ACT Technical Brief - Development and Validation of a STEM Benchmark Based on the ACT STEM Score

Oct 9, 2026

ACT technical brief introduces an ACT STEM score planned for 2015, aiming to provide students and educators clearer insight into college readiness for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. The brief presents validity evidence for using the ACT STEM score to indicate readiness for first-year STEM-identified mathematics and science courses and to predict broader outcomes. It examines course success in Calculus and key science courses, as well as grade point average growth, persistence in STEM majors, and completion of STEM degrees.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Pages7

Reading Time18 min

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Development and Validation of a STEM Benchmark Based on the ACT STEM Score

Course Success

Probability of Success in STEM-Related Courses

ACT Research & Policy Technical Brief Justine Radunzel is a principal research scientist in Statistical and Applied Research specializing in postsecondary outcomes research and validity evidence for the ACT test. Krista Mattern is a director in Statistical and Applied Research specializing in the validity and fairness of assessment scores as well as more general issues in higher education such as enrollment, persistence, and graduation. Jill Crouse is a senior research associate in Educational and Workforce Research Services specializing in postsecondary research and report development. Paul Westrick is a research scientist in Statistical and Applied Research specializing in postsecondary outcomes research and validity evidence for the ACT test. Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Wayne Camara and Deborah Harris for reviewing earlier versions of the manuscript and providing helpful comments and suggestions. Development and Validation ofa STEM Benchmark Based on the ACT STEM Score Justine Radunzel, PhD Krista Mattern, PhD Jill Crouse, PhD Paul Westrick, PhD In fall 2015, ACT will introduce a STEM score for the ACT® test that will provide students and educators with more insight into critical aspects of college readiness.1 Developed in response to the national focus on student deficiencies in math and science, the score is derived from ACT mathematics and science test scores and represents students’ overall performance in these subjects. This brief presents validity evidence for using the ACT STEM score as an indicator of students’ readiness for college coursework in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. A recent ACT research report suggests that academic readiness for STEM coursework may require higher scores than those suggested by the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks given that Calculus instead of College Algebra appears to be the typical first mathematics course of students majoring in STEM.2 The median ACT mathematics test score associated with a 50% probability of earning a B or higher grade in Calculus is 27. The typical first science course taken is largely dependent upon a student’s major, as evidenced by differences between the four STEM major clusters included in ACT’s definition of STEM.3 Based on performance in Chemistry, Biology, Physics or Engineering, the median ACT Science score associated with a 50% probability of earning a B or higher grade is 25. In comparison, the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks in mathematics and science are 22 and 23, respectively.4 Two types of validity research are presented in this brief. The first involves identifying the ACT STEM score that is associated with a reasonable chance of success in first-year STEM-identified mathematics and science courses. This information can be used to help gauge overall student readiness for STEM-related coursework. The second type examines the ACT STEM score in relation to the likelihood of succeeding ina variety of STEM-related college outcomes: cumulative grade point average (GPA) over time, persistence in a STEM major, and ultimately completing a STEM degree. These results illustrate that predicting student success in STEM-related fields is a valid use of the ACT STEM score. ACT Technical Briefs provide reliability, validity, and other psychometric analyses on ACT education and workforce development assessments, services, and programs and those of its partners. For more on the ACT test, [visit www.act.org](visit www.act.org). © 2015 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. ACT® is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc., in the USA and other countries. 4342 Course Success When combining grade data for Calculus and multiple science courses from an earlier study into a single course-success model, the typical ACT STEM score associated with at least a 50% chance of earning a B or higher grade in a STEM-related course is 26. The ACT STEM score of 26 also corresponds to the average

FAQs

What is the purpose of the ACT STEM score introduced in 2015?

The brief explains that the STEM score is designed to give more insight into critical aspects of college readiness for STEM disciplines. It is derived from ACT mathematics and science test scores to represent overall performance in these subjects.

How does the brief assess validity for using the ACT STEM score?

It presents validity research in two parts: identifying STEM score ranges linked to success in first-year STEM-identified mathematics and science courses, and examining how the STEM score relates to college outcomes such as GPA over time, persistence in a STEM major, and earning a STEM degree.

What STEM score corresponds to a reasonable chance of success in STEM-related courses?

When combining grade data for Calculus and multiple science courses into a course-success model, the typical ACT STEM score associated with at least a 50% chance of earning a B or higher is 26.

Oct 9, 2026

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