What Is a Good AMC Score? Percentiles, Cutoffs, and Honors

If you are preparing for the AMC 8, AMC 10, or AMC 12, you may be wondering what makes a score "good." The answer depends on your goals. Some students are aiming to qualify for the AIME. Others are trying to reach the Honor Roll or simply improve their performance from last year. In this post, we will break down how AMC scoring works and what benchmarks to look for.

by Kevin Scott

Understanding AMC Scoring

All AMC contests follow the same basic format. There are 25 multiple‑choice questions. You get one point per correct answer on the AMC 8. On the AMC 10 and AMC 12, you earn six points for a correct answer, one and a half points for a blank answer, and zero points for an incorrect one.

There is no penalty for skipping, which means it is often better to leave a question blank than to guess randomly.

The maximum possible score on the AMC 8 is 25. On the AMC 10 and AMC 12, the highest score you can get is 150.

What Is a Good Score on the AMC 8?

The AMC 8 is designed for middle school students, typically in grades six through eight. Most students score between 10 and 18. A score of around 19 or higher usually places you in the top five percent of test takers, earning you a spot on the Honor Roll.

If you score 23 or above, you are likely in the top one percent nationally and will receive a Distinguished Honor Roll certificate. Students in sixth grade or below who score 15 or more also receive a Certificate of Achievement.

A good score on the AMC 8 is one that reflects strong reasoning, accuracy, and time management. You do not need a perfect score to stand out.

What Is a Good Score on the AMC 10 and AMC 12?

The AMC 10 and AMC 12 are more advanced. These are the contests that allow you to qualify for the AIME, which is the next round of competition.

Each year, the Mathematical Association of America sets cutoff scores for AIME qualification. These cutoffs vary depending on the difficulty of the test and overall student performance. In recent years, the cutoff for the AMC 10 has ranged from around 100 to 115. For the AMC 12, the cutoff is usually a bit lower, often between 90 and 110.

If your goal is to qualify for AIME, reaching or exceeding these scores should be your target. However, even scores in the 85 to 100 range show strong mathematical ability and place you well above average.

Students who score in the top five percent on the AMC 10 or 12 are recognized on the Honor Roll. Those in the top one percent are named to the Distinguished Honor Roll. These awards are listed on official score reports and can be impressive additions to academic portfolios.

Percentiles and How to Use Them

AMC score reports often include percentiles, which show how your score compares to other students. If your percentile is 90, that means you scored better than 90 percent of all students who took the same test.

Percentiles are a useful way to measure progress, especially if you take the AMC more than once over the years. Even if you do not reach a specific cutoff one year, improving your percentile is a strong sign that your practice is paying off.

Final Thoughts

A "good" AMC score depends on where you are in your journey. For some students, it means qualifying for AIME. For others, it means earning a spot on the Honor Roll or simply gaining confidence with competition math.

Whatever your goal, focus on steady improvement. Learn from every practice test, track your progress, and celebrate the wins along the way.

At AMC Mastery, we help you do just that. Our platform shows your performance across topics, tracks your accuracy and timing, and gives you step‑by‑step solutions to learn from your mistakes.

A good score starts with good preparation. And good preparation starts today.

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