27 ACT to SAT Conversion

An ACT composite of 27 equals an SAT total of about 1280, within 1260 to 1290 on the official concordance.

ACT composite
27
SAT equivalent
1280
Official SAT range
1260–1290
SAT percentile
83rd

What a 27 ACT score means on the SAT scale

On the concordance table published jointly by ACT and College Board, an ACT composite of 27 corresponds to an SAT total of 1280. Because one ACT point spans several SAT points, the table also gives a range, 1260–1290, and colleges treat any SAT score in that range as equivalent to a 27. An SAT 1280 is good: the 83rd percentile of SAT takers, or the top 17%. ACT publishes its own percentile tables for the composite, which differ slightly because the two tests are taken by different groups of students.

Which colleges a 27 fits

Admissions readers compare test scores with the middle-50% range of admitted students, published for both tests in each college’s Common Data Set. An SAT-equivalent of 1280 is competitive at the majority of four-year colleges and inside the range at many large public universities. The per-score page is 1280 a good SAT score gives the full picture, including section splits and how to move it, and the good-score guide lists sample college ranges.

One ACT point in SAT terms

Moving from a 27 to a 28 is worth about 30 SAT points (1310), and a 26 concords to 1240. Near the top of both scales each ACT point covers a wider SAT range, which is why a 34 and a 35 look similar to a college that reads scores in SAT terms while a 20 and a 21 sit only about 40 SAT points apart.

ACT Math 27 to SAT Math

The concordance also maps the Math sections directly. An ACT Math score of 27 corresponds to an SAT Math section score of about 640 out of 800. Programs with a Math minimum, common in engineering and business schools, use this section-level table rather than the composite. The Math SAT score calculator shows how many correct answers that takes on the Digital SAT.

Nearby ACT scores

Last updated September 2026. Source: ACT/College Board 2018 concordance tables (composite and Math); SAT percentiles from College Board’s current SAT User tables.

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27 ACT to SAT: frequently asked questions

What is a 27 ACT score in SAT terms?

An ACT composite of 27 concords to an SAT total of about 1280, with an official range of 1260–1290. That SAT score is at the 83rd percentile of SAT takers.

Is a 27 on the ACT a good score?

Its SAT equivalent of 1280 is good (top 17% of SAT takers) and competitive at the majority of four-year colleges and inside the range at many large public universities. Whether it is good enough depends on the middle-50% ranges at your colleges; see is 1280 a good SAT score.

What does a 27 ACT Math score equal on SAT Math?

On the official section concordance, an ACT Math score of 27 corresponds to an SAT Math section score of about 640 (out of 800).

Should I take the SAT instead of the ACT if I have a 27?

Only if a timed official SAT practice test converts to a higher score than 1280. The tests reward different strengths, so take one practice test of each and compare using this table. Colleges accept both equally.