ACT to SAT Concordance & Comparison

ACT to SAT Concordance for Score Comparison & Conversion 

This page gives an ACT to SAT concordance, which provides a comparison of ACT scores to SAT scores and explains the conversion of scores on each part of the ACT and SAT tests.

ACT to SAT Concordance

What is the ACT to SAT Concordance?

The ACT to SAT concordance is a comparison of test scores that provides a conversion of the ACT overall score to a similar SAT score.

Developed and changed from time to time, the tables are used to show how the two tests compare.

The concordance tables were last updated in the fall of 2018.

If you took a version of the test in the previous two years, you need to use the 2016 concordance chart.

2005-2016 Concordance Chart

How Students Should Use the Concordance

You can use the ACT to SAT conversion tables on this page to compare testing requirements for different colleges.

The comparisons can also help you decide which result to use on your application for colleges that accept both the ACT and the SAT.

The tables can also help you predict your chance of being accepted at a particular college.

Composite ACT to SAT Conversion

The composite ACT to SAT conversion table below shows how to convert you overall ACT score to an equivalent SAT composite score.

If you are looking for comparison charts for individual subject areas, please go to the next section.

ACT Overall Score	SAT Equivalent Score	SAT Score 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

ACT to SAT Comparison – Math

The math section of the SAT has 800 possible points, so the ACT to SAT comparison chart below shows how to convert math scores for the ACT to the SAT.

ACT Math Score	SAT  Equivalent Math Score
36	800
35	780
34	760
33	740
32	720
31	710
30	700
29	680
28	660
27	640
26	610
25	590
24	580
23	560
22	540
21	530
20	520
19	510
18	500
17	470
16	430
15	400
14	360
13	330
12	310
11	280
10	260

ACT to SAT Concordance – Reading and Writing

The ACT to SAT concordance table in this section provides a conversion of the combined ACT reading and writing scores to the equivalent SAT result.

The SAT reading and writing section used to be called the SAT verbal test.

It is now called the SAT evidence-based reading and writing test.

ACT Reading and English Score Total	SAT Reading & Writing Equivalent Score
72	790
71	770
70	750
69	740
68	730
67	720
66	710
65	700
64	700
63	690
62	680
61	680
60	670
59	660
58	660
57	650
56	640
55	640
54	630
53	630
52	620
51	610
50	610
49	600
48	590
47	580
46	580
45	570
44	560
43	550
42	540
41	540
40	530
39	520
38	510
37	500
36	500
35	490
34	480

In the concordance above, note that sometimes two ACT scores have only one SAT equivalent.

For example, combined ACT reading and writing scores of 65 and 64 both equal an SAT score of 700.

Limitations of the Tables

Remember that the ACT and SAT are different tests.

You should therefore avoid making any decision based solely on your ACT to SAT conversion.

Combining your ACT and SAT scores in a single so-called “super-score” should also be avoided.

Further Comments

The ACT to SAT concordance has a margin of error of approximately plus or minus 6 SAT points when the ACT is converted to the SAT.

The SAT to ACT conversion has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 ACT points when SAT results are concorded to an ACT score.

Official concordance table

ACT Test Format

The ACT consists of the following four parts.

English Test:

This part of the ACT exam contains 75 questions and lasts for 45 minutes. It is an assessment of your ability to write in standard American English using grammatically correct sentences.

Mathematics Test:

This part of the ACT examination consists of 60 questions. You will be given 60 minutes to take this part of the test.

The mathematics component of the exam evaluates the math skills that you should have acquired in high school before your senior year. You will be allowed to use a basic calculator for this part of the test.

If you are taking the ACT math exam, you may be interested in our PDF Downloads.

Reading Test:

This part of the exam contains 40 questions and lasts for 35 minutes. It is an assessment of your ability to read and understand passages on a variety of topics.

Science Test:

This part of the exam consists of 40 questions. You will be given 35 minutes to take this part of the test. The science component assesses your knowledge of the natural sciences.

Writing Test:

This part of the examination is optional. If you are required to take it, you will be given one question and will be given 30 minutes to write about it.

The writing exam is intended to assess the writing skills needed for university freshman composition courses.

Our website also provides further information on the ACT Exam in Math and General ACT Study Advice.

SAT Test Format

The SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) is also a college entrance exam. It contains three or four main parts:

1) Reading (52 questions to answer in 65 minutes)

2) Writing and Language Test (44 questions to answer in 35 minutes)

3) Math (80 questions to answer in 58 minutes)

4) An Optional Essay (1 composition to write in 50 minutes)

As of the fall of 2018, the reading and writing sub-test scores are combines for an “Evidence-Based Reading and Writing” score.

If you decide to take the SAT, you may also need to take one of the SAT subject tests.