If you've achieved a score of 20 on your ACTs, this places you squarely within the average range for accepted students at 596 U.S. colleges. This list features popular colleges where your application will likely be competitive, given their historical acceptance of students with a 20 ACT score. However, it's crucial to remember that a good ACT score is not the sole criterion for admission. In fact, may colleges are now test optional. It's equally significant to maintain a Grade Point Average (GPA) that aligns with the college's expectations for incoming students. The creation of this list is rooted in a comprehensive analysis of ACT scores from students admitted to all U.S. colleges
A score of 20 is about average. It situates you in the top 51st percentile on the national scale, outperforming the majority of the 2 million ACT test takers. This score signifies your about average performance in answering questions in the English, Math, Reading and Science sections of the exam. The ACT is scored out of a maximum of 36 and a minimum of 1, meaning your 20 score represents 56% of the total possible points. If a 20 does not meet the requirements of your preferred college, you might want to consider enrolling in a test prep course to potentially enhance your score.
Let's examine how a 20 ACT score stacks up to the national averages across various demographic groups
A 20 on the ACT translates to a 1040 on the SAT according to the concordance provided by the College Board and ACT. It's important to note that not all colleges disclose admission data for both the SAT and ACT. As such, we recommend checking our listings for each test to identify schools with similar academic profiles.
Scoring a 20 on the ACT places you in the 51st percentile nationwide. This implies that your performance surpassed 51% of all test takers. To put this in perspective, about 2 million students sit for the ACT each year. Thus, with your score, you've outperformed about 1,020,000 students placing you ahead of the majority with only 980,000 test takers achieving a higher score.
Here are some of the top ranked colleges which have historically accepted students in this test score range. Scroll down further to explore, search, sort and filter the full list.
College | Average ACT |
---|---|
Linfield University | 23 |
University of Hawaii at Manoa | 23 |
Bethel University | 24 |
Rockhurst University | 22 |
Azusa Pacific University | 22 |
Rutgers University Camden | 21 |
College of Saint Benedict | 23 |
University of Alaska Fairbanks | 22 |
Seattle Pacific University | 24 |
Indiana Wesleyan University | 22 |
University of Louisville | 24 |
Albion College | 23 |
St Catherine University | 22 |
George Fox University | 23 |
Hamline University | 22 |
596 results nationwide
Displaying 596 colleges where your 20 ACT score is within the typical range of past accepted students. You have a chance at being accepted but admission may be challenging at more selective colleges. Hint: Filter by admission chance for 1,746 target schools (good chance), 900 reach (harder) schools and 1,248 safety (easier) schools you can consider.
Public 4 Year
4 reviews
21 Average ACT Composite
Test Optional
#9 Best Public Universities in North Carolina
Applications Due Apr 15
Public 4 Year
2 reviews
23 Average ACT Composite
Test Optional
#1 Best Value in Hawaii
Applications Due Feb 1
Public 4 Year
8 reviews
21 Average ACT Composite
Test Optional
#8 Best Public Universities in Texas
Applications Due May 1
Public 4 Year
2 reviews
23 Average ACT Composite
Test Optional
#11 Best Public Universities in Georgia
Applications Due Mar 1
Public 4 Year
3 reviews
22 Average ACT Composite
Test Optional
#14 Best Public Universities in California
Applications Due Feb 10
Public 4 Year
1 reviews
23 Average ACT Composite
Test Optional
#11 Best Public Universities in California
Applications Due Nov 30
Public 4 Year
3 reviews
23 Average ACT Composite
#7 Best Public Universities in Florida
Applications Due Apr 1
Public 4 Year
0 reviews
19 Average ACT Composite
Test Optional
#18 Best Public Universities in California
Applications Due May 1
Public 4 Year
3 reviews
23 Average ACT Composite
Test Optional
#3 Best Public Universities in Washington
Applications Due Jan 31
Public 4 Year
3 reviews
23 Average ACT Composite
Test Optional
#3 Best Public Universities in Washington
Applications Due Jan 31
Public 4 Year
3 reviews
22 Average ACT Composite
#9 Best Public Universities in Florida
Applications Due May 1
Public 4 Year
3 reviews
22 Average ACT Composite
Test Optional
#9 Best Public Universities in Texas
Applications Due Mar 15
Public 4 Year
0 reviews
17 Average ACT Composite
Test Optional
#26 Best Public Universities in California
Public 4 Year
5 reviews
23 Average ACT Composite
Test Optional
#4 Best Public Universities in Indiana
Applications Due May 15
Public 4 Year
1 reviews
20 Average ACT Composite
Test Optional
#16 Best Public Universities in California
Applications Due Nov 30
Private 4 Year
1 reviews
22 Average ACT Composite
Test Optional
#4 Best Private Colleges in Georgia
Applications Due Dec 31
Public 4 Year
0 reviews
20 Average ACT Composite
Test Optional
#21 Best Public Universities in California
Public 4 Year
3 reviews
22 Average ACT Composite
Test Optional
#6 Best Public Universities in South Carolina
Applications Due Jun 1
A score of 20 is about average. The score puts you in the top 51st percentile of those who take the test. Explore colleges you can get into with a 20 ACT score.
East Carolina University, University of Hawaii at Manoa and Texas State University are some of the best colleges that you have a competitive chance of getting into. Explore the full list: Colleges for a 20 ACT score.
A 20 ranks in the top 51st percentile of all students who take the ACT exam.
A 20 converts to a 1040 on the SAT using College Board / ACT concordance tables. Explore the colleges: Colleges for a 1040 SAT score.