Education
ACT to SAT Converter
Convert between ACT composite and SAT total scores using the official 2018 ACT/College Board concordance. Returns the concordance range, percentile, and admissions context.
Convert between ACT and SAT
Enter your ACT composite score (1 to 36).
Whole number from 1 to 36. The ACT composite is reported as an integer.
SAT total
1,210
Concordance range: 1200 to 1220
- ACT composite
- 25
- National percentile
- 78th (approx.)
College admissions context
Competitive at state flagships and selective regional universities
Conversions use the official 2018 ACT/College Board concordance. Concordance is rank-preserving, so the percentile is the same on both sides of the conversion.
Frequently Asked Questions about the ACT to SAT Converter
Which concordance table does this converter use?
The official 2018 ACT/College Board concordance, published jointly by ACT and the College Board in June 2018. The mapping is based on roughly 590,000 students who took both tests within a short window. Every value in this calculator (single-score ACT to SAT, plus the published low/high SAT band) comes directly from Table 1 of the joint guide. College admissions offices, school counselors, and test-prep publishers all reference this same table.
Why not use the 2016 concordance that came out when the SAT was redesigned?
The 2016 concordance was an interim mapping. When the College Board redesigned the SAT in March 2016, the old 2006 concordance no longer fit, but there was not yet enough overlap data from students who took both new tests. The 2016 table was published as a placeholder. The 2018 update replaced it once a large dual-test cohort existed, and shifted some mappings by 10 to 30 SAT points. Always use the 2018 table for any score reported on the post-2016 SAT.
Why does the converter show a range for the SAT instead of a single number?
The ACT and SAT do not measure identical skills, so any single ACT point maps to a small SAT band rather than one exact score. The official 2018 table publishes both a single-score concordance (the most common SAT for that ACT) and a low/high band that captures the spread. For example, ACT 30 has a single-score SAT of 1370, but the published range is 1360 to 1390. Treat the single number as a best estimate and the range as the realistic spread.
Does test-optional admissions make this conversion obsolete?
Not entirely. Since 2020, most US colleges have gone test-optional, and many use neither score in admissions decisions. But conversion still matters in three cases. First, merit scholarships at many state flagships and private universities use score cutoffs and accept either test. Second, NCAA athletic eligibility uses both. Third, some honors colleges and BS/MD programs still require a score. Check each school's current policy before relying on test-optional status.
Should I take both tests, and when does it make sense to pick one?
Most US colleges accept either, so taking both is rarely worth the time. Take one, see the score, and only consider the other if it might land meaningfully higher. The ACT tends to suit students who read quickly and like a separate Science section. The SAT tends to suit students who prefer more time per question and stronger emphasis on data interpretation in Math. If your converted score is at or above your target colleges' middle 50%, you are done. If it sits below, retaking the same test usually gains more than switching.