ACT Scores
27 ACT to SAT: 1280
An ACT 27 converts to an SAT 1280 on the official table, and any SAT from 1260 to 1290 converts back to a 27. It ranks at the 89th percentile nationally and is inside or above the middle-50% ACT range at 53 of the 141 colleges we track.
SAT equivalent
1280
SAT 1260 to 1290
National rank
89%
score at or below
In range or above
53
of 141 colleges
Below the range
88
of 141 colleges
51 colleges where a 27 is inside the middle 50%
Your score looks like a typical enrolled student's here. Most selective first.
- University of Texas at Austin27–33
- University of Central Florida25–29
- Howard University22–28
- The University of Tennessee-Knoxville25–31
- University of South Florida24–29
- Texas Christian University26–31
- Auburn University26–31
- Purdue University27–34
- Baylor University27–32
- Florida International University21–27
- Texas A&M University25–31
- University of South Carolina26–32
- Pennsylvania State University27–32
- The University of Texas at Dallas24–32
- James Madison University24–29
- University of North Texas19–27
- Texas Tech University23–28
- Seton Hall University27–32
- Louisiana State University24–30
- University of Houston23–29
- University at Buffalo27–32
- University of Arkansas21–28
- Miami University-Oxford25–30
- DePaul University25–31
- University of Oklahoma23–29
- The University of Alabama24–31
- Oregon State University24–31
- University of Illinois Chicago25–31
- Mississippi State University21–29
- Indiana University27–33
- University of Missouri23–30
- Drexel University27–32
- University of Minnesota26–31
- Marquette University26–31
- Loyola University Chicago27–32
- Gonzaga University27–31
- St. John's University-New York24–29
- University of Iowa21–28
- Michigan State University25–31
- University of Cincinnati24–29
- University of Utah22–29
- University of Arizona21–29
- George Mason University25–30
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln22–28
- University of New Hampshire26–30
- University of Oregon23–30
- Iowa State University21–28
- Virginia Commonwealth University22–30
- University of Kentucky21–28
- University of Kansas20–28
- University of Mississippi21–29
2 colleges where a 27 is above the 75th percentile
Your score is higher than three quarters of enrolled students at these schools.
The closest reaches for a 27
A 27 is below the 25th percentile at 88 of the 141 colleges that publish a range. These are the ones where the gap is smallest.
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill28–34
- Clemson University28–32
- North Carolina State University28–32
- University of Connecticut28–33
- Virginia Tech28–32
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick28–33
- Ohio State University28–32
- Hofstra University28–32
- University of Delaware28–32
- University of Denver28–33
- University of Florida29–33
- Florida State University29–32
Keep this list for a 27
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Frequently asked questions
What is a 27 ACT in SAT terms?
An ACT Composite of 27 is equivalent to an SAT total of 1280 on the official ACT/SAT concordance published by College Board and ACT. SAT totals from 1260 to 1290 all convert back to an ACT 27.
Is 27 a good ACT score?
A 27 ranks at the 89th percentile, meaning 89% of recent ACT-tested graduates scored a 27 or lower. It is at or above the 25th percentile of enrolled students at 53 of the 141 colleges in our dataset that publish an ACT range, and above the 75th percentile at 2 of them.
Should I retake the ACT with a 27?
A retake is worth the most at schools where a 27 is below the 25th percentile, because that is where your score is working against you. At schools where you are already inside the middle 50%, a retake is optional. At schools where you are above the 75th percentile, the ACT is no longer what holds your application back.
ACT ranges are the 25th to 75th percentile of enrolled first-year students, sourced from College Scorecard API — U.S. Department of Education (api.data.gov) and Editorial overrides layer (overrides.json) — Common Data Set & institutional sources. ACT national ranks: ACT Score National Ranks, 2026-2027 reporting year.