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What do digital PSAT and SAT percentiles mean?

By October 30, 2023November 2nd, 2023PSAT, SAT, Scores

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What are percentiles?

When students receive their digital PSAT and SAT scores, they often want to put those scores into context. One way to look at the context of your scores is through percentiles.

College Board provides three percentile ranks: state, country, and all testers (formerly known as user percentile). The percentiles allow students to view their percentile ranking among the following groups of test takers from the past three years:

  • State (all testers in your state; available for U.S. and U.S. Territories only)
  • Country (all testers in your country)
  • All Testers (domestic and international)

The percentiles that most people care about are the “All Testers” percentile ranks. Percentiles reflect the percentage of students at or below each score. In order to maintain a percentile rank achieved on the sophomore PSAT, a student must increase subsequent scores.

To Maintain Your Percentile Rank, You Must Improve Your Scores

For instance, 1140 on the PSAT in 10th grade would place a student in the 88th percentile, but to maintain that position, the student would need to achieve 1250 on the junior PSAT and 1330 on the SAT—an increase of 190 points.

How to Improve Your Percentile Rank

The 88th percentile means that 12% of students performed better than the student. If this student wanted to cut that percentage in half, ultimately ranking in the 94th percentile, they would need to achieve 1410 on the SAT—a 270-point increase from the 10th grade PSAT.

How do you improve your scores? 

Scores tend to improve a bit as students mature, take these tests more seriously, and gain more content knowledge. But to gain the kind of score increases needed to improve percentile rank, most students require some form of prep. One-on-one tutoring, group classes, or self prep are all options. Practice tests are a key element of any prep program. We find that most students benefit from a slow and steady approach to prep.

The following table is designed to allow you to track user percentiles and scores from sophomore PSAT to the SAT. 

Percentile10th Grade PSAT 11th Grade PSATSATPercentile
99+1420–15201490–15201570–160099+
991340–14101450–14801530–156099
981300–13301420–14401500–152098
971270–12901390–14101480–149097
961250–12601360–13801450–147096
951230–12401340–13501430–144095
9412201320–13301410–142094
931200–12101310140093
9211901290–13001380–139092
9111801280137091
90117012701350–136090
891150–11601260134089
8811401250133088
87114012401310–132087
8611301230130086
8511201220129085
8411101210128084
8311001200127083
8210901190126082
8110901190125081
8010801180124080
7910701170123079
7810601160122078
7710601160122077
7610501150121076
7510401140120075
7410401140119074
7310301130118073
7210301120118072
7110201120117071
7010101110116070
6910101110115069
6810001100115068
6710001090114067
669901090113066
659801080113065
649801080112064
639701070111063
629701070111062
619601060110061
609601060109060
599501050109059
589501040108058
579401040108057
569401030107056
559301040106055
549301020106054
539201010105053
529201010104052
519101000104051
509101000103050
49900990103049
48900990102048
47890980101047
46890980101046
45880970100045
44880970100044
4387096099043
4287095098042
4186095098041
4086094097040
3985094096039
3885093096038
3784093095037
3684092094036
3584091094035
3483091093034
3383090093033
3282090092032
3182089091031
3081089091030
2981088090029
2880087089028
2780087089027
2679086088026
2579086087025
2479085087024
2378084086023
2278084085022
2177083085021
2077082084020
1976082083019
1876081083018
1775080082017
1675080081016
1574079081015
1474078080014
1373078079013
1273077078012
1172076078011
1071075077010
97107407609
87007307508
76907307407
6680710–7207306
56707007205
4650–6606907104
3630–640670–680690–7003
2600–620640–660670–6802
1510–590560–630620–6601
1-320–500320–550400–6101-

SOURCES: College Board, SAT Understanding Scores 2022 and PSAT/NSMQT Understanding Scores 2022.

Ash Kramer

With a career in test prep and higher education that began in the late 90s, Ash has held a variety of educational roles from tutor and writing instructor to administrator. She serves as the Chief Product Officer at Compass, where she is lucky to lead a brilliant team creating the very best digital learning materials.