Southwestern Colleges for a 26 on the ACT

With a 26 ACT, you are competitive at 122 four-year colleges in the Southwest (36 target, 4 reach, 82 safety). Your score is roughly equivalent to a 1240 SAT.

Colleges in the Southwest for a 26 ACT

Target Schools (Competitive Chance of Admission)

Target schools have middle 50% ranges that include 26 - your score fits squarely in the admitted pool.

College	ACT Range	Avg ACT	Acceptance Rate	Your Chance
Arizona State University Tempe, AZ	21-28	24	90%	Medium
Texas A&M University College Station College Station, TX	25-31	28	57%	Medium
University of Arizona Tucson, AZ	21-29	25	86%	Medium
Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX	23-28	25	73%	Medium
University of Houston Houston, TX	23-29	26	74%	Medium
University of North Texas Denton, TX	19-27	23	72%	Medium
The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX	24-32	28	65%	Medium
Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX	26-31	28	44%	Medium
The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX	19-27	23	80%	Medium
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Norman, OK	23-29	26	77%	Medium
University of Dallas Irving, TX	22-29	25	53%	Medium
Abilene Christian University Abilene, TX	22-28	25	66%	Medium

View all 36 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
The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX	27-33	30	27%	Low
Baylor University Waco, TX	27-32	29	51%	Low
Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX	30-34	32	63%	Low
St. John's College Santa Fe, NM	28-34	31	53%	Low

Safety Schools (Very High Chance of Admission)

Safety schools have average ACT scores well below 26; you have a very high chance of acceptance.

College	ACT Range	Avg ACT	Acceptance Rate	Your Chance
Texas State University San Marcos, TX	19-25	22	89%	High
Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX	17-24	20	90%	High
The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX	19-25	22	87%	High
Texas Southern University Houston, TX	15-19	17	97%	High
Stephen F Austin State University Nacogdoches, TX	18-24	21	94%	High
Tarleton State University Stephenville, TX	19-24	21	90%	High
Prairie View A & M University Prairie View, TX	16-21	18	79%	High
Texas Woman's University Denton, TX	17-23	20	96%	High
Lamar University Beaumont, TX	18-25	21	86%	High
University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio, TX	17-24	20	98%	High
University of St Thomas Houston, TX	18-25	21	90%	High
University of Houston Downtown Houston, TX	16-22	19	90%	High

View all 82 safety colleges

View the full list of colleges that accept a 26 ACT in the Southwest

See all colleges nationally for a 26 ACT

26 ACT to SAT Equivalent Conversion

Colleges use concordance tables to compare SAT and ACT scores. The following table shows the 26 ACT to SAT equivalent and nearby scores for context. These conversions are approximate.

ACT Score	SAT Equivalent
23	1140
24	1180
25	1210
26	1240
27	1280
28	1310
29	1340

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

Published: August 19, 2026