Enter your four ACT section scores (English, Math, Reading, Science, each 1–36) to get your composite.
| Input | Result |
|---|---|
| E30 M28 R32 S31 | 30 composite (30.25 average) |
| E25 M30 R26 S27 | 27 composite (27.00 average) |
| E34 M36 R35 S36 | 35 composite (35.25 average) |
The ACT reports four section scores, each on a 1–36 scale. The composite is their arithmetic mean, rounded to the nearest whole number. Unlike the SAT there is no cross-section weighting: English, Math, Reading and Science each carry exactly a quarter of the composite.
| Section | Questions | Time | Scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 75 | 45 min | 1–36 |
| Mathematics | 60 | 60 min | 1–36 |
| Reading | 40 | 35 min | 1–36 |
| Science | 40 | 35 min | 1–36 |
| Composite | 215 total | — | 1–36 |
Some test dates also include an optional Writing (essay) section, which is scored separately on its own scale and does not affect the composite. Most colleges no longer require it.
The composite rounds the average to the nearest whole number, with .5 rounding up. That makes certain mark combinations unusually valuable, and unusually fragile.
| Sections | Average | Composite | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30, 30, 30, 30 | 30.00 | 30 | Clean average, no rounding involved |
| 31, 30, 30, 30 | 30.25 | 30 | One point in one section does not move the composite |
| 31, 31, 30, 30 | 30.50 | 31 | .5 rounds up, this pair is what lifts you |
| 33, 33, 30, 28 | 31.00 | 31 | A weak section is fully absorbed by a strong one |
| 36, 36, 36, 33 | 35.25 | 35 | Near the top, a single low section costs the ceiling |
Because rounding happens once at the end, raising your weakest section is often worth more than raising your strongest. Getting the lowest section from 28 to 30 lifts the average by 0.5 and can add a full composite point; getting the highest from 33 to 36 lifts it by 0.75 but may change nothing if the sum still rounds down.
ACT publishes an official superscore: the best English, best Math, best Reading and best Science across all your test dates, averaged again. Many colleges accept it. If you have tested more than once, the superscore composite can be one to three points above any single sitting, which is why retaking to improve one section is a common strategy rather than a wasted fee.
| Composite | Approximate percentile | Typical placement |
|---|---|---|
| 33–36 | 98–99+ | Highly selective universities |
| 29–32 | 90–97 | Competitive at selective public and private universities |
| 25–28 | 78–89 | Strong at most four-year universities |
| 21–24 | 56–77 | Around or above the national average of about 20–21 |
| 16–20 | 28–55 | Meets requirements at many open and mid-tier institutions |
| Below 16 | under 28 | Below average; targeted practice moves the composite quickly |
If you are comparing with the SAT, the SAT to ACT conversion chart maps a total onto the comparable composite. Taking the PSAT or a practice ACT instead? The PSAT score calculator handles the PSAT scale, which tops out at 1520.
It is the average of your four section scores, rounded to the nearest whole number.
Yes, every section and the composite all use the 1–36 scale.