21 ACT Colleges: Best Schools for 21 ACT Score

A 21 ACT Score is Average. You are in the 60th percentile. While this meets the requirements for most regional colleges, it will be a 'Reach' for selective state flagships.

2026 Expert Guidance: For the 2026 cycle, 'average' is the new 'minimum.' To compensate for a 21, you must demonstrate strong leadership or a high-ranking class position.

Best Colleges for 21 ACT Score

Following is the list of best suited colleges with your 21 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
	University of the Virgin Islands	Virgin Islands	21	23	96.9%	SOLID MATCH
	American College of the Building Arts	South Carolina	21	24	76.67%	SOLID MATCH
	Oklahoma City University	Oklahoma	21	25	70.39%	SOLID MATCH
	Mercy College	New York	21	25	85.86%	SOLID MATCH
	College of Mount Saint Vincent	New York	21	25	88.89%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Wisconsin-La Crosse	Wisconsin	21	26	74.25%	SOLID MATCH
	Converse University	South Carolina	21	26	55.57%	SOLID MATCH
	Moravian University	Pennsylvania	21	26	67.02%	SOLID MATCH
	Wilkes University	Pennsylvania	21	26	94.14%	SOLID MATCH
	Metropolitan State University	Minnesota	21	26	81.7%	SOLID MATCH
	Saint Johns University	Minnesota	21	26	86.24%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Detroit Mercy	Michigan	21	26	90.53%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Southern Indiana	Indiana	21	26	94.44%	SOLID MATCH
	Indiana University-Kokomo	Indiana	21	26	85.75%	SOLID MATCH
	Illinois College	Illinois	21	26	77.18%	SOLID MATCH
	Georgia College & State University	Georgia	21	26	79.95%	SOLID MATCH
	Florida International University	Florida	21	26	63.86%	SOLID MATCH
	Saint Norbert College	Wisconsin	21	27	83.59%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire	Wisconsin	21	27	76.62%	SOLID MATCH
	Milligan University	Tennessee	21	27	66.71%	SOLID MATCH
	Presbyterian College	South Carolina	21	27	59.39%	SOLID MATCH
	Mount Saint Joseph University	Ohio	21	27	54.35%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Mary	North Dakota	21	27	81.39%	SOLID MATCH
	Appalachian State University	North Carolina	21	27	83.08%	SOLID MATCH
	Lindenwood University	Missouri	21	27	74.02%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Minnesota-Rochester	Minnesota	21	27	71.7%	SOLID MATCH
	Central Michigan University	Michigan	21	27	78.95%	SOLID MATCH
	Grand Valley State University	Michigan	21	27	90.37%	SOLID MATCH
	Louisiana Tech University	Louisiana	21	27	62.37%	SOLID MATCH
	Centenary College of Louisiana	Louisiana	21	27	63.65%	SOLID MATCH
	Bellarmine University	Kentucky	21	27	87.78%	SOLID MATCH
	Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis	Indiana	21	27	82.89%	SOLID MATCH
	Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion	Indiana	21	27	86.72%	SOLID MATCH
	Illinois State University	Illinois	21	27	86.24%	SOLID MATCH
	The University of West Florida	Florida	21	27	48.03%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus	Colorado	21	27	74.58%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Mobile	Alabama	21	27	84.08%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Lynchburg	Virginia	21	28	95.94%	SOLID MATCH
	Abilene Christian University	Texas	21	28	65.79%	SOLID MATCH
	Augustana University	South Dakota	21	28	65.79%	SOLID MATCH
	Seton Hill University	Pennsylvania	21	28	78.34%	SOLID MATCH
	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona	Pennsylvania	21	28	95.76%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Toledo	Ohio	21	28	92.23%	SOLID MATCH
	Cleveland Institute of Art	Ohio	21	28	69.84%	SOLID MATCH
	Wittenberg University	Ohio	21	28	93.93%	SOLID MATCH
	University of North Carolina at Asheville	North Carolina	21	28	74.31%	SOLID MATCH
	Mississippi College	Mississippi	21	28	39.99%	SOLID MATCH
	Concordia College at Moorhead	Minnesota	21	28	65.53%	SOLID MATCH
	Saint Mary's University of Minnesota	Minnesota	21	28	96.83%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Northwestern-St Paul	Minnesota	21	28	92.51%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Michigan-Flint	Michigan	21	28	66.35%	SOLID MATCH
	Wayne State University	Michigan	21	28	75.32%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Kentucky	Kentucky	21	28	94.89%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Kansas	Kansas	21	28	87.84%	SOLID MATCH
	Dordt University	Iowa	21	28	87.67%	SOLID MATCH
	Iowa State University	Iowa	21	28	90.22%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Evansville	Indiana	21	28	76.32%	SOLID MATCH
	Augustana College	Illinois	21	28	61.22%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus	Connecticut	21	28	97.3%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Colorado Colorado Springs	Colorado	21	28	84.77%	SOLID MATCH
	Azusa Pacific University	California	21	28	87%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Arkansas	Arkansas	21	28	78.93%	SOLID MATCH
	Ouachita Baptist University	Arkansas	21	28	72.32%	SOLID MATCH
	Pennsylvania State University-World Campus	Pennsylvania	21	29	81.68%	SOLID MATCH
	Chatham University	Pennsylvania	21	29	66.33%	SOLID MATCH
	Rider University	New Jersey	21	29	84.13%	SOLID MATCH
	Mississippi State University	Mississippi	21	29	75.19%	SOLID MATCH
	Lewis University	Illinois	21	29	74.06%	SOLID MATCH
	Berry College	Georgia	21	29	66.31%	SOLID MATCH
	Western Colorado University	Colorado	21	29	91.85%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Arizona	Arizona	21	29	86.76%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Tulsa	Oklahoma	21	30	69.18%	SOLID MATCH
	SUNY College at Plattsburgh	New York	21	30	70.24%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Missouri-Kansas City	Missouri	21	30	69.48%	SOLID MATCH
	University of St Francis	Illinois	21	30	58.42%	SOLID MATCH
	Ursuline College	Ohio	20	22	85.08%	SOLID MATCH
	Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus	New Jersey	20	23	84.09%	SOLID MATCH
	Baptist Health Sciences University	Tennessee	20	24	40.93%	SOLID MATCH
	Cabarrus College of Health Sciences	North Carolina	20	24	44.9%	SOLID MATCH
	LIM College	New York	20	24	83.82%	SOLID MATCH
	Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University	Louisiana	20	24	84.78%	SOLID MATCH
	Buena Vista University	Iowa	20	24	77.27%	SOLID MATCH
	Delaware State University	Delaware	20	24	54.92%	SOLID MATCH
	McMurry University	Texas	20	25	56.5%	SOLID MATCH
	Coastal Carolina University	South Carolina	20	25	78.63%	SOLID MATCH
	University of South Carolina-Upstate	South Carolina	20	25	78.58%	SOLID MATCH
	Lancaster Bible College	Pennsylvania	20	25	97.15%	SOLID MATCH
	Lycoming College	Pennsylvania	20	25	75.22%	SOLID MATCH
	Bowling Green State University-Main Campus	Ohio	20	25	78.66%	SOLID MATCH
	Gardner-Webb University	North Carolina	20	25	74.95%	SOLID MATCH
	College of the Ozarks	Missouri	20	25	21.13%	COMP. MATCH
	Bethany Lutheran College	Minnesota	20	25	58.5%	SOLID MATCH
	Saginaw Valley State University	Michigan	20	25	76.37%	SOLID MATCH
	Xavier University of Louisiana	Louisiana	20	25	95.16%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Louisiana at Monroe	Louisiana	20	25	70.11%	SOLID MATCH
	The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary	Kentucky	20	25	87.23%	SOLID MATCH
	Indiana University-Northwest	Indiana	20	25	80.31%	SOLID MATCH
	Indiana University-Southeast	Indiana	20	25	85.23%	SOLID MATCH
	Florida Atlantic University	Florida	20	25	81.32%	SOLID MATCH
	Florida Gulf Coast University	Florida	20	25	74.39%	SOLID MATCH
	West Virginia University	West Virginia	20	26	88.38%	SOLID MATCH
	Longwood University	Virginia	20	26	87.79%	SOLID MATCH
	The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga	Tennessee	20	26	82.65%	SOLID MATCH
	Saint Francis University	Pennsylvania	20	26	73.05%	SOLID MATCH
	La Roche University	Pennsylvania	20	26	97.36%	SOLID MATCH
	Pacific University	Oregon	20	26	92.28%	SOLID MATCH
	Lake Erie College	Ohio	20	26	54.1%	SOLID MATCH
	Ashland University	Ohio	20	26	71.76%	SOLID MATCH
	Walsh University	Ohio	20	26	72.51%	SOLID MATCH
	Caldwell University	New Jersey	20	26	66.37%	SOLID MATCH
	Missouri Baptist University	Missouri	20	26	70.9%	SOLID MATCH
	Missouri State University-Springfield	Missouri	20	26	92.56%	SOLID MATCH
	William Jewell College	Missouri	20	26	40.99%	SOLID MATCH
	Hamline University	Minnesota	20	26	80.55%	SOLID MATCH
	Spring Arbor University	Michigan	20	26	47.32%	SOLID MATCH
	University of Northern Iowa	Iowa	20	26	94.95%	SOLID MATCH
	Purdue University Fort Wayne	Indiana	20	26	80.66%	SOLID MATCH
	Jacksonville University	Florida	20	26	57.69%	SOLID MATCH
	Howard University	District of Columbia	20	26	53.43%	SOLID MATCH
	University of South Alabama	Alabama	20	26	65.36%	SOLID MATCH

Your best choices will be the schools and colleges where the average ACT score of the admitted students is 19 to 23. 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 21 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 21 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 21 Score

How does a 21 ACT score compare to the SAT?

A 21 ACT score is roughly equivalent to a 1000 SAT. This is generally considered a low-average score for many universities.

What scholarships are available for a 21 ACT score?

A 21 ACT score may make you eligible for some scholarships at state universities, but top-tier scholarships will likely be out of reach.

Can I get into Ivy League schools with a 21 ACT score?

Ivy League schools typically require scores above 30, so a 21 would not be competitive for those schools. You may want to look at less competitive options.

Should I retake the ACT to improve my score?

Yes, if you want to apply to Ivy League or selective schools, retaking is advisable. For many other colleges, a 21 is still acceptable.

What is the national average ACT score?

The national average ACT score is 20–21, so a 21 is slightly above average but not enough for top-tier schools.

Do test-optional colleges consider a 21 ACT score if submitted?

Yes, submitting a 21 ACT score will still be considered at test-optional colleges, but you should focus on strengthening other parts of your application.

What GPA is a 21 ACT?

A 21 ACT usually corresponds to a GPA between 2.0 and 2.4, which suggests an average academic standing.

Can I get into NYU with a 21 ACT?

NYU’s average ACT is much higher than 21, so a 21 would not be competitive. Consider retaking or applying to less selective schools.

Is 21 a good ACT score for Harvard?

Harvard’s average ACT is much higher than a 21, so it is not considered competitive. Retaking and aiming for a higher score would improve your chances.

Can I get into MIT with a 21 ACT?

MIT’s average score is 34, so a 21 would not meet their standards. Retaking the test is necessary if you wish to apply to MIT.

Can I get into Princeton with a 21 ACT score?

Princeton expects scores above 30, so a 21 is significantly below their typical range. You may want to retake the test to increase your chances.

What if you improve your ACT score by 2 points (to 23)?

Improving to 23 would make you more competitive for state universities and increase your scholarship opportunities.

Best Suited Colleges for ACT Score