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 |
|---|---|
|
Ashland University
Ashland, Ohio |
22 |
|
The University of Findlay
Findlay, Ohio |
22 |
|
Oklahoma Christian University
Edmond, Oklahoma |
22 |
|
Eastern University
Saint Davids, Pennsylvania |
22 |
|
Converse University
Spartanburg, South Carolina |
22 |
|
Limestone University
Gaffney, South Carolina |
22 |
|
Carson Newman University
Jefferson City, Tennessee |
22 |
|
Freed Hardeman University
Henderson, Tennessee |
22 |
|
Southern Adventist University
Collegedale, Tennessee |
22 |
|
Hardin Simmons University
Abilene, Texas |
22 |
|
Huston Tillotson University
Austin, Texas |
22 |
|
University of Mary Hardin Baylor
Belton, Texas |
22 |
|
Regent University
Virginia Beach, Virginia |
22 |
|
Randolph College
Lynchburg, Virginia |
22 |
|
Shenandoah University
Winchester, Virginia |
22 |
|
Appalachian Bible College
Mount Hope, West Virginia |
22 |
|
Bethany College
Bethany, West Virginia |
22 |
|
Bellin College
Green Bay, Wisconsin |
22 |
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.