National Merit

National Merit cutoffs by state, classes of 2024 to 2027

The Selection Index each state's Semifinalists needed in the last four years. For the class of 2027 (the October 2025 PSAT/NMSQT), the highest cutoff was 223 (District of Columbia and New Jersey) and the lowest was 208 (Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming). The national Commended level was 208.

Updated October 29, 2026

Check a score

Selection Index210

(2 × 700 + 700) ÷ 10 = 210.

Semifinalist cutoffs (Selection Index)

National Merit Semifinalist cutoffs by state
State2027202620252024
Alabama210214212210
Alaska208215214209
Arizona215218217216
Arkansas210215213210
California220224221221
Colorado217219218216
Connecticut220223221221
Delaware219220219219
District of Columbia223225223223
Florida216219217216
Georgia217220218217
Hawaii218219217217
Idaho211215213211
Illinois218222220219
Indiana215218217216
Iowa210214212210
Kansas212216215214
Kentucky211214213211
Louisiana211216214214
Maine214217214213
Maryland221224222221
Massachusetts221225223222
Michigan216220218217
Minnesota214219217216
Mississippi211213212209
Missouri214217215214
Montana208213209209
Nebraska212214211210
Nevada211214214211
New Hampshire215219217215
New Jersey223225223223
New Mexico209210211207
New York220223220220
North Carolina217220218217
North Dakota208210210207
Ohio216219217216
Oklahoma210212211208
Oregon216219216216
Pennsylvania219221219219
Rhode Island213219217215
South Carolina212215214209
South Dakota210211208209
Tennessee214219217217
Texas219222219219
Utah209213211209
Vermont212216215212
Virginia221224222219
Washington221224222220
West Virginia208210209207
Wisconsin212215214213
Wyoming208210209207
U.S. territories208210208207
U.S. students abroad223225223223
Commended (national)208210208207

Columns are graduating classes. The class of 2027 took the PSAT/NMSQT in October 2025; each column back is a year earlier. The classes of 2025 to 2027 took the digital test.

How the cutoffs are set

  • NMSC: "The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state's percentage of the national total of graduating seniors."
  • So a state's cutoff is the Selection Index where its allotment runs out. It moves each year with how that year's students scored, which is why the same state can move several points.
  • The Commended level is one national number (208 for the class of 2027).
  • NMSC gives each state's qualifying score to high schools; it does not post a public table. The numbers here were compiled from those releases by Compass Education Group (updated September 22, 2026) and checked against ConnectPrep's table: every 2026 and 2027 value matched.

Past cutoffs are not predictions

Nobody knows a year's cutoff until NMSC sets it. A practical target is the highest of your state's last four cutoffs, so a high-scoring year still clears it. That is the target Owl's National Merit planner uses.

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Questions families ask

Which state has the highest National Merit cutoff?

For the class of 2027, District of Columbia and New Jersey, at 223.

Which state has the lowest National Merit cutoff?

For the class of 2027, Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming, at 208, the same as the national Commended level of 208.

Is the cutoff the total PSAT score?

No. It is the Selection Index: two times Reading and Writing, plus Math, divided by 10, on a scale of 48 to 228.

When are the cutoffs released?

Schools learn their state's qualifying score when NMSC names Semifinalists in September of senior year. The class of 2027 list came out September 9, 2026.

Keep reading

Sources

Read on October 29, 2026. Cutoffs are compiled from school and NMSC releases by Compass Education Group and cross-checked against ConnectPrep. If something here is out of date, write to hello@owltestprep.com and we will fix it.

Owl Test Prep is independent and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, College Board or National Merit Scholarship Corporation. PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation; National Merit is a registered trademark of National Merit Scholarship Corporation.