ACT–SAT Concordance: Official Conversion Charts and Calculator
The ACT–SAT concordance is the official conversion between the two tests, published jointly by ACT and the College Board in 2018. An ACT Composite of 28 is concordant with an SAT Total of 1310, a 24 with 1180, and a 20 with 1040.
Use the calculator below to convert any score in either direction, or read the full tables for the Composite, Math, and English + Reading sections. Every conversion also carries the published SAT range, because a concordance describes how scores compare across large groups of students. It does not predict what any one student would earn on the other test.
ACT–SAT score calculator
Pick a section, then drag either slider. The calculator uses the same official 2018 tables that are printed further down the page, and shows the published SAT range alongside each single-point conversion.
About these tables
- ACT & College Board joint study; latest official tables published 2018 and not updated annually.
- “Single-point” SAT is the official one-value mapping per ACT; a SAT range is also provided for each ACT composite.
- Concordance ≠ equating; use for comparison, eligibility, and policy reference, not as a predictor.
Source: ACT’s official ACT/SAT Concordance (2018 tables A1/A2, B1/B2, C1/C2).
Quick reference: six common conversions
Single-point conversions from the 2018 study. The full Composite scale, 9 to 36, is in the table below.
What is the ACT–SAT concordance?
The ACT and the SAT are two different standardized tests. They measure similar academic skills, but the scales are completely different:
- ACT Composite ranges from 1 to 36
- SAT Total ranges from 400 to 1600
Because of that difference, colleges, scholarship programs, and students need a translation chart. A concordance is that translation: a way to see what an ACT score roughly equals on the SAT scale, and vice versa.
Important: a concordance is not a predictor. Scoring a 28 on the ACT does not guarantee you would earn a 1310 on the SAT. It is a statistical relationship across large groups of students, not a promise about any individual.
The official ACT–SAT concordance tables (2018)
The most recent official concordance study was released in 2018 jointly by ACT and the College Board. These tables have been in use ever since, and no newer official study has replaced them. The data below comes directly from that study.
ACT Composite ↔ SAT Total
| ACT Composite | SAT Total | 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 |
| ACT Composite | SAT Total | SAT range |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Single-point SAT equivalent, with the published SAT range for each ACT Composite.
ACT Math ↔ SAT Math
| ACT Math | SAT Math |
|---|---|
| 36 | 800 |
| 35 | 780 |
| 34 | 760 |
| 33 | 740 |
| 32 | 720 |
| 31 | 710 |
| 30 | 700 |
| 29 | 680 |
| 28 | 660 |
| ACT Math | SAT Math |
|---|---|
| 27 | 640 |
| 26 | 610 |
| 25 | 590 |
| 24 | 580 |
| 23 | 560 |
| 22 | 540 |
| 21 | 530 |
| 20 | 520 |
| 19 | 510 |
| ACT Math | SAT Math |
|---|---|
| 18 | 500 |
| 17 | 470 |
| 16 | 430 |
| 15 | 400 |
| 14 | 360 |
| 13 | 330 |
| 12 | 310 |
| 11 | 280 |
| 10 | 260 |
ACT Math section score to SAT Math section score.
ACT English + Reading ↔ SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW)
The SAT side of this table is the ERW section score. The ACT side is the sum of your English and Reading section scores, so it runs from 2 to 72 rather than 1 to 36.
| ACT English + Reading | SAT ERW |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| ACT English + Reading | SAT ERW |
|---|---|
| 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 | 520 |
| 39 | 520 |
| 38 | 510 |
| 37 | 500 |
| 36 | 500 |
| 35 | 490 |
| 34 | 480 |
| 33 | 470 |
| ACT English + Reading | SAT ERW |
|---|---|
| 32 | 460 |
| 31 | 450 |
| 30 | 440 |
| 29 | 430 |
| 28 | 420 |
| 27 | 410 |
| 26 | 400 |
| 25 | 390 |
| 24 | 380 |
| 23 | 370 |
| 22 | 360 |
| 21 | 350 |
| 20 | 340 |
| 19 | 330 |
| 18 | 320 |
| 17 | 310 |
| 16 | 300 |
| 15 | 290 |
| 14 | 280 |
ACT English score plus Reading score (2 to 72) to SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing.
How colleges and families use the concordance
How colleges use it
- Evaluate applicants fairly. Some students submit the ACT and others the SAT, so admissions teams need a common baseline.
- Set scholarship cutoffs. A program might say minimum ACT 28 but accept the SAT equivalent.
- Understand applicant pools. National reporting often relies on concordance.
When it helps families
- Comparing which test your student performed better on.
- Deciding whether to retest on the ACT or the SAT.
- Estimating eligibility for programs or scholarships that quote a cutoff on only one test.
How accurate is the ACT–SAT concordance?
The concordance is statistical, not individual:
- A given ACT score corresponds to a range of SAT scores, not a single number. The tables above print both.
- Students do not always score equally on both exams.
- Concordance does not predict what you would earn if you switched tests. It shows how scores compare across the whole population of test-takers.
Bottom line: use it as a guide, not a guarantee.
Should I take the ACT or the SAT?
Every student is different. Some students’ strengths align better with the ACT, others with the SAT. The key differences to weigh:
- Timing: the ACT is faster-paced; the SAT allows more time per question.
- Math content: the SAT leans more heavily on algebra and data analysis; the ACT includes more geometry and trigonometry.
- Science section: only the ACT has one, and it is now an optional add-on that most colleges do not require. See which colleges require the ACT Science section before deciding whether to sit it.
Pro tip: take a full-length practice test of each, then use the calculator above to compare the two results on one scale. If your concordant SAT score is clearly higher than your ACT, or vice versa, that is a strong signal of which test to focus on.
Need help deciding? The NTPA member directory lists independent test preparation professionals across the country who have agreed to our code of ethics.
Frequently asked questions
Do colleges prefer the ACT or the SAT?
No. All U.S. colleges accept both tests equally. Admissions offices evaluate students fairly regardless of which test they submit.
Has the ACT–SAT concordance changed since 2018?
No. The 2018 ACT–SAT concordance tables, published jointly by ACT and the College Board, remain the official standard used by colleges and scholarship programs.
Is a concordance the same as equating?
No. Equating adjusts scores within the same test across different versions, such as ACT to ACT. Concordance compares scores between two different tests, such as the ACT and the SAT.
What if my ACT and SAT scores do not line up exactly?
That is normal. The concordance is statistical, not individual, and students often perform differently on each test. Colleges consider your best official score, not whether your ACT and SAT results align perfectly.
Should I submit both ACT and SAT scores?
Most students submit only their stronger test. Submitting both is optional and rarely necessary unless your results are equally strong on both tests.
Related resources
For personalized guidance, connect with a trusted test prep professional through the National Test Prep Association. Looking for an ACT tutor? ACT’s own Find-a-Tutor page lists NTPA members exclusively. If you are a tutor, see how to join the ACT Affiliate Tutor Program.
Last updated: September 8, 2026 | Tables from the 2018 ACT and College Board concordance study