ACT Scores for Admission to Undergraduate Engineering Colleges

A Side-by-Side Comparison of College Admissions Data

Cooper Union. (Ingfbruno/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0)

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Updated on February 21, 2020

You've taken the ACT, and have gotten your scores back. Now what? If you're interested in going to school for engineering, check out the chart below, which lists some of the country's top 10 undergraduate engineering colleges. It's a side-by-side comparison of ACT scores for the middle 50% of enrolled students at these schools. If your scores fall within or above these ranges, you're on track for admission to one of these highly regarded colleges for engineering.

Undergraduate Engineering ACT Scores (mid 50%)
(Learn what these numbers mean)

By Allen Grove

	Composite 25%	Composite 75%	English 25%	English 75%	Math 25%	Math 75%
Air Force Academy	27	33	27	32	27	32
Annapolis	-	-	25	33	26	32
Cal Poly Pomona	20	27	19	26	20	28
Cal Poly	26	31	25	33	26	32
Cooper Union	-	-	-	-	-	-
Embry-Riddle	-	-	-	-	-	-
Harvey Mudd	32	35	32	35	32	35
MSOE	25	30	24	29	26	30
Olin College	32	35	34	35	33	35
Rose-Hulman	28	32	26	33	29	34

see the SAT version of this table

Keep in mind that ACT scores are just one part of the application. The schools listed here generally have holistic admissions. This means that they look at more than just the grades and test scores on an application when making an admissions decision. Admissions officers will also be looking for a strong high school record, a well-crafted admissions essay, good letters of recommendations, and meaningful extracurricular activities. Because of this, some students with higher scores will not be admitted, and some with lower scores (lower even than the ranges listed here) will be admitted.

These colleges are selective, with acceptance rates in the teens or low twenties. While this may seem discouraging, the low acceptance rates shouldn't be a deterrence that keeps you from applying. Along with a strong application and solid test scores, there are steps you can take to bolster your application. Keep in mind that demonstrated interest can play an important role in admission decisions. Visiting the campus, making sure your supplemental essays focus on the specifics of the school, and applying through early decision or early action all help show that you are serious about attending. Be sure to contact the admissions office with any questions or concerns you have.

Data from National Center for Educational Statistics

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Grove, Allen. "ACT Scores for Admission to Undergraduate Engineering Colleges." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/act-scores-undergraduate-engineering-colleges-admission-788797. Grove, Allen. (2023, April 5). ACT Scores for Admission to Undergraduate Engineering Colleges. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/act-scores-undergraduate-engineering-colleges-admission-788797 Grove, Allen. "ACT Scores for Admission to Undergraduate Engineering Colleges." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/act-scores-undergraduate-engineering-colleges-admission-788797 (accessed April 27, 2024).