Is 33 a Good ACT Score?
A 33 ACT composite is at the 98th percentile of ACT takers and matches a 1460 SAT (1450 to 1480): an excellent score that only about 2 in 100 ACT takers beat.
- ACT takers
- 98th
- percentile, 98 in 100 at or below
- Against the 19.2 average
- +13.8
- national average, class of 2026
- SAT match
- 1460
- 1450 to 1480 on the concordance
- Section points to 34
- +3
- sections must add up to 101
What a 33 ACT score means
A 33 is at the 98th percentile of ACT takers, 13.8 points over the 19.2 average and 3 points from a perfect 36.
On the enhanced ACT the composite is the average of English, Math and Reading, rounded with halves up, so a 33 needs section scores that add up to at least 98 and at most 100. One point down, a 32 is at the 97th percentile; one point up, a 34 is at the 99th.
How 33 compares with other ACT scores
ACT reports one national rank per composite: the share of recent graduates who tested and scored at or below it. ACT's national average composite was 19.2 for the class of 2026; a 33 is 13.8 points above it.
| Composite | What it marks | Percentile | SAT match | Points from 33 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Middle ACT taker | 52% | 970 | -15 |
| 23 | Top quarter of ACT takers starts | 77% | 1140 | -10 |
| 28 | Top 10 percent of ACT takers starts | 91% | 1310 | -5 |
| 33 (you) | Your score | 98% | 1460 | |
| 36 | Perfect composite | 100% | 1590 | +3 |
Ranks: ACT, National Ranks for ACT test scores (Composite), checked Oct 17, 2026. SAT match: ACT and College Board, 2018 ACT/SAT Concordance Tables.
On the SAT, a 33 matches 1450 to 1480, with 1460 as the single value ACT prints beside it. See the 33 row on the ACT to SAT conversion chart or see whether 1460 is a good SAT score.
What it takes to go from 33 to 34
To move from 33 to 34, your three section scores must add up to 101 instead of 98: 3 section points in any section. On ACT's National Online Practice Test 2, a 33 on all three sections takes 37 English, 37 Math and 25 Reading answers, 99 of 108; 34 on all three takes 100, about 1 more.
| Section | For 33 | For 34 | More |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 37 of 40 | 37 of 40 | +0 |
| Math | 37 of 41 | 38 of 41 | +1 |
| Reading | 25 of 27 | 25 of 27 | +0 |
Table: ACT, National Online Practice Test 2 Scoring Key, 2026, checked Oct 17, 2026. Every test form has its own table, so your count on test day can differ by a question or two.
The next line after that is 36 (a perfect composite), which takes 107 right answers on the same form. The ACT score calculator shows how far your own sections sit from the next composite; ACT superscores across test dates, and many colleges use the superscore.
Is 33 enough for your colleges?
That depends on the college, so we list no admission ranges. Section C9 of each college's Common Data Set gives the 25th and 75th percentile ACT composites of its enrolled first-year students: at or above the 75th, a 33 is a strength; under the 25th it trails most students, and at a test optional college you can leave it off. Some merit scholarships publish ACT minimums on the college's own aid page, and National Merit uses the PSAT/NMSQT, not the ACT (see what a good PSAT score is).
Where the 33 numbers come from
Ranks: ACT, National Ranks for ACT test scores (Composite), checked Oct 17, 2026. National average: ACT, Graduating Class 2026 national profile, checked Oct 23, 2026. SAT match: ACT and College Board, 2018 ACT/SAT Concordance Tables. Right answer counts: ACT, National Online Practice Test 2 Scoring Key, 2026, checked Oct 17, 2026.
The guide to a good ACT score reads the same files. Official scores come only from ACT.
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Is 33 a good ACT score?
A 33 ACT composite is at the 98th percentile of ACT takers and matches a 1460 SAT (1450 to 1480): an excellent score that only about 2 in 100 ACT takers beat. Whether it is good for you depends on the colleges on your list.
What percentile is a 33 on the ACT?
The 98th percentile on ACT's national ranks for 2024 to 2026 graduates: 98 in 100 test takers scored 33 or lower. A 32 is the 97th. A 34 is the 99th.
33 ACT to SAT: what does it equal?
1450 to 1480, with 1460 as the single value, on the official 2018 ACT and College Board concordance. It says the two scores carry the same weight; it does not predict an SAT score.
How do I raise a 33 to a 34?
Add 3 section points across English, Math and Reading, so they total 101. On ACT's Practice Test 2 that is about 1 more right answers (100 of 108 instead of 99). Work on your weakest section first.
Is a 33 ACT good enough for college?
It is at the 98th percentile of ACT takers, 13.8 points over the 19.2 average. Compare it with the 25th and 75th percentile ACT composites in section C9 of each college's Common Data Set.
Should I retake the ACT with a 33?
Only if 33 sits under the middle (50th percentile) ACT composite in section C9 of the Common Data Set at colleges you want, or under a merit scholarship line you can see on their aid pages. From 33, a 34 is about 1 more right answer on ACT's Practice Test 2; many colleges superscore the ACT, so a second date aimed at your weakest section is the cheapest gain.
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