacing. Raising a single 22 to a 27 can lift the whole composite by a point or two, which is far faster than trying to improve everywhere at once.
2. Drill timing, not just content. Most students in the 24-27 band already know the material but run out of time. Take full, strictly-timed practice sections and practice skipping-and-returning so you never leave easy late questions unanswered.
3. Mine your own mistakes. Keep an error log from official ACT practice tests, sort your misses by topic, and review the explanation for every wrong answer and every lucky guess. Re-testing on the same error types is the fastest way to convert a 25 into a 28-plus.

Practice real ACT questions on Larry Learns to build the timed reps and error log that move a 25 upward.

A 25 ACT Score: Where It Fits

A 25 ACT is a Good score that does real work for you. It beats about 83% of test-takers, concords to roughly an SAT 1210, and clears the national average by a wide margin. It makes you competitive across a broad band of state flagships, lands you above the median at schools like Iowa and Kansas, and unlocks defined merit-aid tiers at publics like Alabama. Its limits show only at the most selective private universities and the largest national scholarships, where the admitted bands sit higher. For most students applying to public universities, a 25 is a score you can confidently build an application around, and one that's well within striking distance of an even stronger result. See where the next tier leads with our guides to a 29 ACT and a 32 ACT score, or revisit the average ACT score for full context.

Frequently Asked Questions About a 25 ACT Score

Is a 25 ACT score good?

Yes. A 25 is a Good ACT score that places you in the 83rd percentile, meaning you scored higher than about 83% of test-takers and well above the national average of 19.4. It's competitive at most state universities and unlocks merit aid at many public flagships.

What percentile is a 25 on the ACT?

A 25 composite is the 83rd percentile on ACT's current official National Ranks table. That figure is based on ACT-tested graduates of 2023, 2024, and 2025, and it applies to tests taken from September 2025 through August 2026.

What SAT score is equivalent to a 25 ACT?

A 25 ACT concords to an SAT total of about 1210, using the established 2018 ACT and College Board concordance. If you're deciding between the two tests, our comparisons of whether the SAT or ACT is easier and how to choose between the SAT and ACT can help.

What colleges can I get into with a 25 ACT?

A 25 is competitive at a wide range of public universities. It's above the median at the University of Iowa and University of Kansas, mid-range at the University of Alabama, and at the bottom edge of the admitted range at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. It also clears the test-submitter ranges at test-optional schools like Cincinnati and Michigan State.

Should I retake the ACT if I got a 25?

Only if a few more points would change your reach list or your aid. A 25 stands on its own for most state universities, but if you're targeting honors colleges, more selective publics, or larger scholarship tiers, moving to 28-30 is achievable and worth it. Since colleges superscore or take your highest sitting, there's little risk in trying again.