ACT score calculator

Enter section scores for each test date. Science is optional.

Composite

(28 + 25 + 30) / 3 = 27.67, rounded to the nearest whole number.

STEM: (25 + 24) / 2 = 24.5 (25 if a half rounds up).

A 30 Composite needs English + math + reading to total at least 89. You have 83, so you need 6 more points across the three sections.

This calculator needs JavaScript. Without it: Composite = (English + math + reading) / 3, rounded to the nearest whole number, with halves rounding up. 28, 25 and 30 average 27.67, a 28. A Composite of T needs a three-section total of at least 3 × T − 1.

Runs in your browserNothing you type is sent or savedUpdated November 2, 2026

How ACT computes your Composite

ACT reports English, math, reading and an optional science section on a 1–36 scale. Its score guide says your Composite is the average of your English, math and reading scores, rounded to the nearest whole number, with fractions of one-half or more rounding up. Writing does not change it, and neither does science. (ACT: Understanding Your ACT Scores)

Composite = round((English + math + reading) / 3)

Because three whole numbers are averaged, the average always ends in .00, .33 or .67, so it never lands on exactly one-half. 27.67 becomes 28; 27.33 becomes 27.

Section totals that reach each Composite

Turning the rounding around gives a simple target: a Composite of T needs English + math + reading to add up to at least 3 × T − 1. For a 30 that is 89 (an average of 29.67, which rounds up). Any split works: 30 + 30 + 29, or 34 + 28 + 27.

Three-section total for each Composite
Composite	E + M + R total	Lowest average	Example even split
36	107–108	35.67	36
35	104–106	34.67	35
34	101–103	33.67	34
33	98–100	32.67	33
32	95–97	31.67	32
31	92–94	30.67	31
30	89–91	29.67	30
29	86–88	28.67	29
28	83–85	27.67	28
27	80–82	26.67	27
26	77–79	25.67	26
25	74–76	24.67	25
24	71–73	23.67	24
23	68–70	22.67	23
22	65–67	21.67	22
21	62–64	20.67	21
20	59–61	19.67	20
19	56–58	18.67	19
18	53–55	17.67	18
17	50–52	16.67	17
16	47–49	15.67	16
15	44–46	14.67	15
14	41–43	13.67	14
13	38–40	12.67	13
12	35–37	11.67	12

The last column is the lowest section score that, repeated three times, is enough on its own. One weak section can be covered by the other two: every point you add anywhere counts the same.

Superscore across test dates

ACT’s Superscore is the average of your highest English, math and reading scores from all your test dates, rounded the same way. The best sections can come from different dates, and since the 2025 change, science is no longer part of the Superscore Composite. (ACT score guide; ACT: How to calculate your Superscore)

Example: one test of 28 English, 25 math, 30 reading and a second of 26, 29, 27. The best of each is 28, 29 and 30, which averages 29, against Composites of 28 and 27 on the two days. Add each date as its own row to see this. Whether a college uses Superscores is the college’s own policy.

Science and the STEM score

Science is optional on the current ACT. If you take it, ACT reports it as its own section score and combines it with math into a STEM score, the average of math and science. (ACT score guide; ACT Enhanced ACT FAQs) Two scores can average to a half, such as 24.5. ACT’s score page does not say how that half is reported, so the calculator shows the exact average and the half-up value side by side.

Scores from before September 2025

ACT started leaving science out of the Composite on National online tests in April 2025, and all ACT tests used the new calculation from September 2025. (ACT score guide; ACT Enhanced ACT FAQs) An older score report’s Composite averaged all four sections, and with four sections a true half can happen: 30, 31, 31 and 30 average 30.5, which rounded up to 31. When you enter science, the calculator shows that older four-section number too.

ACT College Readiness Benchmarks

ACT publishes benchmark scores tied to first-year college courses: the score at which a student has a 50% chance of a B or higher, and about a 75–80% chance of a C or higher, in the matching course. (ACT: College and Career Readiness Benchmarks)

ACT College Readiness Benchmarks
Score	Benchmark	College course
English	18	English Composition I
Math	22	College Algebra
Reading	22	History, psychology, sociology, political science, economics
Science	23	Biology
STEM	26	Calculus, chemistry, biology, physics, engineering

For the SAT side, the SAT score calculator scores an official paper practice test, and the PSAT score calculator works out the National Merit Selection Index.

ACT score calculator FAQ

How is the ACT Composite calculated?

It is the average of your English, math and reading scores, rounded to the nearest whole number, with halves rounding up. Science and writing are not included.

What do I need on each section for a 30?

A three-section total of at least 89. Any split works, such as 30, 30 and 29.

How do I calculate my ACT Superscore?

Take your best English, best math and best reading from any of your test dates, average them, and round to the nearest whole number.

Does science count toward the ACT Composite?

Not on the current ACT. Science is optional and is reported on its own and in the STEM score, the average of math and science.

Does the writing test affect my Composite?

No. ACT’s score guide says the writing score does not affect your Composite.

Are my scores saved?

No. The calculator runs in your browser and nothing you type is sent or stored.

How this page was made. Drafted with AI from ACT’s official score pages (linked above) and checked by Silent Student on November 2, 2026. The rounding was tested against every combination of section scores from 1 to 36. See our editorial policy.

Silent Student is a paid desktop study app for course sites like Canvas, not a test-prep service. See how it works if you are curious.

This calculator does arithmetic on the scores you enter. ACT, Inc. reports official scores; ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc., which is not affiliated with Silent Student.