ACT Percentile Calculator
The national rank (percentile) for an ACT Composite score and any section, STEM, ELA or writing scores, from ACT's published 2026–2027 national ranks table.
Result…
How it's calculated
National rank = the percentage of ACT-tested graduates who scored at or below your score (read from ACT's 2026–2027 national ranks table) Composite (from September 2025) = average of English, math and reading
Looks up the national rank, ACT's name for a percentile, for a Composite score and for any English, math, reading, science, STEM, ELA or writing scores you add. The ranks come from ACT's "ACT Test Score Percentiles and National Ranks" page (act.org, 2026–2027 reference, opened 28 October 2026), which is based on ACT-tested high school graduates from 2024 to 2026 and used for tests taken September 2026 through August 2027. Since the enhanced ACT, the Composite is the average of English, math and reading, with science and writing optional; ACT states that enhanced and legacy scores are comparable.
Your numbers, step by step
About the ACT Percentile calculator
This ACT percentile calculator gives the national rank for an ACT Composite score and for any English, math, reading, science, STEM, ELA or writing score you add. ACT calls its percentiles national ranks: the share of recent ACT-tested high school graduates who scored the same as you or lower. The ranks come from ACT's 2026–2027 national ranks table, which is based on graduates from 2024 to 2026 and is used for tests taken from September 2026 to August 2027. Students use it to read a score report, decide whether to retest or see which section has the most room to grow. Since September 2025 the Composite is the average of English, math and reading, with science and writing optional; ACT says enhanced and earlier scores are comparable. Each lookup is listed in the working.
How to use it
- Enter your “Composite score” from 1 to 36.
- Add any section scores you want ranked, such as “English score (optional)” or “Writing score (optional)”; leave the rest blank.
- Read the Composite national rank, then each section's rank below it and in the bar chart.
- Compare the ranks to see which section is furthest behind the others.
Worked example
A student has a Composite of 23 with English 22, math 24 and reading 23. In ACT's 2026–2027 table a Composite of 23 has a national rank of 77, so 77% of recent ACT-tested graduates scored 23 or lower. English 22 ranks 74, math 24 ranks 81 and reading 23 ranks 71, so reading is the section with the most room to rise.
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Questions people ask
How do I work out my ACT percentile?
Find your score in the Score column of ACT's national ranks table and read across to the column for that test. The number is the percentage of recent ACT-tested graduates who scored at or below you.
What ACT Composite score is at the 90th percentile?
In the 2026–2027 table a Composite of 28 ranks 91 and 27 ranks 89, so the 90th percentile falls between them. A 21 ranks 68 and a 17 ranks 47.
Does the enhanced ACT change what my percentile means?
From September 2025 the Composite averages English, math and reading only, and science is optional. ACT states that its research shows enhanced and legacy scores are comparable, and the current ranks mix graduates who tested before and after the change.
Why is the same score a different rank in each section?
Each section has its own spread of scores. A 23 ranks 77 in English but 71 in reading, because more students score highly in reading.
Is an ACT national rank the same as a percentage score?
No. A rank of 77 does not mean 77% of questions right; it means you scored as well as or better than 77% of the comparison group. To compare with the SAT, use the SAT percentile calculator.
How long are ACT national ranks valid?
ACT updates the table each year. This one applies to tests taken from September 2026 to August 2027, and colleges compare your score with their own admitted students rather than with national ranks.