In 2016 39,824 Utah students – which includes all public school students – took the ACT college entrance exam and posted an average score of 20.2, the same average score as was posted in 2015, according to data released by ACT.
Nationally, composite scores dropped from 21.0 in 2015 to 20.8 in 2016.
In individual test components, Utah students improved from an average score of 19.3 in English to 19.4. Math scores went from 19.7 in 2015 to 19.6 this year. Reading and science scores remained unchanged at 20.8 and 20.3 respectively. Nationally, component scores dropped by less than a half point in all four subject areas.
“Utah students and teachers are to be congratulated on keeping their ACT scores up in a year in which scores nationally went down,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Sydnee Dickson. “Nationally, only about 64 percent of students take the ACT and all of them have college aspirations. Utah and 17 other states offer the ACT to all students. Among that group of 18 states, Utah ranks eighth. However, this still leaves Utah with much room for improvement in getting all students prepared for their futures.”
Utah’s ACT results compared to national results:
| Composite | English | Math | Reading | Science | |
|
Utah 2016 Nation 2016 |
20.2 20.8 |
19.4 20.1 |
19.6 20.6 |
20.8 21.3 |
20.3 20.8 |
|
Utah 2015 Nation 2015 |
20.2 21.0 |
19.3 20.4 |
19.7 20.8 |
20.8 21.4 |
20.3 20.9 |
Utah 2016 disaggregated ACT scores compared to 2015 results:
| 2015 | 2016 | |
| All Students | 20.2 | 20.2 |
| American Indian | 15.8 | 15.8 |
| Asian | 20.5 | 20.6 |
| Black/African American | 16.3 | 16.5 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 17.2 | 17.3 |
| Pacific Islander | 17.0 | 17.2 |
| White | 21.1 | 21.2 |
| Two or more races | 20.7 | 20.8 |
| No response | 18.4 | 18.3 |
More information about Utah scores can be found at the ACT site, http://www.act.org/content/
