How SAT and ACT scores are compared
ACT and the College Board built the official concordance from 589,753 students in the class of 2017 who took both tests. Scores at the same percentile rank in that group are treated as equivalent. These 2018 tables replaced the 2016 versions and are the only official SAT and ACT comparison.
Each ACT composite lines up with a range of SAT scores. When you need one number, the tables name a single SAT score in that range to use. Going from SAT to ACT, every SAT total from 590 to 1600 maps to one ACT composite.
The tables stop at SAT 590 and ACT 9. Scores below that have no official equivalent, so the converter says so instead of guessing.
Full ACT to SAT concordance table
| ACT composite | Single SAT score | SAT range |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | 1590 | 1570–1600 |
| 35 | 1540 | 1530–1560 |
| 34 | 1500 | 1490–1520 |
| 33 | 1460 | 1450–1480 |
| 32 | 1430 | 1420–1440 |
| 31 | 1400 | 1390–1410 |
| 30 | 1370 | 1360–1380 |
| 29 | 1340 | 1330–1350 |
| 28 | 1310 | 1300–1320 |
| 27 | 1280 | 1260–1290 |
| 26 | 1240 | 1230–1250 |
| 25 | 1210 | 1200–1220 |
| 24 | 1180 | 1160–1190 |
| 23 | 1140 | 1130–1150 |
| 22 | 1110 | 1100–1120 |
| 21 | 1080 | 1060–1090 |
| 20 | 1040 | 1030–1050 |
| 19 | 1010 | 990–1020 |
| 18 | 970 | 960–980 |
| 17 | 930 | 920–950 |
| 16 | 890 | 880–910 |
| 15 | 850 | 830–870 |
| 14 | 800 | 780–820 |
| 13 | 760 | 730–770 |
| 12 | 710 | 690–720 |
| 11 | 670 | 650–680 |
| 10 | 630 | 620–640 |
| 9 | 590 | 590–610 |
From Table A2 of the Guide to the 2018 ACT/SAT Concordance (College Board and ACT, 2018). To convert an SAT score to ACT, find the row whose SAT range contains it. That matches Table A1 in the same guide.
What changed since 2018
Digital SAT. The SAT moved to a digital format in the U.S. in March 2024. It is still scored from 400 to 1600.
Enhanced ACT. Since September 2025, the ACT composite is the average of English, math and reading. Science is optional for online testers and reported on its own. ACT says composites with and without science are comparable and that it believes the concordance will hold. No new official table has been released, so the 2018 tables are still the official comparison. Read ACT's notes for colleges.
Worked example
You scored 1200 on the SAT. In the concordance, 1200 falls in the 1200 to 1220 range, which lines up with an ACT 25.
Going the other way, an ACT 25 corresponds to SAT 1200 to 1220, and the single SAT score the tables give for it is 1210. That's why converting 1200 to ACT and back gives 1210, not 1200.
Common questions
What ACT score is equal to a 1200 SAT?
A 1200 SAT is equal to a 25 on the ACT. SAT totals from 1200 to 1220 all line up with an ACT 25 in the official 2018 concordance.
What SAT score is a 36 on the ACT?
An ACT 36 lines up with SAT scores from 1570 to 1600. If you need a single number, the official tables use 1590.
Is this still accurate for the digital SAT and the new ACT?
Yes, as far as official guidance goes. The digital SAT kept the 400 to 1600 scale. For the enhanced ACT, which leaves science out of the composite since September 2025, ACT says scores with and without science are comparable and it expects the concordance to hold. The 2018 tables remain the only official version.
Should I send my SAT or ACT score to colleges?
Colleges that accept both treat them the same. Convert one score to the other test. If one is clearly higher after converting, send that one. If they come out about the same, either is fine.
Why does converting a score and then back give a different number?
Each ACT score covers a range of SAT scores, so some detail is lost. An SAT 1200 becomes an ACT 25, and an ACT 25 converts back to the single SAT score 1210.
Can I convert section scores like SAT Math to ACT Math?
The official guide also has tables for SAT Math to ACT Math and for SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing to ACT English plus Reading. This converter handles the total and composite scores, which is what most colleges and scholarships ask for.