Is 30 a good ACT score?
Yes. A 30 is an excellent ACT score. On ACT's current national ranks it sits at the 94th percentile, so you scored as high as or higher than 94 percent of recent test takers. The national average is 19.4. A 30 is competitive at most state flagships and many selective colleges, but it sits below the usual range at the most selective schools.
In more detail
The ACT Composite runs from 1 to 36. Since September 2025 it is the average of English, Math and Reading, rounded to the nearest whole number. Science is optional and reported on its own. A 30 can come from three 30s, or from a lopsided 34, 29 and 27, and colleges see the section scores too, so look at your lowest section, not only the Composite.
Is 32 a good ACT score? Yes, and then some. A 32 sits at the 97th percentile, roughly the top 3 percent of recent test takers. On the official 2018 concordance tables, a 30 matches about 1370 on the SAT and a 32 about 1430.
Whether a 30 is enough depends on your list. Look up the middle 50 percent ACT range of each college. At or above the midpoint, a 30 helps your application. The most selective schools report ranges that often start at 33 or higher, so there a 30 is below the usual range and the rest of your file has to carry more weight. Many public universities set automatic merit scholarships by ACT band, so check whether a 31 or 32 unlocks a bigger award.
Where 30 sits on the ACT scale
| Composite | National rank | About the same on the SAT |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | 91st percentile | About 1310 |
| 30 | 94th percentile | About 1370 |
| 32 | 97th percentile | About 1430 |
| 34 | 99th percentile | About 1500 |
Step by step
- 1
Write down the middle 50 percent ACT range for every school on your list.
- 2
Compare your 30 to each midpoint. At or above it, a retake is optional.
- 3
Check the merit scholarship cutoffs. If a 31 or 32 unlocks a bigger award, plan a retake.
- 4
Look at your section scores. Colleges that superscore take your best English, Math and Reading across test dates, so one weak section is the easiest place to gain.
- 5
If you retake, give yourself six to eight weeks and drill your lowest section most days.
- 6
Two or three attempts in total are enough for most students.
How StudyPDF helps
If you aim for a 32, StudyPDF can turn your prep book chapters, class notes and practice test explanations into quizzes and timed practice exams, each question linked to the page it came from. It tracks which concepts you keep missing, so the next set drills those. The questions are not official ACT questions, so keep the official practice tests for your real score check.
See also
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More questions
Is a 30 good enough for an Ivy League school?
It is usually below their typical range. The most selective schools report middle 50 percent ACT ranges in the 30s, often 33 or higher. A 30 does not rule you out, especially at test optional schools, but the rest of your application has to carry more weight.
What SAT score is a 30 on the ACT?
On the official 2018 concordance tables, a 30 matches about 1370 on the SAT, within a range of 1360 to 1380. Treat it as an estimate, not a promise of the same result on the other test.