Colleges With the Highest ACT Middle 50% Ranges

These colleges report the highest ACT middle 50% ranges. 273 of the 354 colleges in our dataset qualify for this list, and colleges with a missing value for the fields used here are left out rather than guessed. The table below shows the top 20, led by Harvard University (Massachusetts).

Across all 273 qualifying colleges the acceptance rate runs from 3.6% (Harvard University) to 99.9% (The University of Texas at El Paso), with a median of 44.2%. For comparison, the median across the 354 colleges in the full dataset that report it is 44.6%.

Top 20 colleges: highest ACT ranges

Top 20 of 273 colleges. Source: College Scorecard, May 2026 release (file published 2026-05-26).
#	College	State	ACT middle 50%	Acceptance rate	Graduation rate	Net price
1	Harvard University	MA	34–36	3.6%	97.6%	$19,066
2	Harvey Mudd College	CA	34–36	12.7%	91.9%	$35,924
3	Johns Hopkins University	MD	34–36	6.4%	93.8%	$18,809
4	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	MA	34–36	4.5%	96.4%	$20,111
5	University of Pennsylvania	PA	34–36	5.4%	96.5%	$28,699
6	Brown University	RI	34–35	5.4%	95.7%	$25,184
7	Carnegie Mellon University	PA	34–35	11.7%	94.1%	$31,944
8	Columbia University in the City of New York	NY	34–35	4.0%	96.1%	$21,590
9	Duke University	NC	34–35	5.7%	96.8%	$29,612
10	New York University	NY	34–35	9.2%	87.6%	$37,050
11	Princeton University	NJ	34–35	4.6%	97.6%	$6,128
12	Rice University	TX	34–35	8.0%	94.6%	$13,370
13	Stanford University	CA	34–35	3.6%	91.9%	$13,807
14	University of Chicago	IL	34–35	4.5%	95.9%	$14,860
15	Vanderbilt University	TN	34–35	5.9%	93.5%	$15,846
16	Williams College	MA	34–35	8.2%	93.6%	$17,716
17	Amherst College	MA	33–35	9.0%	93.9%	$23,367
18	Boston College	MA	33–35	16.4%	90.8%	$41,704
19	Bowdoin College	ME	33–35	7.1%	95.3%	$14,398
20	Claremont McKenna College	CA	33–35	9.6%	91.4%	$28,849

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution, May 2026 release (file published 2026-05-26). Data fetched 2026-10-14. Open any row for the full college profile.

What the data shows

Of the 273 qualifying colleges, 127 are public and 146 are private nonprofit. Within the table, Massachusetts appears 5 times, California appears 3 times, Pennsylvania appears 2 times. The median graduation rate among the 20 listed colleges that report it is 94.3%, against 73.1% for the whole dataset. The median net price among the 20 listed colleges that report it is $20,850, against $19,857 for the whole dataset. 20 of the 20 listed colleges report an SAT range, and the midpoints of those ranges have a median near 1540.

How to read this list

The middle 50% range runs from the 25th to the 75th percentile of enrolled students who submitted an ACT. Colleges are ordered by the sum of the two ends.

Each column in the table means the following.

ACT middle 50%: the 25th to 75th percentile of the ACT composite of enrolled students who submitted it. Period: Fall 2022.
Acceptance rate: the share of applicants a college admitted. Period: Fall 2022.
Graduation rate: the share of first-time, full-time students who finished a bachelor's degree at the same college within six years. Period: Fall 2016 or AcadYr 2016-17 entry cohort, as applicable.
Net price: the average yearly cost for students who received federal aid, after grants and scholarships. Period: AcadYr 2021-22.

Caveats

At colleges where many students do not submit scores, the range can sit above the real student body.

Colleges with a missing value for the ranking field are excluded, so a college missing from the list may simply not have reported the number.
This is a sort on one number, not a quality ranking. A college lower in the table can be a better fit for you.
The figures describe past student cohorts and reporting years, listed below. Verify current numbers with the college itself before you decide.

Where to go next

To see how your own score compares, read what a 1540 SAT or a 34 ACT means for a college list, then check college costs by state for price context.

All college rankings What a 1540 SAT means What a 34 ACT means College costs by state College match by score How to read Scorecard data Colleges With the Highest SAT Middle 50% Ranges Colleges With the Lowest SAT Middle 50% Ranges Colleges With the Highest Acceptance Rates Most Selective Colleges by Acceptance Rate

Frequently asked questions

Which college ranks first for highest ACT ranges?

Harvard University is first on this list. It leads 273 qualifying colleges in the dataset, so check what the number measures before treating it as a recommendation.

How many colleges are on the highest ACT ranges list?

273 of the 354 colleges in our dataset qualify, and the table shows the top 20. Colleges with a missing value are excluded.

Does a higher place on this list mean a better college?

No. The list sorts on one number. It does not measure teaching, fit, program strength or what you would pay, so use it to find colleges to look at and then check each profile and the college's own website.

Methodology and source

Colleges are drawn from the 354-college dataset built from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (May 2026 release (file published 2026-05-26); fetched 2026-10-14). Selection: Four-year public and private nonprofit colleges with at least 500 undergraduates: every college admitting 55% or fewer applicants, plus the 150 largest by undergraduate enrollment. Colleges that do not report test ranges are included with ranges shown as not reported. Reporting periods for the fields on this page: AcadYr 2021-22; Fall 2016 or AcadYr 2016-17 entry cohort, as applicable; Fall 2022. Full definitions are on the methodology page, and the numbers are available as an open download.

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