Trying to decide whether you should submit your ACT score or your SAT score to colleges? Because the two exams use completely different scoring scales—the SAT is scored out of a maximum of 1600, while the ACT is scored out of a maximum of 36—it can be incredibly difficult to know which one truly makes your academic profile look stronger to an admissions committee.
That's where the official ACT to SAT Concordance Tables come in. Created through a joint study by the College Board (the makers of the SAT) and the ACT organization, these conversions allow admissions officers, high school counselors, and students to seamlessly translate a score from one test into an equivalent score on the other.
Use our interactive calculator below to instantly convert your composite scores, or scroll down to view the full 2026 conversion charts, section-level comparisons, and a guide to choosing the right test for you.
Type your score into either box below. The calculator will automatically translate your composite score to its official equivalent on the other exam.
Score Converter
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Enter a score to see the conversion.
ACT to SAT Conversion Chart
If you recently took the ACT and want to know what your score would look like on the SAT's 1600-point scale, use the chart below. Because the SAT has a much wider point range, each single ACT point generally corresponds to a 30- or 40-point range on the SAT.
ACT Composite Score
SAT Equivalent Range
SAT Equivalent (Single Score)
36
1570 – 1600
1590
35
1530 – 1560
1540
34
1490 – 1520
1500
33
1450 – 1480
1460
32
1420 – 1440
1430
31
1390 – 1410
1400
30
1360 – 1380
1370
29
1330 – 1350
1340
28
1300 – 1320
1310
27
1260 – 1290
1280
26
1230 – 1250
1240
25
1200 – 1220
1210
24
1160 – 1190
1180
23
1130 – 1150
1140
22
1100 – 1120
1110
21
1060 – 1090
1080
20
1030 – 1050
1040
19
990 – 1020
1010
18
960 – 980
970
17
920 – 950
930
16
880 – 910
890
15
830 – 870
850
14
780 – 820
800
13
730 – 770
750
12
690 – 720
710
11
650 – 680
670
10
590 – 640
630
9
510 – 580
540
SAT to ACT Conversion Chart
If you took the SAT and want to know your ACT equivalent—perhaps because a specific university or a regional scholarship program relies heavily on the ACT—use this reverse concordance table. Find your SAT score (rounded to the nearest 10 points) in the left column to see the corresponding ACT Composite.
SAT Composite Score
ACT Equivalent
1570 – 1600
36
1530 – 1560
35
1490 – 1520
34
1450 – 1480
33
1420 – 1440
32
1390 – 1410
31
1360 – 1380
30
1330 – 1350
29
1300 – 1320
28
1260 – 1290
27
1230 – 1250
26
1200 – 1220
25
1160 – 1190
24
1130 – 1150
23
1100 – 1120
22
1060 – 1090
21
1030 – 1050
20
990 – 1020
19
960 – 980
18
920 – 950
17
880 – 910
16
How the Concordance Tables Were Created
These conversions are not simply guesses or rough estimates. The official concordance tables were created through a massive, joint scientific study conducted by the College Board and ACT, Inc. The researchers analyzed the scores of nearly 600,000 high school students who took both the ACT and the SAT during the same academic year.
By comparing the percentiles—for instance, seeing that a 1310 on the SAT and a 28 on the ACT both represent roughly the 85th percentile of test-takers—they mapped the scores together. This means that when an admissions officer uses this table, they are looking at a statistically valid representation of your academic ranking relative to your peers across the country.
Did you take both tests? If you took both the SAT and the ACT, you should compare your percentiles. You should only submit the score that sits in the higher percentile. For example, if you scored a 30 on the ACT and a 1420 on the SAT, you should submit your SAT score, because an SAT score of 1420 converts to an ACT score of 32. You are mathematically shortchanging yourself if you submit the 30!
Section-by-Section Conversions (Math & Reading)
While most students and colleges focus on the Composite (total) score, the official concordance study also provided breakdowns for individual sections. This is highly useful if you are applying to a specialized program (like a highly ranked engineering or nursing school) that requires a specific Math subscore.
SAT Math vs. ACT Math
The math sections on both tests cover similar concepts (algebra, geometry, and basic trigonometry), but they are scaled differently. Because the ACT Math section is only out of 36 points and the SAT Math section is out of 800 points, the conversion is broad. For example, an elite ACT Math score of 30 converts to roughly a 700 on the SAT Math section.
SAT Reading & Writing vs. ACT English + Reading
The SAT combines its verbal sections into a single "Evidence-Based Reading and Writing" score out of 800. The ACT, however, separates these into an English section (36 points) and a Reading section (36 points). To convert them, colleges average the two ACT verbal scores and match them against the SAT ERW score. For instance, if you scored a 28 on ACT English and a 30 on ACT Reading (average of 29), that is equivalent to an SAT verbal score of approximately 650.
Should You Take the SAT or ACT?
Every single four-year university in the United States accepts both the ACT and the SAT equally. No college prefers one over the other. Your decision on which test to take should be based entirely on your personal testing style.
Here are the biggest differences to help you decide:
Time Management: The ACT is a "speed test." You have significantly less time per question on the ACT than you do on the digital SAT. If you are a slow, methodical reader, the SAT is a much better fit.
The Science Section: The ACT has a dedicated Science section. It does not require deep scientific knowledge (it is mostly reading charts and graphs), but if interpreting data quickly stresses you out, the SAT embeds those questions into its reading passages instead.
The Calculator Rules: The digital SAT features an integrated Desmos graphing calculator that you can use on every single math question. The ACT allows calculators, but you must bring your own, and some math questions are designed to be solved faster without one.
Passage Complexity: The SAT generally features older, more complex reading passages (like historical documents or 19th-century literature), while the ACT passages are written in more straightforward, modern English.
Expert Tip: Don't try to guess which test you will be better at. Instead, take a full-length, timed practice test of both the SAT and the ACT at home. Use the conversion calculator at the top of this page to see which baseline score was higher. Whichever test you scored higher on naturally is the one you should dedicate your study time to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a 1200 SAT score better than a 25 ACT score?
They are exactly the same. According to the official concordance tables, an SAT score of 1200 translates perfectly to an ACT score of 25. Colleges will view these two scores as completely equal in terms of academic readiness.
Do Ivy League colleges prefer the ACT or the SAT?
No. Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and every other Ivy League institution accept both the ACT and the SAT. They do not have a preference for either one and use official concordance tables to fairly evaluate applicants who submit different tests.
Should I submit my SAT score or my ACT score?
If you took both tests, you should convert your ACT score to an SAT score using the calculator above. Compare it to your actual SAT score. Whichever score translates to a higher number on the concordance table is the one you should submit to colleges to maximize your chances of admission.
Can you convert SAT Math to ACT Math?
Yes, the official concordance tables released by the College Board and the ACT include section-level conversions specifically for the Math sections, as well as conversions between SAT Reading & Writing and the combined ACT English & Reading sections. However, the vast majority of colleges focus entirely on your Composite (total) score.
Are these conversions accurate for the new Digital SAT?
Yes. The College Board has explicitly stated that the scoring scale for the digital SAT remains identical to the previous paper SAT. A 1300 on the digital test means exactly the same thing as a 1300 on the paper test. Therefore, the established concordance tables between the ACT and the SAT are still perfectly valid and are currently being used by colleges in 2026.
Why is there a range of scores in the conversion chart?
The SAT has a much larger point scale (400 to 1600) than the ACT (1 to 36). Because of this, a single point jump on the ACT represents a larger jump in percentiles. The chart uses ranges to show that a single ACT score (like a 30) encompasses a band of SAT scores (1360 to 1380) that represent the same statistical percentile of students.
