Midwestern Colleges for a 21 on the ACT

With a 21 ACT, you are competitive at 346 four-year colleges in the Midwest (196 target, 61 reach, 89 safety). Your score is roughly equivalent to a 1080 SAT.

Colleges in the Midwest for a 21 ACT

Target Schools (Competitive Chance of Admission)

Target schools have middle 50% ranges that include 21 - your score fits squarely in the admitted pool.

College	ACT Range	Avg ACT	Acceptance Rate	Your Chance
Iowa State University Ames, IA	21-28	24	89%	Medium
Ball State University Muncie, IN	20-24	22	85%	Medium
University of Iowa Iowa City, IA	21-28	24	84%	Medium
Illinois State University Normal, IL	21-27	24	88%	Medium
Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI	21-27	24	90%	Medium
Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI	20-27	23	85%	Medium
Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL	19-25	22	70%	Medium
Southern Illinois University Carbondale Carbondale, IL	18-25	21	87%	Medium
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI	19-24	21	91%	Medium
Concordia University Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI	19-24	21	69%	Medium
Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH	18-25	21	86%	Medium
Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI	18-27	22	80%	Medium

View all 196 target colleges

Reach Schools (Lower Admission Chance)

Reach schools typically enroll students with higher average ACT scores; admission is possible but more competitive.

College	ACT Range	Avg ACT	Acceptance Rate	Your Chance
Michigan State University East Lansing, MI	25-31	28	85%	Low
Miami University Oxford Oxford, OH	25-30	27	75%	Low
University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL	25-31	28	77%	Low
Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI	22-30	26	83%	Low
University of Cincinnati Main Campus Cincinnati, OH	24-29	26	85%	Low
DePaul University Chicago, IL	25-31	28	76%	Low
Wayne State University Detroit, MI	23-29	26	81%	Low
University of Dayton Dayton, OH	25-31	28	65%	Low
University of Minnesota Duluth Duluth, MN	23-28	25	89%	Low
University of Michigan Dearborn Dearborn, MI	24-28	26	56%	Low
Xavier University Cincinnati, OH	22-29	25	86%	Low
Ohio University Main Campus Athens, OH	22-28	25	85%	Low

View all 61 reach colleges

Safety Schools (Very High Chance of Admission)

Safety schools have average ACT scores well below 21; you have a very high chance of acceptance.

College	ACT Range	Avg ACT	Acceptance Rate	Your Chance
Central State University Wilberforce, OH	14-18	16	99%	High
Vincennes University Vincennes, IN	-	-	100%	High
Lake Superior State University Sault Ste Marie, MI	19-26	22	100%	High
Lincoln University Jefferson City, MO	-	-	100%	High
Harris Stowe State University Saint Louis, MO	-	-	100%	High
Columbia College Columbia, MO	-	-	100%	High
Calumet College of Saint Joseph Whiting, IN	-	-	100%	High
University of Northwestern Ohio Lima, OH	-	-	100%	High
Loras College Dubuque, IA	-	-	100%	High
Franklin University Columbus, OH	-	-	100%	High
Wright State University Lake Campus Celina, OH	18-24	21	100%	High
Madison Area Technical College Madison, WI	-	-	100%	High

View all 89 safety colleges

View the full list of colleges that accept a 21 ACT in the Midwest

See all colleges nationally for a 21 ACT

21 ACT to SAT Equivalent Conversion

Colleges use concordance tables to compare SAT and ACT scores. The following table shows the 21 ACT to SAT equivalent and nearby scores for context. These conversions are approximate.

ACT Score	SAT Equivalent
18	970
19	1010
20	1040
21	1080
22	1110
23	1140
24	1180

Individual colleges may interpret scores slightly differently, so treat concordance as a guide rather than an exact rule.

Published: August 19, 2026