Decoding the Average ACT Score in Kansas: Trends, Analysis, and Implications

The ACT (formerly known as American College Testing) is a standardized exam widely used for college admissions in the United States. It assesses high school students' general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work. The exam covers four academic areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science. Many universities require prospective students to take either the ACT or SAT, as standardized tests are believed to be one of the most effective tools for predicting students’ success in college. Many schools accept both scores, and typically there is no preference for one exam over the other. This article delves into the average ACT scores in Kansas, examining recent trends, underlying factors, and the broader implications for students and the state's education system.

Understanding the ACT Score

The ACT is scored on a scale of 1-36, with 36 being the highest possible score. This score is calculated by averaging the scaled scores from each of the four subject areas. The scaled scores are translated from each section’s raw score, which is the total number of correct answers. The score a student receives corresponds to a percentile that compares how you did to the rest of the test-takers’ population. Most scores are a little below or a little above the average score. A “good” score depends on the individual since each person usually has a goal score to achieve to get into the school they plan to apply for.

National ACT Performance

In 2019/2020, 1.67 million students took the ACT. In 2024, the national average ACT score was 19.4 (Source: 2024 National ACT Profile Report). Fifteen states have 100% participation rates in the 2019-2020 ACT exam season. Massachusetts has the highest average ACT score of 26, and Connecticut followed closely with 25.9. Nevada had the lowest average ACT score of 17.9.

Kansas ACT Scores: A Declining Trend

ACT scores for 2025 were released this week, showing yet another decline and hitting a new all-time low. ACT scores and college readiness have been on a steady decline since 2015, when Kanas Education Commissioner Randy Watson convinced the State Board of Education to implement his “Kansans Can” initiative that de-emphasized academic improvement over social-emotional learning. The state’s composite ACT score has steadily declined from 21.9 in 2015 to 19.1 now. Demographic scores also fell to 20.1 for White students, 16.6 for Hispanic students, and 15.7 for Black students.

Factors Contributing to the Decline

Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson’s overemphasis on so-called “social-emotional learning,” or SEL, has led to a 10-year drop in educational outcomes - all while spending has skyrocketed - according to an editorial by Kansas Policy Institute CEO Dave Trabert.

Read also: SAT Requirements for LSU

Implications of Declining Scores

The decline in ACT scores raises concerns about college readiness and the overall quality of education in Kansas. Lower scores may limit students' college choices and potentially require them to take remedial courses, adding to the cost and time required to earn a degree.

Understanding ACT Scores in College Admissions

Why would you care what the average ACT score by state is? A lot of colleges and universities have admissions officers who focus on a particular region. Believe me, they’re more than familiar with what the average score looks like in your area! So if your score is slightly lower than average for the college-but far above average in your state-it might not hurt your chances as much as you think it might. ACT is a college admissions test, and you need to use it as a tool to get into college.

Benchmarks for College Readiness

The “benchmark” scores for each section show the threshold above which high school graduates can expect to be reasonably prepared for college courses in this subject area. Benchmarks are one way of determining college readiness and what constitutes a “good” ACT score, and they’re more reliable than comparing your score to the 19.4 average. But as we’ve seen, test scores in one state are not perfectly comparable to scores from another state-the 100% test rate in some states shows us that, in places, all students, not just those who are determined to go to college, take this exam.

Comparing ACT Scores

There are a lot of ways to compare ACT scores: to your classmates, by your declared major, or by the average ACT score by state. It’s a compelling urge, to see how your ACT scores stack up, that you might make some sort of prediction based on that. The first thing to determine is whether you’re comparing your scores to a median or a mean.

Median - This is the middle number in an ordered list of numbers. In the case of the College Search tool, this is presented as a range from the median of the 25th percentile to the median of the 75th percentile.
Mean - This is the average of all the numbers added together and divided by however many numbers you added.

puts out for each graduating class. It lists the estimated percentage of 2023 graduates taking the ACT and their average score, by state. Your state’s average score is not necessarily a good score for you. A good score is the score that gets you into your dream college. On the national level, the average ACT composite score lies between a 19 and a 20. That said, your score is only part of the picture. If you’re a student in a state where the SAT is a state requirement, like Indiana or Michigan , the average ACT tends to be higher, because those students have self-selected and gone above and beyond to stand out, get ahead, or find a place to shine by also taking the ACT.

Read also: Decoding Princeton Admissions

University of Kansas ACT Scores

In this guide, we'll discuss what scores are needed for you to get admitted into University of Kansas. There are three critical numbers when considering your admissions chances: ACT scores, GPA, and acceptance rate. In other words, a 20 places you below average, while a 28 will move you up to above average. To be safe, you should aim for a ACT score of 20 or higher. Note: Your admission decision relies not only on your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but also on your coursework difficulty, extracurriculars, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. This tool provides only a simplistic estimate of your chances of admission. We recommend you apply to schools across a range of chances. If you're interested in University of Kansas, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. These schools are have higher average ACT scores than University of Kansas. If you're currently competitive for University of Kansas, you should have no problem getting into these schools.

The Importance of Preparation

There are a number of ways to approach improving your ACT score. So, if you studied hard and increased your ACT score from a 16 to a 20, that is a huge win! You are now way better prepared than “average you” was before.

Recent Changes to the ACT

The ACT® has four sections: English, math, reading, and science. Each section is scored on a scale from 1 to 36. The composite score is the average of the four section scores. Note: Beginning April 2025, the ACT® introduced major changes, including making the science section optional for online test-takers. Starting in September 2025, all students will take the ACT®in this revised format.

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