Convert your SAT total (400–1600) to the comparable ACT composite (1–36) with the published concordance table.
The concordance below maps SAT totals to ACT composites of comparable percentile standing, based on the jointly published College Board / ACT concordance. Concordance compares score distributions, it does not predict how you would score if you took the other test.
| SAT total | ACT composite |
|---|---|
| 1600 | 36 |
| 1560 | 35 |
| 1520 | 34 |
| 1480–1490 | 33 |
| 1450–1460 | 32 |
| 1420–1430 | 31 |
| 1390 | 30 |
| 1360 | 29 |
| 1330 | 28 |
| 1300–1310 | 27 |
| 1270–1280 | 26 |
| 1240–1250 | 25 |
| 1210–1220 | 24 |
| 1180–1190 | 23 |
| 1150–1160 | 22 |
| 1120–1130 | 21 |
| 1090–1100 | 20 |
| 1060–1070 | 19 |
| 1030–1040 | 18 |
| 1000–1010 | 17 |
| 970–980 | 16 |
| 940–950 | 15 |
| 910–920 | 14 |
| 880–890 | 13 |
| 850–860 | 12 |
| 820–830 | 11 |
| 790–800 | 10 |
| 760–770 | 9 |
| 730–740 | 8 |
| 700–710 | 7 |
| 670–680 | 6 |
| 640–650 | 5 |
| 610–620 | 4 |
| 590 | 3 |
| 560–580 | 2 |
| 400–550 | 1 |
Concordance tables are revised periodically as test populations change; treat values as comparable standing, not equivalence.
A concordance table answers one question: if a student scored X on one test, what score on the other test would put them at a comparable point in the distribution? It is a statement about ranking, not about ability, and definitely not a prediction of what you personally would score if you switched tests.
| Concordance tells you | Concordance does not tell you |
|---|---|
| Your relative standing compared with other test takers | What you would actually score on the other test |
| Whether a university's stated ACT requirement is roughly met by your SAT score | That the tests measure the same skills in the same proportions |
| A way to compare scholarship thresholds written in different scales | Anything about superscoring, concordance applies to a single sitting |
| A rough guide to which test suits your profile | That equal percentiles mean equal readiness for a specific university course |
Concordance becomes practically useful when you are deciding which test to invest in. The differences that matter for that decision are structural, not score-based:
| Feature | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Two sections, each with two adaptive modules | Four sections, fixed difficulty |
| Time pressure | More time per question | Noticeably faster pace |
| Science | No separate section (data skills appear in other questions) | Dedicated Science section, really data interpretation, not prior science knowledge |
| Composite | Total is the sum of two sections | Composite is the average of four sections, so one weak section is dampened |
| Calculator | Built-in graphing calculator for all Math | Calculator allowed on Math only |
A student whose four-section performance is uneven often prefers the ACT, because averaging four sections softens a single weak area. A student who wants more time to think rather than to react usually prefers the SAT. The most reliable guide, if you have time, is a full-length timed practice test of each under real conditions, the concordance table then tells you how the results compare, and you invest in whichever is already stronger.
Score scaling on both tests is explained in more detail on the SAT score calculator and ACT score calculator pages, and the PSAT score calculator covers the 1520-scale PSAT if that is the result you are holding.