(31KB)| Table 135. | ACT score averages and standard deviations, by sex and race/ethnicity, and percentage of ACT test takers, by selected composite score ranges and planned fields of study: Selected years, 1995 through 2005 |
| Score type and test-taker characteristic | Number | Standard deviation | |||||||||||||||||
| 1995 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| Total test takers Number (in thousands) |
945 | 959 | 995 | 1,019 | 1,065 | 1,070 | 1,116 | 1,175 | 1,171 | 1,186 | † | † | † | † | † | † | † | † | † |
| Percentage of graduates | 37.5 | 36.7 | 37.7 | 36.9 | 37.6 | 37.6 | 38.4 | 38.9 | 38.2 | 38.1 | † | † | † | † | † | † | † | † | † |
| Average test score | |||||||||||||||||||
| Composite, total | 20.8 | 21.0 | 21.0 | 21.0 | 21.0 | 21.0 | 20.8 | 20.8 | 20.9 | 20.9 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | — |
| Sex | |||||||||||||||||||
| Male | 21.0 | 21.1 | 21.2 | 21.1 | 21.2 | 21.1 | 20.9 | 21.0 | 21.0 | 21.1 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Female | 20.7 | 20.8 | 20.9 | 20.9 | 20.9 | 20.9 | 20.7 | 20.8 | 20.9 | 20.9 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 |
| Race/ethnicity | |||||||||||||||||||
| White | — | 22.8 | 22.7 | 22.7 | 22.7 | 21.8 | 22.6 | 21.7 | 21.8 | 21.9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Black | — | 17.9 | 17.9 | 17.9 | 17.8 | 16.9 | 17.6 | 16.9 | 17.1 | 17.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mexican American | — | 19.9 | 19.6 | 19.6 | 19.5 | 18.5 | 19.0 | 18.3 | 18.4 | 18.4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Other Hispanic | — | 20.1 | 20.7 | 20.7 | 20.5 | 19.4 | 20.0 | 19.0 | 18.8 | 18.9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Asian American or Pacific Islander | — | 22.5 | 22.6 | 22.3 | 22.4 | 21.7 | 22.3 | 21.8 | 21.9 | 22.1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | — | 20.4 | 20.4 | 20.4 | 20.4 | 18.8 | 20.1 | 18.7 | 18.8 | 18.7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Subject area | |||||||||||||||||||
| English | 20.2 | 20.3 | 20.4 | 20.5 | 20.5 | 20.5 | 20.2 | 20.3 | 20.4 | 20.4 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.9 | — |
| Male | 19.8 | 19.9 | 19.9 | 20.0 | 20.0 | 20.0 | 19.7 | 19.8 | 19.9 | 20.0 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 6.0 |
| Female | 20.6 | 20.7 | 20.8 | 20.9 | 20.9 | 20.8 | 20.6 | 20.7 | 20.8 | 20.8 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.9 |
| Mathematics | 20.2 | 20.6 | 20.8 | 20.7 | 20.7 | 20.7 | 20.6 | 20.6 | 20.7 | 20.7 | 5.0 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.1 | 5.0 | — |
| Male | 20.9 | 21.3 | 21.5 | 21.4 | 21.4 | 21.4 | 21.2 | 21.2 | 21.3 | 21.3 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Female | 19.7 | 20.1 | 20.2 | 20.2 | 20.2 | 20.2 | 20.1 | 20.1 | 20.2 | 20.2 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Reading | 21.3 | 21.3 | 21.4 | 21.4 | 21.4 | 21.3 | 21.1 | 21.2 | 21.3 | 21.3 | 6.1 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.0 | — |
| Male | 21.1 | 21.2 | 21.1 | 21.1 | 21.2 | 21.1 | 20.9 | 21.0 | 21.1 | 21.0 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 5.3 | 6.1 | 6.1 |
| Female | 21.4 | 21.5 | 21.6 | 21.6 | 21.5 | 21.5 | 21.3 | 21.4 | 21.5 | 21.5 | 6.0 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 4.8 | 5.9 | 6.0 |
| Science reasoning | 21.0 | 21.1 | 21.1 | 21.0 | 21.0 | 21.0 | 20.8 | 20.8 | 20.9 | 20.9 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | — |
| Male | 21.6 | 21.7 | 21.8 | 21.5 | 21.6 | 21.6 | 21.3 | 21.3 | 21.3 | 21.4 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| Female | 20.5 | 20.6 | 20.6 | 20.6 | 20.6 | 20.6 | 20.4 | 20.4 | 20.5 | 20.5 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 |
| Percent | |||||||||||||||||||
| Obtaining composite scores of— | |||||||||||||||||||
| 28 or above | — | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 17 or below | — | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Planned major field of study | |||||||||||||||||||
| Business2 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Engineering3 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Social science4 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Education5 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| —Not available. † Not applicable. 1 Minimum score is 1 and maximum score is 36. 2 Includes business and management, business and office, and marketing and distribution. 3 Includes engineering and engineering-related technologies. 4 Includes social science and philosophy, religion, and theology. 5 Includes education and teacher education. NOTE: Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic origin. SOURCE: ACT, High School Profile Report, selected years, 1995 through 2005. (This table was prepared April 2006.) |