ACT score lookup

Is a 20 ACT Score Good?

A 20 out of 36 is below average for test takers nationally — approximately the 39th percentile, meaning you scored at or above roughly 39% of students. It converts to an SAT score of about 1040 on the official concordance.

What a 20 means for your college list

Measure	Value
Approximate national percentile	39th
Equivalent SAT score	1040
Colleges where this is at or above the 75th percentile	6
Colleges where this falls inside the middle 50%	57
Colleges where this is below the 25th percentile	210

Those counts are drawn from the 273 four-year colleges in our dataset that report ACT ranges. A score above a college’s 75th percentile makes testing a strength in that applicant pool; inside the range it is neutral; below the 25th percentile the rest of the application has to do the work.

Colleges where a 20 is a strength

• Southern University and A & M College (Louisiana, mid-50% 15–19)
• Grambling State University (Louisiana, mid-50% 15–19)
• Alcorn State University (Mississippi, mid-50% 15–19)
• University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (Arkansas, mid-50% 14–18)
• Oklahoma Baptist University (Oklahoma, mid-50% 17–19)
• Warner University (Florida, mid-50% 14–20)

Colleges where a 20 is right in range

• Grand Canyon University (Arizona, mid-50% 20–22)
• Kennesaw State University (Georgia, mid-50% 19–26)
• Texas State University (Texas, mid-50% 19–25)
• University of North Texas (Texas, mid-50% 19–27)
• The University of Texas at Arlington (Texas, mid-50% 19–27)
• The University of Texas at San Antonio (Texas, mid-50% 19–25)
• The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (Texas, mid-50% 15–21)
• Georgia State University (Georgia, mid-50% 19–26)
• University of Nevada-Las Vegas (Nevada, mid-50% 18–25)
• Georgia Southern University (Georgia, mid-50% 18–23)
• Oklahoma State University (Oklahoma, mid-50% 20–27)
• University of Kansas (Kansas, mid-50% 20–28)

Reach colleges with a 20

• Texas A&M University-College Station (Texas, mid-50% 25–31)
• University of Central Florida (Florida, mid-50% 25–29)
• Ohio State University (Ohio, mid-50% 28–32)
• Purdue University (Indiana, mid-50% 27–34)
• The University of Texas at Austin (Texas, mid-50% 27–33)
• University of Arizona (Arizona, mid-50% 21–29)
• Pennsylvania State University (Pennsylvania, mid-50% 27–32)
• Michigan State University (Michigan, mid-50% 25–31)

Frequently asked questions

Is 20 a good ACT score?

A 20 is below average, around the 39th percentile nationally. Whether it is good enough depends on your list: it sits at or above the 75th percentile at 6 of the 273 colleges we track and inside the middle 50% at 57 more.

What SAT score is equivalent to a 20 ACT?

Using the official ACT/College Board concordance, a 20 ACT is comparable to an SAT score of about 1040.

What colleges can I get into with a 20 ACT?

A 20 is in range or above at 63 of the 273 four-year colleges in our dataset. Test scores are one factor among grades, coursework rigour, essays and extracurriculars.

Percentiles are approximate and shift with each testing cohort; college ranges come from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and can lag the current cycle.

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