ATLANTA – The Georgia Class of 2024 scored slightly lower on the ACT compared to last year but still beat the national average for the eighth year in a row.

Georgia students’ average composite ACT score of 21.2 was down slightly from 21.3 in 2023 but exceeded the pre-pandemic average of 20.7.

“The Class of 2024 continues to make us proud here in Georgia – from beating the nation on both the SAT and ACT to achieving an all-time high graduation rate for our state,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said Wednesday.

“It’s encouraging to see that investing in academic recovery, despite the challenges of the last several years, has paid off for our students and their futures.”

This year’s ACT test takers scored highest in reading at 22.2, well above the national average of 20.1. Georgia students also scored 20.5 in English, 20.4 in math, and 21.1 in science, all above the national averages in those categories.

All of this year’s scores were based on the 2024 high-school graduates who took the ACT at any point during their sophomore, junior, or senior years.