Utah's average ACT score rises to 20.1 as state tests show gains
Utah led states that tested over 90% of graduates, while most subjects still fell short of benchmarks for half of test-takers.
Correction, Oct. 16, 2026: what we corrected ↓
Utah's class of 2026 posted an average composite ACT score of 20.1, up from 19.9 in 2025 and above the national average of 18.8, the Deseret News reported, citing the ACT. Utah administers the test free to all high school juniors. [1] The board's release says 44,756 public school students in the class of 2026 took the ACT, 91% of graduates, and that 57% met the English benchmark, 34% math, 45% reading and 33% science. [2]
Among 16 states that tested more than 90% of graduates, Utah ranked first in average composite score, ahead of Wisconsin and Montana at 19.4, according to a Utah State Board of Education release. Students who retested averaged 25.8 on their superscores. Except in English, no ACT subject had more than half of Utah test-takers above benchmarks. [1]
State assessments also rose. The board reported that 45.4% of students were proficient in English language arts, up 1.5 percentage points from last year but below the 46.8% baseline from 2019. Math proficiency was 42.5%, up 1.2 percentage points from 2025 and still more than two points below 2019. Science reached 49.8%, a record high against a 2019 baseline of 47%. State Superintendent Molly Hart said in the board's release, "We are proud of the growth shown by Utah students, teachers and schools." [1]
More than half of high school students taking the Utah Aspire Plus assessment scored below proficiency in English, math and science, with math lowest at 34.5%, the Deseret News reported. [1]
Correction, Oct. 16, 2026: An earlier version described the year-over-year gains in English language arts and math proficiency as 1.5% and 1.2%. They were gains of 1.5 and 1.2 percentage points, from 43.9% and 41.3% in 2025.
Sources
- Deseret News: Are rising ACT scores signaling COVID ‘recovery’ in Utah schools? deseret.com
- Utah State Board of Education: Utah's 2026 ACT Composite Score Rises to 20.1, Ranking First Among High-Participation States (Oct. 14, 2026) schools.utah.gov
This story was written by AI from the report by Deseret News, which has the full story. How we write stories.
Correction, Oct. 16, 2026: An earlier version described the year-over-year gains in English language arts and math proficiency as 1.5% and 1.2%. They were gains of 1.5 and 1.2 percentage points, from 43.9% and 41.3% in 2025. All corrections
