TL;DR: PSAT scores run from 320 to 1520, built from two section scores of 160 to 760 each, and the average 11th grader scored 1000 on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 in the 2025-26 school year (Reading and Writing 509, Math 491), compared with 917 for 10th graders. Among 1,401,028 juniors tested, the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile scores were 850, 990, and 1150; 19.8% scored 1200 or higher and 3.7% scored 1400 or higher. For National Merit, the number that matters is the Selection Index on a 48 to 228 scale, where the Class of 2027 Commended level of 208 equals, for example, 700 in Reading and Writing plus 680 in Math, a 1380 total. Sources: College Board 2026 SAT Suite of Assessments Annual Report; College Board PSAT/NMSQT Understanding Scores, Fall 2026; Compass Education Group cutoff reporting.
For families aiming at the most selective colleges, a good PSAT score is one that sets up the SAT result those colleges expect, and the Selection Index matters most for students within reach of their state’s cutoff. To discuss your strategy, schedule a consultation with Oriel Admissions.
What Is the PSAT Score Range?
The PSAT/NMSQT and the PSAT 10 report PSAT scores on a 320 to 1520 scale. The total is the sum of two section scores, Reading and Writing and Math, each reported from 160 to 760. The PSAT/NMSQT adds a third number used only by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, the NMSC Selection Index, which runs from 48 to 228. The PSAT 8/9 uses a lower 240 to 1440 range, and the SAT runs from 400 to 1600.
| Test | Typical grades | Total score range | Section score range | Additional score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | 11 and 12 | 400 to 1600 | 200 to 800 | None |
| PSAT/NMSQT | 10 and 11 | 320 to 1520 | 160 to 760 | NMSC Selection Index, 48 to 228 |
| PSAT 10 | 10 and 11 | 320 to 1520 | 160 to 760 | None |
| PSAT 8/9 | 8 and 9 | 240 to 1440 | 120 to 720 | None |
Source: College Board, What Do My Scores Mean; PSAT/NMSQT Understanding Scores for Students and Families, Fall 2026.
The different ranges do not mean the tests use different yardsticks. College Board places every test in the SAT Suite on a common score scale, and the ranges simply reflect what is appropriate for each grade. College Board’s own example: a student who earns a 500 Math section score on the PSAT/NMSQT would be expected to earn a 500 on the SAT, the PSAT 10, or the PSAT 8/9 if those tests were taken on the same day. That design is why PSAT scores are useful for SAT planning and why growth from one test to the next can be read directly.
Each score on the report also comes with a score range, which shows how much the result would likely vary on another administration under identical conditions. College Board describes a range as a better picture of ability than a single point, which matters when a Selection Index sits a point or two from a National Merit cutoff. Scores for the fall 2026 test arrive on one of three dates, covered in our guide to when PSAT scores come out.
What Is the Average PSAT Score?
In the 2025-26 school year, 3,313,347 students took the PSAT/NMSQT or the PSAT 10, and their mean total score was 950, with 484 in Reading and Writing and 466 in Math, according to College Board’s 2026 SAT Suite of Assessments Annual Report. The average PSAT score depends heavily on grade: 11th graders averaged 1000, while 10th graders averaged 917.
| Group | Test takers | Mean total | Mean Reading and Writing | Mean Math |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 takers | 3,313,347 | 950 | 484 | 466 |
| PSAT/NMSQT | 2,986,867 | 954 | 486 | 468 |
| PSAT 10 | 377,809 | 908 | 461 | 448 |
| 11th grade (both tests) | 1,401,028 | 1000 | 509 | 491 |
| 10th grade (both tests) | 1,689,071 | 917 | 467 | 450 |
Source: College Board, 2026 SAT Suite of Assessments Annual Report, Total Group. Data reflect students who took the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 during the 2025-26 school year; for students who tested more than once, the most recent score is used.
One source of confusion is the average printed on the score report itself. College Board’s report shows the average score of all testers in any grade across the last three years, so it blends sophomores and juniors and smooths over year-to-year changes. A junior comparing a result with that figure will see a different benchmark than the 1000 junior mean above. For judging standing, the grade-level numbers and the grade-specific percentile on the report are the better reference.
How Are PSAT Scores Distributed for Juniors and Sophomores?
The annual report breaks total scores into bands for each grade. The pattern is steep at the top: of the 1,401,028 juniors who took the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 in 2025-26, 52,398 scored 1400 or higher, about 3.7%. Among 1,689,071 sophomores, 14,303 reached that band, under 1%.
| Total score band | 11th grade students | Share of 11th graders | 10th grade students | Share of 10th graders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1400 to 1520 | 52,398 | 3.7% | 14,303 | 0.8% |
| 1200 to 1390 | 225,352 | 16.1% | 143,805 | 8.5% |
| 1000 to 1190 | 417,366 | 29.8% | 417,151 | 24.7% |
| 800 to 990 | 459,821 | 32.8% | 638,087 | 37.8% |
| 600 to 790 | 206,240 | 14.7% | 394,268 | 23.3% |
| 320 to 590 | 39,851 | 2.8% | 81,457 | 4.8% |
Source: College Board, 2026 SAT Suite of Assessments Annual Report, Total Group. Data reflect students who took the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 during the 2025-26 school year; for students who tested more than once, the most recent score is used. Shares calculated by Oriel Admissions from the reported counts.
The same report gives the quartile points for each grade, which are the cleanest way to place a result: a junior at 1150 scored at the 75th percentile of all junior test takers that year, and a sophomore at 1050 did the same among sophomores.
| Percentile point | 11th grade total score | 10th grade total score |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | 850 | 780 |
| 50th percentile (median) | 990 | 910 |
| 75th percentile | 1150 | 1050 |
Source: College Board, 2026 SAT Suite of Assessments Annual Report, Total Group. Data reflect students who took the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 during the 2025-26 school year; for students who tested more than once, the most recent score is used.
Section scores thin out even faster than totals. Only 3.9% of juniors scored 700 or higher in Reading and Writing, and 5.2% did so in Math. That gap matters for National Merit, because the Selection Index counts Reading and Writing twice, and the section where top scores are scarcest is the one that carries the most weight.
What Is a Good PSAT Score?
There are three reasonable answers, and they point to very different numbers. The first is College Board’s own standard. Its grade-level benchmarks mark a student as on track for college readiness at 460 in Reading and Writing and 510 in Math in 11th grade, a combined 970, and at 430 and 480 in 10th grade, a combined 910. In 2025-26, 41% of juniors met both benchmarks: 68% met the Reading and Writing benchmark, but only 43% met the Math benchmark.
The second answer is relative standing. A junior above 990 scored better than the median junior; 1150 marks the top quarter; 1200 or higher puts a student in roughly the top fifth; and 1400 or higher is the top 4%. For many families, that national comparison is what “a good PSAT score” means.
| Measure | 10th grade | 11th grade |
|---|---|---|
| College Board benchmark (on track) | 910 (430 Reading and Writing, 480 Math) | 970 (460 Reading and Writing, 510 Math) |
| Share meeting both benchmarks | 36% | 41% |
| Median total score | 910 | 990 |
| 75th percentile total score | 1050 | 1150 |
| Share scoring 1200 or higher | 9.4% | 19.8% |
| Share scoring 1400 or higher | 0.8% | 3.7% |
| Mean for students reporting an A+ grade average | 1093 | 1184 |
Sources: College Board, PSAT/NMSQT Understanding Scores for Students and Families, Fall 2026 (benchmarks); College Board, 2026 SAT Suite of Assessments Annual Report (all other rows). Shares calculated by Oriel Admissions from the reported counts.
The third answer is the one that matters for families aiming at highly selective colleges, and it changes the comparison group. The annual report shows that juniors who reported an A+ grade average of 97 to 100 averaged 1184 on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, and juniors whose parents hold a graduate degree averaged 1124. Those are the students a family aiming at highly selective colleges is actually measured against, so a score that looks strong against the national median can still sit below where a competitive SAT needs to land. Because the PSAT and the SAT share one scale, the useful question is concrete: how far is the October score from the SAT range at the colleges on the list? Our breakdown of SAT score ranges at the Ivy League and our guide to what counts as a good SAT score give that target.
What Is a Good PSAT Score for a Sophomore?
Sophomores averaged 917 in 2025-26, with 467 in Reading and Writing and 450 in Math, and the median sophomore scored 910. A sophomore at 1050 reached the 75th percentile for the grade, 9.4% of sophomores scored 1200 or higher, and 0.8% scored 1400 or higher. Sophomores with an A+ grade average averaged 1093. Against College Board’s 10th grade benchmarks, 36% of sophomores met both.
The more important point for sophomores is what the score does not do. A 10th grader who plans four years of high school and takes the PSAT/NMSQT does not enter the National Merit competition; entry comes only from the junior-year test. That makes the sophomore result a baseline. A sophomore who already sits above 1200 is in the top tenth nationally and can use the year to work on the weaker section; a sophomore whose Selection Index is within reach of the state’s recent cutoffs should plan junior-year preparation around Reading and Writing, since it counts double. Our guide to when to start SAT preparation in sophomore year covers the timing.
How Do PSAT Percentiles Work?
The percentile on the score report is College Board’s All Tester Percentile. It compares a student with others in the same grade, 11th graders with 11th graders and 10th graders with 10th graders, using the actual scores of the past three cohorts who took the PSAT/NMSQT anywhere in the world. A score at the 70th percentile means 70% of that comparison group scored at or below it. Students testing outside 10th or 11th grade receive the percentile for the nearest grade.
Students age 13 and older who use a personal College Board account can see more in the online student score portal, including a state percentile and a country percentile, along with comparisons to the average scores at their school, district, and state. The state percentile is the one National Merit families should look at closely, because NMSC allocates Semifinalist places to each state in proportion to its share of the nation’s graduating seniors and then fills them with the highest Selection Index scores in that state. Since the report percentile draws on three years of testers, it will not match the one-year distribution in the tables above exactly, but the two should tell the same story.
How Do PSAT Scores Connect to National Merit?
National Merit does not use the 320 to 1520 total. NMSC screens entrants with the Selection Index, calculated by doubling the Reading and Writing score, adding the Math score, and dividing by 10. Two juniors with the same total can therefore land on different sides of a cutoff, and the examples below show how much the section split matters.
| Reading and Writing | Math | Total score | Selection Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 700 | 680 | 1380 | 208 |
| 690 | 700 | 1390 | 208 |
| 720 | 700 | 1420 | 214 |
| 700 | 720 | 1420 | 212 |
| 740 | 720 | 1460 | 220 |
| 740 | 750 | 1490 | 223 |
| 750 | 750 | 1500 | 225 |
| 760 | 730 | 1490 | 225 |
Selection Index = (2 x Reading and Writing + Math) / 10. Formula source: College Board, PSAT/NMSQT Understanding Scores for Students and Families, Fall 2026. Examples calculated by Oriel Admissions.
For the 2028 program, which juniors enter with the October 2026 test, NMSC expects about 1.3 million entrants, about 50,000 high scorers recognized, and more than 16,000 Semifinalists, according to the Fall 2026 PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide. The cutoffs themselves are not announced when scores come out. For reference, the Class of 2027 Commended level was 208, and state Semifinalist cutoffs ranged from 208 to 223, with New Jersey and the District of Columbia highest at 223, according to Compass Education Group, which compiles the final cutoffs each September. A 223 requires a Reading and Writing score of at least 740, well above the 700 mark that only 3.9% of juniors reached in that section in 2025-26. Our guide to National Merit Semifinalist cutoffs by state has the full table, our PSAT score calculator checks any pair of section scores against it, and our guide to Commended Student status covers the national level.
How Should Families Use PSAT Scores to Plan for the SAT?
Because the PSAT and the SAT share one scale, PSAT scores are a measurement of SAT readiness on the day of the test, not a separate grade. College Board’s example of growth is simple: a student who earns a 500 Math score on the PSAT/NMSQT and a 550 on the SAT a year later has grown 50 points. Our guide to PSAT to SAT conversion covers how the two tests compare nationally. The planning work follows from three parts of the report.
The section gap. Compare the two section scores with each other and with the SAT target. A large gap usually tells a family where preparation hours should go, and for National Merit candidates the Reading and Writing side deserves extra weight.
The Knowledge and Skills domains. The report shows performance across eight content domains, four per section, which is more specific than any total. These domain bands are where a preparation plan should start.
The calendar. For juniors, the fall PSAT result should set the date of the first SAT and the preparation window before it; our guides to junior year testing strategy and SAT and ACT test dates cover the sequencing, and our comparison of SAT and PSAT strategy explains how the two tests fit into one plan.
Frequently Asked Questions About PSAT Scores
The highest PSAT/NMSQT score is 1520, made up of 760 in Reading and Writing and 760 in Math. The highest Selection Index is 228, which also requires 760 on both sections.
In the 2025-26 school year, the 1,401,028 11th graders who took the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 averaged 1000, with 509 in Reading and Writing and 491 in Math. The median junior scored 990.
By national standards, yes. In 2025-26, 19.8% of juniors and 9.4% of sophomores scored 1200 or higher. For families aiming at the most selective colleges, it is a starting point rather than a finish line, since juniors reporting an A+ grade average averaged 1184.
National Merit uses the Selection Index, not the total score. The Class of 2027 Commended level was 208, which a junior reaches with 700 in Reading and Writing and 680 in Math. State Semifinalist cutoffs for the Class of 2027 ranged from 208 to 223, with New Jersey and the District of Columbia highest.
The score report shows the average of all testers in any grade across the last three years, so it mixes sophomores and juniors. Grade-level averages differ sharply: juniors averaged 1000 and sophomores 917 in 2025-26.
In 2025-26, 3.7% of juniors scored 1400 or higher, which places a 1400 at roughly the 96th percentile for 11th graders. Only 0.8% of sophomores reached 1400. The official grade-level percentile on the score report draws on three years of test takers.
Yes. Both report totals from 320 to 1520 and section scores from 160 to 760, and both sit on the same scale as the SAT. The PSAT 10 does not count toward National Merit, and the PSAT 8/9 uses a 240 to 1440 range.
The two tests share one scale, so College Board expects a student who scores 500 in Math on the PSAT/NMSQT to score 500 on the SAT if both were taken the same day. The PSAT tops out at 1520 rather than 1600, and later SAT gains reflect learning in between.
Sources: College Board 2026 SAT Suite of Assessments Annual Report, Total Group, PSAT/NMSQT Understanding Scores for Students and Families, College Board What Do My Scores Mean, Fall 2026 PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide, National Merit Scholarship Corporation, Compass Education Group National Merit Cutoff Tracker, College Board Student Score Reports
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