National Merit Cutoffs by State (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team
These are the confirmed Class of 2026 National Merit Semifinalist cutoffs, set by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a Selection Index for each state. They run from 210 to 225, with a national median of 218. Search your state, then use the calculator to see where your own section scores land.
Cutoff table
| State | 2026 Semifinalist cutoff |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 225 |
| Massachusetts | 225 |
| New Jersey | 225 |
| California | 224 |
| Maryland | 224 |
| Virginia | 224 |
| Washington | 224 |
| Connecticut | 223 |
| New York | 223 |
| Illinois | 222 |
| Texas | 222 |
| Pennsylvania | 221 |
| Delaware | 220 |
| Georgia | 220 |
| Michigan | 220 |
| North Carolina | 220 |
| Colorado | 219 |
| Florida | 219 |
| Hawaii | 219 |
| Minnesota | 219 |
| New Hampshire | 219 |
| Ohio | 219 |
| Oregon | 219 |
| Rhode Island | 219 |
| Tennessee | 219 |
| Arizona | 218 |
| Indiana | 218 |
| Maine | 217 |
| Missouri | 217 |
| Kansas | 216 |
| Louisiana | 216 |
| Vermont | 216 |
| Alaska | 215 |
| Arkansas | 215 |
| Idaho | 215 |
| South Carolina | 215 |
| Wisconsin | 215 |
| Alabama | 214 |
| Iowa | 214 |
| Kentucky | 214 |
| Nebraska | 214 |
| Nevada | 214 |
| Mississippi | 213 |
| Montana | 213 |
| Utah | 213 |
| Oklahoma | 212 |
| South Dakota | 211 |
| New Mexico | 210 |
| North Dakota | 210 |
| West Virginia | 210 |
| Wyoming | 210 |
National Merit Selection Index Calculator
Enter your two digital PSAT section scores and pick your state. Your Selection Index and your standing against the 2026 cutoff update as you go.
204
your Selection Index
224
California Semifinalist cutoff
Below the Commended line
An index of 204 is below both the national Commended cutoff of 210 and the California Semifinalist cutoff of 224. There is real room here, and because Reading and Writing counts double, gains there move your index fastest.
Build the score that qualifiesHow the National Merit Cutoff Works
National Merit starts with the PSAT/NMSQT, taken in October of junior year. Your score becomes a Selection Index, which doubles Reading and Writing, adds Math, and divides by 10. The Corporation then draws a line in each state at roughly the top 1 percent of test takers. Clear your state line and you are a Semifinalist. Clear the national Commended line of 210 but not your state line, and you are a Commended Student.
Because the junior year PSAT is the only one that counts, there is no retake for National Merit. The score you post that October is the score that decides it. That is why the students who qualify prepare for the PSAT the way they would for the SAT. The two tests share content and a score scale, so the work carries straight over, and a stronger SAT means a stronger Selection Index on the same day.
National Merit Cutoffs: Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the National Merit cutoff for 2026?
- Cutoffs are set per state and, for the Class of 2026, run from 210 up to 225 on the Selection Index. The national Commended Student cutoff is 210. Find your state in the table above for its exact number.
- Why do National Merit cutoffs differ by state?
- The National Merit Scholarship Corporation recognizes about the top 1 percent of test takers in each state. Because that top 1 percent scores differently from state to state, the cutoff moves even though every student takes the same PSAT.
- How is the Selection Index calculated?
- Double your Reading and Writing score, add your Math score, and divide by 10. Each section runs 160 to 760 on the digital PSAT, so the index runs 48 to 228. Reading and Writing is double weighted, which is why verbal gains move your index fastest.
- What is the highest National Merit cutoff?
- For the Class of 2026, District of Columbia has the highest Semifinalist cutoff at 225, while several states sit at the national floor of 210.