What colleges accept a 21 ACT score?
Based on 2021 freshman class ACT scores for all U.S. colleges, here are 687 schools where submitting a 21 with your college application places you around the middle ACT score range of admitted students. This list represents the most popular schools where you will be a competitive applicant and those which have historically accepted a 21 ACT score. Keep in mind, an ACT score alone won't get you admitted. It's equally important to have the GPA that the college is expecting for incoming students.
A score of 21 is a little better than average. It places you in the top 57th percentile nationally out of the 2 million test takers of the ACT entrance exam. The score indicates you've done a slightly above average job answering the questions on the English, Math, Reading and Science sections of the test. If a 21 isn't strong enough to get into your dream school, consider taking a test prep course to see if you can raise your score.
For comparison purposes, a 21 on the ACT converts to a 1080 on the SAT based on the College Board / ACT concordance. Not all colleges report both SAT and ACT score admission data so you should check our comparable listings for both standardized tests to find academically similar schools.
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 |
---|---|
Saint Marys College of California | 24 |
Linfield University | 23 |
Springfield College | 24 |
University of Illinois at Chicago | 25 |
Adelphi University | 24 |
Molloy College | 24 |
SUNY Institute of Technology at Utica Rome | 24 |
University of Arizona | 25 |
Andrews University | 24 |
Bethel University | 24 |
University of Redlands | 22 |
Elizabethtown College | 23 |
College of Saint Benedict | 24 |
Regis University | 24 |
Citadel Military College of South Carolina | 23 |
687 results nationwide
Displaying 687 colleges where your 21 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 2,064 target schools (good chance), 624 reach (harder) schools and 1,233 safety (easier) schools you can consider.
Public 4 Year
5 reviews
24 Average ACT
#3 Best Colleges in Arizona
Applications Due May 1
Public 4 Year
4 reviews
21 Average ACT
#8 Best Public Universities in North Carolina
Applications Due Apr 15
Public 4 Year
2 reviews
24 Average ACT
#1 Best Public Universities in Hawaii
Applications Due Feb 1
Public 4 Year
0 reviews
25 Average ACT
#1 Best Value in Arizona
Applications Due May 1
Public 4 Year
18 reviews
22 Average ACT
Applications Due Mar 1
Public 4 Year
7 reviews
22 Average ACT
#7 Best Public Universities in Texas
Applications Due May 1
Public 4 Year
2 reviews
23 Average ACT
#4 Best Public Universities in Georgia
Applications Due Mar 1
Public 4 Year
3 reviews
22 Average ACT
#12 Best Public Universities in California
Applications Due Feb 10
Public 4 Year
1 reviews
23 Average ACT
#11 Best Public Universities in California
Applications Due Nov 30
Public 4 Year
3 reviews
23 Average ACT
#7 Best Public Universities in Florida
Applications Due Apr 1
Public 4 Year
0 reviews
19 Average ACT
#18 Best Public Universities in California
Applications Due May 1
Public 4 Year
3 reviews
23 Average ACT
#2 Best Public Universities in Washington
Applications Due Jan 31
Public 4 Year
1 reviews
25 Average ACT
#2 Best Public Universities in Oregon
Public 4 Year
4 reviews
24 Average ACT
#2 Best Public Universities in Iowa
Applications Due Jul 1
Public 4 Year
3 reviews
23 Average ACT
#9 Best Public Universities in Florida
Applications Due May 1
Public 4 Year
1 reviews
25 Average ACT
#2 Best Public Universities in Illinois
Applications Due Jan 15
Public 4 Year
3 reviews
23 Average ACT
#8 Best Public Universities in Texas
Applications Due Mar 15
Public 4 Year
4 reviews
24 Average ACT
#1 Best Value in West Virginia
Applications Due Mar 1
A score of 21 is a little better than average. The score puts you in the top 57th percentile of those who take the test. Explore colleges you can get into with a 21 ACT score.
Arizona State University, East Carolina University and University of Hawaii at Manoa are some of the best colleges that you have a competitive chance of getting into. Explore the full list: Colleges for a 21 ACT score.
A 21 ranks in the top 57th percentile of all students who take the ACT exam.
A 21 converts to a 1080 on the SAT using College Board / ACT concordance tables. Explore the colleges: Colleges for a 1080 SAT score.