← PSAT Prep

PSAT percentiles for every score, by grade

From College Board's published percentile tables, checked

A PSAT percentile is the percent of students in your grade who scored at or below you. On College Board's table, a 1200 on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 is the 82nd percentile for 11th graders and the 92nd for 10th graders. On the PSAT 8/9, a 1000 is the 80th percentile for 9th graders and the 88th for 8th graders.

Look up your own total or section scores below, or find any score from 320 to 1520 (240 to 1440 on the PSAT 8/9) in the full tables. Every number comes from College Board's published percentile tables.

Look up your PSAT percentile

Pick your grade, then enter your total score or your two section scores. Your row lights up in the tables below.

Example: a 1200 is the 82nd percentile for 11th graders and the 92nd for 10th graders.

Scoring a practice test? The PSAT/NMSQT score calculator turns correct answers into section scores first.

Want a higher percentile next time? Take a free full-length PSAT practice test, scored on the real scale, with an explanation for every question.
Take a free practice test

PSAT percentiles for common scores

The same score ranks higher the younger you are. A 1100 is the 69th percentile in 11th grade but the 82nd in 10th grade. Grades 8 and 9 take the PSAT 8/9, which tops out at 1440.

User percentiles for common PSAT total scores, by grade. 11th and 10th grade: PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10. 9th and 8th grade: PSAT 8/9. Source: College Board.
Total11th10th9th8th
80019304254
90036516475
95044607382
100053698088
105061768592
110069829095
115076879397
120082929698
125087959799
130091979999
135094989999+
1400969999+99+
14409899+99+99+
150099+99+——

What score is the 75th, 90th or 99th percentile?

For 11th graders, a 1280 reaches the 90th percentile and a 1460 reaches the 99th. Each cell below is the lowest total that reaches that percentile in that grade, so you can set a goal for your next test.

Lowest total score at each user percentile, by grade (11th and 10th: PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10; 9th and 8th: PSAT 8/9). Source: College Board.
Percentile11th10th9th8th
50th980900840790
75th11401040970900
90th1280118011001020
95th1360125011801100
99th1460137013001230

PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 percentiles: every score

The PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 share one score scale (320–1520) and one percentile table. Find your total in the first column. “User” compares you with students in your grade who took the test; “national” compares you with all U.S. students in your grade. “99+” means above the 99th percentile and “<1” below the 1st.

PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 total score percentiles, 320–1520. Source: College Board, PSAT/NMSQT nationally representative and user percentiles.
Total10th user10th national11th user11th national
152099+99+99+99+
151099+99+99+99+
150099+99+99+99+
149099+99+9999+
148099+99+9999+
147099+99+9999+
146099+99+9999+
145099+99+9899+
144099+99+9899+
14309999+9899+
142099999799
141099999799
140099999699
139099999699
138099999699
137099999599
136098999598
135098989498
134098989498
133098989397
132097989297
131097979297
130097979196
129096979096
128096979095
127096968995
126095968894
125095958794
124094958693
123094948592
122093948492
121092938391
120092928290
119091918189
118090918088
117089907987
116088897786
115087887685
114087877584
113086867383
112085847282
111083837181
110082826979
109081816877
108080796676
107079786574
106077766373
105076756170
104075736068
103073715865
102072695763
101070675561
100069655359
99067635157
98065625055
97064604853
96062584651
95060564448
94058544346
93056524144
92055503942
91053483739
90051463637
89049443435
88047423233
87045403031
86043382929
85041362728
84038332526
83036312424
82034282221
81032262120
80030241918
79028221815
78026191714
77025171512
76023151410
7502113138
7401911128
730189117
720168105
71015693
70013582
69012472
68011371
67010261
660925<1
650815<1
640814<1
630714<1
620614<1
6106<13<1
6005<13<1
5905<13<1
5805<13<1
5704<13<1
5604<12<1
5504<12<1
5404<12<1
5303<12<1
5203<12<1
5103<12<1
5003<12<1
4902<11<1
4802<11<1
4702<11<1
4602<11<1
4501<11<1
4401<11<1
4301<11<1
4201<1<1<1
4101<1<1<1
4001<1<1<1
3901<1<1<1
3801<1<1<1
3701<1<1<1
360<1<1<1<1
350<1<1<1<1
340<1<1<1<1
330<1<1<1<1
320<1<1<1<1

PSAT 8/9 percentiles: every score

The PSAT 8/9 is scored from 240 to 1440, and 8th and 9th graders each have their own percentiles. A 1000 is the 88th percentile for 8th graders and the 80th for 9th graders.

PSAT 8/9 total score percentiles, 240–1440. Source: College Board, PSAT 8/9 nationally representative and user percentiles.
Total8th user8th national9th user9th national
144099+99+99+99+
143099+99+99+99+
142099+99+99+99+
141099+99+99+99+
140099+99+99+99+
139099+99+99+99+
138099+99+99+99+
137099+99+9999+
136099+99+9999+
135099+99+9999+
134099+99+9999+
133099+99+9999+
132099+99+9999+
13109999+9999+
13009999+9999
12909999+9899
12809999+9899
12709999+9899
12609999+9899
12509999+9799
12409999+9798
123099999798
122098999698
121098999698
120098999697
119098999597
118098999596
117097989496
116097989495
115097989394
114096989294
113096989293
112096979192
111095979091
110095979090
109094968989
108094968888
107093958787
106092948686
105092948584
104091938483
103090928381
102090918280
101089898178
100088888076
99087867874
98086857772
97085837670
96084807468
95082787366
94081777164
93080756962
92078736860
91077716657
90075696455
89073676253
88072656050
87070625848
86068605646
85066575443
84064555241
83061524938
82059504736
81056474533
80054444231
79051414029
78048383726
77045353524
76042323222
75040293020
74037262718
73034232516
72031212314
71029192112
70026161911
6902414179
6802213168
6702011147
660189135
650168124
640156114
630135103
62012492
61011382
60010381
5909271
5809261
5708161
560716<1
5507<15<1
5407<15<1
5306<15<1
5206<14<1
5106<14<1
5005<14<1
4905<14<1
4805<14<1
4705<13<1
4604<13<1
4504<13<1
4403<13<1
4303<12<1
4203<12<1
4102<12<1
4002<11<1
3902<11<1
3801<11<1
3701<11<1
3601<11<1
3501<11<1
3401<11<1
3301<11<1
3201<11<1
3101<11<1
3001<11<1
2901<11<1
2801<11<1
2701<11<1
2601<1<1<1
2501<1<1<1
240<1<1<1<1

PSAT section score percentiles

Reading and Writing and Math each have their own percentiles, so the same section score can rank differently. For 11th graders, a 600 is the 78th percentile in Reading and Writing and the 84th in Math. Open your grade's table:

11th grade section percentiles (PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, 160–760)
11th grade Reading and Writing and Math section score percentiles. Source: College Board.
Section scoreR&W userR&W nationalMath userMath national
76099+99+9999+
7509999+9899+
7409999+9799+
7309999+9799
7209899+9699
7109799+9698
7009699+9598
69095999597
68093999497
67092989396
66090979295
65088969195
64086959094
63084938993
62082918792
61080908591
60078888490
59075868288
58073858086
57070827883
56067807581
55065777377
54062747073
53059716769
52056676465
51053636162
50049605858
49046555454
48043505149
47040464743
46036424440
45033394037
44031353631
43028313326
42025282923
41022262520
40020232218
39017201814
38015161511
3701312129
3601110106
3509783
3407672
3306461
3205251
310414<1
3003<13<1
2902<13<1
2802<12<1
2702<12<1
2602<12<1
2502<12<1
2402<11<1
2301<11<1
2201<11<1
2101<11<1
2001<11<1
1901<11<1
1801<11<1
1701<11<1
1601<1<1<1
10th grade section percentiles (PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, 160–760)
10th grade Reading and Writing and Math section score percentiles. Source: College Board.
Section scoreR&W userR&W nationalMath userMath national
76099+99+99+99+
75099+99+9999+
74099+99+9999+
73099+99+9999
7209999+9999
71099999999
70099999999
69098999898
68098989898
67097989897
66096979797
65095979796
64094969696
63093959595
62091939495
61090929394
60088909292
59086899191
58085879089
57083858886
56081828684
55078798582
54076768279
53073738076
52070707872
51068667569
50064637266
49061596962
48058566657
47054536352
46051495949
45047465546
44044435140
43041394736
42037364331
41034323826
40030283423
39027242919
38023212415
37020172012
36017131710
3501410147
340127125
33095103
3208382
3106272
3005151
2904<151
2804<14<1
2703<13<1
2603<13<1
2503<13<1
2403<12<1
2302<12<1
2202<12<1
2102<12<1
2002<12<1
1902<12<1
1802<12<1
1702<12<1
1601<11<1
9th grade section percentiles (PSAT 8/9, 120–720)
9th grade Reading and Writing and Math section score percentiles. Source: College Board.
Section scoreR&W userR&W nationalMath userMath national
72099+99+99+99+
7109999+99+99+
7009999+9999+
6909999+9999+
6809899+9999+
6709899+9999
66097999999
65097999899
64096999899
63096989898
62095979798
61094969797
60093959697
59092949596
58091939595
57089919494
56088899292
55086879190
54085859088
53083828886
52080798683
51078768480
50075738277
49073698074
48070667769
47066627565
46063597260
45060556855
44057516549
43054476144
42050425639
41046385135
40041334532
39037293927
38032253421
37028212818
36024172315
35020131912
34017101510
330147128
320124106
31010384
3008273
2907162
2805<152
2705<141
2604<141
2503<131
2403<13<1
2303<13<1
2203<13<1
2102<13<1
2002<13<1
1902<13<1
1802<13<1
1702<12<1
1602<12<1
1502<12<1
1402<12<1
1302<12<1
1201<11<1
8th grade section percentiles (PSAT 8/9, 120–720)
8th grade Reading and Writing and Math section score percentiles. Source: College Board.
Section scoreR&W userR&W nationalMath userMath national
72099+99+99+99+
71099+99+99+99+
70099+99+99+99+
6909999+99+99+
6809999+99+99+
6709999+99+99+
6609999+9999+
6509999+9999+
64098999999
63098999999
62097999999
61097999999
60096989899
59096989899
58095979799
57094969798
56093959698
55092949697
54091929596
53089919494
52088899293
51086869191
50084849088
49082818885
48079788683
47077748479
46074718175
45071677969
44068637563
43065587258
42061546753
41057496250
40053445746
39048395038
38042334430
37037273726
36032223122
35028172519
34024132116
3302091713
3201661311
310134118
30011396
2909275
2807163
2706152
2605152
2505<142
2404<141
2304<141
2203<14<1
2103<14<1
2003<13<1
1903<13<1
1803<13<1
1703<13<1
1602<13<1
1502<13<1
1402<13<1
1302<13<1
1201<12<1

User vs. nationally representative percentiles

College Board publishes two percentiles for every score, and they compare you with different groups.

  • User percentile: compares you with students in your grade who actually took the test in the past three school years. Your score report's All Tester Percentile is this kind of comparison, so use it to see where you stand among other test takers.
  • Nationally representative percentile: comes from a College Board research study weighted to represent every U.S. student in your grade, including students who don't usually take the PSAT. For 11th graders it's higher than the user percentile for most above-average scores: a 1200 is the 82nd user percentile but the 90th nationally.

The report's All Tester Percentile uses the last three groups of students who took that test in your grade, so it can differ from the tables here by a point or so. College Board gives students outside grades 8 to 11 the nearest grade's percentile: a 7th grader sees 8th-grade percentiles.

Why the same PSAT score ranks differently by grade

Percentiles compare you only with students in your own grade, and older students score higher on average. The PSAT 10 and PSAT/NMSQT use the same scale, so a sophomore and a junior who both score 1200 did equally well on the test. But the sophomore is in the 92nd percentile and the junior in the 82nd, because juniors have had another year of school.

That's also why a lower percentile in 11th grade isn't always a step back. If you scored 1100 as a sophomore (82nd percentile) and 1150 as a junior (76th), your score rose 50 points even though your percentile fell. Compare scores, not percentiles, to measure progress. The average PSAT score by grade shows the same pattern in the averages.

Do percentiles decide National Merit?

No. National Merit uses your Selection Index from the junior-year PSAT/NMSQT, not your percentile. The index is twice your Reading and Writing score plus your Math score, divided by 10, on a scale from 48 to 228. Semifinalist cutoffs are set state by state; the Commended cutoff is national, and for the Class of 2027 it was 208.

College Board says about 50,000 of the 1.3 million program entrants earn scores high enough for recognition, roughly the top 4%. On the 11th-grade user table, the 96th percentile starts at a 1380 total. Because Reading and Writing counts twice in the index, two students with the same total can land on different sides of a cutoff. Check yours with the Selection Index calculator.

Move up a percentile band Section drills and full-length PSAT practice tests with explanations, built on the same digital format as test day.
Start practicing free

PSAT percentiles FAQ

Anything above the 50th percentile is above average for your grade. On College Board's user table, the 50th percentile is a 980 total for 11th graders and a 900 for 10th graders. The 75th percentile starts at 1140 for juniors and 1040 for sophomores, and the 90th at 1280 and 1180.

A 1200 on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 is the 82nd percentile for 11th graders and the 92nd for 10th graders, among students who took the test. Among all U.S. students in those grades (the nationally representative group), it's the 90th and 92nd.

Yes. A 1100 is above average in every grade. It's the 69th percentile for 11th graders, the 82nd for 10th graders, and on the PSAT 8/9 the 90th for 9th graders and the 95th for 8th graders.

A 1400 is the 96th percentile for 11th graders and the 99th for 10th graders. On the PSAT 8/9, where 1440 is the top score, a 1400 is above the 99th percentile for both 8th and 9th graders.

Each section has its own percentile table, because students do better on one section than the other. For 11th graders, a 600 is the 78th percentile in Reading and Writing but the 84th in Math.

Your report shows an All Tester Percentile for your total and each section. It compares you with students in your grade who took the test over the past three years, so it's the same kind of comparison as the user percentiles on this page and can differ from them by a point or so. Students outside grades 8 to 11 get the nearest grade's percentile.

No. The PSAT and SAT have separate percentile tables, and they compare you with different groups of students. To see what your PSAT score suggests about a future SAT score, use a PSAT to SAT score converter instead.

Official sources

Related PSAT guides

Get ready for your next PSAT

Full-length digital PSAT practice tests, section drills and explanations, with a free trial.