The current average ACT composite score nationally is approximately 19.5 to 20.6, depending on the source and year of data. For example, the Princeton Review reports an average composite score of about 19.9 based on recent classes, with section averages around 19-20.5 in English, Math, Reading, and Science
. Other sources cite averages close to 19.4 to 20.6 for the overall composite score
. To summarize:
- Average composite ACT score: roughly 19.5 to 20.6
- Average section scores:
- English: ~19 to 19.9
- Math: ~19.4 to 20.2
- Reading: ~20.5 to 21.2
- Science: ~20 to 20.6
A score around 23 is considered above average and makes a student a strong candidate at many colleges, while scores above 33-35 are typical for highly selective schools like Ivy League universities
. Thus, the average ACT score is near 20, with variation by state and year. Scoring above this average improves college admission prospects significantly.
