National Merit Semifinalist Cutoffs by State
The final Selection Index cutoff for every state and selection unit, for the two most recent classes. These are the numbers that decide whether a score is a Semifinalist score or just a good one.
The table
| Selection unit | Class of 2027 | Class of 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 210 | 214 | -4 |
| Alaska | 208 | 215 | -7 |
| Arizona | 215 | 218 | -3 |
| Arkansas | 210 | 215 | -5 |
| California | 220 | 224 | -4 |
| Colorado | 217 | 219 | -2 |
| Connecticut | 220 | 223 | -3 |
| Delaware | 219 | 220 | -1 |
| District of Columbia | 223 | 225 | -2 |
| Florida | 216 | 219 | -3 |
| Georgia | 217 | 220 | -3 |
| Hawaii | 218 | 219 | -1 |
| Idaho | 211 | 215 | -4 |
| Illinois | 218 | 222 | -4 |
| Indiana | 215 | 218 | -3 |
| Iowa | 210 | 214 | -4 |
| Kansas | 212 | 216 | -4 |
| Kentucky | 211 | 214 | -3 |
| Louisiana | 211 | 216 | -5 |
| Maine | 214 | 217 | -3 |
| Maryland | 221 | 224 | -3 |
| Massachusetts | 221 | 225 | -4 |
| Michigan | 216 | 220 | -4 |
| Minnesota | 214 | 219 | -5 |
| Mississippi | 211 | 213 | -2 |
| Missouri | 214 | 217 | -3 |
| Montana | 208 | 213 | -5 |
| Nebraska | 212 | 214 | -2 |
| Nevada | 211 | 214 | -3 |
| New Hampshire | 215 | 219 | -4 |
| New Jersey | 223 | 225 | -2 |
| New Mexico | 209 | 210 | -1 |
| New York | 220 | 223 | -3 |
| North Carolina | 217 | 220 | -3 |
| North Dakota | 208 | 210 | -2 |
| Ohio | 216 | 219 | -3 |
| Oklahoma | 210 | 212 | -2 |
| Oregon | 216 | 219 | -3 |
| Pennsylvania | 219 | 221 | -2 |
| Rhode Island | 213 | 219 | -6 |
| South Carolina | 212 | 215 | -3 |
| South Dakota | 210 | 211 | -1 |
| Tennessee | 214 | 219 | -5 |
| Texas | 219 | 222 | -3 |
| Utah | 209 | 213 | -4 |
| Vermont | 212 | 216 | -4 |
| Virginia | 221 | 224 | -3 |
| Washington | 221 | 224 | -3 |
| West Virginia | 208 | 210 | -2 |
| Wisconsin | 212 | 215 | -3 |
| Wyoming | 208 | 210 | -2 |
| U.S. territories | 208 | 210 | -2 |
| U.S. students studying abroad | 223 | 225 | -2 |
National Commended level: 208 for the Class of 2027, 210 for the Class of 2026. Commended is a single national number and sits at or below every state cutoff — which is why several states now share the Commended floor exactly.
What happened this year
All 53 selection units moved down — not a single one held. Most fell by three points or more, and the national Commended level fell from 210 to 208. New Jersey, the District of Columbia, and students studying abroad stayed at the top with 223; Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming sat on the floor at 208.
A uniform drop of this size usually points at the test cohort rather than at any one state: the Semifinalist share allocated to each state is fixed by its junior enrollment, so when the national score distribution shifts, the cut that fills each state's share moves with it.
Why a cutoff can move six points in one year
NMSC does not pick the top 16,000 Selection Index scores nationally. It gives each state a number of Semifinalist slots proportional to that state's share of graduating seniors, then draws the line at whatever Selection Index fills the slot. A small change in how a state's top 1% performed can move that line several points, because at the very top of the distribution the scores are packed tightly — hundreds of students can share the same index.
That is why a cutoff from last year is best read as weather, not as a wall. Sitting exactly on last year's number is not a plan; aim two to four points above it.
What it takes to reach a cutoff
| Selection Index | Typical states at that level | Roughly how many correct |
|---|---|---|
| 208–210 | Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming, New Mexico | 81 of 98 |
| 215–216 | Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Oregon, Florida | 86 of 98 |
| 220–221 | California, Connecticut, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts | 92 of 98 |
| 223 | New Jersey, District of Columbia, students abroad | 94 of 98 |
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