The 2024–25 College Board Total Group report puts the PSAT/NMSQT mean at 950 and juniors near 998. Those numbers are the floor for “above average” — not the bar for National Merit. Here is how means, percentiles, and scholarship cutoffs fit together.
Test Ninjas Research · Updated August 6, 2026 · 8 min read
Figures below come from the College Board Total Group report for 2024–25. Use the mean that matches your grade and test — an 8th-grade 829 and a junior 998 are not the same conversation.
Juniors (11th)
~998
PSAT/NMSQT and/or PSAT 10
PSAT/NMSQT all
950
RW 466 · Math 485 · N≈3.08M
PSAT 10
904
Spring 10th-grade mean
PSAT 8/9 all
829
8th ≈798 · 9th ≈852
Mean totals from the 2024–25 College Board Total Group report.
Group
Mean total
Notes
PSAT/NMSQT (all)
950
RW 466, Math 485; N ≈ 3.08M
11th grade (NMSQT and/or PSAT 10)
~998
RW 508, Math 490
10th grade
911
Across relevant sittings
PSAT 10
904
Spring administration
PSAT 8/9 (all)
829
8th ≈ 798; 9th ≈ 852
Key takeaway: “Average” depends on the group. Juniors cluster near 1000; the full NMSQT pool sits at 950 because it includes more 10th graders and a wider ability range.
02
Means by Grade and Test
Horizontal comparison makes the ladder obvious: scores rise with grade level as content ceilings and student maturity increase.
Mean totals · 2024–25
11th grade
998
PSAT/NMSQT all
950
10th grade
911
PSAT 10
904
PSAT 8/9 9th
852
PSAT 8/9 all
829
PSAT 8/9 8th
798
Scales differ for PSAT 8/9 (240–1440) vs. PSAT 10 / NMSQT (320–1520). Do not treat an 8/9 mean as interchangeable with an NMSQT mean. Details in PSAT format and which PSAT to take.
Percentiles answer “better than what share of peers?” For 11th-grade users on the 320–1520 scale, selected anchors are 1000 → 53rd, 1100 → 69th, 1200 → 82nd, 1300 → 91st, 1400 → 96th.
Interactive
Percentile explorer
Pick a total on the 320–1520 scale to see the approximate 11th-grade user percentile.
Approx. percentile
69
Vs. means
Juniors (~998): +102 All NMSQT (950): +150
Clearly above the junior mean.
Approximate percentiles among 11th-grade users. Interpolations between anchors are rough.
Total
Approx. 11th-grade user percentile
1000
53
1100
69
1200
82
1300
91
1400
96
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Is My Score Good?
“Good” only makes sense against a goal. Three frames cover almost every student conversation:
Vs. average
Above ~998 (juniors) or 950 (all NMSQT) means you are ahead of the typical tester — useful for confidence and SAT planning.
Vs. benchmarks
Grade 11 section benchmarks are RW 460 and Math 510. Clearing both matters more than a single total narrative.
Vs. National Merit
Commended for the 2026 program needs Selection Index 210; Semifinalist state cutoffs often ~210–225. That is a top-percentile Index race, not “beat the mean.”
Practical rule: Beat your grade mean and clear both section benchmarks → strong foundation. Chase Index 210+ → different prep intensity. Colleges never see the PSAT either way.
Above-average totals and National Merit are related but not the same. Recognition uses the Selection Index (48–228), not the 1520-scale total alone. Formula: (2 × RW + Math) ÷ 10.
Average totals vs. National Merit Index cutoffs. Only junior PSAT/NMSQT counts.
Index reminder: RW is double-weighted. Two 1300 totals can produce different Indexes. Merit planning should track Index, not total alone.
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Frequently Asked Questions
For 2024–25, the College Board Total Group report shows a mean of 950 on the PSAT/NMSQT (RW 466, Math 485) across about 3.08 million testers. Eleventh graders taking PSAT/NMSQT and/or PSAT 10 average about 998.
Above the ~998 junior mean is a solid start. Roughly 1200 is around the 82nd percentile among 11th-grade users. National Merit Commended for the 2026 program needs a Selection Index of 210 — a different bar than “above average.”
PSAT 10 mean is about 904. The all-tester PSAT/NMSQT mean is 950; 10th-grade mean across relevant sittings is about 911. Different populations and timing, so compare within your grade when possible.
All PSAT 8/9 testers average about 829. Eighth graders average about 798; ninth graders about 852 (2024–25 Total Group).
Among 11th-grade users, 1100 is roughly the 69th percentile — clearly above the junior mean (~998). It is a strong readiness signal for SAT prep, though usually short of National Merit Index cutoffs.
Colleges do not receive PSAT scores. Averages matter for your own goal-setting and National Merit planning, not for admissions files.
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