A 31 ACT score is excellent and top-5%. See its percentile, SAT equivalent, which colleges it's competitive at, scholarship odds, and whether to retake.
Larry Learns
A 31 puts you in the top 5% of ACT takers and keeps you competitive at most public flagships and selective privates. Here's where it lands you in admissions, what it's worth for merit scholarships, and how to decide on your next step.
A 31 is an excellent ACT score: it sits in the 96th percentile, which means you scored higher than about 96% of all test-takers and well above the national average of 19.4. A 31 is a strong, top-5% result that makes you a competitive applicant at nearly every public flagship and most selective private universities, and it's especially good for students aiming at merit-friendly state schools and honors colleges. It's a slight disadvantage only at the very most selective schools, where the typical admitted submitter scores a notch higher.
What Percentile Is a 31 ACT Score?
A 31 ACT Composite is the 96th percentile nationally, so it beats roughly 96% of test-takers. On the 2018 ACT/SAT concordance, a 31 converts to about a 1400 SAT. Here's how it compares to the scores around it:
ACT Composite
National Percentile
SAT Equivalent
36
100th
1590
34
99th
1500
32
97th
1430
31
96th
1400
30
94th
1370
28
91st
1310
24
80th
1180
20
63rd
1040
For more detail on how these tiers work, see our guides to ACT percentiles and ACT-to-SAT conversion. The adjacent tiers are worth a look too: a 30 and a 32 bracket where you are now.
Colleges Where a 31 ACT Is Competitive
A 31 is in range at a wide swath of strong public flagships and lands at or above the median at several. Below are verified middle-50% ACT ranges (25th-75th percentile) from each school's official 2024-25 Common Data Set. Note that most of these schools are test-optional, so these ranges reflect only enrolled students who submitted ACT scores - actual admitted-student scores skew somewhat lower.
Below the 25th percentile - a reach where a 31 is below the typical submitter.
The pattern: a 31 is a median-level score at schools like UNC and UF, a comfortable-to-solid score at Wisconsin and Georgia Tech, an at-the-edge score at Michigan, and a slight stretch at UVA. If you want to dig into a specific campus, our per-school pages for UNC Chapel Hill, UF, and Michigan break down the numbers further.
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Reach Schools to Aim For
If you want to stretch a notch above your band, these are the schools where a 31 is on the low end of admitted ranges - achievable, but where the test score is a slight disadvantage rather than an asset:
University of Virginia (32-35 ACT, submitters): A 31 is below the 25th percentile. Possible with a strong overall application, but if it's test-optional, weigh carefully whether to submit.
Ivy-plus and most-selective privates - schools like Duke, Northwestern, and Vanderbilt typically sit at a 33-35 ACT mid-50%. A 31 is below the median here, so treat these as reaches that hinge on exceptional essays, course rigor, and extracurriculars rather than the test score.
Does a 31 ACT Qualify for Scholarships?
A 31 is a genuinely strong merit-aid score at large public universities, many of which publish automatic or competitive scholarship grids organized by ACT band. At schools with stated thresholds, a 31 frequently lands in the top automatic-award tier or just below the highest tier - top awards often begin at 32-34 - and it makes you competitive for named and honors-college scholarships. Out-of-state public flagships in particular use scores in this range to discount tuition.
The honest caveat is at the top end. At the most selective schools - UVA, Georgia Tech, and the Ivy-plus tier - aid is overwhelmingly need-based, and a 31 alone guarantees nothing; full-ride merit there is extremely competitive and decided on the whole application. So the smart move at 31 is to actively apply to merit-friendly publics and honors colleges where this score is rewarded, while treating elite-school merit as a long shot driven by far more than the test score. Always verify each school's current scholarship grid, since thresholds change yearly.
Should You Retake the ACT With a 31?
A 31 is already an excellent, top-5% score and is competitive at nearly every public flagship and most selective private universities, so a retake is optional rather than necessary. Retake only if you have a specific, high-value reason:
You're targeting an Ivy-plus school or a school like UVA, where a 31 sits below the 25th percentile.
You're chasing an automatic or competitive merit-scholarship threshold that kicks in at 32+ (common at large public universities).
Your section scores are lopsided and one weak section is dragging the composite down.
If you do retake, aim for a concrete target of 32-34 rather than a marginal bump, and only sit again if a realistic diagnostic shows you can gain 2 or more points. Most students at 31 are better off investing remaining time in essays, recommendations, and applications. For a broader take on what counts as strong, see our guide to a good ACT score.
How to Raise a 31 ACT Score
If you've decided a retake is worth it, here's where the fastest gains come from at this level:
Find and fix your weakest section. Take official, full-length timed practice ACTs and review every miss. At 31, the fastest gains usually come from fixing one lagging section - often Science pacing or Math - rather than broad review.
Drill pacing and recurring question types. At this level most lost points are careless errors or running out of time, so timed section practice and a no-blanks guessing strategy on the last questions can add a point or two.
Set a concrete target tied to a real goal. Pick a target like 32-34 anchored to a specific scholarship threshold or reach school, and only retake if a fresh practice test shows you're realistically scoring at or near that target.
A 31 is an excellent ACT score in the 96th percentile, equivalent to about a 1400 SAT, and well clear of the 19.4 national average. It makes you a competitive applicant across most public flagships - at or above the median at schools like UNC and UF - and a strong candidate for merit aid at large public universities and honors colleges. It's a slight stretch only at the very most selective schools. For most students, a 31 is a finish line worth being proud of; retake only with a specific, high-value reason and a realistic shot at 32-34. If you're comparing tests, our guides on choosing between the SAT and ACT and whether the SAT or ACT is easier can help you decide where to put your effort.
Frequently Asked Questions About a 31 ACT Score
Is a 31 ACT score good?
Yes. A 31 is an excellent score in the 96th percentile, meaning you scored higher than about 96% of test-takers and far above the 19.4 national average. It's competitive at nearly every public flagship and most selective private universities.
What SAT score is a 31 ACT equivalent to?
On the 2018 ACT/SAT concordance, a 31 ACT converts to about a 1400 SAT. You can see how other scores line up in our ACT-to-SAT conversion guide.
What percentile is a 31 ACT score?
A 31 is the 96th percentile nationally, so it beats roughly 96% of all test-takers. For the full breakdown of how the scale works, see our ACT percentiles guide.
Can I get into a top school with a 31 ACT?
Possibly, as a reach. At Ivy-plus schools and places like UVA, a 31 sits below the typical admitted submitter, so it's a slight disadvantage. Admission there hinges on exceptional essays, course rigor, and extracurriculars rather than the test score. At most public flagships, a 31 is comfortably in range.
Should I retake the ACT if I got a 31?
Only if you have a specific reason - chasing a 32+ scholarship threshold, targeting a school where 31 is below the 25th percentile, or fixing a lopsided section. Aim for 32-34 and only retake if a diagnostic shows you can realistically gain 2 or more points. Otherwise, your time is better spent on applications.
