Equivalent Score
Equivalent Score
About this SAT–ACT converter
The SAT and ACT use different scales — 400–1600 versus 1–36 — but colleges treat them as interchangeable through the official concordance tables published jointly by the College Board and ACT. The concordance is built from students who took both tests: it shows which scores represent equivalent performance, not a prediction of what you would score on the other test.
This converter applies the concordance in both directions. Enter an SAT total to get the equivalent ACT composite, or an ACT composite to get the equivalent SAT band. Because the bands are ranges, an ACT score maps to a span of SAT scores; we show the band and its midpoint.
How the conversion works
There is no formula — the concordance is a lookup table. Each ACT composite corresponds to a band of SAT totals, for example 1200–1220 SAT concords to 25 ACT, and 1450–1480 to 33 ACT.
When converting ACT to SAT we return the whole band (e.g. 1200–1220) and its midpoint; when converting SAT to ACT we find the band containing your score and return its ACT value. Both directions use the same table, so a round trip lands in the same band.
Full SAT–ACT concordance table
| ACT composite | SAT total |
|---|---|
| 36 | 1570–1600 |
| 35 | 1530–1560 |
| 34 | 1490–1520 |
| 33 | 1450–1480 |
| 32 | 1420–1440 |
| 31 | 1390–1410 |
| 30 | 1360–1380 |
| 29 | 1330–1350 |
| 28 | 1300–1320 |
| 27 | 1260–1290 |
| 26 | 1230–1250 |
| 25 | 1200–1220 |
| 24 | 1160–1190 |
| 23 | 1130–1150 |
| 22 | 1100–1120 |
| 21 | 1060–1090 |
| 20 | 1030–1050 |
| 19 | 990–1020 |
| 18 | 960–980 |
| 17 | 920–950 |
| 16 | 880–910 |
| 15 | 830–870 |
| 14 | 780–820 |
| 13 | 730–770 |
| 12 | 690–720 |
| 11 | 650–680 |
| 10 | 620–640 |
| 9 | 590–610 |
How to convert between SAT and ACT
- Pick the direction: Choose SAT → ACT if you have an SAT total, or ACT → SAT for an ACT composite.
- Enter your score: SAT totals run 400–1600; ACT composites run 1–36.
- Read the equivalent: You get the matching ACT composite or the SAT band with its midpoint.
FAQ
Is a 1200 SAT the same as a 25 ACT?
Yes. On the official concordance, 1200–1220 SAT concords to 25 ACT. Colleges and scholarship programs use exactly this equivalence when comparing applicants.
Do colleges prefer the SAT or the ACT?
Neither. Every U.S. college accepts both equally and uses the concordance to compare them fairly. Submit whichever score is stronger for you.
Does the digital SAT change the conversion?
No. The digital SAT keeps the 400–1600 scale, and the College Board has confirmed the existing concordance tables still apply.
Will I get the converted score if I take the other test?
Not necessarily. The concordance describes groups of students, not individuals. Your personal strengths may make you score relatively higher on one test — which is exactly why some students take both and submit the better one.