What Is the SAT to ACT Conversion Calculator?
This tool (relevant to United States college admissions) translates an SAT total score, which ranges from 400 to 1600, into an equivalent ACT composite score, which ranges from 1 to 36. It uses the official concordance tables jointly published by the College Board and ACT in 2018, the standard reference admissions offices rely on to compare scores from the two tests.
How to Use It
Enter your SAT total score (the sum of your Evidence-Based Reading & Writing and Math section scores) and the calculator returns the closest equivalent ACT composite. This lets you compare your performance across both exams, decide which score to report, or estimate where you'd land if you took the other test.
The Formula Explained
There is no single arithmetic equation that converts SAT to ACT. Instead, the relationship is a piecewise concordance mapping: each band of SAT scores corresponds to one ACT composite value. For example, SAT totals of 1200–1229 all map to an ACT composite of 25, while 1230–1259 maps to 26. The calculator looks up the band your score falls into and reports the matching ACT score.
$$\text{ACT} = f\!\left(\text{SAT Total}\right) \quad \text{(College Board / ACT 2018 concordance)}$$
Worked Example
Suppose you scored 1200 on the SAT. That score falls into the 1200–1229 band, which the concordance table maps to an ACT composite of 25. A 1400 SAT falls into the 1390–1419 band, equivalent to an ACT composite of 31.
FAQ
Is the conversion exact? No. Concordance tables show approximate equivalence, not a precise one-to-one translation. Different students may perform differently on each test.
Which concordance does this use? The 2018 College Board / ACT joint concordance, the current official standard.
Should I report my SAT or ACT? Compare the concorded values and report whichever places you higher relative to a school's typical admitted range.
