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NNAT scores explained: what is a good NNAT score?

Average NAI
100
Range
40 to 160
Common cutoffs
92nd to 98th

An NNAT3 report usually shows two numbers: the Naglieri Ability Index (NAI) and a percentile rank. This guide explains what each one means, how they line up, and what score gifted programs look for.

The short version

  • The Naglieri Ability Index (NAI) has an average of 100. It runs from 40 to 160.
  • The percentile rank compares your child with children of the same age.
  • Gifted programs in the districts we researched look for the 92nd to 98th percentile, roughly an NAI of 123 to 132.
  • The NNAT is often a screener: a high score may lead to more testing rather than placement on its own.

The Naglieri Ability Index

The NNAT3 score explanation describes the NAI as a standard score with an average of 100 at every age and a standard deviation of 16, running from 40 to 160. Because it is set by age, a 7-year-old and a 9-year-old with the same NAI did equally well compared with children their own age.

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Percentile rank

The percentile rank is the share of children of the same age in the comparison group who scored the same or lower. A percentile rank of 95 means your child scored as well as or better than 95% of children their age. It is not the percentage of questions answered correctly.

How NAI and percentile line up

These figures come from the bell curve (average 100, standard deviation 16). The official norms tables can differ by a few points, and some district documents treat the scale as having a standard deviation of 15 (so 126 would be about the 96th percentile). The safest number to compare with a cutoff is the percentile rank printed on your child's report.

NAIAbout this percentileWhat it means
10050thExactly average for the age
11684thHigher than about 5 in 6 children
12089thAround the top 11%
12493rdAround the top 7%
12896thAround the top 4%
13298thAround the top 2%
136 and up99thTop 1%

What is a good NNAT score for a gifted program?

Each district sets its own bar. In the district plans we have researched that publish an NNAT cutoff:

Other districts use the NNAT only as a first screen. Palm Beach County, FL screens every second grader with the NNAT3, and high scorers go on to an individual IQ test; the screening score is not published. Irvine, CA uses a local bar (the top 20% of the grade) as one of several measures.

One score is not the whole picture

The NNAT measures one kind of reasoning on one day. A child who was tired, or who had never seen this kind of pattern before, can score below what they can do. Many districts combine the NNAT with other measures or let families refer a child again later. Look up your district's rules on our district pages.

Getting ready next time

If your child will take the NNAT again, or another test, short practice with the format helps. See our NNAT practice guide, try the free sample quiz, or take the free readiness check.

CogAT® is a registered trademark of Riverside Assessments, LLC. NNAT® is a trademark of Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliates. OLSAT® is a registered trademark and Naglieri General Ability Tests™ a trademark of Multi-Health Systems Inc. (MHS). These owners are not affiliated with and do not endorse GiftedCub. Test names are used only to describe the formats our original practice material is designed to resemble.

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Rules, dates and cutoffs vary by district and change from year to year. Always confirm with your child's school or district. GiftedCub provides general educational information and practice. We are not psychologists, licensed evaluators or educational consultants, and nothing on this site is a diagnosis, an assessment of giftedness, or professional, medical or legal advice.