PSAT/NMSQT score calculator
Estimate your section scores (160–760), total (320–1520) and National Merit Selection Index from the number of questions you answered correctly in each module.
By Kim Strauch · Last updated · Free, no signup required
Enter your correct answers
Count the questions you got right in each module. Your module 1 score decides which module 2 you would see, so the estimate changes if module 1 drops below the routing point.
Estimated PSAT/NMSQT score
1000
Likely range 970–1070 · Scale 320–1520
54th percentile
Reading and Writing
510
Range 490–550 · Scale 160–760
53rd percentile
Harder module 2
Math
490
Range 480–520 · Scale 160–760
55th percentile
Harder module 2
This is an estimate.
Take a free full-length adaptive test to see your real score and a personalized plan for exactly where to focus.
How PSAT/NMSQT scoring works
Scoring happens in two steps. First you get a raw score for each section, which is just the number of questions you answered correctly. Then College Board converts each raw score to a scaled section score from 160 to 760. The two section scores add up to your total, from 320 to 1520.
Raw scores: every correct answer counts
Reading and Writing has 54 questions and Math has 44. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so a blank is the only guaranteed zero. Curious how much room you have? See how many questions you can miss on the SAT.
Answer every question. A guess can earn a point; a blank never will. For smarter guessing, read which test-taking strategies actually work.
Section structure at a glance
| Section | Modules | Questions | Time | Score scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 2 | 54 (27 per module) | 64 min | 160–760 |
| Math | 2 | 44 (22 per module) | 70 min | 160–760 |
| Total | 4 | 98 | 2 hr 14 min | 320–1520 |
Adaptive testing: how module 2 is chosen
The PSAT/NMSQT adapts once per section. Everyone starts with a module 1 of mixed difficulty. How you do there decides whether your module 2 is the harder or the easier version.
The harder module 2 is the only path to the top of the scale. On the easier version, even a perfect module 2 tops out well below the maximum. This calculator caps an easier-route section at 650. For the full picture, read how digital SAT adaptive scoring works.
Module 1 carries extra weight. Careless misses early can lock you out of the harder module 2, so pace yourself to finish module 1 accurately.
Practicing for an adaptive test
Take full-length practice tests under real test conditions. Sharp has three full-length SAT practice tests, written to match the denser passages, harder vocabulary and indirect phrasing on today's test. College Board's Bluebook app has official adaptive practice tests, and our free Chrome extension imports your Bluebook results into Sharp so you can see which skills cost you points.
Our guide to getting the most from SAT practice tests explains how to review them, and using Desmos on the SAT can save time in Math.
Score ranges and scaling
Each test date uses a slightly different conversion, a process called equating, so the same raw score can map to different scaled scores on different forms. That is why College Board's own paper tables give a range, and why this calculator shows one too.
The chart below shows the estimated section score for each number of correct answers if you reach the harder module 2. When a section is on the harder route, its row is highlighted.
| Correct answers | Reading and Writing | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 54 | 760 | — |
| 53 | 740 | — |
| 52 | 720–760 | — |
| 51 | 680–740 | — |
| 50 | 670–730 | — |
| 49 | 660–720 | — |
| 48 | 640–700 | — |
| 47 | 610–670 | — |
| 46 | 600–660 | — |
| 45 | 590–650 | — |
| 44 | 580–640 | 760 |
| 43 | 560–620 | 740 |
| 42 | 540–600 | 720–730 |
| 41 | 530–590 | 650–710 |
| 40 | 520–580 | 630–710 |
| 39 | 510–570 | 610–680 |
| 38 | 490–550 | 600–660 |
| 37 | 480–540 | 560–630 |
| 36 | 480–540 | 550–610 |
| 35 | 460–520 | 540–600 |
| 34 | 460–520 | 530–590 |
| 33 | 450–490 | 510–570 |
| 32 | 440–480 | 490–550 |
| 31 | 440–480 | 480–540 |
| 30 | 430–470 | 480–520 |
| 29 | 410–450 | 460–520 |
| 28 | 400–440 | 440–480 |
| 27 | 400–440 | 440–480 |
| 26 | 390–430 | 420–460 |
| 25 | 380–420 | 420–460 |
| 24 | 370–410 | 400–440 |
| 23 | 360–400 | 400–440 |
| 22 | 360–400 | 390–430 |
| 21 | 360–400 | 380–420 |
| 20 | 340–380 | 380–420 |
| 19 | 340–380 | 360–400 |
| 18 | 340–380 | 360–400 |
| 17 | 320–360 | 350–390 |
| 16 | 320–360 | 350–390 |
| 15 | 280–360 | 330–370 |
| 14 | 260–350 | 320–360 |
| 13 | 220–340 | 320–360 |
| 12 | 210–320 | 310–350 |
| 11 | 200–290 | 300–340 |
| 10 | 180–280 | 280–320 |
| 9 | 180–270 | 260–320 |
| 8 | 180–260 | 220–300 |
| 7 | 170–250 | 200–290 |
| 6 | 160–230 | 180–260 |
| 5 | 160–220 | 180–240 |
| 4 | 160–220 | 160–230 |
| 3 | 160–200 | 160–220 |
| 2 | 160–190 | 160–180 |
| 1 | 160–180 | 160–170 |
| 0 | 160 | 160 |
PSAT/NMSQT score percentiles: where do you rank?
A percentile shows the share of test takers who scored at or below a given score. The typical 11th grade PSAT/NMSQT taker scores about 980.
| Total score | Percentile |
|---|---|
| 1520 | 99+ |
| 1470 | 99+ |
| 1420 | 97th |
| 1370 | 96th |
| 1320 | 93rd |
| 1270 | 90th |
| 1220 | 85th |
| 1170 | 80th |
| 1120 | 73rd |
| 1070 | 66th |
| 1020 | 57th |
| 970 | 49th |
| 920 | 40th |
| 870 | 31st |
| 820 | 23rd |
| 770 | 16th |
| 720 | 9th |
| 670 | 5th |
| 620 | 3rd |
| 570 | 2nd |
| 520 | 1st |
What is a good PSAT/NMSQT score?
The typical 11th grader scores about 980. A 1200 is the 83rd percentile and a 1400 is the 97th. For National Merit, what matters is the Selection Index: the Commended level for the class of 2027 was 208.
A PSAT score is a snapshot, not a verdict. Our guide to interpreting a PSAT score report explains what to do next, and the PSAT to SAT converter shows where you stand on the SAT scale.
Took the PSAT as a sophomore? Use the PSAT 10 score calculator for spring tests, or the PSAT 8/9 score calculator for 8th and 9th grade.
How National Merit uses your PSAT/NMSQT
The PSAT/NMSQT you take in 11th grade is the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Program. National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) ranks juniors by a Selection Index, not by total score. Our guide to how National Merit qualification works covers the full timeline.
The Selection Index formula
Selection Index = (2 × Reading and Writing + Math) ÷ 10. It runs from 48 to 228, and Reading and Writing counts twice. A 700 in Reading and Writing with a 680 in Math gives (1400 + 680) ÷ 10 = 208.
The three levels of recognition
| Level | Selection Index | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Commended Student | 208+ (national) | About 34,000 juniors. A letter of commendation; not a Semifinalist. |
| Semifinalist | 208–223 (by state) | About 16,000 students nationally, under 1% of juniors. |
| Finalist | Semifinalist cutoff | Semifinalists who complete the application, including a confirming SAT or ACT score. |
Many colleges reward National Merit standing with their own aid; see our list of colleges with automatic merit scholarships. To see your state's cutoff, use the National Merit Selection Index calculator or our list of National Merit cutoffs by state. Those are class of 2027 numbers, and your class's cutoffs may be different.
Compare every PSAT tool on the PSAT score calculators hub.
Frequently asked questions
How is the digital PSAT/NMSQT scored?
Reading and Writing and Math are each scored from 160 to 760, for a total from 320 to 1520. Like the SAT, each section has two modules, and module 1 decides whether module 2 is harder or easier.
What is the National Merit Selection Index?
It's the score NMSC uses to choose Commended Students and Semifinalists: (2 × Reading and Writing + Math) ÷ 10, on a scale of 48 to 228.
What Selection Index do I need for Semifinalist?
It depends on your state. For the class of 2027, state cutoffs ranged from 208 to 223. The national Commended level was 208.
Is there a penalty for wrong answers on the PSAT?
No. Only correct answers count, so answer every question.
Does the PSAT/NMSQT count for college admissions?
No. Colleges don't see PSAT scores. The test matters for National Merit and as practice for the SAT, which shares the same score scale.
How accurate is this PSAT calculator?
It's an estimate built from College Board's official paper PSAT/NMSQT practice-test tables. The real test weighs questions by difficulty, so your actual score can differ; the likely range reflects that.
Sources
- College Board paper PSAT/NMSQT practice test scoring guides: #1, #2
- College Board: user group percentiles
SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10 and PSAT 8/9 are trademarks of College Board. National Merit is a trademark of National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Sharp is not affiliated with or endorsed by these organizations.