What Is a Good PSAT Score? 2026 Percentiles, Benchmarks & National Merit Cutoffs

PSAT score range at a glance

The PSAT uses the same kind of scale as the SAT but tops out at 1520 instead of 1600, because it is designed for 10th and 11th graders.

What is a good PSAT score? (official percentiles)

These are College Board’s user group percentiles — the share of recent test takers in your grade who scored at or below each score:

A simple rule: in 11th grade, anything above 1000 is above average and 1200+ puts you in roughly the top fifth. In 10th grade, the same score ranks higher because most students have one more year of learning ahead.

Section score percentiles

Are you on track? College Board benchmarks

College Board sets grade-level benchmarks — the section scores that show you are on track for college and career readiness:

Meeting a benchmark is a minimum target, not a cut-off for “good”. Your score report marks each section green (meets), yellow (approaching) or red (needs strengthening).

National Merit: the Selection Index explained

Juniors who take the PSAT/NMSQT enter the National Merit Scholarship Program. Qualification uses the Selection Index (SI), which weights Reading and Writing twice:

Selection Index = (2 × Reading and Writing + Math) ÷ 10

Example: 720 Reading and Writing + 700 Math → (1,440 + 700) ÷ 10 = 214. The maximum is 228.

• Commended Students: the class of 2027 cutoff was a Selection Index of 208 (down from 210 for the class of 2026).
• Semifinalists: about 16,000 students, chosen state by state, so the cutoff depends on where you live.

National Merit semifinalist cutoffs by state (class of 2027)

These cutoffs were announced in September 2026 for students who took the PSAT/NMSQT in October 2025:

Took the PSAT in October 2026? You are in the class of 2028. Your cutoffs will be announced in September 2027 and move a few points each year, so use the table above as a guide — a Selection Index at or above last year’s cutoff for your state gives you a strong chance.

When do PSAT scores come out?

For fall 2026 in-school testing, College Board releases scores to students about two weeks after the answers are submitted:

If your school tests as part of a state programme, check with your school for its release date. Scores appear in your College Board account and in the BigFuture School app.

What your PSAT score means for the SAT

The PSAT and SAT are on aligned scales, so your PSAT total is a good estimate of the SAT score you would earn if you took the SAT at the same time. Most students improve between the PSAT and the SAT through practice and another semester of coursework.

• Use your PSAT report’s question-level feedback to find skill gaps.
• Take a full digital practice test in Bluebook, then estimate the result with our SAT score calculator.
• Compare with the ACT using the ACT score calculator — some students score noticeably better on one test.
• See where your score stands for admissions in our guide to what a good SAT score is.

Scores are only part of the picture: colleges weigh your grades and course rigor heavily, so also check your weighted and unweighted GPA.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and methodology

Percentiles are College Board user group percentiles (students who tested in the past three school years). State cutoffs are the class of 2027 Semifinalist Selection Index values released by NMSC in September 2026, as compiled by Compass Education Group. Data checked November 3, 2026.

• College Board Research — PSAT/NMSQT user percentiles
• College Board — SAT Suite benchmarks
• College Board — SAT Suite score release dates
• Compass Education Group — National Merit Semifinalist cutoffs, class of 2027 (from NMSC data)

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