Average ACT Scores by State - Graduating Class of 2020

Oct 9, 2026

Average ACT scores by U.S. state for the graduating class of 2020 summarizes estimated percentages of ACT-tested high school graduates, average Composite scores, and the share meeting ACT College and Career Readiness Benchmarks. The data is broken down by subject—English, Reading, Math, and Science—allowing comparisons across states with similar testing participation rates. Notes credit underlying totals from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

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Estimated Testing and Composite Scores

Percent Meeting English Benchmark

Percent Meeting Reading Benchmark

Percent Meeting Math Benchmark

Percent Meeting Science Benchmark

Average ACT Scores by State Graduating Class of 2020 2020 estimated state percent of ACT-tested high school graduates, average Composite score, and percent meeting ACT College and Career Readiness Benchmarks by subject The best practice is to compare states where the same or similar percentages of graduates were tested (e.g., Alabama 100% and Mississippi 100%, or Arizona 71% and Iowa 68%) . | State | Estimated
Percent of
Graduates
Tested* | Average
Composite
Score | Percent
Meeting
English
Benchmark | Percent
Meeting
Reading
Benchmark | Percent
Meeting
Math
Benchmark | Percent
Meeting
Science
Benchmark | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Alabama | 100 | 18.8 | 48 | 33 | 22 | 24 | | Arkansas | 100 | 19 | 52 | 34 | 24 | 26 | | Kentucky | 100 | 19.5 | 53 | 38 | 28 | 29 | | Louisiana | 100 | 18.7 | 49 | 31 | 22 | 24 | | Mississippi | 100 | 18.2 | 45 | 27 | 18 | 20 | | Montana | 100 | 19.9 | 51 | 39 | 35 | 30 | | Nebraska | 100 | 19.9 | 54 | 38 | 34 | 31 | | Nevada | 100 | 17.9 | 39 | 28 | 21 | 21 | | North Carolina | 100 | 18.8 | 43 | 35 | 28 | 27 | | Ohio | 100 | 19.9 | 52 | 41 | 34 | 33 | | Oklahoma | 100 | 18.7 | 47 | 35 | 22 | 23 | | Tennessee | 100 | 19.3 | 53 | 35 | 26 | 27 | | Utah | 100 | 20.2 | 56 | 44 | 34 | 34 | | Wisconsin | 100 | 20.1 | 54 | 41 | 35 | 35 | | Wyoming | 100 | 19.7 | 52 | 38 | 31 | 29 | | North Dakota | 94 | 19.6 | 50 | 37 | 33 | 31 | | Minnesota | 92 | 21.3 | 59 | 48 | 46 | 42 | | Hawaii | 82 | 18.5 | 42 | 32 | 25 | 24 | | Kansas | 82 | 20.4 | 57 | 43 | 36 | 34 | | Missouri | 78 | 20.7 | 60 | 45 | 36 | 36 | | South Carolina | 76 | 18.4 | 43 | 32 | 23 | 24 | | Arizona | 71 | 19.1 | 46 | 35 | 31 | 26 | | South Dakota | 70 | 21.7 | 67 | 53 | 48 | 44 | | Iowa | 68 | 21.1 | 62 | 50 | 40 | 40 | | New Mexico | 56 | 19.3 | 47 | 37 | 26 | 27 | Average ACT Scores by State Graduating Class of 2020 2020 estimated state percent of ACT-tested high school graduates, average Composite score, and percent meeting ACT College and Career Readiness Benchmarks by subject | State | Estimated
Percent of
Graduates
Tested* | Average
Composite
Score | Percent
Meeting
English
Benchmark | Percent
Meeting
Reading
Benchmark | Percent
Meeting
Math
Benchmark | Percent
Meeting
Science
Benchmark | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Florida | 46 | 20.6 | 60 | 47 | 36 | 35 | | Georgia | 43 | 21.7 | 67 | 52 | 43 | 41 | | Oregon | 42 | 21 | 59 | 49 | 41 | 38 | | Texas | 38 | 20.2 | 54 | 42 | 36 | 34 | | West Virginia | 38 | 20.9 | 67 | 48 | 35 | 36 | | Alaska | 33 | 20.1 | 54 | 44 | 37 | 33 | | District of Columbia | 33 | 23.1 | 67 | 57 | 52 | 50 | | Illinois | 31 | 24.7 | 85 | 69 | 66 | 60 | | Idaho | 28 | 22.7 | 74 | 61 | 52 | 49 | | Colorado | 25 | 23.7 | 80 | 65 | 59 | 57 | | Indiana | 25 | 22.6 | 72 | 58 | 55 | 47 | | New Jersey | 23 | 24.4 | 81 | 66 | 64 | 57 | | Vermont | 23 | 23.3 | 75 | 63 | 56 | 56 | | New York | 20 | 24.9 | 83 | 71 | 69 | 63 | | Washington | 20 | 22.9 | 68 | 59 | 54 | 50 | | California | 19 | 23.3 | 74 | 60 | 56 | 50 | | Connecticut | 19 | 25.9 | 90 | 76 | 72 | 68 | | Maryland | 19 | 23.8 | 78 | 65 | 56 | 54 | | Virginia | 19 | 24.4 | 82 | 69 | 62 | 60 | | Massachusetts | 18 | 26 | 89 | 76 | 75 | 69 | | Michigan | 17 | 24.6 | 85 | 69 | 67 | 60 | | Pennsylvania | 15 | 23.7 | 79 | 64 | 60 | 55 | | New Hampshire | 12 | 25.7 | 90 | 74 | 74 | 67 | | Delaware | 11 | 24.2 | 84 | 67 | 58 | 58 | | Rhode Island | 11 | 24.8 | 87 | 72 | 66 | 61 | | Maine | 5 | 24.9 | 86 | 72 | 65 | 62 | | National | 49 | 20.6 | 58 | 45 | 37 | 36 | *Totals for graduating seniors were obtained from Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates, 9th edition. © December 2016 by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. Page 2 of 2

FAQs

What metrics does the report provide for each state?

For each state, it lists the estimated percent of graduates tested, the average ACT Composite score, and the percent meeting benchmarks by English, Reading, Math, and Science.

How should states be compared according to the report?

It recommends comparing states where the same or similar percentages of graduates were tested, to ensure the comparison is meaningful.

Where do the totals for graduating seniors come from?

The report states that totals for graduating seniors were obtained from Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates, 9th edition, © December 2016 by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

Oct 9, 2026

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