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 |
|---|---|
|
Carthage College
Kenosha, Wisconsin |
22 |
|
Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Cape Girardeau, Missouri |
22 |
|
Spring Hill College
Mobile, Alabama |
21 |
|
California Baptist University
Riverside, California |
21 |
|
San Diego Christian College
Santee, California |
21 |
|
University of La Verne
La Verne, California |
21 |
|
LaGrange College
Lagrange, Georgia |
21 |
|
Piedmont University
Demorest, Georgia |
21 |
|
Reinhardt University
Waleska, Georgia |
21 |
|
Shorter University
Rome, Georgia |
21 |
|
Toccoa Falls College
Toccoa Falls, Georgia |
21 |
|
Young Harris College
Young Harris, Georgia |
21 |
|
Millikin University
Decatur, Illinois |
21 |
|
Principia College
Elsah, Illinois |
21 |
|
Dominican University
River Forest, Illinois |
21 |
|
Saint Xavier University
Chicago, Illinois |
21 |
|
Trinity International University Illinois
Deerfield, Illinois |
21 |
|
University of Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana |
21 |
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.