Is a 30 a Good ACT Score? (2026)

Where a 30 stands for college admissions, scholarships, and your next steps.

A 30 is a very good ACT score. It places you in the 94th percentile nationally, so you outscored about 94 percent of test takers, and it converts to roughly a 1370 on the SAT. A 30 makes you competitive at a wide range of strong public flagships and selective universities, and it crosses the threshold many merit scholarships look for.

What Percentile Is a 30 ACT Score?

Here is how a 30 compares to other ACT scores, using current ACT national norms:

A 30 puts you in the top 6 percent of ACT takers. For the full mapping, see our ACT to SAT conversion chart. Since a 30 equals about a 1370 SAT, our guide to a 1350 SAT score covers a very similar tier.

Colleges Where a 30 Is Competitive

A 30 is within range at many strong public flagships and selective universities. Here is how it lands (middle-50% figures are for students who submitted ACT scores):

A 30 is a clear asset at strong public flagships like Ohio State, Penn State, Florida, and Wisconsin, where you are comfortably in range. At the most selective publics, such as Georgia Tech and Michigan, it lands at or just below the 25th percentile, so it keeps you in the conversation while the rest of your application carries more weight. If you scored higher, see our guide to a 32 ACT score.

Reach Schools With a 30

At the most selective universities, a 30 sits below the typical admitted score, making them reaches on testing alone:

• UVA: middle 50% around 32-35
• Ivy League (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc.): middle 50% around 33-36
• Duke and MIT: middle 50% around 34-36

A 30 does not rule these out, since admissions is holistic, but if one is your dream school, raising your score toward 33 or higher would meaningfully strengthen your odds.

Does a 30 Qualify for Scholarships?

A 30 is a strong scholarship threshold at many schools:

• Automatic merit awards: A 30 is a common cutoff for larger guaranteed scholarships at public flagships, combined with a strong GPA
• Honors colleges: A 30 is competitive for admission to many honors programs, which come with their own funding and perks
• The upside of more points: Pushing into the 32 to 34 range often moves you into a higher automatic award bracket, so the payoff of a retake can be real

Check each school's financial aid page for its specific ACT-based award levels, since thresholds vary widely.

Should You Retake the ACT With a 30?

• Your targets have medians around 28-31: You are already competitive. A retake is optional, mainly to chase scholarship money
• Your targets are the most selective publics (Michigan, UVA, Georgia Tech): A retake is worth it. Even a point or two moves you from a reach toward the middle of their range
• You are aiming at top-20 schools: A meaningful jump toward 33 or higher makes sense

A 30 shows strong fundamentals, so the remaining gains usually come from a few specific question types and pacing. Many colleges superscore the ACT, taking your best section scores across test dates, so a retake that lifts one section can raise your composite.

How to Go From 30 to 32 or Higher

1. Find your weakest section. The fastest gains usually come from raising your lowest of the four section scores
2. Drill pacing. The ACT rewards speed, so timed practice on your slowest section often unlocks points you already know how to earn
3. Cut careless errors. At this level, two or three avoidable mistakes per section is often the gap between 30 and 32
4. Practice under realistic timing. Practice ACT-style questions on Larry Learns to target exactly where you are losing points

30 ACT: Where It Fits in the Big Picture

• You scored in the top 6% of ACT test takers nationally
• You are within range at a wide set of strong public flagships and selective universities
• You are a solid candidate for merit scholarships and honors programs
• You are below the typical range at the most selective universities, but not out of contention with a strong application

A 30 is a score that opens many doors. It is equivalent to about a 1370 SAT, so if you are weighing both tests, see our SAT vs. ACT comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions About a 30 ACT Score

Is a 30 a good ACT score?

Yes. A 30 is in the 94th percentile, the top 6 percent of test takers, and is competitive at a wide range of strong public flagships and selective universities.

What colleges can I get into with a 30 ACT?

You are within range at schools like Ohio State, Penn State, UNC, Florida, and Wisconsin, and competitive at many other selective universities. The most selective publics and top-20 schools are reaches at this score.

What is a 30 ACT in SAT terms?

A 30 on the ACT is equivalent to about a 1370 on the SAT, using the official concordance.

Is 30 enough for a scholarship?

Often, yes. A 30 is a common cutoff for larger automatic awards at public flagships and is competitive for many honors colleges. Reaching 32 or higher unlocks more.

Should I retake the ACT if I scored 30?

If your target schools have medians of 31 or higher, a retake is worth it. If your targets are in the 28 to 31 range, you are already well-positioned and a retake is optional.