North Carolina Colleges for a 20 on the ACT

What North Carolina colleges accept a 20 ACT score?

These North Carolina colleges are a good match for you

If you've achieved a score of 20 on your ACTs, this places you squarely within the average range for accepted students at 29 North Carolina colleges. This list features popular colleges where your application will likely be competitive, given their historical acceptance of students with a 20 ACT score. However, it's crucial to remember that a good ACT score is not the sole criterion for admission. In fact, may colleges are now test optional. It's equally significant to maintain a Grade Point Average (GPA) that aligns with the college's expectations for incoming students. The creation of this list is rooted in a comprehensive analysis of ACT scores from students admitted to all North Carolina colleges

Is a 20 ACT good?

A score of 20 is about average. It situates you in the top 51st percentile on the national scale, outperforming the majority of the 2 million ACT test takers. This score signifies your about average performance in answering questions in the English, Math, Reading and Science sections of the exam. The ACT is scored out of a maximum of 36 and a minimum of 1, meaning your 20 score represents 56% of the total possible points. If a 20 does not meet the requirements of your preferred college, you might want to consider enrolling in a test prep course to potentially enhance your score.

Demographic comparisons for a 20

Let's examine how a 20 ACT score stacks up to the national averages across various demographic groups

Gender

  • Male: A 20 is 0.3 points (1%) lower than the average male ACT score of 20.3
  • Female: A 20 is 0.6 points (3%) lower than the average female ACT score of 20.6

Race/ethnicity

  • White: A 20 is 1.7 points (8%) lower than the average white ACT score of 21.7
  • Black: A 20 is 3.7 points (23%) higher than the average black ACT score of 16.3
  • Hispanic: A 20 is 1.7 points (9%) higher than the average Hispanic ACT score of 18.3
  • Asian: A 20 is 4.9 points (20%) lower than the average Asian ACT score of 24.9
  • Pacific Islander: A 20 is 2.8 points (16%) higher than the average Pacific Islander ACT score of 17.2
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: A 20 is 3.1 points (18%) higher than the average American Indian/Alaska Native ACT score of 16.9
  • Two or more races: A 20 is 0.6 points (3%) lower than the average two or more races ACT score of 20.6

All groups

  • All Students: A 20 is 0.3 points lower than the average ACT score for all students of 20.3

What is the SAT equivalent to a 20 ACT score?

A 20 on the ACT translates to a 1040 on the SAT according to the concordance provided by the College Board and ACT. It's important to note that not all colleges disclose admission data for both the SAT and ACT. As such, we recommend checking our listings for each test to identify schools with similar academic profiles.

What percentile is a 20 ACT score?

Scoring a 20 on the ACT places you in the 51st percentile nationwide. This implies that your performance surpassed 51% of all test takers. To put this in perspective, about 2 million students sit for the ACT each year. Thus, with your score, you've outperformed about 1,020,000 students placing you ahead of the majority with only 980,000 test takers achieving a higher score.

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29 results

List of 20 ACT Colleges

Displaying 29 colleges where your 20 ACT score is within the typical range of past accepted students. You have a chance at being accepted but admission may be challenging at more selective colleges. Hint: Filter by admission chance for 90 target schools (good chance), 33 reach (harder) schools and 36 safety (easier) schools you can consider.

Pfeiffer University
P
Misenheimer, NC

Pfeiffer University

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

21 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#8 Best Private Colleges in North Carolina

  • 1,076enrollment
  • $21,575net price
  • 69%acceptance rate
  • 891-1165SAT range
  • 18-25ACT range
  • 3.18Avg GPA
Your 20 ACT
Admission Chance65%

Applications Due Aug 15

Johnson & Wales University Charlotte
J
Charlotte, NC
 

Johnson & Wales University Charlotte

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

19 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#12 Best Private Colleges in North Carolina

  • 1,140enrollment
  • $29,238net price
  • 73%acceptance rate
  • 890-1122SAT range
  • 16-22ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA
Your 20 ACT
Admission Chance77%

Piedmont International University
P
Winston Salem, NC
 

Piedmont International University

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

19 Average ACT Score

 

 

  • 691enrollment
  • $15,119net price
  • 24%acceptance rate
  • 770-1230SAT range
  • 15-23ACT range
  • 3.07Estimated Avg GPA
Your 20 ACT
Admission Chance27%

Lees McRae College
L
Banner Elk, NC
 

Lees McRae College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

23 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

 

  • 855enrollment
  • $24,108net price
  • 61%acceptance rate
  • 1040-1240SAT range
  • 20-26ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA
Your 20 ACT
Admission Chance45%

Livingstone College
L
HBCU
Salisbury, NC

Livingstone College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

17 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

 

  • 839enrollment
  • $15,914net price
  • 64%acceptance rate
  • 800-960SAT range
  • 14-21ACT range
  • 2.64Estimated Avg GPA
Your 20 ACT
Admission Chance76%

Mount Olive College
M
Mount Olive, NC
 

Mount Olive College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

18 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#16 Best Private Colleges in North Carolina

  • 2,239enrollment
  • $17,878net price
  • 75%acceptance rate
  • 990-1150SAT range
  • 16-21ACT range
  • 2.85Avg GPA
Your 20 ACT
Admission Chance83%

North Carolina Wesleyan College
N
Rocky Mount, NC
 

North Carolina Wesleyan College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

18 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#15 Best Private Colleges in North Carolina

  • 1,337enrollment
  • $18,701net price
  • 68%acceptance rate
  • 860-1120SAT range
  • 15-21ACT range
  • 3.2Avg GPA
Your 20 ACT
Admission Chance77%

Salem College
S
Winston Salem, NC

Salem College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

19 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

 

  • 469enrollment
  • $18,354net price
  • 87%acceptance rate
  • 1053-1200SAT range
  • 17-21ACT range
  • 3.3Avg GPA
Your 20 ACT
Admission Chance90%

Cabarrus College of Health Sciences
C
Concord, NC
 

Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

22 Average ACT Score

 

 

  • 528enrollment
  • $17,217net price
  • 45%acceptance rate
  • 945-1075SAT range
  • 20-24ACT range
  • 3.21Estimated Avg GPA
Your 20 ACT
Admission Chance30%

Applications Due Feb 1

Mid Atlantic Christian University
M
Elizabeth City, NC
 

Mid Atlantic Christian University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

17 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

 

  • 133enrollment
  • $22,120net price
  • 63%acceptance rate
  • 760-1160SAT range
  • 14-21ACT range
  • 3.09Avg GPA
Your 20 ACT
Admission Chance75%

Applications Due Aug 1

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
S
Wake Forest, NC
 

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

21 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

 

  • 2,764enrollment
  • $16,324net price
  • 80%acceptance rate
  • 980-1260SAT range
  • 19-23ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA
Your 20 ACT
Admission Chance74%