North Carolina Colleges for a 23 on the ACT

With a 23 ACT, you are competitive at 50 four-year colleges in North Carolina (29 target, 3 reach, 18 safety). Your score is roughly equivalent to a 1140 SAT.

Colleges in North Carolina for a 23 ACT

Target Schools (Competitive Chance of Admission)

Target schools have middle 50% ranges that include 23 - your score fits squarely in the admitted pool.

College	ACT Range	Avg ACT	Acceptance Rate	Your Chance
East Carolina University Greenville, NC	21-26	23	89%	Medium
Appalachian State University Boone, NC	21-27	24	90%	Medium
Elon University Elon, NC	23-28	25	66%	Medium
University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC	21-28	24	80%	Medium
Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC	19-25	22	82%	Medium
North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC	17-23	20	50%	Medium
Wingate University Wingate, NC	18-25	21	91%	Medium
Campbell University Buies Creek, NC	19-25	22	87%	Medium
University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC	22-27	24	89%	Medium
Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte, NC	20-27	23	62%	Medium
University of North Carolina Asheville Asheville, NC	23-29	26	92%	Medium
Catawba College Salisbury, NC	17-25	21	75%	Medium

View all 29 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
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC	28-34	31	15%	Low
University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC	24-29	26	64%	Low
High Point University High Point, NC	24-33	28	75%	Low

Safety Schools (Very High Chance of Admission)

Safety schools have average ACT scores well below 23; you have a very high chance of acceptance.

College	ACT Range	Avg ACT	Acceptance Rate	Your Chance
North Carolina Central University Durham, NC	17-18	17	87%	High
Winston Salem State University Winston-Salem, NC	15-20	17	78%	High
Fayetteville State University Fayetteville, NC	15-19	17	82%	High
Saint Augustine's University Raleigh, NC	12-16	14	34%	High
Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City, NC	16-22	19	64%	High
Johnson C Smith University Charlotte, NC	13-18	15	45%	High
St. Andrews University Laurinburg, NC	-	-	100%	High
Greensboro College Greensboro, NC	16-22	19	70%	High
Livingstone College Salisbury, NC	14-21	17	59%	High
University of Mount Olive Mount Olive, NC	16-21	18	76%	High
North Carolina Wesleyan University Rocky Mount, NC	15-21	18	80%	High
Salem College Winston-Salem, NC	16-22	19	77%	High

View all 18 safety colleges

View the full list of colleges that accept a 23 ACT in North Carolina

See all colleges nationally for a 23 ACT

23 ACT to SAT Equivalent Conversion

Colleges use concordance tables to compare SAT and ACT scores. The following table shows the 23 ACT to SAT equivalent and nearby scores for context. These conversions are approximate.

ACT Score	SAT Equivalent
20	1040
21	1080
22	1110
23	1140
24	1180
25	1210
26	1240

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

Published: August 19, 2026