For someone new to the college admissions process, looking at the ACT® vs. SAT® tests can be like comparing apples to oranges. At a glance, the two seem very similar, but once you break down the tests further, you’ll notice a few important differences.
Both of these tests are widely accepted for scholarship consideration and college admissions at most colleges in the U.S. This means a college won’t give preference for one test over the other.
When preparing for upcoming tests, it’s important to know what to expect from both versions of college admissions tests, especially in terms of format, content, timing, and scoring. In this post, we’ll go over 19 key differences between the ACT and SAT tests and how to decide which one is right for you.
19 Differences Between the ACT and SAT Tests
1. Different Administering Organizations
The SAT test is owned and administered by the College Board, a nonprofit organization made up of elite northeastern colleges. The organization was founded in 1899, and it also owns and administers the PSAT, AP®, and CLEP® exams, among many other college admissions tools.
The ACT test is owned by ACT, Inc., an Iowa-based organization that was founded in 1959. Like College Board, the ACT nonprofit also heads up many other projects and programs, including the PreACT test, The Official ACT Prep Guide publication, and many others.
2. The SAT Test Has Been Around Longer
The SAT test was first created in 1926. At that time, many universities had their own versions of aptitude and IQ tests that were used for admission and scholarship consideration.
After World War II, the SAT test became more popular as the demand for standardized tests rapidly increased. This change in demand was a result of large numbers of veterans attending college through the G.I. Bill.
Over the years, the SAT test has undergone various revisions and major changes. For example, in 2021, College Board announced that it would discontinue the optional essay and SAT Subject Tests. In the spring of 2024, the SAT test converted to a digital-only format.
The ACT test didn’t enter the market until 1959. In the beginning, the ACT test was quite different from the SAT test, but over the past 60+ years, the tests have evolved to become very similar. The ACT test’s most recent changes, which test-takers will experience for the first time in April 2025, will result in a test that’s even more similar to the digital SAT test. (Spoiler alert: it will include a digital option as well!)
Today, colleges still rely on ACT or SAT scores to help them make admissions decisions. So, if you plan to apply to college in the U.S., you will likely sign up for one, if not both, of these tests.
3. Popularity Varies By State
Depending on where you live, your school district may put more emphasis on one test over the other. For example, the SAT test tends to be more popular in the Northeast and the Pacific Northwest, as well as in densely populated states like California, Texas, Illinois, Indiana, Georgia, and Florida. The ACT test is more popular in the Midwest and southwestern states like Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada.

Of the national graduating class of 2024, about 1.4 million students took the ACT test, while 1.97 million students took the SAT test. Of course, even in states where one test reigns supreme, students still can opt to take the other test. And it’s often in a student’s best interest to take both tests at least once.
Keep in mind that test popularity changes over time. In 2012, the ACT test was more popular than the SAT test among high school students for the first time in history. But in 2018, the SAT test reclaimed the majority, but the ACT test remains almost as popular.
It’s important to note that both the ACT and SAT tests are available in all 50 states, regardless of their popularity from state to state. We recommend visiting the tests’ websites to find a testing center near you.
4. Testing Requirements For Graduation Vary By State
Did you know that some states require high school students to take the ACT or SAT test (or a similar exam) to determine graduation eligibility? Often, these states offer the ACT or SAT tests in replacement of state-wide assessments like Smarter Balanced.
In 2015, the U.S. federal government passed the Every Student Succeeds Act, a law requiring that all states offer annual assessments to better measure overall student performance. As of January 2025, nearly half of states within the U.S. have turned to the ACT/SAT tests to help fulfill this requirement.
Offering the ACT, SAT, or PSAT tests in replacement of additional state assessments aims to alleviate testing pressures felt by high school students, many of whom already plan to take the SAT or ACT to maximize college admissions odds.
As of January 2025, 25 states across the U.S. require either the ACT or SAT test. Read our article that gives a complete breakdown of ACT/SAT requirements by state.
5. Score Reporting: Different Score Ranges
Both tests follow different scoring scales. SAT scores range from 400 to 1600 points, whereas ACT composite scores range from 1 to 36 points.
SAT section scores range from 200-800 points. The test consists of two main sections, and scores from these two sections are combined to come up with the total score. Learn more about what makes a good SAT test score.
ACT section scores range from 1-36. The “composite” score (or overall score) is the average of the four test section scores and is graded on the same scale of 1-36. Learn more about what makes a good ACT test score.
6. Test Formats: Different Sections
The ACT and SAT test sections are similar in content, but there are some differences in the order of the sections and the style of questions. It’s important to highlight that both the SAT and ACT tests have undergone massive section changes in recent years.
The new versions of the tests are more similar than they’ve ever been over the past few decades, but no two test sections are exactly the same—even if the sections appear to cover the same core subjects or areas of expertise.
SAT Test Sections
- Reading and Writing
- Math (with calculator)
In early 2024, the SAT test revamped its test sections to include one Reading and Writing section and one math section with calculator. The new test no longer offers a “no calculator” section. Read more about the new digital SAT test.
ACT Test Sections
- English
- Math
- Reading
- Science (optional)
- Writing (optional)
ACT, Inc. will implement the new “enhanced” version of the ACT test for the first time in April 2025. Read more about recent ACT test changes.
One of the most noticeable differences between test sections is that the ACT test includes optional writing and science sections, and the SAT test does not. We describe this difference more in point 9 and 10 below.
7. The ACT Test Currently Still Offers a Paper Version
The SAT test completely eliminated its paper testing option, but the ACT test intends to preserve the paper format. While the ACT test will also offer a digital version for the first time in April 2025, students will still have the ability to choose to take the paper-and-pencil version if they prefer.
8. The Digital SAT Test Is Adaptive
The new digital SAT test is computer adaptive. It’s a “smart” test that chooses the next module of questions to present to the student based on how the student answered the questions in the previous module. Students will still be able to return to previous questions to reconsider their answers if time allows.
Currently, it does not appear that the upcoming digital ACT test will feature adaptive modules.
9. The ACT Test Includes a Science Option
What the ACT Math section lacks in data analysis, it makes up for in the ACT Science section. But don’t let the ACT Science section scare you! You won’t be required to be a science expert. This part of the test will examine your ability to problem-solve and interpret data rather than retain extensive knowledge about a particular science subject.
“There is very little prior science knowledge required. Scientific studies and experiments have been conducted, and you are provided with tables, figures, and graphs with the data from those studies and experiments, as well as textual information describing the topic and how the studies/experiments were done. You are then asked to interpret that data by identifying data points within the tables/figures/graphs and making conclusions about the scientific topic discussed from the given data/text,” said Scott Simons, KD Vice President, Math & Science Innovation.
The science questions fall into these categories:
- Interpretation of data
- Scientific investigation
- Evaluation of models, inferences, and experimental results
You’ll be asked to:
- Recognize concepts related to the provided information
- Apply critical thinking skills to analyze how the information provided leads to hypotheses or conclusions
- Use provided information to draw conclusions or make predictions
“There will be one or two questions per test that do require some outside science knowledge, but typically that knowledge will be fairly basic information from the relevant topic area,” Simons said.
10. The ACT Test Still Offers the Essay Option
Until recently, the essay was included on both tests as an optional add-on. In January 2021, College Board announced that it will no longer offer the essay portion of the SAT test. This is likely due to COVID-19 restrictions and limitations, as well as a drastic decrease in colleges that require or review essay section test scores as part of the admissions process.
While the essay is no longer included with the national SAT test dates, you can still choose to do the essay on the ACT test if you wish. This will add 40 minutes to your total testing time.
Although it’s optional, there are circumstances that might require you to participate in the essay section. For instance, if your state or high school requires you to take the ACT test with the writing portion to qualify for high school graduation, then you’ll definitely need to do it.
Another reason why you might opt to do the essay is if you’re applying to a college that requires it. You can find that information on each college’s website (or by Googling the name of the school + ACT test writing requirement).
Some schools won’t look at the writing score at all, while others will consider it but do not require it. If you’re a strong writer, you may want to do the essay in hopes of boosting your application. However, as long as the school doesn’t require the writing score, your application won’t be penalized for not including it.
11. The SAT Test Puts More Weight on Math
On the digital SAT test, math contributes to 50 percent of the overall score. On the Core ACT test, math makes up about a third of the overall score. This is important to keep in mind when thinking about how one test will align with your strengths.
12. The Digital SAT test is slightly longer
In terms of overall testing time, the new Core ACT test will be about nine minutes shorter than the digital SAT test, but it has slightly more questions.
Overall Testing Time:
- Core ACT Test: 125 minutes
- Digital SAT Test: 134 minutes
13. Section Length
While the core version of the ACT test does look more similar to the digital SAT test, the test sections still look different in terms of timing and number of questions.
ACT Core Section Breakdown
- English: 35 minutes, 50 questions
- Math: 50 minutes, 45 questions
- Reading: 40 minutes, 40 questions
- TOTAL: 125 minutes, 135 questions
Digital SAT Section Breakdown
- Reading and Writing Section:
- 1st module: 32 minutes, 25 operational questions and 2 pretest questions
- 2nd module: 32 minutes, 25 operational questions and 2 pretest questions
- Math Section:
- 1st module: 35 minutes, 20 operational questions and 2 pretest questions
- 2nd module: 35 minutes, 20 operational questions and 2 pretest questions
- Total: 134 minutes, 98 questions
14. Amount of Time Per Question
Overall, the ACT test gives students less time per question than the SAT test. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a harder test.
ACT English allows for about 42 seconds per question, while the SAT Reading and Writing section gives students about one minute 11 seconds per question.
The ACT Reading section offers more generous time allotments at one minute per question. This accommodates the time required to read the passages before answering questions.
“Because the SAT test combines Reading and Writing topics, students are free to choose how to spend their 71 seconds per question. While some students might benefit from completing easier questions quickly and banking extra time for the harder questions, other students might misuse their time due to the lack of structure. Student must work more quickly on the ACT English and Reading sections compared to the SAT test, but some students might prefer the division and the structure that comes with it,” said David Dernier, Vice President, Verbal Curriculum Development.
The ACT Math section is shorter overall than the SAT Math section, but it requires a quicker pace. ACT Math gives students about 1 minute 7 seconds per question. SAT Math gives students about 1 minute and 35 seconds per question.
The ACT Science section is also rather quick. Here, students have about 52.5 seconds per question.
Digital SAT Time-Per-Question Breakdown
- Reading and Writing Section: About 1 minute, 11 seconds per question
- Math Section: About 1 minute, 35 seconds per question
ACT Core Time-Per-Question Breakdown:
- English: 42 seconds per question
- Math: 1 minute, 7 seconds per question
- Reading: 1 minute per question
15. Level of Difficulty: Is the ACT Test Harder Than the SAT Test?
In general, the tests are too similar to determine whether one test is harder than the other. However, a student may find that one test better aligns with his or her personal strengths and level of knowledge.
Questions on the SAT test sometimes include slightly trickier language than ACT test questions, although the digital format promises to be more concise. Questions on the ACT test tend to be a little more straightforward.
On the other hand, the ACT gives you less time per question on every section. Your brain will need to keep a faster pace when solving for the answers.
You can get a 35 on two of the sections on the ACT test and still get a perfect composite score because the average will round up to 36. On the SAT test, you have to get a perfect score on all sections to earn a 1600.
While perfect composite scores on the ACT test are more common, this doesn’t necessarily translate to one test being easier than the other—they just follow different scoring methods, and colleges are aware of these small discrepancies.
16. Practice Versions: PSAT vs. PreACT Test
Each test has its own practice versions. However, access to these practice versions of the tests will vary depending on your location and your school district.
There are benefits to taking the PSAT test in 11th grade, so we always encourage our students to sign up whenever possible. The National Merit® Scholarship Program uses 11th grade PSAT scores to determine scholarship eligibility and National Merit Semifinalist status. Some colleges also award special scholarships to students who earn this recognition.
In contrast, the PreACT test exists purely as a practice version of the ACT test. There are no added benefits.
We only bring this point up because it may affect a student’s decision about which test to take. If you already plan to take the PSAT test, you might as well take the SAT test. The PSAT and SAT tests are very similar, and taking the PSAT test will help you prepare for both the SAT and ACT tests.
17. Test Dates: Different Times of Year
Both the ACT and SAT tests offer seven different Saturday testing dates each year. Usually, the tests won’t be offered on the same day, but there are exceptions.
We know that for busy high school students, the time of year matters. For some students, it’s best to pick a testing date when you’re not heavily involved in sports or extracurriculars, but this is not the only reason why a student may prefer a particular test date. At KD College Prep, we help students build a testing timeline that works best for their individual needs.
Below is a quick overview of which months the tests are usually offered. Read our post for this year’s list of official test dates.

School Day Testing
Both the ACT and SAT tests offer school-day testing at participating high schools. This means that the high school will offer 11th and 12th graders the chance to take one of the tests during a school day. Not all high schools offer this, so contact your school counselor to find out if your school participates. We recommend that students take the test when it’s offered at your school.
18. The SAT Test Is Slightly More Expensive
It’s important to note that the fees have recently changed. When comparing the SAT vs. ACT test fees, the ACT test wins the price war by just a few dollars.
Formerly $55, the fee for the SAT test is now $68.
The ACT has also changed its fees. The Core ACT test is $65. The Science section costs an additional $4, while the Writing section is an additional $25.
School day tests are often covered by the state or school district. For example, Texas will cover the cost of one administration of the ACT or SAT test at no cost.
If you’re worried about the cost of the tests and your school doesn’t offer school day testing at no cost, you should consider applying for fee waivers for the ACT or SAT test.
19. Different Methods for Signing Up
Each test involves a different process in terms of signing up and payment.
Signing Up for the ACT Test
You can sign up for the ACT test by creating an account on the ACT test website. There, you’ll be able to enter your information, find a testing center near you, and select colleges to which you’d like to send your scores. Registration is required five to six weeks in advance.
Signing Up for the SAT Test
Students can register for the SAT test by setting up an account on the College Board website. In some cases, students have to register by mail. Registration is required about four weeks in advance.
Don’t forget to ask if your school offers a school-day test! Your high school counselor can tell you if it’s offered, when it is, and how to sign up for it.
Bottom Line: Should I Take the ACT or SAT Test?
Overall, the ACT and SAT tests have more similarities than differences. Both tests gauge student’s level of preparedness for college, and they both tend to cover the same general areas of knowledge: reading, writing, vocabulary, grammar, math, logic, data analysis, and problem-solving.
As we’ve mentioned, colleges won’t give you preference for choosing one test above the other. So, the choice really comes down to which test will best meet your needs and how your scores turn out.
Just like some of us prefer apples over oranges, some students will find that they perform better on one test than the other. How you score on either test will vary depending on your level of preparedness and testing capabilities.
Our best advice is to plan to take both tests. This will require some planning ahead and additional test prep, but you’ll never know which test is better suited for you until you give them both a try. By taking both tests, you’ll maximize your chances of earning a high test score.
Do Colleges Prefer the ACT or SAT Test?
College admissions committees really don’t care whether a student takes one test or the other. Both tests are intended to evaluate students’ strengths and weaknesses and assess college readiness.
At KD College Prep, we recommend taking both tests to determine which one best highlights your strengths. If you get a better score on the ACT test instead of the SAT test, then that’s the one you should send to colleges, or vice versa.
Special note for students applying to STEM programs: We have yet to see how ACT, Inc.’s decision to make the science section optional will impact college admissions policies for STEM degree programs. We recommend students continue to take the ACT Science section, especially those planning to enter competitive science-focused degree programs. Be sure to check the admissions requirements for your desired degree programs for the colleges on your list.
Which Test Is Easier?
This is a tricky question to answer because each student has their own unique strengths and struggles. If you work well with charts and graphs, then you’ll likely find the ACT Science section fairly easy. If you’ve got a knack for reading comprehension and language usage, then the SAT Reading and Writing section may be enticing.
However, it can be difficult to know exactly how well you’ll do on either test until you try them. We recommend giving both tests a try.
How Long Should You Study for the Tests?
Students often begin preparing for the tests in 9th grade, although we work with some students who like to get an even earlier start. There is no universal rule of thumb to follow regarding how much total time to spend preparing for the tests.
If you’re struggling with certain types of questions or subject areas, you’ll need to put more work into those areas. It’s a good idea to take assessment or diagnostic tests to get an idea of how you would perform on the actual tests if you took them right now. Then, you can build a study schedule based on the results of your diagnostic tests.
Are Colleges Reinstating ACT/SAT Score Requirements?
Yes. In 2024-2025 admissions cycle, Common App saw about a 10-percent increase in students submitting test scores. They attributed this to a recent trend—colleges returning to test-required admissions policies.
Dartmouth, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, UT-Austin, Georgia Tech, and several other colleges have returned to test-required admissions. We expect to see more top colleges adopting test-required policies, with the University of Miami joining the list in January 2025.
Even if your list of colleges doesn’t include schools that require scores, it’s still a good idea to take the tests for a variety of reasons. Later on, you might change your mind about where you want to go to college, and your new dream school might require or at least accept scores. Or scores could be a differentiator between similar applicants.
Need Help Preparing for Upcoming Tests?
At KD College Prep, we offer Complete Test Prep for students in grades 9-12, as well as College Prep Packages for families who are also interested in college counseling. Our programs prepares students for both the ACT and SAT tests, as well as for the PSAT test.
If you need help creating a testing plan or more advice on which test is best for you, schedule a free consultation with one of our advisors.