TestConvert

ACT / SAT Score Converter

ACT 30 = SAT what? Convert instantly with concordance data.

Conversion direction

ACT score

What you entered

ACT: 28

1
Look up ACT score in concordance table
ACT 28= SAT 1310
2
Estimated percentile range
ACT 28 national norms= 75th–90th

Result

SAT equivalent: 1310

An ACT score of 28 corresponds to approximately SAT 1310, placing you in the 75th–90th percentile range nationally.

ACT composite to equivalent SAT total

Concordance pairs used by this converter, matching an ACT composite to the SAT total that represents about the same national percentile. The percentile column is the approximate range for that score among all test-takers.

ACT composite	Equivalent SAT total	Estimated percentile range
36	1590	99th+
35	1540	99th+
34	1500	99th+
33	1460	93rd-98th
32	1430	93rd-98th
31	1400	93rd-98th
30	1370	93rd-98th
28	1310	75th-90th
26	1240	75th-90th
24	1180	50th-74th
22	1110	50th-74th
20	1040	50th-74th

Concordance is a statistical match of score distributions, not a conversion formula, so an equivalence is approximate and gets looser at the extremes. Percentile ranges shift year to year with the testing pool, and colleges compare you against their own admitted-student ranges rather than a national percentile. Converting SAT back to ACT does not always return the score you started from, because several SAT totals fall inside one ACT step.

How concordance tables are built

College Board and ACT jointly study students who take both tests, matching score distributions at each percentile. An ACT 30 and SAT 1370 represent roughly the same percentile rank (~95th), so they're concorded. These tables are updated periodically as test formats change.

When to use each test

The SAT emphasizes math and evidence-based reading with more time per question. The ACT adds a science reasoning section and gives less time per question. Students who are strong in science or fast test-takers often prefer the ACT; those who want more time or dislike science sections may prefer the SAT. Take a practice test of each to see which fits better.

Frequently asked questions

I got an ACT 30 — what's that as an SAT score?

An ACT 30 corresponds to roughly an SAT 1370 based on official concordance data. Both scores represent approximately the 95th percentile.

Do colleges prefer the SAT or ACT?

Neither — virtually all US colleges accept both equally. Some students score better on one than the other due to format differences (time per question, science section, calculator policy). Take a practice test of each to see which fits your strengths.

Is a 1400 SAT equivalent to a 32 ACT?

Very close — an SAT 1400 concordes to an ACT 31-32. Both represent roughly the 96th-97th percentile. Use the converter above for the exact concordance of any score.

How does this relate to the test percentile calculator?

This converter maps between SAT and ACT score scales using concordance tables. The test percentile calculator converts any test score into a percentile rank using the test's mean and standard deviation — a more general tool that works with any standardized test.

Should I send both my SAT and ACT scores?

Send whichever score is stronger (concordes to a higher equivalent). If both are similar, sending both can't hurt at most schools. Check each college's policy — some prefer only one, and some superscore (take the best section scores across multiple sittings).