17 ACT Colleges: Best Schools for 17 ACT Score

A 17 ACT Score is Below Average (35th percentile). You are currently below the national mean. This score may limit your options to colleges with high acceptance rates or open enrollment policies.

2026 Admissions Real Talk: At a 17, we recommend looking at Test-Optional schools where your extracurriculars and life experience can shine. Many regional universities will prioritize your 3.0+ GPA over this testing data.

Best Colleges for 17 ACT Score

Following is the list of best suited colleges with your 17 ACT Score.

Logo	College	State	ACT 25th Percentile	ACT 75th Percentile	Acceptance Rate	Status
Logo	College	State	ACT 25th Percentile	ACT 75th Percentile	Acceptance Rate	Status
	Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences	Missouri	18	19	100%	HARD REACH
	North Carolina Central University	North Carolina	17	18	90.49%	SOLID MATCH
	Florida College	Florida	17	20	66.45%	SOLID MATCH
	Mount Carmel College of Nursing	Ohio	17	21	57.39%	SOLID MATCH
	Morgan State University	Maryland	17	21	82.96%	SOLID MATCH
	Bluefield State University	West Virginia	17	22	87.22%	SOLID MATCH
	Concord University	West Virginia	17	22	89.65%	SOLID MATCH
	Nelson University	Texas	17	22	84.23%	SOLID MATCH
	Randall University	Oklahoma	17	22	44.81%	SOLID MATCH
	The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences	Ohio	17	22	50.18%	SOLID MATCH
	Muskingum University	Ohio	17	22	81.66%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Mount Olive	North Carolina	17	22	77.75%	SOLID MATCH
	Jersey College	New Jersey	17	22	67.91%	SOLID MATCH
	Louisiana State University-Alexandria	Louisiana	17	22	92.63%	SOLID MATCH
	Friends University	Kansas	17	22	55.64%	SOLID MATCH
	Dominican University	Illinois	17	22	79.8%	SOLID MATCH
	Central Baptist College	Arkansas	17	22	46.36%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton	Arkansas	17	22	100%	SOLID MATCH
	University of West Alabama	Alabama	17	22	87.11%	SOLID MATCH
	Fairmont State University	West Virginia	17	23	99.24%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Houston-Downtown	Texas	17	23	90.64%	SOLID MATCH
	The University of Texas at El Paso	Texas	17	23	99.9%	SOLID MATCH
	Tennessee Wesleyan University	Tennessee	17	23	59.41%	SOLID MATCH
	University of South Carolina Aiken	South Carolina	17	23	79.72%	SOLID MATCH
	Francis Marion University	South Carolina	17	23	82.23%	SOLID MATCH
	Southwestern Oklahoma State University	Oklahoma	17	23	100%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Akron Wayne College	Ohio	17	23	80.53%	SOLID MATCH
	Bluffton University	Ohio	17	23	61.16%	SOLID MATCH
	Wilmington College	Ohio	17	23	84.6%	SOLID MATCH
	Southwest Minnesota State University	Minnesota	17	23	68.94%	SOLID MATCH
	Dunwoody College of Technology	Minnesota	17	23	98.47%	SOLID MATCH
	University of New Orleans	Louisiana	17	23	66.77%	SOLID MATCH
	MidAmerica Nazarene University	Kansas	17	23	73.46%	SOLID MATCH
	Rockford University	Illinois	17	23	57.23%	SOLID MATCH
	Brenau University	Georgia	17	23	86.96%	SOLID MATCH
	Shorter University	Georgia	17	23	96.93%	SOLID MATCH
	Valdosta State University	Georgia	17	23	83.49%	SOLID MATCH
	University of West Georgia	Georgia	17	23	49.37%	SOLID MATCH
	Baptist University of Florida	Florida	17	23	64.1%	SOLID MATCH
	Trinity Baptist College	Florida	17	23	62.5%	SOLID MATCH
	Metropolitan State University of Denver	Colorado	17	23	99.14%	SOLID MATCH
	Baptist Health College Little Rock	Arkansas	17	23	100%	SOLID MATCH
	Southern Arkansas University Main Campus	Arkansas	17	23	66.59%	SOLID MATCH
	Faulkner University	Alabama	17	23	66.13%	SOLID MATCH
	Marion Military Institute	Alabama	17	23	59.17%	SOLID MATCH
	Angelo State University	Texas	17	24	79.23%	SOLID MATCH
	University of the Incarnate Word	Texas	17	24	93.36%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Memphis	Tennessee	17	24	93.38%	SOLID MATCH
	Visible Music College	Tennessee	17	24	28.68%	COMP. MATCH
	Newberry College	South Carolina	17	24	74.8%	SOLID MATCH
	Charleston Southern University	South Carolina	17	24	76.09%	SOLID MATCH
	Lander University	South Carolina	17	24	67.92%	SOLID MATCH
	Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus	Pennsylvania	17	24	91.2%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Central Oklahoma	Oklahoma	17	24	81.76%	SOLID MATCH
	Malone University	Ohio	17	24	75.58%	SOLID MATCH
	Mount St. Joseph University	Ohio	17	24	56.52%	SOLID MATCH
	Youngstown State University	Ohio	17	24	80.32%	SOLID MATCH
	New Mexico State University-Main Campus	New Mexico	17	24	75.73%	SOLID MATCH
	Delta State University	Mississippi	17	24	99.68%	SOLID MATCH
	Eastern Kentucky University	Kentucky	17	24	78.09%	SOLID MATCH
	McPherson College	Kansas	17	24	83.79%	SOLID MATCH
	Columbus State University	Georgia	17	24	99.24%	SOLID MATCH
	Arkansas Tech University	Arkansas	17	24	96.29%	SOLID MATCH
	Jacksonville State University	Alabama	17	24	76.22%	SOLID MATCH
	Southwestern Adventist University	Texas	17	25	55.52%	SOLID MATCH
	Cleveland State University	Ohio	17	25	95.48%	SOLID MATCH
	Wright State University-Main Campus	Ohio	17	25	95.15%	SOLID MATCH
	Belmont Abbey College	North Carolina	17	25	90.38%	SOLID MATCH
	Culinary Institute of America	New York	17	25	91.76%	SOLID MATCH
	Hannibal-LaGrange University	Missouri	17	25	58.74%	SOLID MATCH
	Spring Arbor University	Michigan	17	25	37.33%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne	Indiana	17	25	97.56%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Northern Colorado	Colorado	17	26	86.43%	SOLID MATCH
	George Fox University	Oregon	17	28	96.41%	SOLID MATCH
	Pacific University	Oregon	17	28	91.76%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Michigan-Flint	Michigan	17	29	68.83%	SOLID MATCH
	St Luke's College	Iowa	16	19	44.44%	SOLID MATCH
	Fort Valley State University	Georgia	16	19	62.8%	SOLID MATCH
	Prairie View A & M University	Texas	16	20	75.3%	SOLID MATCH
	The University of Texas Permian Basin	Texas	16	20	84.46%	SOLID MATCH
	Texas A & M International University	Texas	16	20	45.96%	SOLID MATCH
	Siena Heights University	Michigan	16	20	66.56%	SOLID MATCH
	Western Kentucky University	Kentucky	16	20	97.05%	SOLID MATCH
	Clayton State University	Georgia	16	20	70.59%	SOLID MATCH
	Alabama State University	Alabama	16	20	95.64%	SOLID MATCH
	Norfolk State University	Virginia	16	21	87.46%	SOLID MATCH
	Tennessee State University	Tennessee	16	21	92.63%	SOLID MATCH
	Southeast Missouri State University	Missouri	16	21	78.5%	SOLID MATCH
	Alice Lloyd College	Kentucky	16	21	85.57%	SOLID MATCH
	Ottawa University-Ottawa	Kansas	16	21	80.03%	SOLID MATCH
	Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College	Georgia	16	21	77.16%	SOLID MATCH
	Georgia Southwestern State University	Georgia	16	21	77.16%	SOLID MATCH
	West Virginia State University	West Virginia	16	22	96.37%	SOLID MATCH
	The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley	Texas	16	22	84.82%	SOLID MATCH
	Texas A&M University-Texarkana	Texas	16	22	80.19%	SOLID MATCH
	East Central University	Oklahoma	16	22	65.55%	SOLID MATCH
	Northwestern Oklahoma State University	Oklahoma	16	22	66.43%	SOLID MATCH
	Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte	North Carolina	16	22	75.28%	SOLID MATCH
	Cabarrus College of Health Sciences	North Carolina	16	22	49.21%	SOLID MATCH
	North Carolina A & T State University	North Carolina	16	22	46.17%	SOLID MATCH
	Missouri Valley College	Missouri	16	22	52.69%	SOLID MATCH
	Spalding University	Kentucky	16	22	98.64%	SOLID MATCH
	William Penn University	Iowa	16	22	57.01%	SOLID MATCH
	Middle Georgia State University	Georgia	16	22	99.77%	SOLID MATCH
	Williams Baptist University	Arkansas	16	22	58.88%	SOLID MATCH
	Averett University	Virginia	16	23	47.8%	SOLID MATCH
	St. Mary's University	Texas	16	23	88.95%	SOLID MATCH
	Texas Wesleyan University	Texas	16	23	62.39%	SOLID MATCH
	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred	New York	16	23	81.75%	SOLID MATCH
	York University	Nebraska	16	23	47.63%	SOLID MATCH
	Calvary University	Missouri	16	23	70.91%	SOLID MATCH
	Stephens College	Missouri	16	23	91.55%	SOLID MATCH
	Metropolitan State University	Minnesota	16	23	96.49%	SOLID MATCH
	Anderson University	Indiana	16	23	53.42%	SOLID MATCH
	Judson University	Illinois	16	23	63.12%	SOLID MATCH
	Mount Mary University	Wisconsin	16	24	93.35%	SOLID MATCH
	Bethel University	Tennessee	16	24	97.17%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Providence	Montana	16	24	64.2%	SOLID MATCH
	Logan University	Missouri	16	24	90%	SOLID MATCH
	Fort Lewis College	Colorado	16	24	93.2%	SOLID MATCH

Your best choices will be the schools and colleges where the average ACT score of the admitted students is 15 to 19. We are also showing you the 25th percentile and 75th percentile ACT Score of the admitted students so that you can have a clear understanding of how many students score what ACT Score. If your 17 ACT Score is higher than 25th percentile, it means your score is better than the quarter of the admitted students, and if it is higher than 75th percentile, then it means your ACT score of 17 is higher than 75% of the students admitted at that school.

Choose a college where your score is near to 75th percentile, this will maximize your chances of admission. You can also apply to other schools as well, but to be on safe side, you must apply to at least 2-3 such schools and colleges.

FAQ for ACT 17 Score

How does a 17 ACT score compare to the SAT?

A 17 ACT score is roughly equivalent to an SAT score of around 900. It is considered below average and would limit options for more selective schools.

What scholarships are available for a 17 ACT score?

With a 17 ACT score, you may qualify for some merit scholarships at state universities, but for high-value scholarships, higher scores are typically required.

Can I get into Ivy League schools with a 17 ACT score?

Ivy League schools typically require scores above 30. A 17 is well below their competitive range, and you will likely need to retake the test to improve your chances.

Should I retake the ACT to improve my score?

Yes, retaking the ACT is advisable if you're aiming for more competitive universities. Focus on areas of weakness to increase your score.

What is the national average ACT score?

The national average ACT score is 20–21, so a 17 is below average and will limit your admission options at many universities.

Do test-optional colleges consider a 17 ACT score if submitted?

At test-optional colleges, submitting a 17 ACT score might not help your application, and you may want to focus on other aspects of your profile.

What GPA is a 17 ACT?

A 17 ACT typically corresponds to a GPA between 1.5 and 1.9, which is considered below average.

Can I get into NYU with a 17 ACT?

NYU’s average ACT is much higher than a 17, so you would need to retake the test or apply to less competitive schools.

Is 17 a good ACT score for Harvard?

Harvard admits students with ACT scores well above 30, so a 17 would not be competitive. Retaking the ACT would increase your chances of admission.

Can I get into MIT with a 17 ACT?

MIT typically requires an ACT score of 34 or higher, so a 17 is significantly lower than their expectations. Retaking the test for a higher score is necessary.

Can I get into Princeton with a 17 ACT score?

Princeton’s average ACT score is above 30, so a 17 would be far below their competitive range. Retaking the ACT is recommended for a better chance.

What if you improve your ACT score by 2 points (to 19)?

Improving to 19 would increase your competitiveness, but you would still face limited options at many competitive colleges.

Best Suited Colleges for ACT Score