United States Private Colleges Ranked by Highest ACT Score
Below is a list of the 708 private colleges in the United States with the highest ACT Score for incoming freshmen. California Institute of Technology leads the list with an average ACT Score of 35. Alternatively, check out the SAT version of these rankings.
The ACT is a standardized test used by colleges to evaluate applicants. It is not a guarantee of success in college, but it is a strong indicator of academic potential.
| College | Average ACT Score |
|---|---|
|
Wilkes University
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania |
25 |
|
Anderson University
Anderson, South Carolina |
25 |
|
Southern Wesleyan University
Central, South Carolina |
25 |
|
Abilene Christian University
Abilene, Texas |
25 |
|
University of Dallas
Irving, Texas |
25 |
|
LeTourneau University
Longview, Texas |
25 |
|
Saint Edward's University
Austin, Texas |
25 |
|
Texas Lutheran University
Seguin, Texas |
25 |
|
Hampden Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney, Virginia |
25 |
|
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia |
25 |
|
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, Washington |
25 |
|
Whitworth University
Spokane, Washington |
25 |
|
Harding University
Searcy, Arkansas |
24 |
|
John Brown University
Siloam Springs, Arkansas |
24 |
|
University of Redlands
Redlands, California |
24 |
|
Simpson University
Redding, California |
24 |
|
Saint Mary's College of California
Moraga, California |
24 |
|
Jacksonville University
Jacksonville, Florida |
24 |
This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: August 2026
Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.