You got your ACT score back and your first question is: "Is this good?" The answer depends on your goals. A 24 is the 80th percentile (better than 4 out of 5 test-takers), but it is below the range for top-50 schools. A 30 is the 94th percentile, but it falls short of Ivy League territory.
This guide answers the question for every composite score from 20 to 35 with specific percentiles, college examples, and scholarship context from ACT's official 2025-2026 national ranks.
Score-by-Score Breakdown
Is a 20 a Good ACT Score?
Percentile: 63rd. A 20 is just above the national average of 19.4. You scored higher than nearly two-thirds of test-takers. It meets the College Readiness Benchmark for English (18) but falls short of Math (22), Reading (22), and Science (23). A 20 is competitive at many state universities with open or moderate admissions, such as Georgia Southern (18-23) and University of Memphis (18-24).
Is a 21 a Good ACT Score?
Percentile: 68th. Above the national average by 1.6 points. Competitive at regional state universities like Iowa State (21-28) and Florida International (21-27). Begins to unlock small merit scholarships at some schools.
Is a 22 a Good ACT Score?
Percentile: 72nd. Meets the College Readiness Benchmarks for both English (18) and Math/Reading (22). Competitive at schools like University of Alabama (22-30) and Oregon State (22-28).
Is a 23 a Good ACT Score?
Percentile: 76th. Top quarter nationally. Meets all four College Readiness Benchmarks (English 18, Math 22, Reading 22, Science 23). Competitive at Colorado State (23-29) and similar mid-tier state flagships.
Is a 24 a Good ACT Score?
Percentile: 80th. Top fifth of all test-takers. Competitive at strong state schools like LSU (24-30) and University of Central Florida (25-29). Starts to unlock meaningful merit aid at schools like the University of Alabama ($4,000+/year for in-state students with a 3.5 GPA).
Is a 25 a Good ACT Score?
Percentile: 83rd. Well above average. Competitive at Texas A&M (25-31) and Miami University Ohio (25-31). Qualifies for $5,000-$8,000/year in merit scholarships at several state schools.
Is a 26 a Good ACT Score?
Percentile: 86th. Competitive at Auburn (26-31) and meets the ACT STEM benchmark (26). This is a strong score for most non-elite universities.
Is a 27 a Good ACT Score?
Percentile: 88th. Top 12%. Competitive at selective state flagships like Purdue (27-34), Penn State (27-32), and Indiana University (27-32). Unlocks $8,000/year out-of-state merit at Alabama.
Is a 28 a Good ACT Score?
Percentile: 91st. Top 10%. Competitive at University of Florida (28-33), Clemson (28-32), and Syracuse (28-32). $10,000+/year in merit aid at many state schools.
Is a 29 a Good ACT Score?
Percentile: 92nd. Competitive at UNC Chapel Hill (29-33), University of Florida (28-33), and Florida State (29-32). $15,000/year out-of-state at Alabama.
Is a 30 a Good ACT Score?
Percentile: 94th. Excellent. Top 6%. Competitive at Georgia Tech (30-34), University of Miami (30-33), and USC (30-34). Full tuition for in-state students at Alabama with a 3.5 GPA. $24,000/year for out-of-state. For more detail, see our guide to good ACT scores by college tier.
Is a 31 a Good ACT Score?
Percentile: 96th. Top 4%. Competitive at University of Michigan (31-34), Georgetown (31-35), and University of Virginia (32-35). Strong merit scholarship candidate at most schools outside the top 25.
Is a 32 a Good ACT Score?
Percentile: 97th. Top 3%. Competitive at Boston University (32-34), Emory (32-35), and Villanova (32-34). $28,000/year out-of-state at Alabama. At the lower edge of top-25 ranges.
Is a 33 a Good ACT Score?
Percentile: 98th. Top 2%. Competitive at Cornell (33-35), Duke (33-35), Northwestern (33-35), and Yale (33-35). Within the middle 50% for most Ivy League schools.
Is a 34 a Good ACT Score?
Percentile: 99th. Top 1%. Competitive everywhere, including Harvard (34-36), MIT (34-36), Stanford (34-35), and Princeton (34-35). Your ACT is a strength at every school in the country.
Is a 35 a Good ACT Score?
Percentile: 99th. Outstanding. Comfortably within the middle 50% at every university. At this level, other parts of your application (essays, extracurriculars, recommendations) matter more than chasing a 36. For a deeper look at the top end, see our guide to getting a perfect ACT score.
How to Improve Your ACT Score
No matter where you fall on this scale, the path to a higher score is the same: take a diagnostic to find your weakest content areas, focus your study time there, and practice under timed conditions. Our ACT prep guide walks through the process step by step. Many colleges superscore the ACT, so retaking to improve one section is a strong strategy.
Ready to practice? Start a quiz to see where you stand, or check our national averages guide for more context on how your score compares.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ACT score is considered good?
Any score above 20 is above the national average. For competitive state schools, aim for 27-30. For top-50 private universities, target 30-33. For Ivy League, you need 33+.
Is a 25 a good ACT score for college?
Yes. A 25 is the 83rd percentile and competitive at most state universities. It also qualifies for merit scholarships at many schools.
Is a 30 good enough for Ivy League?
A 30 is the 94th percentile, which is excellent nationally. However, it falls below the middle 50% for most Ivy League schools (33+). It would not disqualify you, but your ACT would not be a strength in that applicant pool.
