What is SAT to ACT Converter?
The SAT and ACT are the two dominant standardized tests used for college admissions in the United States and increasingly worldwide. Because they use completely different scoring systems — the SAT on a 400–1600 scale and the ACT on a 1–36 composite scale — students, parents, and admissions officers need concordance tables to translate scores between the two tests meaningfully.
This converter uses the official concordance tables published jointly by the College Board and ACT, Inc., based on data from millions of students who took both exams. It provides an instant, reliable score translation along with percentile context so you can understand exactly how your performance on one test compares to the other.
Whether you're deciding which test to focus on, comparing practice test results, or helping a student understand their options, this tool gives you the accurate, data-backed conversion you need.
Steps:
- Select your conversion direction: SAT to ACT or ACT to SAT.
- Enter your score in the input field (SAT: 400–1600, ACT: 1–36).
- View the converted score and percentile rank instantly.
- Compare your scores on the side-by-side bar chart.
- Use the switch button to convert in the other direction.
Formula
SAT ↔ ACT Concordance:
The conversion uses percentile-matched concordance tables:
SAT → ACT:
SAT 1600 ≈ ACT 36
SAT 1550 ≈ ACT 35
SAT 1500 ≈ ACT 34
SAT 1450 ≈ ACT 33
SAT 1400 ≈ ACT 32
SAT 1350 ≈ ACT 30
SAT 1300 ≈ ACT 28
SAT 1200 ≈ ACT 25
SAT 1100 ≈ ACT 22
SAT 1000 ≈ ACT 19
ACT → SAT:
ACT 36 ≈ SAT 1600
ACT 34 ≈ SAT 1470
ACT 30 ≈ SAT 1360
ACT 25 ≈ SAT 1200
ACT 20 ≈ SAT 1050
ACT 15 ≈ SAT 770
Percentiles are matched at each score level.
Use Cases
- Comparing practice test scores from both the SAT and ACT to decide which test to focus on
- Understanding how a friend's ACT score compares to your SAT score
- Helping your child understand their options when deciding between the two tests
- Comparing your score to college admissions requirements listed in a different test's scale
- Planning which test dates to register for based on score potential
- Translating scores for college applications that request comparison data
Key Benefits
- Instant, accurate score conversion using official concordance data
- Percentile context for understanding relative performance
- Visual comparison chart showing both score scales
- Bidirectional conversion (SAT ↔ ACT)
- No registration or sign-up required
- Based on data from millions of test-takers
- Works for the current SAT (post-2016) and current ACT
Pro Tips
- Take official practice tests for both the SAT and ACT, then use this converter to compare your scores and decide which test suits you better
- Focus your preparation on the test where your practice scores are stronger, not just the one your friends are taking
- Remember that colleges see your scores in their original form — they don't need you to convert them yourself
- Check if your target schools superscore (combine best section scores across test dates) for the test you choose
- If your converted scores are very close, consider other factors like test format preference, section time limits, and test availability in your area
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using concordance tables from before 2016, which were based on the old 2400-point SAT scale
- Assuming a converted score means you'll achieve the same percentile on the other test — individual section strengths may differ
- Comparing section-specific scores (e.g., SAT Math to ACT English) instead of composite totals
- Forgetting that the ACT includes a Science section with no SAT equivalent, which affects the composite
- Assuming colleges convert scores automatically — admissions offices handle this internally using their own concordance data
- Believing that a higher converted score on one test means that test is 'easier' — difficulty is subjective
Key Terms Explained
- Concordance Table: A data-driven mapping that translates scores from one standardized test to equivalent scores on another, based on percentile matching.
- Percentile Rank: The percentage of test-takers who scored at or below a given score — a percentile of 90 means you outperformed 90% of test-takers.
- Composite Score: The ACT's overall score, calculated as the average of the four section scores (English, Math, Reading, Science), rounded to the nearest whole number.
- Superscore: The practice of combining a student's best section scores from multiple test dates into a single 'best possible' composite score.
- Test-Blind: An admissions policy where colleges do not consider standardized test scores at all, regardless of what is submitted.
- Digital SAT: The redesigned SAT format (launched 2024) that is adaptive, shorter, and delivered on computers rather than paper.
Related Concepts
- GPA Calculator: Your GPA is the other key academic metric colleges evaluate alongside test scores — see our GPA calculator.
- Final Grade Calculator: Find out what score you need on a remaining exam to reach a target grade — try our final grade calculator.
- Test Score Calculator: Calculate your percentage score on any test — use our test score calculator.
- College Admissions: A holistic process where test scores are one component alongside GPA, extracurriculars, essays, and recommendations.
- Standardized Testing: The broader category of tests designed to measure student performance under uniform conditions for comparison purposes.
Example
A student scores 1350 on the SAT. Converting to ACT: the concordance table shows this is approximately a 30 on the ACT composite, placing the student in roughly the 93rd percentile on both scales. This means the student performed as well as or better than 93% of test-takers on either exam.