Chart: Trends in ACT test scores, overall and by gender, 1970 to 2017

Figure E

Year	All students	Male	Female
1970	19.9	20.3	19.4
1971	19.3	19.5	19.1
1972	19.1	19.5	18.8
1973	19.2
1974	18.9
1975	18.6	19.5	17.8
1976	18.3
1977	18.4	19.2	17.8
1978	18.5	19.3	17.8
1979	18.6	19.3	17.9
1980	18.5	19.3	17.9
1981	18.5	19.3	17.8
1982	18.4	19.2	17.8
1983	18.3	19.1	17.6
1984	18.5	19.3	17.9
1985	18.6	19.4	17.9
1986	18.8	19.6	18.1
1987	18.7	19.5	18.1
1988	18.8	19.6	18.1
1989	18.6	19.3	18.0

Year	All students	Male	Female
1990	20.6	21.0	20.3
1991	20.6	20.9	20.4
1992	20.6	20.9	20.5
1993	20.7	21.0	20.5
1994	20.8	20.9	20.7
1995	20.8	21.0	20.7
1996	20.9	21.0	20.8
1997	21.0	21.1	20.8
1998	21.0	21.2	20.9
1999	21.0	21.1	20.9
2000	21.0	21.2	20.9
2001	21.0	21.1	20.9
2002	20.8	20.9	20.7
2003	20.8	21.0	20.8
2004	20.9	21.0	20.9
2005	20.9	21.1	20.9
2006	21.1	21.2	21.0
2007	21.2	21.2	21.0
2008	21.1	21.2	21.0
2009	21.1	21.3	20.9
2010	21.0	21.2	20.9
2011	21.1	21.2	21.0
2012	21.1	21.2	21.0
2013	20.9	20.9	20.9
2014	21.0	21.1	20.9
2015	21.0	21.1	21.0
2016	20.8	20.9	20.9
2017	21.0	21.0	21.1

Year	All students	Male	Female
1970	18.5	17.6	19.4
1971	18.1	17.1	19.2
1972	17.9	16.9	18.8
1973	18.1
1974	17.9
1975	17.7	17.1	18.3
1976	17.5
1977	17.7	17.0	18.2
1978	17.9	17.4	18.3
1979	17.9	17.4	18.4
1980	17.9	17.3	18.3
1981	17.8	17.3	18.2
1982	17.9	17.3	18.4
1983	17.8	17.3	18.2
1984	18.1	17.5	18.6
1985	18.1	17.6	18.6
1986	18.5	17.9	18.9
1987	18.4	17.9	18.9
1988	18.5	18.0	19.0
1989	18.4	17.8	18.9

Year	All students	Male	Female
1990	20.5	20.1	20.9
1991	20.3	19.8	20.7
1992	20.2	19.8	20.6
1993	20.3	19.8	20.6
1994	20.3	19.8	20.7
1995	20.2	19.8	20.6
1996	20.3	19.8	20.7
1997	20.3	19.9	20.7
1998	20.4	19.9	20.8
1999	20.5	20.0	20.9
2000	20.5	20.0	20.9
2001	20.5	20.0	20.8
2002	20.2	19.7	20.6
2003	20.3	19.8	20.7
2004	20.4	19.9	20.8
2005	20.4	20.0	20.8
2006	20.6	20.1	21.0
2007	20.7	20.2	21.0
2008	20.6	20.1	21.0
2009	20.6	20.2	20.9
2010	20.5	20.1	20.8
2011	20.6	20.2	20.9
2012	20.5	20.2	20.9
2013	20.2	19.8	20.6
2014	20.3	20.0	20.7
2015	20.4	20.0	20.8
2016	20.1	19.8	20.6
2017	20.3	19.9	20.8

Year	All students	Male	Female
1970	20.0	21.1	18.8
1971	19.1	20.1	18.1
1972	19.0	20.0	18.0
1973	19.1
1974	18.3
1975	17.6	19.3	16.2
1976	17.5
1977	17.4	18.9	16.1
1978	17.5	19.1	16.2
1979	17.5	19.1	16.2
1980	17.4	18.9	16.2
1981	17.3	18.9	16.0
1982	17.2	18.6	16.0
1983	16.9	18.4	15.7
1984	17.3	18.6	16.1
1985	17.2	18.6	16.0
1986	17.3	18.8	16.0
1987	17.2	18.6	16.1
1988	17.2	18.4	16.1
1989	17.1	18.3	16.1

Year	All students	Male	Female
1990	19.9	20.7	19.3
1991	20.0	20.6	19.4
1992	20.0	20.7	19.5
1993	20.1	20.8	19.6
1994	20.2	20.8	19.6
1995	20.2	20.9	19.7
1996	20.2	20.9	19.7
1997	20.6	21.3	20.1
1998	20.8	21.5	20.2
1999	20.7	21.4	20.2
2000	20.7	21.4	20.2
2001	20.7	21.4	20.2
2002	20.6	21.2	20.1
2003	20.6	21.2	20.1
2004	20.7	21.3	20.2
2005	20.7	21.3	20.2
2006	20.8	21.5	20.3
2007	21.0	21.6	20.4
2008	21.0	21.6	20.4
2009	21.0	21.6	20.4
2010	21.0	21.6	20.5
2011	21.1	21.6	20.6
2012	21.1	21.7	20.6
2013	20.9	21.4	20.5
2014	20.9	21.4	20.5
2015	20.8	21.3	20.4
2016	20.6	21.0	20.3
2017	20.7	21.2	20.4

Source: U.S. Department of Education 1995, Table 130; Annual High School Profile Reports published by the ACT.

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