What Is a Good ACT Math Score? Percentiles and Targets for 2026

A “good” ACT math score depends on two things: how you compare with other test takers, and what the colleges on your list expect. This guide gives you the official national numbers for 2026-2027, shows how to find a target for your own colleges, and turns that target into a study plan for the Enhanced ACT.

How ACT math is scored

ACT math is reported on a 1-36 scale, like every other ACT section. Your raw score (the number of scored questions you answer correctly) is converted to that scale, and there is no penalty for wrong answers, so you should answer every question. Your math score is one of three scores averaged into your Composite. On the Enhanced ACT, the ACT says the optional science and writing sections do not affect your Composite, so math now carries one third of it instead of one quarter. If you want to see exactly how the three scores combine, read our walkthrough of how the Enhanced ACT Composite is calculated.

The average ACT math score

ACT reports two useful averages:

• For the graduating class of 2025, the national average math score was 18.9, according to ACT’s 2025 average scores by state and section. The class of 2025 national average Composite was 19.4 (ACT Class of 2025 report).
• The norm group behind the current national ranks (ACT-tested graduates of 2024, 2025 and 2026) has a mean math score of 19.0, per ACT’s National Ranks for 2026-2027.

So, as of October 2026, a math score of about 19 is the national middle ground. Scoring above 19 puts you above average; scoring 22 or higher puts you in a smaller group, as the next sections show.

ACT math percentiles for 2026-2027

ACT’s national rank for a score is the percent of recent ACT-tested graduates who scored at or below it. These ranks are used on score reports from September 2026 through August 2027.

A few exact values from the ACT table: a 19 is at the 64th percentile, a 22 at the 74th, a 24 at the 81st, a 26 at the 88th, a 28 at the 93rd and a 30 at the 95th. Notice how the curve flattens at the top. Moving from 19 to 22 passes about 10 percent of test takers, while moving from 30 to 33 passes about 3 percent.

The ACT College Readiness Benchmark for math: 22

ACT sets its College Readiness Benchmark for math at 22. ACT says a student who meets it has about a 50% chance of earning a B or higher in College Algebra and about a 75-80% chance of earning a C or higher. ACT also publishes a STEM benchmark of 26, linked to first-year courses such as calculus, chemistry, biology, physics and engineering.

Many students fall short of 22. In ACT’s 2024 National Graduating Class Profile Report, 29% of ACT-tested graduates met the math benchmark and 15% met the STEM benchmark. If you reach 22, you are ahead of most test takers and in the range ACT ties to success in a first college math course.

What counts as good for your colleges

Percentiles compare you with everyone. Admissions compares you with the students a college actually enrolls. The best tool is the college’s middle 50% range for ACT math, which you can find in its Common Data Set, section C9 (search “[college name] common data set”). The 25th percentile is the score a quarter of enrolled students were at or below; the 75th is the score three quarters were at or below.

Sources: Common Data Set 2025-2026 for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the University of Utah and DePauw University.

Use these ranges like this:

• At or above the 75th percentile: your math score is a clear strength for that school.
• Between the 25th and 75th: you are in the typical range; the rest of your application decides.
• Below the 25th: consider retesting, or check whether the school is test-optional and whether sending your score helps.

Keep in mind that the share of students submitting scores varies a lot (81% at Nebraska-Lincoln versus 19% at DePauw). At test-optional schools, the reported range describes only the students who chose to send scores, which tend to be higher scores. Also check whether a college uses the ACT for math placement; some colleges let a math score above a set number skip a placement test, and those numbers differ by school.

The Enhanced ACT math section

The Enhanced ACT is now the standard format for national test dates. According to ACT’s enhancements page, the math test has 45 questions in 50 minutes and covers math typically learned through the start of grade 12. ACT’s counselor explainer confirms that math questions now have four answer choices instead of five, and that the Composite is made from English, math and reading only. Science (40 questions, 40 minutes) is optional and reported separately, along with a STEM score for students who take it. A calculator is allowed on the math test only, subject to ACT’s calculator policy.

That works out to about 67 seconds per question, a little more than the 60 seconds per question on the older 60-question format. The topics are familiar: pre-algebra and elementary algebra, intermediate algebra, coordinate geometry, plane geometry and trigonometry. For a full breakdown, see our Enhanced ACT math format explainer.

What this means for you: moving up 2-4 points

Raw-to-scale conversions change from form to form, so we will not promise a number of questions per point. The pattern is reliable, though: on most forms, each additional ACT math point takes a couple more correct answers, and those answers usually come from questions you already know how to do. Here is a plan built on that idea.

Step 1: Set your target

Write down the math 25th and 75th percentiles for three colleges on your list. Your target is at or above the 50th percentile of your top choice, or 22 if you mainly want to show college readiness. Then take a full, timed practice test, such as our Enhanced ACT math practice test with answers, to get a starting score.

Step 2: Sort every miss

Label each wrong or skipped question as one of three types: did not know the concept, careless error or ran out of time. Careless errors and time problems are usually the fastest points to recover.

Step 3: Study in this order

1. Score 16-19: fractions, percents, ratios, linear equations, slope, area and perimeter, mean and median. These appear throughout the test.
2. Score 20-24: systems of equations, quadratics and factoring, exponent rules, functions and function notation, right triangles and basic probability.
3. Score 25-29: trigonometry (SOH-CAH-TOA, the unit circle), circles and coordinate geometry, sequences, logarithms, complex numbers and matrices.
4. Score 30+: mixed hard sets under time pressure, multi-step word problems and careful reading of what the question asks.

Step 4: Fix your pacing

With 50 minutes for 45 questions, the early questions should go quickly so you have time for harder ones later. Mark any question that takes more than two minutes, move on and return if time allows. Because there is no penalty for guessing and only four choices, never leave a bubble blank. Our Enhanced ACT math pacing plan shows how to set checkpoints at questions 15 and 30.

A worked example

Suppose a student scores 21 on a practice test and wants a 24 for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where 24 was the median math score for the Fall 2025 class. On review, she finds 4 careless errors, 3 questions she skipped for time and 6 misses on quadratics and functions. A sensible plan is two weeks on quadratics, functions and exponent rules, a daily ten-minute set of mixed easy questions to cut careless errors, and one timed section a week to practice pacing. She retakes a practice test after four weeks and adjusts. More free practice is on our ACT online center.

Bottom line

A math score of 19 is about average, 22 meets ACT’s College Readiness Benchmark and beats roughly three quarters of test takers, 26 meets the STEM benchmark, and 30 or higher is in the top 5%. The score that is good for you is the one at or above the middle of the range for the colleges you want. Look up those ranges, take a timed practice test, and spend your time on the topics and habits that cost you the most points.

Practice Quiz: 10 ACT Math Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 20 a good ACT math score?

A 20 is slightly above the national average. On ACT's 2026-2027 national ranks, a 20 in math is at the 68th percentile, meaning 68% of recent test takers scored at or below it. It is two points below ACT's math benchmark of 22, so many students aim for 22 or higher.

What ACT math score do I need for college algebra?

ACT's College Readiness Benchmark for math is 22, linked to about a 50% chance of a B or better in College Algebra. Individual colleges set their own math placement scores, so check your college's placement page, which may list a different ACT number.

Is a 25 on ACT math good?

Yes. A 25 in math is at the 84th percentile on ACT's 2026-2027 national ranks and is above the math benchmark of 22. It falls within or above the middle 50% at many public universities, though highly selective and engineering programs often expect more.

How many questions are on the Enhanced ACT math section?

The Enhanced ACT math test has 45 questions in 50 minutes, and each question has four answer choices. A calculator is allowed on the math test. Check ACT's official calculator policy for the models you can bring.

Does the ACT math score count more now?

In a sense, yes. The Enhanced ACT Composite averages only English, math and reading, since science is optional and does not affect it. That makes math one third of the Composite instead of one quarter on the older four-section format.

What percentile is a 30 on ACT math?

On ACT's national ranks for 2026-2027, a math score of 30 is at the 95th percentile, so about 95% of recent ACT-tested graduates scored 30 or lower. Scores of 33 and above reach the 98th percentile or higher.

Sources

• ACT: National Ranks for Test Scores and Composite Score, 2026-2027
• ACT: National Ranks page
• ACT: 2025 Average ACT Scores by State, Average Score by Section
• ACT: Class of 2025 report
• ACT: 2024 National Graduating Class Profile Report
• ACT: College Readiness Benchmarks
• ACT: Test Enhancements and Changes
• ACT Counselor Blog: The Enhanced ACT Explained
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln Common Data Set 2025-2026, Section C
• University of Utah Common Data Set 2025-2026, Section C
• DePauw University Common Data Set 2025-2026, Section C