SAT/ACT Score Converter
Enter your SAT or ACT score and select the conversion direction to instantly see the equivalent score on the other exam.
Enter your values above to see the results.
Tips & Notes
- ✓Take one full official practice SAT and one full official practice ACT before deciding which to focus on. Many students assume they know which test suits them better, but actual scores often surprise them.
- ✓Concordance conversions are approximate — a converted score can vary by 1-2 ACT points or 20-30 SAT points depending on the specific testing year and norming population.
- ✓When reporting scores to colleges, send your actual scores, not conversions. Colleges use their own concordance tables for comparison — never self-convert and report a fictional score.
- ✓If you scored a 28 ACT and want to know your SAT equivalent for scholarship purposes, use the concordance: approximately 1310 SAT. Check the specific scholarship requirement language — some specify which test they accept.
- ✓The ACT science section is not a science knowledge test — it is a data interpretation and reasoning test. Strong math and reading skills transfer directly to science section performance, even without advanced science coursework.
Common Mistakes
- ✗Submitting a self-converted score as if it were an actual test score — colleges require official scores from College Board or ACT, Inc. directly, not applicant-converted equivalencies.
- ✗Assuming an exact linear conversion exists — the SAT and ACT scales are designed differently, and concordance is percentile-based, meaning the conversion varies at different score ranges.
- ✗Treating ACT 30 as strictly better than SAT 1370 when they are the same percentile — the tests measure the same thing on different scales, and converted scores are functionally equivalent to admissions offices.
- ✗Ignoring the science section advantage on the ACT — students strong in data reasoning who have not considered the ACT often find their composite score is significantly higher than their converted SAT score.
- ✗Comparing old SAT scores (pre-2016, 2400-point scale) using current concordance tables — the 2016 SAT redesign changed the scale and the conversion tables completely. Use only post-2016 concordance data.
SAT/ACT Score Converter Overview
The SAT and ACT are both accepted by every US college and university, but their scoring scales are completely different — the SAT runs from 400 to 1600, while the ACT runs from 1 to 36. When you have scores from both tests, or want to know how your score on one compares on the other scale, an official concordance table is the only accurate tool. This calculator uses the official concordance data published by College Board and ACT, Inc. to provide the most accurate available conversion.
How concordance conversion works:
Conversion is percentile-based, not mathematical — an SAT 1200 converts to the ACT score at the same percentile rank in the national test-taking population
EX: SAT 1200 ≈ ACT 25 (both near the 74th percentile nationally) | SAT 1400 ≈ ACT 31 (both near the 95th percentile)Official SAT to ACT concordance table (College Board / ACT, Inc.):
| SAT Score | ACT Score | Approx. Percentile | College Competitiveness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1570–1600 | 35–36 | 99th+ | Most selective (MIT, Harvard, Stanford) |
| 1500–1560 | 34 | 98–99th | Highly selective (Ivy League range) |
| 1450–1490 | 33 | 97–98th | Very selective (top 25 universities) |
| 1390–1440 | 32 | 96–97th | Selective (top 50 universities) |
| 1340–1380 | 31 | 95–96th | Competitive (top 75 universities) |
| 1290–1330 | 29–30 | 92–95th | Above average (most 4-year colleges) |
| 1210–1280 | 27–28 | 86–92nd | Solid (broad range of 4-year colleges) |
| 1130–1200 | 25–26 | 74–86th | Average (most state universities) |
| 1060–1120 | 23–24 | 60–74th | Below average (community and open-enrollment) |
| 980–1050 | 20–22 | 40–60th | Low (remedial coursework likely required) |
| Below 980 | Below 20 | Below 40th | Developmental (test prep strongly recommended) |
| Component | SAT | ACT | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading/English | 200–800 (Evidence-Based) | 1–36 (English + Reading avg) | ACT tests grammar more explicitly |
| Math | 200–800 | 1–36 | SAT allows calculator on all math; ACT has no-calculator section option |
| Science | Not included | 1–36 (separate section) | ACT has dedicated science reasoning section |
| Essay/Writing | Optional | Optional | Both phased out at most schools |
| Total Score | 400–1600 | 1–36 composite | SAT is sum of two sections; ACT is average of four |
| Time | 2h 14min | 2h 55min (with breaks) | ACT is longer; SAT has fewer, longer passages |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — every four-year college and university in the United States accepts both tests. No school in the US prefers one over the other for admissions decisions. Some merit scholarship programs specify one test, but this is increasingly rare. International schools vary — UK universities generally do not use SAT/ACT at all, while some Canadian and Australian programs accept them alongside local qualifications.
A 1300 SAT (approximately ACT 28, 88th percentile) is above average and competitive at a broad range of universities, including many strong state flagship schools. For the most selective schools (acceptance rates below 15%), a 1300 is typically below the 25th percentile of admitted students. Research the middle 50% score range at each school on your list — a score in that range gives you a realistic chance.
The official concordance tables published by College Board and ACT, Inc. are accurate to within approximately 1 ACT composite point or 30 SAT points at any given score range. They are based on large samples of students who took both tests within a short period. However, because the tests measure slightly different skill mixes, the conversion is an approximation — not a precise equivalency.
Taking practice tests for both is worthwhile. Taking both official tests is reasonable if your practice scores are close — in that case, submit whichever official score is higher (converted). Most students who take both end up with one clearly superior score. The time investment in preparing deeply for one test typically yields a better outcome than splitting preparation between two.
Merit scholarship thresholds vary widely by institution. National Merit Scholarship requires a high PSAT/NMSQT score (equivalent to approximately SAT 1460+ or ACT 33+). Many state universities offer automatic merit aid at SAT 1200/ACT 26 and above. Flagship schools often offer full-tuition scholarships at SAT 1400+/ACT 31+. Always check the specific scholarship criteria at schools on your list — the thresholds and renewal requirements vary significantly.
Concordance tables map scores to percentile bands, not individual points. A jump from ACT 27 to ACT 28 may fall within the same SAT range (1250–1280) because both scores correspond to the same percentile bracket. Small improvements within a band do not change the converted score. This is normal and does not mean the improvement is meaningless — your actual ACT score and percentile both improved, which matters for college applications.