What Are ACT Percentiles and Score Rankings
Your ACT score tells you how many questions you got right, but your percentile tells you how you stack up against the competition. It’s the key to understanding your strengths and weaknesses and where to focus your study time. Colleges use percentiles too, making them even more important for your college applications.
Are you ready to turn a good ACT score into a great one? Read this blog and learn how they can:
- Compare yourself to other test-takers: Forget apples and oranges; percentiles give you a true apples-to-apples comparison.
- Guide your study plan: Focus on your weakest areas and boost your overall score.
- Maximize your college chances: Show colleges you’re a top contender.
Learn your true ACT potential with our detailed percentile charts and expert tips! Read on and ace the ACT!
What Is the ACT Percentile Ranking?
The ACT score percentile tells you how many people you scored equal to or higher than. It’s more than just a number; it’s a way to compare your performance with other test-takers. Unlike a traditional grade, it doesn’t reflect the percentage of questions you answered correctly.
The ACT provides percentiles for both your composite score (the average of all four sections) and for each individual section (English, Math, Reading, and Science). This allows you to see your strengths and weaknesses relative to other students.
Let’s say you score in the 70th percentile. This means you outperformed 70% of the test-takers who took the ACT at the same time. It’s important to remember, however, that the ACT is designed to be challenging. Scoring 70% of the questions correctly wouldn’t necessarily land you in the 70th percentile; it might be closer to the 75th percentile.
To put it simply, your percentile ranking reveals your relative position among your peers, offering valuable insight into your performance on the ACT exam.
Key points to remember and understand
- Percentiles give a relative, not an absolute, measure of your performance.
- There’s a difference between your composite and individual subject percentiles.
- Don’t confuse percentiles with raw scores or percentages.
Read Also: ACT Test Dates for 2024
How Do I Find My ACT Score Percentile?
Now that you’ve grasped the concept of percentile rankings, let’s discuss what your ACT scores mean in terms of percentiles, both for the overall composite score and individual section scores (English, Math, Reading, and Science).
This handy chart, prepared based on the latest available report from the ACT, will guide you through the process of identifying your percentile ranking for both your composite ACT score and each individual section score. Simply locate your score between 1 and 36 on the left side of the chart. Then, trace across to the corresponding subject area or “Composite” column to find your percentile ranking.
For instance, a composite score of 30 places you in the 93rd ACT score percentile, meaning you scored higher than 93% of recent ACT test-takers. However, if you earned a 30 on the Reading section specifically, your percentile ranking would be 87th, indicating that you surpassed 87% of test-takers in that particular section. See the ACT score percentile chart below for more details.
| Score | English | Math | Reading | Science | Composite | STEM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| 35 | 99 | 99 | 98 | 99 | 99 | 99 |
| 34 | 97 | 99 | 96 | 99 | 99 | 99 |
| 33 | 95 | 98 | 94 | 97 | 98 | 98 |
| 32 | 94 | 97 | 92 | 96 | 97 | 97 |
| 31 | 92 | 96 | 90 | 95 | 95 | 96 |
| 30 | 91 | 95 | 88 | 94 | 94 | 95 |
| 29 | 90 | 94 | 86 | 93 | 92 | 93 |
| 28 | 88 | 92 | 84 | 91 | 90 | 91 |
| 27 | 87 | 90 | 81 | 89 | 87 | 89 |
| 26 | 85 | 87 | 79 | 87 | 85 | 87 |
| 25 | 82 | 83 | 76 | 84 | 81 | 83 |
| 24 | 79 | 79 | 74 | 80 | 78 | 79 |
| 23 | 75 | 75 | 69 | 74 | 74 | 75 |
| 22 | 71 | 71 | 64 | 67 | 69 | 70 |
| 21 | 66 | 68 | 59 | 62 | 64 | 65 |
| 20 | 60 | 65 | 53 | 56 | 59 | 60 |
| 19 | 55 | 61 | 48 | 50 | 53 | 54 |
| 18 | 51 | 56 | 43 | 44 | 47 | 48 |
| 17 | 47 | 50 | 39 | 37 | 41 | 40 |
| 16 | 43 | 41 | 34 | 30 | 35 | 32 |
| 15 | 38 | 29 | 30 | 24 | 28 | 23 |
| 14 | 31 | 17 | 25 | 18 | 22 | 15 |
| 13 | 25 | 8 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 8 |
| 12 | 20 | 3 | 14 | 9 | 8 | 4 |
| 11 | 16 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| 10 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 9 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Mean | 19 | 19.4 | 20.5 | 20 | 19.9 | 20 |
While it’s tempting to view ACT percentiles as one uniform scale, understanding their distribution paints a different picture. At the extremes, differences in scores matter less. On one hand, any score above 34 sits comfortably in the top 1% (99th–100th percentile), offering little room for improvement. Similarly, at the other end, scores between 1 and 10 all fall within the 1st percentile.
However, the middle ground is where small score changes yield significant jumps. A mere 3-point climb from 17 to 20, for example, catapults you from below average (41st percentile) to just above average (60th percentile). This jump can make a tangible difference in your college application.
Similarly, progressing from 26 to 29 bumps you from the 87th to the 93rd percentile, placing you among the top 7%. Cracking the 90th percentile, putting you in the elite 10%, can be a major achievement.
Therefore, if you score within the lower or middle range, even minor point increases can dramatically boost your percentile and, consequently, your college admission prospects. Conversely, those with scores of 34 and above, unless aiming for the most selective schools, can likely breathe easy and skip the retake debate.
Read Also: ACT Scoring Chart for Your ACT Score Calculation
What Is the ACT Subscore Percentile?
While ACT subscores offer valuable insights into your strengths and weaknesses within each subject area, interpreting them independently has become more challenging. As of late 2016, ACT, Inc. no longer publicly releases percentile ranks for subscores. This means your official score report is the only source for comparing your subscore performance to that of other test-takers. Take a look at this sample score report (2022 testing year) if you’re curious about what it looks like.
Here’s the good news: for college admissions, your composite score reigns supreme. Colleges primarily focus on this single number when reporting admitted student ranges and awarding scholarships. So, while subscores can illuminate your performance details, they don’t hold the same weight as your overall ACT score.
Subscores serve as powerful tools for self-improvement, yet it’s your composite score that steals the spotlight in college applications. Elevate your college journey with Yocket’s specialized services, ensuring personalized support for academic success and beyond.
Suggested – ACT Superscore: Colleges That Superscore the ACT
From the Desk of Yocket
Forget apples and oranges – ACT percentiles offer an apples-to-apples comparison of your performance against the competition. They’re not just numbers; they’re key to understanding your academic strengths and weaknesses, guiding your study plan, and maximizing your college chances.
Subscores offer insights, but they don’t carry the same weight as your composite score for college admissions. Focus on improving your overall score while using subscores to pinpoint areas for growth.
Hence, understand the power of percentiles! They provide valuable insights about your academic standing and pave the way for strategic study and a compelling college application. Ace the ACT, one insightful percentile at a time!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ACT percentiles?
The ACT percentiles show how your score compares to other students who took the exam. It’s not a percentage of correct answers, but a ranking. For example, a 24th percentile score means you scored the same or higher than 24% of test takers.
Where can I find my ACT percentiles?
You’ll receive your official score report with percentiles for each section and the composite score.
How can I use the ACT percentiles and rankings to make decisions about college?
The ACT percentiles and rankings can give you a general sense of how competitive your score is compared to other students. However, they should not be the only factor you consider when choosing a college. It is important to research colleges that are a good fit for you academically, financially, and socially.