National Merit Cutoffs by State, Class of 2027
Official Selection Index cutoffs announced by NMSC on September 9, 2026, with five years of history (Class of 2023–2027) for all 50 states, DC, U.S. territories and students abroad.
Every state's cutoff dropped. After the record-high Class of 2026 cutoffs, all 50 states and DC came in lower for the Class of 2027, by an average of 3.2 points. The cause was the scoring scale of the October 2025 PSAT/NMSQT Reading & Writing section, which ran harder than the lenient October 2024 scale. NMSC still named more than 16,000 Semifinalists; the cutoffs moved, not the number of winners.
Class of 2027 Cutoff Map
Tap any state for its cutoff history, five-year range and Semifinalist list.
National Merit Cutoffs by State, Class of 2023–2027
| State | Class of 2027 | Change | Class of 2026 | Class of 2025 | Class of 2024 | Class of 2023 | 5-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 210 | -4 | 214 | 212 | 210 | 212 | 210–214 |
| Alaska | 208 | -7 | 215 | 214 | 209 | 210 | 208–215 |
| Arizona | 215 | -3 | 218 | 217 | 216 | 214 | 214–218 |
| Arkansas | 210 | -5 | 215 | 213 | 210 | 210 | 210–215 |
| California | 220 | -4 | 224 | 221 | 221 | 220 | 220–224 |
| Colorado | 217 | -2 | 219 | 218 | 216 | 217 | 216–219 |
| Connecticut | 220 | -3 | 223 | 221 | 221 | 221 | 220–223 |
| Delaware | 219 | -1 | 220 | 219 | 219 | 218 | 218–220 |
| District of Columbia | 223 | -2 | 225 | 223 | 223 | 223 | 223–225 |
| Florida | 216 | -3 | 219 | 217 | 216 | 216 | 216–219 |
| Georgia | 217 | -3 | 220 | 218 | 217 | 218 | 217–220 |
| Hawaii | 218 | -1 | 219 | 217 | 217 | 215 | 215–219 |
| Idaho | 211 | -4 | 215 | 213 | 211 | 215 | 211–215 |
| Illinois | 218 | -4 | 222 | 220 | 219 | 219 | 218–222 |
| Indiana | 215 | -3 | 218 | 217 | 216 | 214 | 214–218 |
| Iowa | 210 | -4 | 214 | 212 | 210 | 212 | 210–214 |
| Kansas | 212 | -4 | 216 | 215 | 214 | 214 | 212–216 |
| Kentucky | 211 | -3 | 214 | 213 | 211 | 212 | 211–214 |
| Louisiana | 211 | -5 | 216 | 214 | 214 | 213 | 211–216 |
| Maine | 214 | -3 | 217 | 214 | 213 | 215 | 213–217 |
| Maryland | 221 | -3 | 224 | 222 | 221 | 222 | 221–224 |
| Massachusetts | 221 | -4 | 225 | 223 | 222 | 220 | 220–225 |
| Michigan | 216 | -4 | 220 | 218 | 217 | 218 | 216–220 |
| Minnesota | 214 | -5 | 219 | 217 | 216 | 216 | 214–219 |
| Mississippi | 211 | -2 | 213 | 212 | 209 | 210 | 209–213 |
| Missouri | 214 | -3 | 217 | 215 | 214 | 213 | 213–217 |
| Montana | 208 | -5 | 213 | 209 | 209 | 207 | 207–213 |
| Nebraska | 212 | -2 | 214 | 211 | 210 | 212 | 210–214 |
| Nevada | 211 | -3 | 214 | 214 | 211 | 210 | 210–214 |
| New Hampshire | 215 | -4 | 219 | 217 | 215 | 213 | 213–219 |
| New Jersey | 223 | -2 | 225 | 223 | 223 | 223 | 223–225 |
| New Mexico | 209 | -1 | 210 | 211 | 207 | 208 | 207–211 |
| New York | 220 | -3 | 223 | 220 | 220 | 219 | 219–223 |
| North Carolina | 217 | -3 | 220 | 218 | 217 | 217 | 217–220 |
| North Dakota | 208 | -2 | 210 | 210 | 207 | 209 | 207–210 |
| Ohio | 216 | -3 | 219 | 217 | 216 | 216 | 216–219 |
| Oklahoma | 210 | -2 | 212 | 211 | 208 | 211 | 208–212 |
| Oregon | 216 | -3 | 219 | 216 | 216 | 216 | 216–219 |
| Pennsylvania | 219 | -2 | 221 | 219 | 219 | 218 | 218–221 |
| Rhode Island | 213 | -6 | 219 | 217 | 215 | 216 | 213–219 |
| South Carolina | 212 | -3 | 215 | 214 | 209 | 213 | 209–215 |
| South Dakota | 210 | -1 | 211 | 208 | 209 | 212 | 208–212 |
| Tennessee | 214 | -5 | 219 | 217 | 217 | 215 | 214–219 |
| Texas | 219 | -3 | 222 | 219 | 219 | 219 | 219–222 |
| Utah | 209 | -4 | 213 | 211 | 209 | 211 | 209–213 |
| Vermont | 212 | -4 | 216 | 215 | 212 | 213 | 212–216 |
| Virginia | 221 | -3 | 224 | 222 | 219 | 221 | 219–224 |
| Washington | 221 | -3 | 224 | 222 | 220 | 220 | 220–224 |
| West Virginia | 208 | -2 | 210 | 209 | 207 | 207 | 207–210 |
| Wisconsin | 212 | -3 | 215 | 214 | 213 | 213 | 212–215 |
| Wyoming | 208 | -2 | 210 | 209 | 207 | 207 | 207–210 |
| Commended Student (national) | 208 | -2 | 210 | 208 | 207 | 207 | 207–210 |
Source: National Merit Scholarship Corporation announcements to news media and high schools, compiled and verified by DigitalPSAT.org from published state releases and student score reports. "Change" compares Class of 2027 to Class of 2026. A Selection Index equal to the cutoff qualifies.
Biggest Drops, Class of 2026 → 2027
Largest one-year declines
- Alaska: 215 → 208 (-7)
- Rhode Island: 219 → 213 (-6)
- Arkansas: 215 → 210 (-5)
- Louisiana: 216 → 211 (-5)
- Minnesota: 219 → 214 (-5)
- Montana: 213 → 208 (-5)
Highest cutoffs
- 223: District of Columbia and New Jersey
- 221: Maryland, Massachusetts, Virginia, Washington
- 220: California, Connecticut, New York
- 219: Delaware, Pennsylvania, Texas
Lowest cutoffs
- 208: Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming
- 209: New Mexico, Utah
- 210: Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Dakota
In the 208 states the Semifinalist and Commended cutoffs are identical.
U.S. Territories and Students Abroad
| Group | Class of 2027 | Change | Class of 2026 | Class of 2025 | Class of 2024 | Class of 2023 | 5-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Territories | 208 | -2 | 210 | 208 | 207 | 207 | 207–210 |
| U.S. Students Studying Abroad | 223 | -2 | 225 | 223 | 223 | 223 | 223–225 |
U.S. citizens attending school abroad compete against the highest state cutoff. Students in Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and other territories use the Commended cutoff.
2027 National Merit Semifinalist Lists by State
NMSC does not publish Semifinalist names online; it mails state lists to news outlets. We host the official state press-release PDFs for 23 states and link to newspaper lists for others. Browse all 2027 Semifinalist lists →
How National Merit State Cutoffs Work
NMSC allocates roughly 16,000 Semifinalist slots among the states in proportion to each state's share of U.S. high school graduates, then sets each state's cutoff at the Selection Index that yields about that many students. That is why a 210 qualifies in Alabama while New Jersey requires 223: the score is not compared nationally, only within your state.
- Selection Index = (Reading & Writing × 2 + Math) ÷ 10, on a 48–228 scale. Calculate yours.
- Commended cutoff (208 for the Class of 2027) is national and is announced in April of junior year. Scoring at or above it but below your state's cutoff earns Commended Student status.
- Semifinalist cutoffs are announced in September of senior year when Semifinalists are named. About 95% of Semifinalists advance to Finalist. See the full National Merit timeline.
- Year-to-year swings come mostly from how hard each October's test scales, not from changes in the student pool. A hard Reading & Writing scale (October 2025) pulls every state down together.
Not in a competitive spot yet? Compare PSAT prep programs with National Merit track records and learn what National Merit is worth in scholarships.
Class of 2027 Cutoff FAQ
What is the National Merit cutoff for the Class of 2027?
It depends on your state. Class of 2027 Semifinalist cutoffs range from 208 (Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming) to 223 (District of Columbia and New Jersey). The national Commended Student cutoff is 208. All cutoffs are Selection Index scores (48–228) from the October 2025 PSAT/NMSQT.
Did National Merit cutoffs go down for the Class of 2027?
Yes. Every state's cutoff fell from the Class of 2026, by an average of 3.2 points. The Class of 2026 had record-high cutoffs after an unusually lenient October 2024 Reading & Writing scale; the October 2025 test corrected the other way. Alaska dropped 7 points (215 to 208) and Rhode Island dropped 6 (219 to 213).
Which state has the highest National Merit cutoff?
For the Class of 2027, District of Columbia and New Jersey share the highest cutoff at 223. Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia and Washington follow at 221, and California, Connecticut and New York are at 220.
Which state has the lowest National Merit cutoff?
Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming share the lowest Class of 2027 cutoff at 208, which equals the national Commended cutoff. In those states, every Commended-level scorer qualified as a Semifinalist.
Does my score have to be above the cutoff, or is meeting it enough?
Meeting it is enough. A Selection Index equal to your state's cutoff qualifies. For example, a 219 in Texas qualified for the Class of 2027.
What will the Class of 2028 National Merit cutoffs be?
NMSC will announce Class of 2028 Semifinalists in September 2027, based on the October 2026 PSAT/NMSQT. Cutoffs are not published in advance. The 5-year range column in the table above shows each state's historical low and high; most states land somewhere inside that range each year. Students on the bubble should compare their Selection Index against the higher end of the range.
How is the Selection Index calculated?
Selection Index = (Reading & Writing score × 2 + Math score) ÷ 10. A 720 Reading & Writing and 730 Math gives (1440 + 730) ÷ 10 = 217. Use our Selection Index calculator to check your score against your state's cutoff.
Where can I see the list of 2027 National Merit Semifinalists in my state?
NMSC sends state-by-state lists to news media only; it does not post them online. We host the official state press-release PDFs we have collected and link to newspaper lists for other states on our 2027 Semifinalist lists page.