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 |
|---|---|
|
Johnson & Wales University Providence
Providence, Rhode Island |
24 |
|
North Greenville University
Tigerville, South Carolina |
24 |
|
Augustana University
Sioux Falls, South Dakota |
24 |
|
Maryville College
Maryville, Tennessee |
24 |
|
Marymount University
Arlington, Virginia |
24 |
|
Randolph Macon College
Ashland, Virginia |
24 |
|
Seattle Pacific University
Seattle, Washington |
24 |
|
Carroll University
Waukesha, Wisconsin |
24 |
|
Maranatha Baptist University
Watertown, Wisconsin |
24 |
|
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design
Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
24 |
|
Ripon College
Ripon, Wisconsin |
24 |
|
Saint Norbert College
De Pere, Wisconsin |
24 |
|
Viterbo University
La Crosse, Wisconsin |
24 |
|
Ave Maria University
Ave Maria, Florida |
24 |
|
John Paul the Great Catholic University
Escondido, California |
24 |
|
Milligan University
Milligan, Tennessee |
24 |
|
Lyon College
Batesville, Arkansas |
23 |
|
La Sierra University
Riverside, California |
23 |
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.