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.

List of United States Private Colleges Ranked by Highest ACT Score
College	Average ACT Score
Loyola University New Orleans New Orleans, Louisiana	23
Mount St. Mary's University Emmitsburg, Maryland	23
Albion College Albion, Michigan	23
Andrews University Berrien Springs, Michigan	23
Aquinas College Grand Rapids, Michigan	23
Bethany Lutheran College Mankato, Minnesota	23
Hamline University Saint Paul, Minnesota	23
College of Saint Benedict Saint Joseph, Minnesota	23
St Catherine University Saint Paul, Minnesota	23
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health Omaha, Nebraska	23
Mercy University Dobbs Ferry, New York	23
Lees McRae College Banner Elk, North Carolina	23
Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte, North Carolina	23
University of Mary Bismarck, North Dakota	23
Otterbein University Westerville, Ohio	23
Ursuline College Pepper Pike, Ohio	23
Walsh University North Canton, Ohio	23
Linfield University McMinnville, Oregon	23

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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.