ACT Score Calculator
Enter your four ACT section scores (1 to 36 each) to get your composite score, plus STEM and ELA subscores.
Last updated: October 2026
Your section scores
How the ACT is scored
The ACT has four multiple-choice sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science. Each section is scored on a scale from 1 to 36, and your composite score is simply the average of the four, rounded to the nearest whole number. There is no penalty for wrong answers on the ACT, so your section score comes from the number of questions you answer correctly (your "raw score"), converted to the 1 to 36 scale through a conversion table that changes slightly with each test date.
This calculator starts from scaled section scores (the 1 to 36 numbers on your score report), which is what most students have once results come back. If you only know how many questions you got right, use the ACT's raw-to-scaled conversion table for your test form (available in the official practice test booklets), then enter the scaled scores here.
The rounding rule
ACT rounds the average to the nearest integer, and halves round up. An average of 27.5 becomes a 28; an average of 27.25 becomes a 27. This detail matters more than it looks: a single extra correct answer that pushes your average from 27.25 to 27.5 can be worth a full composite point. On a section level, section scores are integers, so the composite is always built from whole numbers.
STEM and ELA subscores
Beyond the composite, your score report shows two cross-test subscores on the same 1 to 36 scale. The STEM score is the average of your Math and Science scores, rounded to the nearest whole number. The ELA (English Language Arts) score is the average of your English, Reading, and Writing scores; if you did not take the optional essay, it is just the average of English and Reading. These subscores let colleges see at a glance whether you are stronger verbally or quantitatively, and STEM-focused programs (engineering, computer science) often weight the STEM score heavily.
ACT composite benchmarks
Score context helps you decide whether to retake. These are rough national benchmarks:
| Composite | Rough percentile | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 34-36 | 99th | Competitive anywhere; large merit scholarships likely |
| 32-33 | 97-98th | Strong for selective schools |
| 28-31 | 90-95th | Competitive for most selective colleges |
| 24-27 | 73-85th | Solid for many state universities |
| 20-23 | 52-68th | Around the national average |
| Below 20 | Below 50th | Consider prep or test-optional schools |
Superscoring: the retake advantage
Many colleges superscore the ACT: they take your best section scores across multiple test dates and average those into a new, higher composite. Retaking the test is therefore a low-risk strategy: a bad section on one date does not cancel a great section on another, as long as your colleges superscore. Some schools do not superscore, so check each admissions site before registering. Either way, the ACT's score-reporting system lets you send scores from chosen test dates rather than everything you have ever taken.
Worked example
A student scores English 28, Math 30, Reading 26, Science 24. The sum is 28 + 30 + 26 + 24 = 108. Divided by 4, the average is 27.0, so the composite is 27. The STEM subscore is (30 + 24) / 2 = 27, and the ELA subscore is (28 + 26) / 2 = 27. If this student retook the test and lifted Science to 28, the average would become 28.0 and the composite would rise a full point, which is exactly how targeted prep on a weakest section pays off.
ACT vs. SAT: which should you take?
Every US college accepts both tests with no preference. The practical difference is format: the ACT includes a Science section (more a test of data interpretation than science knowledge) and moves at a faster pace, with less time per question. The SAT is fully digital with adaptive modules. Neither is easier in any universal sense; students tend to split about evenly on which suits them. The best move is concrete: take one full timed practice test of each, compare your scaled scores, and prepare for the format where you scored higher and felt more comfortable.
ACT FAQs
How is the ACT composite score calculated?
The ACT composite is the average of your four section scores (English, Math, Reading, Science), rounded to the nearest whole number. ACT rounds halves up: an average of 27.5 becomes a 28 composite. The calculator above applies exactly this rule.
Do colleges look at the composite or the section scores?
Most colleges focus on the composite score first, since it is the single number used in admissions ranges and merit scholarship grids. Individual section scores can matter for placement (a strong Math score may let you skip remedial math) and for programs like engineering, where Math and Science carry extra weight.
What is a good ACT score?
A 20 to 21 is roughly the national average. A 24 to 26 is solid and qualifies for admission at many state schools. A 28 or higher is competitive for selective colleges, and a 32 or higher puts you in the top few percent of test takers, in range for the most selective schools and large merit scholarships.
What is ACT superscoring?
Superscoring means a college takes your best section scores across multiple test dates and averages those into a new composite. If you score 30 in Math in June and 30 in English in September, the school combines both. Many colleges superscore the ACT, which makes retaking the test a lower-risk way to lift your composite.
What are the ELA and STEM subscores on the ACT?
The ELA score (1 to 36) is the average of your English, Reading, and Writing (essay) scores, so without an essay it is the average of English and Reading. The STEM score (1 to 36) is the average of your Math and Science scores. They give colleges a quick read on your verbal versus quantitative strengths.
Should I take the ACT or the SAT?
Every college in the US accepts both equally. The ACT has a Science section and runs faster paced, while the SAT is fully digital with adaptive modules. The practical approach is to take one full practice test of each under timed conditions and pick the format where your scores land higher and you feel more comfortable.
Can I send only my best ACT scores to colleges?
Usually, yes. The ACT lets you send scores from individual test dates, and colleges that require all scores are the exception, not the rule. Always check each school's testing policy on its admissions site before you register.
Does the optional ACT writing section affect my composite?
No. The optional essay score (2 to 12) does not factor into the composite at all. It is reported separately and combined with English and Reading to form the ELA subscore. Very few colleges require the writing section today.