Is 1400 a Good PSAT Score? (2026)

Which Selection Index a 1400 produces, which state Semifinalist lines it could clear, and what happens between now and next September.

Yes. A 1400 is an outstanding PSAT score. For a junior it is the 96th percentile among 11th-grade test takers and the 99th against all U.S. 11th graders. For a sophomore it is the 99th percentile on both of College Board's tables.

A 1400 is also the first round number that lands inside National Merit territory, which is why the question behind "is it good" is usually "is it enough." The honest answer is that it depends on how your 1400 splits between the two sections. Depending on that split, a 1400 can clear Semifinalist lines in a majority of states, clear only the national Commended line, or fall short of both. Fall 2026 PSAT/NMSQT scores reach students on October 22, November 5, or November 12, depending on when your school sent in its tests (College Board score release dates), so here is how to read yours.

The Selection Index Behind a 1400 PSAT

National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) ranks students by Selection Index, not by total score. To get it, double your Reading and Writing score, add your Math score, and divide by 10 (Fall 2026 PSAT/NMSQT Understanding Scores guide). Each section tops out at 760, so a 1400 can contain anything from 640 to 760 in either section, and its index lands between 204 and 216.

The table compares each split with the class of 2027 lines (students who took the PSAT/NMSQT in October 2025), the latest NMSC has published. The national Commended Student line was 208, and state Semifinalist lines ran from 208 to 223 in NMSC's qualifying table.

The dividing line is a 680 in Reading and Writing. At 680 or above, a 1400 met the class of 2027 Commended line; below it, the 1400 fell short, even with an excellent Math score. Every 10 points that move from Math to Reading and Writing within the same 1400 add 1 index point, and the gap between the two ends of the table is 12 index points, the width of most of the state range.

Which State Cutoffs a 1400 Can and Cannot Reach

NMSC gives each state a share of Semifinalists in proportion to its share of the nation's graduating seniors, so the line depends on where you go to school. Applied to last year's lines, the table above sorts the states into three groups:

• Within reach of a balanced 1400. At 700 and 700 (index 210), a 1400 met the line in 12 states, including the five where the state line equaled the national Commended line of 208.
• Within reach only with a verbal-heavy 1400. The best possible 1400, 760 and 640, reaches 216, which met the line in 34 of the 50 states.
• Out of reach for any 1400. In 16 states, plus the District of Columbia, the line was 217 or higher. That group includes six of the eight states with the most Semifinalists last year.

NMSC publishes every state's line, and asks that its table not be reproduced, so look up yours in its Guide to the National Merit Scholarship Program (pages 13 and 14), and our PSAT National Merit Scholarship guide explains how the program works from entry to award.

One warning before you treat any of this as a verdict: these are last year's lines, and they move. NMSC's Guide says its method produces qualifying scores that "vary from one state to another and from year to year." This fall's test decides the class of 2028, and its lines are unknown until NMSC names Semifinalists in early September 2027. A 1400 sitting 1 or 2 points above or below last year's line in your state is a maybe, not a yes or a no.

What Percentile Is a 1400 PSAT Score?

College Board's PSAT/NMSQT percentile tables (checked October 2026) give a user percentile, which compares you with recent PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 takers, and a nationally representative percentile, which estimates your rank among all U.S. students in your grade.

At this level the percentile has almost run out of room. A sophomore is at the 99th on both tables, and so is a junior on the nationally representative one. Only the junior user column still separates scores, and it moves just 2 points from 1400 to 1450. That is the practical reason the Selection Index, not the percentile, is the number to watch with a 1400. The full chart is in our PSAT percentiles guide, and the tier below is is 1300 a good PSAT score.

What Happens Next if Your 1400 Qualifies

For a junior who took the PSAT/NMSQT this October, NMSC's Steps in the 2028 Competition lays out the year ahead:

• April 2027: NMSC sends high school principals a list of about 50,000 high scorers and asks them to flag any errors in students' reported eligibility.
• Early September 2027: about 16,000 Semifinalists, the highest scorers in each state, are notified through their schools.
• Late September 2027: about 34,000 Commended Students are notified. Commended Students don't continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships, though some are candidates for corporate-sponsored Special Scholarships.
• February 2028: Semifinalists who meet the remaining requirements become Finalists, and every National Merit Scholarship winner is chosen from that group.

The requirements between Semifinalist and Finalist include a principal's endorsement, a very strong academic record through grade 12, a completed online application with an essay, and an SAT or ACT score that confirms the PSAT performance, according to the requirements list in NMSC's Guide. Our National Merit Semifinalist guide walks through that application step by step. If your index clears the national Commended line but falls short of your state's Semifinalist line, Commended Student standing still comes with a Letter of Commendation that NMSC provides through your school, and it is worth listing on applications.

What a 1400 PSAT Means for the SAT

The PSAT/NMSQT and SAT report on a common scale, so College Board's Understanding Scores guide says a given section score represents "the same level of academic achievement" on both. A 1400 PSAT points to about a 1400 SAT on the same day. That is the 97th nationally representative percentile and the 93rd among SAT takers on College Board's SAT percentile tables, and a 1500 SAT is the 99th and 97th.

For a Semifinalist the SAT has two jobs: the confirming score for NMSC and the score you send to colleges. One sitting can do both. See what a 1400 SAT score means for colleges for where it fits on a college list today.

If you are a junior: the PSAT part is finished, since the October test is the only one NMSC uses for your class. Shift to the SAT. The remaining dates on College Board's calendar are November 7 (register by October 23), December 5 (register by November 20), March 6 (February 19), May 1 (April 16), and June 5 (May 21). At 1400 the gains come from the hardest questions in the second module, so full-length Bluebook practice tests and careful review of every miss matter more than new content.

If you are a sophomore: you are already above last year's Commended line on many splits, a year early. The October 2027 PSAT/NMSQT is the one that counts for you, since NMSC requires students on a four-year path to enter in their third year. Use this year to build a cushion over your state's line, and lean on Reading and Writing, where every 10 points is worth 2 index points.

Frequently Asked Questions About a 1400 PSAT Score

Is 1400 a good PSAT score?

Yes, it is outstanding. It is the 96th percentile for 11th-grade test takers and the 99th for 10th-grade test takers on College Board's user tables, and the 99th for both grades on the nationally representative tables.

Is a 1400 PSAT National Merit?

It can be. A 1400 produces a Selection Index from 204 to 216. With a 680 or higher in Reading and Writing it met the class of 2027 Commended line of 208, and at the best split it met the Semifinalist line in 34 of the 50 states.

Which states can a 1400 PSAT make Semifinalist?

On class of 2027 lines, a balanced 700 and 700 (index 210) met the line in 12 states, and a 760 and 640 (index 216) in 34. No 1400 met the line in states such as California, New York, Texas, or Illinois, or in the District of Columbia.

Is a 1400 PSAT good for a sophomore?

It is exceptional: the 99th percentile for 10th graders. Many 1400 splits already clear last year's Commended line, so a sophomore with this score is well placed to aim for Semifinalist on next year's test.

When will I know if my 1400 PSAT qualified?

Not this fall. Your score report shows your Selection Index as early as October 22, but NMSC names Semifinalists in early September 2027 and Commended Students later that month, once it sets the lines for your class.

A 1400 puts you near the top of the scale, where the last points come from the hardest questions on the test. The PSAT/NMSQT measures the same skills as the SAT, and Larry Learns has 25,000+ SAT and ACT practice questions on web, iPhone, and Android, with 3 free quizzes a day and duels with friends to keep practice going. Start a free practice quiz, or create a free account to track your progress toward the SAT.