Percentile Calculator
Paste a list of scores to find the percentile rank of any score, or the score at any percentile.
Quick answer: Percentile rank = (scores below yours + 0.5 × scores equal to yours) ÷ total scores × 100. In a class of 10 where 6 scores are below yours and 1 (yours) is equal, your percentile rank is (6 + 0.5) ÷ 10 × 100 = 65th percentile.
- A percentile compares your score with other people’s; a percentage compares it with the total marks.
- The 50th percentile is the median, not the average.
- You need the whole group’s scores to calculate a percentile.
How to Calculate Percentile Rank
Where B is the number of scores below yours, E is the number of scores equal to yours (including your own), and N is the total number of scores.
- List every score in the group and sort them from lowest to highest.
- Count how many are below your score and how many are equal to it.
- Add the number below to half the number equal.
- Divide by the total number of scores and multiply by 100.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Your percentile in a class
Ten students score 62, 70, 75, 78, 80, 82, 85, 88, 90 and 95 on a test. You scored 85.
- Scores below 85: 62, 70, 75, 78, 80, 82 → 6
- Scores equal to 85: 1
- (6 + 0.5 × 1) ÷ 10 = 0.65
- 0.65 × 100 = 65th percentile. You ranked 4th out of 10.
Your percentage on that test is a separate number. If it was out of 100, 85 is a B on the standard scale (see our grading chart).
Example 2: The score at the 90th percentile
Using the same ten scores, what score marks the 90th percentile?
- Position = (10 − 1) × 90 ÷ 100 + 1 = 9.1
- The 9th score is 90 and the 10th is 95.
- Go 0.1 of the way from 90 to 95: 90 + 0.1 × 5 = 90.5
So a score of about 90.5 or higher puts a student in the top 10% of this class.
Percentile Quick-Reference Table
| Percentile | What it means | Also called |
|---|---|---|
| 25th | Higher than about a quarter of the group | First quartile (Q1) |
| 50th | Right in the middle of the group | Median (Q2) |
| 75th | Higher than about three quarters of the group | Third quartile (Q3) |
| 90th | In the top 10% | 9th decile |
| 95th | In the top 5% | |
| 99th | In the top 1% |
Percentile vs. Percentage vs. Letter Grade
| Measure | Compares your score with | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage | The total marks available | 16 out of 20 = 80% (see 16/20 grade) |
| Letter grade | A fixed grading scale | 80% = B- (see what grade is 80%) |
| Percentile | Everyone else in the group | 80% might be the 70th percentile in a strong class |
Tips for Students and Teachers
- Use the whole group. A percentile is only as good as the list of scores behind it.
- Don’t mix up percentile and percentage. A 70th-percentile score is not a 70% grade.
- Teachers: percentiles help spot where a test was too hard or too easy before you curve test grades. Use the average grade calculator to compare the mean with the median.
- Students: to see what a single result means for your grade, try the test grade calculator or the easy grade calculator chart.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a percentile?
A percentile tells you how a score compares with the rest of a group. If you are in the 80th percentile, your score is higher than about 80% of the scores in that group.
What is the difference between a percentile and a percentage?
A percentage is your own score out of the total marks, such as 85% on a test. A percentile compares you with other people. An 85% could be the 50th percentile on an easy test or the 95th on a hard one. To turn a score into a percentage, use the test grade calculator.
How do you calculate percentile rank?
Count the scores below yours (B) and the scores equal to yours (E), then use (B + 0.5 × E) ÷ total number of scores × 100. Counting half of the ties is the standard way to handle equal scores fairly.
Is the 50th percentile the same as the average?
No. The 50th percentile is the median, the middle score. The average (mean) adds all scores and divides by how many there are. They are only equal when scores are spread evenly.
What does the 90th percentile mean?
It means your result is higher than about 90% of the group, so you are in the top 10%. On a test taken by 200 students, a 90th-percentile score beats about 180 of them.
Can you be in the 100th percentile?
With the percentile rank formula used here, no score reaches exactly 100, because you cannot score higher than yourself. Some reports round up and show 99th or “99+” as the highest percentile.
Why do different percentile calculators give different answers?
There are several accepted methods, for example counting only scores below yours, or using inclusive or exclusive interpolation. Results can differ slightly on small lists. This calculator uses the mid-rank method for percentile rank and the Excel PERCENTILE.INC method for finding a score.
How are SAT and other test percentiles calculated?
Standardized tests compare your score with a reference group of other test takers, so the percentile shows your standing, not your grade. Plan your next test with our SAT test dates guide.
Can teachers use percentiles to curve grades?
Yes. Some teachers curve by rank, giving the top percentage of the class an A, and so on. Learn the common methods in our guide on how to curve test grades.