ACT to SAT Conversion Chart: 2026 Concordance Guide

TL;DR

The official ACT to SAT conversion uses the 2018 ACT/SAT concordance tables developed jointly by ACT and College Board. In the official table, an ACT 30 corresponds to a single-point SAT equivalent of 1370 and an SAT range of 1360–1380. An ACT 24 corresponds to 1180, with a concordant SAT range of 1160–1190. The 2018 tables remain the most recent official ACT/SAT concordance tables in 2026 and are not updated annually. Because concordance is based on statistical relationships between scores, a converted score is not a prediction of how you would personally perform on the other test. The official standard error for estimating SAT Total from ACT Composite is approximately ±80 SAT points.

If you’re comparing your ACT score against a college’s SAT middle-50% range (or vice versa), you need a reliable way to translate between the two scales. That’s exactly what ACT to SAT conversion does. But most guides stop at the table and skip the context that actually matters: the margin of error, how section-level strengths can skew your composite, and whether recent test format changes affect anything.

This guide covers all of it.

ACT to SAT Conversion: Quick Reference

The official 2018 concordance provides both a single SAT score equivalent and a range. Use the range when you want to understand the broader statistical relationship between the two tests.

Source: 2018 ACT/SAT Concordance Tables from ACT and College Board. The single SAT score is the score designated for situations requiring one comparison point.

What Is ACT to SAT Conversion?

ACT to SAT conversion is the process of using official concordance tables to identify the SAT score that has a comparable statistical relationship to a given ACT Composite score. ACT scores use a 1–36 scale, while SAT scores use a 400–1600 scale.

The official ACT/SAT concordance was developed jointly by ACT and College Board using data from 589,753 students who took both tests. The tables match scores based on percentile rank within the group studied, allowing colleges, students, counselors, scholarship organizations, and other users to compare scores reported on different tests.

A concorded score is not a prediction of what you would personally score if you took the other test. ACT and College Board specifically caution that concordance establishes a statistical relationship between scores rather than guaranteeing equivalent individual performance.

Is the 2018 ACT to SAT Concordance Still Valid in 2026?

Yes. The 2018 ACT/SAT concordance remains the most recent official ACT/SAT concordance table in 2026. ACT states that the most recent ACT/SAT concordance tables were released in 2018 and are not updated annually. College Board also continues to provide the 2018 ACT/SAT concordance as the official resource for comparing the two tests.

The continued use of the 2018 concordance does not mean the SAT and ACT have remained unchanged. The SAT moved to a digital adaptive format, while the ACT introduced major changes to its Composite calculation and test structure. However, the organizations have continued to provide the 2018 ACT/SAT concordance as the current reference for comparing scores.

For the SAT, College Board established a direct statistical link between digital and paper-based SAT scores, so the existing ACT/SAT concordance can still be used with current digital SAT scores.

Why Hasn't the ACT/SAT Concordance Been Updated Every Year?

Concordance studies are not annual score-conversion updates. They require large-scale research to establish the statistical relationship between two assessments. The 2018 study used 589,753 students who took both tests and was statistically weighted to reflect relevant characteristics of the broader test-taking population.

Therefore, the year printed on the concordance table does not mean that students must convert current scores using a different table every year.

Full ACT to SAT Conversion Table

This table is derived from the official 2018 concordance data. Find your ACT composite in the left column; the right column shows the equivalent SAT total score range.

For context, the average SAT score in 2024 was 1024 and the average ACT composite was 19.4, the lowest ACT average in over 30 years. About 1.97 million students took the SAT that year, while 1.4 million took the ACT. If you want to estimate your SAT score from raw question counts rather than a conversion, the SAT score calculator can help.

How Does ACT to SAT Concordance Work?

ACT to SAT concordance is based on statistical relationships between scores earned by students who took both tests. The 2018 study used scores from 589,753 graduating seniors who took the ACT and the redesigned SAT during the 2016–2017 period. The sample was statistically weighted to reflect the demographics, school characteristics, and GPA of students likely to take the ACT, SAT, or both.

The tables then identify ACT and SAT scores with approximately the same percentile rank within that study population. For example, the official table identifies an ACT Composite of 30 with a single-point SAT equivalent of 1370 and a concordant SAT range of 1360–1380.

Concordance vs. Prediction

A concorded score is not a prediction of your personal SAT or ACT performance.

For example, if your ACT score concords to a 1370 SAT, that does not mean you would necessarily earn 1370 if you took the SAT. Your performance could differ because the tests use different question formats, timing structures, content distributions, and scoring systems.

The official ACT and College Board guidance recommends treating concordance as a comparison tool rather than a guarantee of individual performance.

Concordance vs. Equating

Concordance compares scores from different assessments. Equating or statistical linking is used to establish relationships between different versions or forms of an assessment.

For ACT-to-SAT comparisons, the appropriate term is concordance because the ACT and SAT are separate assessments rather than different forms of the same test.

What Is the Standard Error for ACT to SAT Conversion?

The official 2018 concordance guide reports a standard error of approximately ±79.57 SAT points when using an ACT Composite score to estimate a corresponding SAT Total score. The figure is commonly rounded to ±80 SAT points. In the opposite direction, estimating ACT Composite from SAT Total has a standard error of approximately ±2.26 ACT points, commonly rounded to ±2 points.

This is why an ACT-to-SAT conversion should not be treated as an exact prediction.

For example, an ACT score that concords to approximately 1370 SAT does not mean that a student would necessarily score exactly 1370 on the SAT. The concordance table identifies a statistically comparable score, while the standard error shows the uncertainty involved in estimating one test score from the other.

The standard error also explains why the official concordance table provides SAT ranges rather than suggesting that every student with a particular ACT score would produce the same SAT result.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

College Board explicitly warns against two practices that are surprisingly common:

1. Don’t convert aggregate scores. Using the table to convert a school’s mean or median ACT score to an SAT equivalent introduces errors. The tables are designed for individual scores only.

2. Don’t create cross-test superscores. You cannot take your ACT English score and your SAT Math score and combine them into some hybrid total. The sections measure different constructs with different scales.

If you’re trying to understand how SAT superscoring works, that’s a within-test comparison only.

ACT to SAT Section-Level Conversion

The official ACT/SAT concordance includes more than the Composite-to-Total table. It also provides:

• ACT Math ↔ SAT Math

• ACT English + Reading ↔ SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW)

The ACT/SAT concordance guide contains these section-level tables alongside the Composite-to-Total tables.

Why Section-Level Conversion Matters

A composite score can hide differences in individual strengths. The SAT Total combines Reading and Writing with Math, while ACT Composite scoring is based on English, Math, and Reading under the current Enhanced ACT scoring system.

For that reason, students comparing the tests may benefit from examining section-level performance rather than relying only on the composite conversion.

One important limitation is that you should not combine ACT and SAT section scores to create a cross-test superscore. College Board specifically advises against combining section scores from the two different tests.

Current ACT Composite vs. Legacy ACT Composite

Before the Enhanced ACT, Science was included in the ACT Composite. Starting with the Enhanced ACT rollout, the Composite is calculated using English, Math, and Reading. Beginning in September 2025, this calculation applies across ACT testing, while Science remains available as an optional section and is reported separately.

This distinction is important when reading older ACT/SAT comparison articles or interpreting older ACT scores.

How to Use the ACT to SAT Conversion Chart

Using the ACT to SAT conversion chart takes only a few steps:

1. Find your ACT Composite score in the left column.

2. Look at the corresponding SAT equivalent.

3. Review the SAT concordant range if you want to understand the broader statistical relationship.

4. Compare that information with the SAT ranges reported by your target colleges.

5. Do not treat the converted score as a prediction of how you would personally perform on the SAT.

Example: Converting an ACT 30 to SAT

An ACT Composite score of 30 has a single-point SAT equivalent of 1370. The official concordant SAT range is 1360–1380.

That means an ACT 30 and SAT 1370 are statistically comparable for concordance purposes, but the conversion does not guarantee that a student with an ACT 30 would earn a 1370 on the SAT.

Example: Converting an ACT 24 to SAT

An ACT Composite score of 24 has a single-point SAT equivalent of 1180 and a concordant SAT range of 1160–1190.

When comparing this result with a college's SAT range, use the converted score as a reference point rather than treating it as an exact prediction.

What Changed: Digital SAT and Enhanced ACT

Two major format changes have landed since the concordance tables were published, and students understandably wonder if the old tables still apply.

Digital SAT (March 2024)

The SAT transitioned to a fully digital, adaptive format in March 2024. The test is shorter, uses two-stage adaptive modules, and is taken on a laptop or tablet. But the scoring scale remains 400-1600, and College Board has confirmed that digital and paper SAT scores are directly comparable. The concordance tables are unaffected.

If you’re preparing for the current format, the digital SAT prep guide covers what’s different about timing, adaptive modules, and strategy.

Enhanced ACT: What Changed by 2026?

The Enhanced ACT began rolling out in 2025 and is now the current ACT format. The most important change for ACT-to-SAT conversion is that the ACT Composite is now calculated from English, Math, and Reading. Science is optional and receives a separate score when taken. The ACT scoring scale remains 1–36.

The rollout occurred in stages. Enhanced ACT national online testing began in April 2025, while the updated Composite calculation became applicable to all ACT testing beginning in September 2025.

Does the Enhanced ACT Have a New ACT-to-SAT Concordance Table?

As of 2026, ACT identifies the 2018 ACT/SAT concordance as its most recent official ACT/SAT concordance. ACT says these tables are not updated annually.

This means students using the current ACT should distinguish between two separate issues:

1. The ACT itself has changed.

2. The official ACT-to-SAT concordance currently provided by ACT and College Board is still the 2018 concordance.

The existence of an older concordance table does not mean the table should be replaced with an unofficial conversion calculator. For an official ACT-to-SAT comparison, use the ACT/College Board concordance and treat the result as a statistical comparison rather than a personal score prediction.

ACT and SAT Changes: What Matters for Concordance in 2026

College Board states that digital SAT scores are directly linked to the paper-based SAT, allowing the existing ACT/SAT concordance to continue to be used with digital SAT scores. ACT states that the current Composite is based on English, Math, and Reading, with Science reported separately when taken.

What to Do With Your Converted Score

Converting your score is the starting point, not the finish line. Here’s how to actually use the information.

Compare Against Target Schools

Pull up the middle-50% SAT range for your target colleges and see where your converted ACT score falls. If your ACT of 29 converts to roughly 1330-1350 and a school’s middle-50% is 1350-1500, you’re at the lower edge. That’s useful information for building your school list. For a deeper look at what score ranges different schools expect, check out the guide on SAT scores for colleges.

When Scores Are Close, Look Beyond the Numbers

Practitioners on Reddit and tutoring forums consistently advise that when your converted SAT and ACT scores fall within 1-2 ACT points of each other, submit whichever test you have more preparation in, or whichever test your target school superscores. The marginal difference between a 29 ACT and its SAT equivalent isn’t worth agonizing over. Superscoring policies, familiarity with the format, and remaining prep time all matter more at that point.

Take Both Tests Before Deciding

According to Test Ninjas’ practitioner analysis, about 25% of students perform significantly better on one test than the other. That’s one in four students whose conversion table prediction would have been misleading.

The strongest advice from experienced tutors isn’t to convert and assume. It’s to take a timed diagnostic for both the SAT and ACT, then compare your percentile scores directly. This eliminates the ±80-point guessing game entirely.

For a full breakdown of structural and strategic differences between the two tests, the SAT vs. ACT comparison guide covers everything from timing per question to section-level strategy.

How Colleges and Organizations Use Concordance

Admissions offices aren’t the only ones referencing these tables. Scholarship committees, the NCAA, and state policymakers all use the 2018 concordance to set eligibility thresholds. If a scholarship requires a 1200 SAT and you have a 25 ACT (which converts to 1200-1220), you meet the bar. Just remember the standard error: if the threshold is firm and your converted score is right at the cutoff, consider taking the required test directly rather than relying on concordance alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the 2018 concordance tables still valid in 2025 and 2026?

Yes. Neither ACT nor College Board has released updated tables. The 2018 concordance remains the official standard used by colleges, scholarships, and the NCAA. Both the Digital SAT and Enhanced ACT retain their original scoring scales (400-1600 and 1-36, respectively), so the tables still apply.

Is a concorded score the same as a predicted score?

No. A concorded score tells you the score on the other test that has the same percentile rank among students who took both tests. It is not a prediction of how you personally would score. Individual results can vary significantly from the concorded value due to differences in content, format, and individual strengths.

What is the margin of error on ACT to SAT conversion?

The official conversion carries a standard error of approximately ±80 SAT points when converting from ACT to SAT, and about ±2 ACT points when converting from SAT to ACT. This means your true equivalent score could be meaningfully higher or lower than the table suggests.

Does the Enhanced ACT change the conversion tables?

No. The Enhanced ACT (April 2025) made Science optional and calculates the composite from three sections instead of four, but the 1-36 scoring scale is unchanged. ACT has not released new concordance data, and the 2018 tables remain the reference standard.

Should I submit my ACT or SAT score to colleges?

Submit whichever score is stronger after conversion. Most colleges accept both tests equally and do not prefer one over the other. If your converted scores are within 1-2 ACT points of each other, choose based on which test you can superscore at your target schools and which format you’re more comfortable with.

Can I combine ACT and SAT section scores into a superscore?

No. College Board explicitly warns against combining section scores from different tests. Superscoring only works within the same test, using your best section scores from multiple sittings of either the SAT or the ACT.

How do uneven section strengths affect my conversion?

The SAT composite weights math heavily (half the total score), while the ACT composite averages across three or four sections with no single section dominating. Students who are much stronger in math often convert to a higher SAT equivalent than their ACT composite would suggest. Checking section-level concordance tables can reveal a clearer picture than the composite table alone.

Where can I find the official concordance tables?

The full concordance PDF, including composite and section-level tables, is hosted on ACT’s official site. It includes six tables covering composite-to-composite, math-to-math, and verbal section conversions.