California Colleges for a 26 on the ACT

What California colleges accept a 26 ACT score?

These California colleges are a good match for you

If you've achieved a score of 26 on your ACTs, this places you squarely within the average range for accepted students at 22 California colleges. This list features popular colleges where your application will likely be competitive, given their historical acceptance of students with a 26 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 California colleges

Is a 26 ACT good?

Yes, a score of 26 is very competitive. It situates you in the top 82nd percentile on the national scale, outperforming the majority of the 2 million ACT test takers. This score signifies your well above 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 26 score represents 72% of the total possible points. If a 26 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.

Demographic comparisons for a 26

Let's examine how a 26 ACT score stacks up to the national averages across various demographic groups

Gender

Male: A 26 is 5.7 points (28%) higher than the average male ACT score of 20.3
Female: A 26 is 5.4 points (26%) higher than the average female ACT score of 20.6

Race/ethnicity

White: A 26 is 4.3 points (20%) higher than the average white ACT score of 21.7
Black: A 26 is 9.7 points (60%) higher than the average black ACT score of 16.3
Hispanic: A 26 is 7.7 points (42%) higher than the average Hispanic ACT score of 18.3
Asian: A 26 is 1.1 points (4%) higher than the average Asian ACT score of 24.9
Pacific Islander: A 26 is 8.8 points (51%) higher than the average Pacific Islander ACT score of 17.2
American Indian/Alaska Native: A 26 is 9.1 points (54%) higher than the average American Indian/Alaska Native ACT score of 16.9
Two or more races: A 26 is 5.4 points (26%) higher than the average two or more races ACT score of 20.6

All groups

All Students: A 26 is 5.7 points higher than the average ACT score for all students of 20.3

What is the SAT equivalent to a 26 ACT score?

A 26 on the ACT translates to a 1240 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.

What percentile is a 26 ACT score?

Scoring a 26 on the ACT places you in the 82nd percentile nationwide. This implies that your performance surpassed 82% 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 1,640,000 students placing you ahead of the majority with only 360,000 test takers achieving a higher score.

ACT 26 California Public Private 4 year

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List of 26 ACT Colleges

Displaying 22 colleges where your 26 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 63 target schools (good chance), 27 reach (harder) schools and 207 safety (easier) schools you can consider.

San Diego State University

S

San Diego, CA

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San Diego State University

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

25 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#10 Best Public Universities in California

37,402enrollment
$13,017net price
39%acceptance rate
1090-1300SAT range
22-29ACT range
3.82Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance43%

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare Calculate my chances

University of California Irvine

C

Irvine, CA

credit: Ariane Middel / license

University of California Irvine

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

29 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#10 Best Public Universities in America

35,937enrollment
$14,033net price
21%acceptance rate
1230-1430SAT range
26-33ACT range
3.75Estimated Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance13%

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare Calculate my chances

University of California Davis

C

Davis, CA

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University of California Davis

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

29 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#11 Best Public Universities in America

39,679enrollment
$17,385net price
37%acceptance rate
1160-1400SAT range
25-33ACT range
4.0Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance27%

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare Calculate my chances

San Jose State University

S

San Jose, CA

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San Jose State University

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

22 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#13 Best Public Universities in California

35,751enrollment
$14,219net price
77%acceptance rate
1010-1240SAT range
19-26ACT range
3.35Estimated Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance87%

Applications Due Dec 15

Compare Calculate my chances

California State University Long Beach

C

Long Beach, CA

credit: source / license

California State University Long Beach

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

23 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#11 Best Public Universities in California

38,973enrollment
$9,346net price
40%acceptance rate
1020-1240SAT range
20-26ACT range
3.7Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance56%

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare Calculate my chances

California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo

C

San Luis Obispo, CA

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California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

29 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#7 Best Public Universities in California

22,000enrollment
$19,184net price
30%acceptance rate
1220-1410SAT range
26-32ACT range
4.0Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance18%

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare Calculate my chances

University of California Riverside

C

Riverside, CA

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University of California Riverside

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

26 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#9 Best Public Universities in California

26,809enrollment
$14,487net price
69%acceptance rate
1080-1280SAT range
22-31ACT range
3.84Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance69%

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare Calculate my chances

Chapman University

C

Orange, CA

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Chapman University

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

28 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#10 Best Private Colleges in California

10,014enrollment
$45,033net price
73%acceptance rate
1200-1400SAT range
26-31ACT range
3.7Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance62%

Applications Due Jan 15

Compare Calculate my chances

University of California Santa Cruz

C

Santa Cruz, CA

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University of California Santa Cruz

Public 4 Year

6 reviews

29 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#8 Best Public Universities in California

19,478enrollment
$17,975net price
47%acceptance rate
1160-1360SAT range
25-33ACT range
3.63Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance35%

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare Calculate my chances

Azusa Pacific University

A

Azusa, CA

Azusa Pacific University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

24 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#18 Best Private Colleges in California

7,169enrollment
$26,666net price
87%acceptance rate
980-1240SAT range
21-28ACT range
3.74Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance91%

Applications Due Jun 1

Compare Calculate my chances

University of the Pacific

T

Stockton, CA

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University of the Pacific

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

29 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#14 Best Private Colleges in California

6,277enrollment
$28,164net price
93%acceptance rate
1120-1423SAT range
25-33ACT range
3.58Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance89%

Applications Due Jan 15

Compare Calculate my chances

California State Polytechnic University Pomona

C

Pomona, CA

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California State Polytechnic University Pomona

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

23 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#12 Best Public Universities in California

27,503enrollment
$12,480net price
55%acceptance rate
1010-1250SAT range
19-27ACT range
3.69Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance66%

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare Calculate my chances

Point Loma Nazarene University

P

San Diego, CA

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Point Loma Nazarene University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

26 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#20 Best Private Colleges in California

4,319enrollment
$34,933net price
82%acceptance rate
1170-1350SAT range
22-30ACT range
3.65Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance82%

Applications Due Feb 15

Compare Calculate my chances

University of Redlands

R

Redlands, CA

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University of Redlands

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

27 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#16 Best Private Colleges in California

3,460enrollment
$28,157net price
82%acceptance rate
1113-1278SAT range
25-30ACT range
3.74Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance78%

Applications Due Jul 1

Compare Calculate my chances

Whittier College

W

Whittier, CA

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Whittier College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

27 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#19 Best Private Colleges in California

1,192enrollment
$28,368net price
75%acceptance rate
1140-1340SAT range
24-30ACT range
3.61Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance71%

Compare Calculate my chances

Biola University

B

La Mirada, CA

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Biola University

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

26 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#15 Best Private Colleges in California

5,387enrollment
$31,522net price
57%acceptance rate
1105-1365SAT range
23-30ACT range
3.61Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance57%

Compare Calculate my chances

Concordia University Irvine

C

Irvine, CA

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Concordia University Irvine

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

25 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#26 Best Private Colleges in California

3,744enrollment
$29,508net price
69%acceptance rate
1030-1260SAT range
21-29ACT range
3.61Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance72%

Compare Calculate my chances

California Lutheran University

C

Thousand Oaks, CA

credit: source / license

California Lutheran University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

28 Average ACT Score

Test Optional

#22 Best Private Colleges in California

3,615enrollment
$30,416net price
87%acceptance rate
1150-1320SAT range
26-30ACT range
3.73Avg GPA

Your 26 ACT

Admission Chance78%

Applications Due Jan 1

Compare Calculate my chances