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PSAT 8/9 Nationally Representative and User Percentiles

A student's percentile rank represents the percentage of students who score equal to or lower than their score. For example, if a student's score is in the 75th percentile, about 75% of a comparison group achieved scores at or below that student’s score. Percentile ranks are provided on this site for Total and Section scores, based on two different reference populations for each grade:

Nationally representative percentiles are derived from a research study of U.S. students in the eighth or ninth grade and are weighted to represent all U.S. students in those grades, regardless of whether they typically take the PSAT 8/9.

User group percentiles are based on the actual scores of students who took the PSAT 8/9 in the past three school years.

  8th Grade 9th Grade
  Percentiles Percentiles
Total Score Nationally Representative Sample PSAT 8/9 User Nationally Representative Sample PSAT 8/9 User
1440 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+
1430 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+
1420 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+
1410 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+
1400 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+
1390 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+
1380 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+
1370 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+
1360 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+
1350 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+
1340 99+ 99+ 99+ 99
1330 99+ 99+ 99+ 99
1320 99+ 99+ 99+ 99
1310 99+ 99+ 99+ 99
1300 99+ 99+ 99 99
1290 99+ 99+ 99 99
1280 99+ 99 99 99
1270 99+ 99 99 98
1260 99+ 99 99 98
1250 99+ 99 99 98
1240 99+ 99 98 98
1230 99 99 98 97
1220 99 99 98 97
1210 99 99 98 97
1200 99 98 97 96
1190 99 98 97 96
1180 99 98 96 95
1170 98 98 96 95
1160 98 98 95 94
1150 98 97 94 93
1140 98 97 94 93
1130 98 96 93 92
1120 97 96 92 91
1110 97 96 91 90
1100 97 95 90 89
1090 96 94 89 88
1080 96 94 88 87
1070 95 93 87 86
1060 94 92 86 85
1050 94 92 84 84
1040 93 91 83 82
1030 92 90 81 81
1020 91 89 80 80
1010 89 88 78 78
1000 88 87 76 77
990 86 86 74 75
980 85 85 72 73
970 83 83 70 72
960 80 82 68 70
950 78 81 66 68
940 77 79 64 67
930 75 78 62 65
920 73 76 60 63
910 71 74 57 61
900 69 73 55 59
890 67 71 53 57
880 65 69 50 55
870 62 67 48 53
860 60 65 46 51
850 57 63 43 49
840 55 61 41 47
830 52 58 38 45
820 50 56 36 43
810 47 54 33 40
800 44 51 31 38
790 41 49 29 36
780 38 46 26 34
770 35 44 24 32
760 32 41 22 30
750 29 38 20 28
740 26 36 18 26
730 23 33 16 24
720 21 30 14 22
710 19 28 12 20
700 16 25 11 18
690 14 23 9 16
680 13 20 8 14
670 11 18 7 13
660 9 16 5 11
650 8 14 4 10
640 6 12 4 8
630 5 10 3 7
620 4 9 2 6
610 3 7 2 5
600 3 6 1 4
590 2 5 1 4
580 2 5 1 3
570 1 4 1 3
560 1 3 1- 2
550 1- 3 1- 2
540 1- 2 1- 2
530 1- 2 1- 1
520 1- 2 1- 1
510 1- 1 1- 1
500 1- 1 1- 1
490 1- 1 1- 1
480 1- 1 1- 1
470 1- 1 1- 1
460 1- 1 1- 1
450 1- 1 1- 1-
440 1- 1- 1- 1-
430 1- 1- 1- 1-
420 1- 1- 1- 1-
410 1- 1- 1- 1-
400 1- 1- 1- 1-
390 1- 1- 1- 1-
380 1- 1- 1- 1-
370 1- 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-
310 1- 1- 1- 1-
300 1- 1- 1- 1-
290 1- 1- 1- 1-
280 1- 1- 1- 1-
270 1- 1- 1- 1-
260 1- 1- 1- 1-
250 1- 1- 1- 1-
240 1- 1- 1- 1-

8th Grade
  Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Math
  Percentiles Percentiles
Section Score Nationally Representative Sample PSAT 8/9 User Nationally Representative Sample PSAT 8/9 User
720 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+
710 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+
700 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+
690 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+
680 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+
670 99+ 99+ 99+ 99
660 99+ 99+ 99+ 99
650 99+ 99+ 99+ 99
640 99 99 99 99
630 99 99 99 99
620 99 99 99 99
610 99 98 99 99
600 98 98 99 98
590 98 97 99 98
580 97 96 99 97
570 96 95 98 97
560 95 94 98 96
550 94 93 97 95
540 92 91 96 94
530 91 90 94 93
520 89 88 93 92
510 86 86 91 90
500 84 84 88 88
490 81 82 85 85
480 78 79 83 82
470 74 77 79 80
460 71 74 75 77
450 67 71 69 73
440 63 68 63 69
430 58 64 58 64
420 54 60 53 59
410 49 56 50 55
400 44 52 46 50
390 39 48 38 44
380 33 43 30 38
370 27 38 26 33
360 22 33 22 28
350 17 28 19 24
340 13 23 16 20
330 9 18 13 17
320 6 14 11 14
310 4 10 8 10
300 3 7 6 8
290 2 5 5 7
280 1 4 3 6
270 1 3 2 4
260 1 2 2 3
250 1- 2 2 3
240 1- 1 1 2
230 1- 1 1 2
220 1- 1 1- 1
210 1- 1 1- 1
200 1- 1 1- 1
190 1- 1- 1- 1
180 1- 1- 1- 1
170 1- 1- 1- 1-
160 1- 1- 1- 1-
150 1- 1- 1- 1-
140 1- 1- 1- 1-
130 1- 1- 1- 1-
120 1- 1- 1- 1-
9th Grade
  Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Math
  Percentiles Percentiles
Section Score Nationally Representative Sample PSAT 8/9 User Nationally Representative Sample PSAT 8/9 User
720 99+ 99+ 99+ 99+
710 99+ 99+ 99+ 99
700 99+ 99+ 99+ 99
690 99+ 99+ 99+ 99
680 99+ 99+ 99+ 99
670 99+ 99 99 99
660 99 99 99 98
650 99 99 99 98
640 99 98 99 98
630 98 98 98 97
620 97 97 98 97
610 96 96 97 96
600 95 95 97 96
590 94 93 96 95
580 93 92 95 94
570 91 90 94 93
560 89 88 92 92
550 87 86 90 90
540 85 84 88 88
530 82 82 86 86
520 79 79 83 84
510 76 76 80 81
500 73 74 77 78
490 69 71 74 75
480 66 68 69 71
470 62 65 65 67
460 59 62 60 63
450 55 58 55 60
440 51 55 49 56
430 47 51 44 51
420 42 47 39 47
410 38 44 35 43
400 33 40 32 38
390 29 36 27 33
380 25 32 21 29
370 21 28 18 25
360 17 24 15 21
350 13 20 12 17
340 10 16 10 15
330 7 13 8 13
320 4 10 6 10
310 3 7 4 8
300 2 5 3 6
290 1 3 2 5
280 1- 2 2 4
270 1- 2 1 3
260 1- 1 1 3
250 1- 1 1 2
240 1- 1 1- 1
230 1- 1 1- 1
220 1- 1 1- 1
210 1- 1- 1- 1
200 1- 1- 1- 1
190 1- 1- 1- 1
180 1- 1- 1- 1
170 1- 1- 1- 1-
160 1- 1- 1- 1-
150 1- 1- 1- 1-
140 1- 1- 1- 1-
130 1- 1- 1- 1-
120 1- 1- 1- 1-

Answer Key

Reading
Test
Section 1
1 C
2 A
3 C
4 A
5 B
6 D
7 C
8 A
9 B
10 D
11 A
12 D
13 B
14 B
15 C
16 C
17 C
18 A
19 A
20 B
21 D
22 D
23 C
24 D
25 D
26 C
27 B
28 D
29 A
30 D
31 A
32 A
33 C
34 B
35 D
36 B
37 C
38 B
39 D
40 D
41 A
42 A
Writing and
Language Test
Section 2
1 D
2 A
3 B
4 C
5 D
6 A
7 C
8 A
9 A
10 D
11 B
12 C
13 C
14 D
15 A
16 B
17 B
18 C
19 B
20 C
21 D
22 A
23 C
24 B
25 B
26 A
27 C
28 D
29 A
30 C
31 B
32 D
33 C
34 D
35 B
36 D
37 C
38 C
39 D
40 B
Math Test—
No Calculator
Section 3
1 B
2 C
3 A
4 D
5 C
6 D
7 D
8 B
9 A
10 A
11 5
12 .4, 2/5
13 108
Math Test—
Calculator
Section 4
1 C
2 C
3 A
4 B
5 C
6 B
7 A
8 B
9 A
10 D
11 A
12 A
13 D
14 B
15 A
16 D
17 C
18 D
19 B
20 D
21 D
22 2
23 7
24 72
25 18

Score Conversion

Score conversions show how raw scores are converted into test scores, cross-test scores, and subscores.

Important to Note

  • The section score for the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section is calculated by adding the Reading Test score to the Writing and Language Test score and multiplying that figure by 10.

  • The section score for the Math section is calculated by multiplying the Math Test score by 20.

  • There is no advantage or disadvantage in taking any particular test form.

  • On every test, certain scores are not available, and are referred to as "score gaps." Score gaps emerge as a result of a statistical process called equating in which the number of questions answered correctly and the difficulty of the questions are both considered when scoring across the different tests taken nationwide. Although College Board works to develop tests with the same level of difficulty, the questions in them differ and therefore some can be slightly easier or harder than others. This can influence the placement of the score gaps throughout the scaled score range. With equating, test scores are equivalent and valid, regardless of when students tested or the level of difficulty of the test they took.

  • Score conversions will not be available for the tests administered in April, or for schools participating in the test administration study.

Raw Score
(# of correct answers)		 Reading
Test Score		 Writing and Language
Test Score		 Math
Test Score
42 36    
41 35    
40 34 36  
39 33 35  
38 32 34 36
37 31 33 35.5
36 31 32 34.5
35 30 31 33.5
34 29 31 32
33 29 30 31
32 28 29 30
31 28 29 29
30 27 28 28.5
29 27 27 28
28 26 27 27.5
27 26 26 27
26 25 26 26.5
25 24 25 26
24 24 24 25.5
23 23 24 25
22 23 23 24.5
21 22 22 24.5
20 22 22 24
19 21 21 23.5
18 21 20 23
17 20 20 22.5
16 20 19 22
15 19 18 21.5
14 19 18 21
13 18 17 20.5
12 18 16 19.5
11 17 16 19
10 17 15 18.5
9 16 14 17.5
8 16 14 16.5
7 15 13 15.5
6 14 13 14
5 13 12 12.5
4 12 11 10.5
3 11 10 9
2 9 8 7.5
1 8 7 6.5
0 6 6 6