A 28 ACT lands in the 91st percentile and opens most public flagships. See the colleges where a 28 is competitive, scholarship reality, and retake advice.
Larry Learns
A 28 ACT puts you in the 91st percentile and squarely in the running at big public flagships like Ohio State, Penn State, and Minnesota. Here's exactly where a 28 lands you, what it means for scholarships, and whether a retake is worth your time.
A 28 is a Strong ACT score that sits in the 91st percentile nationally, meaning it's a genuinely competitive number for the majority of public flagship universities and a real asset on most college applications. It's especially good for students targeting large state schools and out-of-state publics that use merit aid to attract strong nonresidents, and it's good enough that, for many applicants, your time is better spent on GPA and essays than on chasing a higher score.
What Percentile Is a 28 ACT Score?
A 28 ACT score lands in the 91st percentile of all test-takers. That means you scored higher than roughly 91% of students who took the ACT, and only about 9% scored above you. For context, the national average composite is just 19.4, so a 28 is well above the typical test-taker. On the SAT scale, a 28 converts to a 1310 using the official 2018 ACT/SAT concordance (a 28 maps to the 1300-1320 range).
A 28 is right in the mix at a long list of respected public flagships. The ranges below are the middle 50% (25th-75th percentile) of enrolled first-years who submitted ACT scores, pulled from each school's official Common Data Set. Because every school here is test-optional, these ranges reflect submitters only and skew a bit higher than the full admitted pool.
Just below range. One point under the 25th percentile (29) - a reach for this selective flagship.
For the schools at the top of this list, a 28 makes you a genuine match. For UF and Wisconsin, where a 28 sits just under the 25th percentile, treat them as reaches and lead with your GPA, course rigor, and essays. Each linked school has its own deep-dive page with year-by-year score data.
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Reach Schools to Aim For
If you want to stretch a notch above this band, here are a few more-selective schools where a 28 is a reach. Aim higher by retaking or by leaning hard on a holistic, test-optional strategy.
University of Florida - 29-33 ACT (mid-50% of submitters, 2024-25 CDS). A 28 is just below the 25th percentile; treat it as a reach and lead with GPA, rigor, and essays.
University of Wisconsin-Madison - 29-33 ACT (mid-50% of submitters, 2024-25 CDS). One point under the 25th percentile; a strong reach, especially for out-of-state applicants.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor - roughly 31-34 ACT among submitters (most recent published CDS). A 28 is well below Michigan's submitter range - a high reach where a retake or a test-optional/holistic strategy would help. Confirm the current CDS range before relying on it.
A 28 is a genuinely scholarship-relevant score at many large public universities, but it rarely guarantees big money on its own. Several flagships and regional publics publish automatic or competitive merit thresholds that begin in the high-20s ACT band (usually combined with GPA), so a 28 can unlock partial automatic awards or make you competitive for named and honors scholarships - especially out-of-state, where schools use merit aid to attract strong nonresidents.
The honest catch: at the most selective schools in this set - UF, Wisconsin, and Michigan - a 28 is at or below the admitted-student midpoint, so it does not make you a standout for the largest competitive or full-ride awards there. Those typically go to applicants in the 32+ range with exceptional records. Bottom line: at your safety and match publics, a 28 can earn real automatic or stackable merit; at reach flagships it keeps you eligible but rarely lands top-tier aid by itself. Always check each school's current published merit-scholarship matrix - thresholds change yearly and most are GPA-and-test combinations.
Should You Retake the ACT With a 28?
A 28 is already in the 91st percentile, so a retake is optional rather than necessary - it's a strong score that opens most public flagships. Consider retaking only if you have a specific target in mind:
A submitter band you're just under, like the 29-33 range at UF or Wisconsin.
An automatic-merit threshold that kicks in at 29-30+ and would change your aid package.
If your practice tests suggest you can realistically gain 1-3 points, the math favors trying again. Because admissions and many scholarships look at your highest sitting - and many schools superscore - there's little downside to one more attempt if you have time to prepare. But if a 28 already clears your target schools' ranges and merit cutoffs, your time is usually better spent on GPA, essays, and activities than on chasing a marginally higher number.
How to Raise a 28 ACT Score
At a 28 composite, you're close enough that smart, targeted prep can move you into the low 30s. Three things that work in this band:
Mine your score report by section. Most 28-scorers have one or two sections dragging the average. Pulling a single weak section (commonly Science or Reading pacing) up by 3-4 points can lift the composite 1-2 points faster than broad, undirected review.
Drill timing, not just content. In this band, careless and pace-driven misses cost more points than unknown material. Take full-length, strictly timed practice tests and review every miss to separate "didn't know it" from "ran out of time."
Use section-specific tactics. For Science and Reading, practice skimming passages for structure first and going straight to the questions. For Math, memorize the handful of formulas the ACT doesn't give you and rehearse calculator-efficient setups to bank time for harder items.
A 28 is a strong, flexible score. It clears the bar at a wide set of respected public flagships, keeps you in the conversation at more selective ones, and can earn real merit money - particularly out-of-state. It's not a guaranteed-admission score at the top public universities, and it won't anchor a full-ride at the most competitive schools, but for the vast majority of applicants it's a number that helps far more than it hurts. Whether you retake depends entirely on your target schools and scholarship cutoffs, not on the score in a vacuum. For broader context, see our guides on what counts as a good ACT score and the average ACT score.
Frequently Asked Questions About a 28 ACT Score
Is a 28 ACT score good?
Yes. A 28 is a Strong score in the 91st percentile, meaning you outscored about 91% of test-takers. It's competitive for most public flagship universities and well above the national average of 19.4.
What percentile is a 28 ACT?
A 28 ACT is in the 91st percentile nationally, based on ACT's official norms for tests taken September 2025 through August 2026. Only about 9% of test-takers score higher.
What SAT score is equivalent to a 28 ACT?
A 28 ACT converts to a 1310 SAT using the official 2018 ACT/SAT concordance. The single-point value is 1310, and a 28 maps to the broader 1300-1320 SAT range.
What colleges can I get into with a 28 ACT?
A 28 is competitive at flagships like Ohio State (26-32), Penn State (27-32), Minnesota-Twin Cities (26-31), Georgia (26-32), and Clemson (28-32), where it sits at or above the 25th percentile of submitters. It's a reach at more selective publics like Florida and Wisconsin (both 29-33).
Should I retake the ACT if I got a 28?
Only if you have a specific reason - like a target school's 29-33 band or a merit threshold at 29-30+ - and your practice tests show you can gain 1-3 points. Since schools use your highest sitting and many superscore, there's little downside to one more attempt if you have time. Otherwise, focus on GPA and essays.
