You often read about the (really high) ACT scores you need for top 10 schools like Yale and Princeton, but there are quality colleges in every ACT score range. Below, we’ve compiled a list of 10 of the top colleges in the US in each ACT score range: 31-36, 25-30, 19-24, and 18 and below.
Some schools may be categorized by the higher end of their score range, while some may be on the lower end. In each category, the schools are listed in order by the ACT score of the 75th percentile of their students (the number on the right). If your score matches this number or is close to it, that means you scored higher than 75% of students who applied to that school. If this number is the same for two schools, the schools are listed in alphabetical order. We compiled this list after reviewing college rankings by niche.com, US News College Rankings, and Compass Education Group. It is not comprehensive, and we had to leave quite a few amazing schools off each list to narrow it down to just 10!
The best way to find out your school’s average ACT score is to review the admissions page of the school’s website. But remember, your ACT score is just one part of the college admissions equation. While it is important, don’t forget about the role your grades, extracurriculars, and personal essays play in completing your college application.
When you’re choosing which colleges to apply to, be sure to choose a few reach schools (your score is in the 25th percentile) and safety schools (your score is in the 75th percentile) to apply to.
How Many Colleges Should I Apply To?
10 Top Colleges in Each ACT Score Range
18 and below
| ACT Score Range 25% – 75% | University |
| 15 – 20 | California State University – Los Angeles |
| 15 – 20 | Dean College |
| 15 – 19 | California State University – Dominguez Hills |
| 15 – 19 | Lincoln University of Pennsylvania |
| 15 – 19 | Prairie View A&M University |
| 15 – 19 | Texas Southern University |
| 15 – 19 | Virginia State University |
| 15 – 18 | Bethune-Cookman University |
| 15 – 17 | New Jersey City University |
| 14 – 17 | South Carolina State University |
19 – 24
| ACT Score Range 25% – 75% | University |
| 25 – 29 | University of Delaware |
| 19 – 28 | Goshen College |
| 23 – 28 | James Madison University |
| 21 – 27 | High Point University |
| 20 – 26 | California State University – Long Beach |
| 19 – 26 | San Jose State University |
| 19 – 25 | La Salle University |
| 19 – 24 | California State University, Fullerton |
| 19 – 24 | Florida A&M University |
| 20 – 24 | Hampton University |
25 – 30
| ACT Score Range 25% – 75% | University |
| 29 – 33 | New York University |
| 29 – 32 | Boston University |
| 26 – 32 | University of California, Santa Barbara |
| 26 – 32 | University of California, San Diego |
| 28 – 32 | University of Florida |
| 27 – 32 | The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| 26 – 31 | University of Georgia |
| 25 – 31 | The University of Texas at Austin |
| 27 – 31 | University of Wisconsin – Madison |
| 25 – 30 | Syracuse University |
31 – 36
| ACT Score Range 25% – 75% | University |
| 31 – 35 | Brown University |
| 32 – 35 | Columbia University |
| 31 – 35 | Duke University |
| 32 – 35 | Harvard University |
| 33 – 35 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) |
| 31 – 35 | Princeton University |
| 31 – 35 | Stanford University |
| 32 – 35 | University of Chicago |
| 32 – 35 | University of Pennsylvania |
| 32 – 35 | Yale University |
Need help boosting your ACT score so you can get into your dream school? We’ve got you covered. The Olive Book ACT course contains hundreds of practice problems and strategies to help you ace each section of the ACT test. Visit olive-book.com to learn more and enroll.
Further reading:
How Many Colleges Should I Apply To?
What Do Colleges See on My ACT Score Report?
What to Study the Week of the ACT