ACT Scores Hit 30-Year Low: What It Means for Test Prep

In a disconcerting revelation, high school students' ACT scores in the U.S. have plummeted to their lowest point, 19.5 for class of 2023, in over 30 years. This worrisome trend, indicating a lack of preparedness for college-level coursework, has been confirmed by the nonprofit organization responsible for administering the test.
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The Alarming Numbers

The latest ACT data shows that the decline in scores has not reversed.

The national average Composite score fell from 20.3 in 2021 to 19.8 in 2022, 19.5 in 2023, and 19.4 in both 2024 and 2025. The 2025 graduating class included about 1.38 million ACT-tested students.

College readiness indicators tell a similar story. In 2025, only 50% of ACT-tested graduates met the English benchmark, 29% met the Math benchmark, 39% met the Reading benchmark, and 30% met the Science benchmark. Just 20% met all four benchmarks, down from 25% in 2021.

The gaps also vary across demographic groups. In the 2025 ACT-tested graduating class, average Composite scores were 24.2 for Asian students, 20.9 for White students, 17.3 for Hispanic/Latino students, and 15.9 for Black/African American students. These figures highlight substantial differences in measured academic readiness and access to preparation across student groups.

The numbers therefore point to more than a temporary dip. They show a sustained decline in average ACT performance and a continuing gap between the skills many students demonstrate and the ACT benchmarks associated with readiness for first-year college coursework.
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Understanding the Challenges

The pandemic is an important part of the story, but it does not explain everything.

Pandemic-related disruption: Students who graduated in recent years experienced major interruptions to in-person instruction, changes in learning environments, and disruptions to academic routines. These effects occurred during a period when ACT scores were already declining.

Grade inflation and course rigor: ACT research has found that high school GPAs increased while ACT scores remained stable or declined. Average high school GPA among ACT-tested students rose from 3.17 in 2010 to 3.36 in 2021, with particularly rapid growth after 2016. This raises questions about whether grades alone consistently reflect academic mastery and course rigor.

Limited opportunities to retest: Retesting can improve outcomes, but students do not have equal access to multiple attempts. In 2022, 35% of ACT-tested graduates retested, compared with 32% in 2021. Earlier ACT research found that students who retake the test can raise their scores by nearly three points on average. The cost of an ACT attempt can therefore become a meaningful barrier for students who cannot easily afford repeated testing.

A changing testing environment: Test-optional admissions changed the role standardized tests played in college applications, while colleges have more recently begun reinstating testing requirements. For fall 2026, FairTest reports that 160 of 2,248 ranked four-year colleges it tracks require ACT/SAT scores, while more than 2,000 do not require them.

The ACT itself is changing: The Enhanced ACT reduced the number of questions by 44 overall and shortened testing time, while giving students more time per question. Science also became optional for the Composite score. Because these changes overlap with the period covered by recent score trends, comparisons across years need to account for changes in the assessment itself.

The Changing Landscape of College Admissions

1. Test-Optional Policies

As a response to criticism about favoring wealthier students, many universities, including the University of California system, have made standardized admissions tests optional. However, Janet Godwin argues that these scores still play a crucial role in determining college readiness and assisting academic advisors in supporting students effectively.

2. Student Perspectives

Denise Cabrera, a senior at Waianae High School in Hawaii, shares her thoughts on the necessity of the ACT. While acknowledging its limitations, she emphasizes its role in providing colleges with a standardized measure of academic readiness.
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Conclusion

The decline in ACT scores is a clear signal that many students are entering the end of high school without demonstrating the level of academic readiness associated with success in college-level work. The national average Composite score has remained at 19.4 for the 2024 and 2025 graduating classes, while only 30% of ACT-tested students met at least three of the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks.

But the numbers do not tell a single story. Pandemic-related learning disruption, differences in course rigor, grade inflation, unequal access to retesting, and changes in college admissions have all shaped the testing landscape. At the same time, students who retake the ACT can improve meaningfully, with the 2025 data showing an average 2.4-point Superscore increase among students who tested more than once.

The Enhanced ACT also makes it important to interpret recent score trends carefully. With fewer questions, more time per question, and Science now optional for the Composite score, the test itself is changing alongside student performance.

For students, families, and test-prep providers, the takeaway is not simply to focus on the national average. It is to identify individual skill gaps, use targeted practice, measure progress, and give students opportunities to improve through informed retesting. For tutoring businesses, that means turning ACT data into actionable preparation plans rather than treating a single score as the final measure of a student's potential.

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