United States Public Colleges Ranked by Highest ACT Score
Below is a list of the 443 public colleges in the United States with the highest ACT Score for incoming freshmen. University of Maryland College Park leads the list with an average ACT Score of 33. 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 |
|---|---|
|
University of Idaho
Moscow, Idaho |
23 |
|
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville, Illinois |
23 |
|
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas |
23 |
|
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky |
23 |
|
Maine Maritime Academy
Castine, Maine |
23 |
|
Towson University
Towson, Maryland |
23 |
|
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan |
23 |
|
University of Missouri St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri |
23 |
|
Stockton University
Galloway, New Jersey |
23 |
|
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina |
23 |
|
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota |
23 |
|
Oklahoma State University Main Campus
Stillwater, Oklahoma |
23 |
|
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
Chickasha, Oklahoma |
23 |
|
Western Oregon University
Monmouth, Oregon |
23 |
|
Indiana University of Pennsylvania Main Campus
Indiana, Pennsylvania |
23 |
|
Coastal Carolina University
Conway, South Carolina |
23 |
|
University of South Carolina Upstate
Spartanburg, South Carolina |
23 |
|
Winthrop University
Rock Hill, South Carolina |
23 |
This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: March 15, 2026
Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.