New test data shows Utah’s 2026 high school graduates did better overall on the ACT, raising the average composite score to 20.1. The average score for the Class of 2025 was 19.9.
Nationally the average is 18.8.
The Utah State Board of Education says more than 90% of 2026 l graduates took the standardized test during the 2025-2026 school year. That’s over 44,700 students.
The test measures English, reading, math and science skills. Students take the test during their junior or senior year.
The state board’s Test Administration and Data Coordinator Scott Roskelley said the state pays for juniors to take the test once.
He said these scores indicate how prepared students are for college.
“When we look at the ACT test, we’re not looking at how well it is aligning necessarily to Utah standards,” Roskelley said. “What we’re seeing is a culmination of from kindergarten to when the student takes that test of every educator they’ve interacted with and how they prepared them for college readiness.”
Of students in the Wasatch Back, Park City High students scored the highest, with a composite score of 22.8. Silver Summit Academy students earned an average of 21.5 and Wasatch High scored 21.2. The North Summit composite score was 19.8 and South Summit’s was 18.4.
Roskelley said some discrepancy in Wasatch Back test scores could be related to the size of the districts, which can skew data.
“Last year 44,000 juniors took the test, that’s a lot of data, so it’s a pretty solid score,” Roskelley said. “But when I look at some of our smaller districts and especially some of our smaller charters, it’s just the size alone makes it really problematic.”
According to the state school board, 1,528 students attend Park City High School, whereas 447 attend South Summit High.
Roskelley also said the state offers free test preparation through the Arizona-based company Shmoop. But not every school takes advantage of it.
He said Park City High School offers prep services, but South Summit High does not.
ACT data is not available yet for Deer Creek High.
