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 |
|---|---|
|
The University of Olivet
Olivet, Michigan |
20 |
|
Augsburg University
Minneapolis, Minnesota |
20 |
|
Crown College
Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota |
20 |
|
Blue Mountain Christian University
Blue Mountain, Mississippi |
20 |
|
Calvary University
Kansas City, Missouri |
20 |
|
Central Methodist University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Fayette, Missouri |
20 |
|
Fontbonne University
Saint Louis, Missouri |
20 |
|
Logan University
Chesterfield, Missouri |
20 |
|
University of Providence
Great Falls, Montana |
20 |
|
Midland University
Fremont, Nebraska |
20 |
|
Culinary Institute of America
Hyde Park, New York |
20 |
|
Barton College
Wilson, North Carolina |
20 |
|
University of Jamestown
Jamestown, North Dakota |
20 |
|
Defiance College
Defiance, Ohio |
20 |
|
Hiram College
Hiram, Ohio |
20 |
|
Lourdes University
Sylvania, Ohio |
20 |
|
Marietta College
Marietta, Ohio |
20 |
|
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Columbus, Ohio |
20 |
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.