2027 National Merit Semifinalist Lists by State
Official NMSC state press-release PDFs and published newspaper lists naming the Class of 2027 Semifinalists, announced September 9, 2026. Updated September 23, 2026.
NMSC does not post Semifinalist names on its website. Each state's list goes to news outlets and to high school principals. The PDFs below are the unedited NMSC press releases (national announcement followed by the state list, alphabetical by city and school). We add states as they become available — check back, or jump to your state page from the cutoff table.
| State | 2027 cutoff | Semifinalist list |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 210 | AL.com (full list) |
| Alaska | 208 | Official PDF |
| Arizona | 215 | Official PDF |
| Arkansas | 210 | Official PDF |
| California | 220 | The Mercury News (full list, subscriber) |
| Colorado | 217 | Not yet published — ask your school counselor |
| Connecticut | 220 | Official PDF |
| Delaware | 219 | Delaware Online via Yahoo News (full list) |
| District of Columbia | 223 | Not yet published — ask your school counselor |
| Florida | 216 | Official PDF |
| Georgia | 217 | Official PDF |
| Hawaii | 218 | Honolulu Star-Advertiser (full list, subscriber) |
| Idaho | 211 | Idaho Education News (full list) |
| Illinois | 218 | Official PDF |
| Indiana | 215 | Official PDF |
| Iowa | 210 | Official PDF |
| Kansas | 212 | Official PDF |
| Kentucky | 211 | Official PDF | Lexington Herald-Leader (full list) |
| Louisiana | 211 | Official PDF |
| Maine | 214 | Not yet published — ask your school counselor |
| Maryland | 221 | Official PDF |
| Massachusetts | 221 | Official PDF |
| Michigan | 216 | The Detroit News (full list, subscriber) |
| Minnesota | 214 | Patch (full list) |
| Mississippi | 211 | Official PDF |
| Missouri | 214 | Not yet published — ask your school counselor |
| Montana | 208 | Not yet published — ask your school counselor |
| Nebraska | 212 | Not yet published — ask your school counselor |
| Nevada | 211 | Not yet published — ask your school counselor |
| New Hampshire | 215 | Not yet published — ask your school counselor |
| New Jersey | 223 | Not yet published — ask your school counselor |
| New Mexico | 209 | Official PDF |
| New York | 220 | Huntington Now (partial, Long Island only) |
| North Carolina | 217 | Not yet published — ask your school counselor |
| North Dakota | 208 | Not yet published — ask your school counselor |
| Ohio | 216 | Cleveland.com (full list) |
| Oklahoma | 210 | Official PDF |
| Oregon | 216 | The Oregonian (full list) |
| Pennsylvania | 219 | Official PDF |
| Rhode Island | 213 | Providence Journal via Yahoo News (full list) |
| South Carolina | 212 | Not yet published — ask your school counselor |
| South Dakota | 210 | Not yet published — ask your school counselor |
| Tennessee | 214 | Official PDF |
| Texas | 219 | Official PDF |
| Utah | 209 | Not yet published — ask your school counselor |
| Vermont | 212 | Not yet published — ask your school counselor |
| Virginia | 221 | Official PDF |
| Washington | 221 | Official PDF | The Seattle Times (full list, subscriber) |
| West Virginia | 208 | Not yet published — ask your school counselor |
| Wisconsin | 212 | Official PDF |
| Wyoming | 208 | Not yet published — ask your school counselor |
Newspaper links open the publisher's site; some require a subscription. Lists marked "partial" cover only part of the state.
States Still Missing a Published List
Colorado, District of Columbia, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming. If your local paper publishes one, send us the link and we will add it.
What Happens After the Semifinalist Announcement
- Early October 2026: Semifinalist application due to NMSC through the school (essay, transcript, recommendation, SAT or ACT confirming score).
- February 2027: Finalists notified (about 15,000 of 16,000+).
- March–July 2027: Scholarship winners announced in waves: National Merit $2,500, corporate-sponsored, then college-sponsored awards.
Full timeline: the National Merit process. Scholarship values: National Merit benefits.
Semifinalist List FAQ
Where does NMSC publish the list of National Merit Semifinalists?
It doesn't post the names online. NMSC mails each state's list to news media in that state (embargoed until the announcement date) and mails a booklet of all Semifinalists to high school principals. Newspapers and local news sites publish the names at their discretion, which is why coverage varies by state.
Are these the official 2027 Semifinalist lists?
The PDFs are the state press releases NMSC sent to media: NMSC letterhead, the national release, then Semifinalists listed alphabetically by city and high school. Newspaper links are the outlets' own publication of the same data. We do not edit or retype names.
My state isn't listed. How do I confirm someone is a Semifinalist?
Ask the high school. Principals received a booklet listing all Semifinalists in early September, and each Semifinalist received a letter and application packet through the school. NMSC's public information office ([email protected]) responds to press inquiries.
How many National Merit Semifinalists are there for the Class of 2027?
NMSC named more than 16,000 Semifinalists from about 1.2 million entrants (roughly 16,200, down from about 17,000 for the Class of 2026). About 95% will become Finalists in February 2027, and roughly 6,700 will win a National Merit Scholarship.