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

A good AMC score depends on which contest you took and what you're aiming for. As a quick rule of thumb: a "good" score sits comfortably above the middle of the field for your contest and grade, and a "strong" score approaches the next milestone — a recognition award like Distinction, or an AIME invitation on the AMC 10 or AMC 12. The exact numbers can change from year to year, so the more useful question isn't "what number is good?" but "good compared to what?"

This page explains how to read your score against percentiles, cutoffs, and honors for each contest, with the current verified AIME qualifying scores and recent recognition thresholds from official MAA sources.

Last updated: September 2026. Current 2027 AIME qualifying scores are from the official 2026–27 MAA AIME Rules and Policies; historical cutoff and recognition figures are from official MAA threshold announcements — see the source note at the end. The 2027 AIME rules described here apply to MAA administration in the U.S. and Canada; participants in the AMC International program should follow the policies for their country or region.

What counts as a good AMC score?

Three things decide whether a score is "good":

1. The contest. The AMC 8 (25 questions, no penalty for wrong answers) is scored differently from the AMC 10 and AMC 12 (25 questions, with points for correct answers and for unanswered questions). A raw number that's strong on one contest can be average on another.
2. Your grade and goals. A score that's excellent for a sixth grader on the AMC 8 reads differently for an eighth grader. On the AMC 10/12, "good" often means "did it qualify me for the AIME?"
3. The year. Score distributions and recognition thresholds shift from year to year, and qualification rules can also change by competition cycle. That is why the same raw score can mean different things in different years.

A practical way to read your result: look at how far you are from the relevant milestone for your contest — a recognition threshold, or the current AIME qualifying score — using current official rules and recent results as your reference point.

Good score by contest level: AMC 8, AMC 10, AMC 12

AMC 8

The AMC 8 is for students in grade 8 and below. Because there's no penalty for wrong answers, scores tend to spread differently than on the AMC 10/12. A reasonable way to frame it:

• A mid-range score is typical for a first-time test-taker.
• A clearly above-middle score is a good result, especially for younger students.
• The top end is where MAA recognition and honor-roll distinctions become relevant.

The AMC 8 does not feed into the AIME, so there is no AIME cutoff to clear — the meaningful targets are the recognition awards.

AMC 10

The AMC 10 is for students in grade 10 and below. Here, "good" is often defined by AIME qualification. For the 2027 AIME, eligible students who score 100 or higher on either AMC 10A or AMC 10B meet the qualifying-score requirement. See the current and recent qualifying scores below.

AMC 12

The AMC 12 is for students in grade 12 and below and covers a broader syllabus. As with the AMC 10, the most meaningful benchmark for many students is often AIME qualification. For the 2027 AIME, eligible students who score 85 or higher on either AMC 12A or AMC 12B meet the qualifying-score requirement. A lower qualifying score on one contest does not mean that contest is easier.

AMC score distributions and percentiles

A percentile tells you the share of test-takers who scored at or below you. It's the fairest single way to judge a result, because it already accounts for how hard a given year's contest was.

How to use the idea, even without a published table in front of you:

• Below the middle of the field: a solid starting baseline, with clear room to grow.
• Above the middle: a good result for that year's field.
• Near the top: approaching recognition or AIME-qualifying territory, depending on the contest.

When MAA publishes official percentile or score-distribution information for a contest and year, match your raw score against the statistics for that same contest, version, and year — and compare within a single year, since the same raw score can land at different percentiles across years. We don't reproduce a percentile table here, because percentile figures should be read from the official release for the exact year you care about rather than estimated.

AMC cutoffs explained

A "cutoff" on the AMC 10 and AMC 12 is the score used to determine AIME qualification. Historically, MAA used percentage-based cutoffs that were announced after AMC results were finalized. For the 2027 AIME, that system has changed: the qualifying score is 100 for AMC 10A or AMC 10B and 85 for AMC 12A or AMC 12B, for otherwise eligible students.

A few points that trip people up:

• A and B used to differ. Historical AMC 10A/10B and AMC 12A/12B cutoffs could differ in the same year. For the 2027 AIME, the same threshold applies to A and B within each contest.
• AMC 10 and AMC 12 still differ. For the 2027 AIME, the qualifying score is 100 on AMC 10 and 85 on AMC 12.
• Rules can change by cycle. The 100 and 85 thresholds apply to the 2027 AIME and should not be treated as permanent scores for future years.

AIME-qualifying scores (current and recent years)

For the 2027 AIME, MAA set fixed qualifying scores of 100 for AMC 10A/10B and 85 for AMC 12A/12B. The 2026 and 2025 columns below are historical cutoffs from the previous percentage-based system. AIME years are shown here; the qualifying AMC 10/12 contests are administered the prior November.

The swing between the historical 2025 and 2026 cutoffs — for example, AMC 12A moving from 76.5 to 96 — shows why past cutoffs were only reference points. For the 2027 AIME, MAA instead published the fixed 100/85 qualifying scores in advance.

AIME cutoffs and qualifying scores

The AIME (American Invitational Mathematics Examination) is the next round after the AMC 10/12. For the 2027 AIME, eligible students meet the score requirement with 100 or higher on AMC 10A/10B or 85 or higher on AMC 12A/12B.

How AIME qualifying scores are set

For the 2027 AIME, MAA published fixed qualifying scores in advance: 100 for AMC 10A/10B and 85 for AMC 12A/12B. This replaces the previous system in which the qualifying cutoffs were determined from AMC results using percentage-based targets. The published scores apply to the 2026–27 competition cycle; future policies may change.

AMC 10 vs AMC 12 qualifying paths

Both contests can lead to the AIME, with separate 2027 qualifying scores:

If you take more than one eligible AMC 10/12 version in the 2026–27 cycle, compare each score with the threshold for that contest: 100 for AMC 10 and 85 for AMC 12. Even if a student earns qualifying scores on two AMCs, the 2027 rules allow the student to register for and participate in AIME only once during the exam period.

For a fuller walkthrough, see how to qualify for AIME through AMC 10 and AMC 12.

Distinction and Honor Roll Distinction

Beyond AIME qualification, recent MAA AMC 10/12 threshold announcements also report Distinction and Honor Roll Distinction thresholds, with Honor Roll Distinction being the higher of the two.

These recognition thresholds are published per contest, per version, and per year, separately from the current AIME qualification rule. Here are the official AMC 10 and AMC 12 recognition thresholds for the two most recent completed cycles:

AIME 2026 cycle

AIME 2025 cycle

The AMC 8 also recognizes top scorers, but its recognition thresholds are released separately. We don't list AMC 8 numbers here until they're confirmed against the official source, rather than estimate them.

How to turn your score into a study plan

A score is a starting point, not a verdict. The useful next step is to find out where the points went — which topics, and how much time each question cost you — and then practice deliberately against that.

A simple routine that works:

1. Set an honest baseline. Take a timed practice test under real conditions so your starting point reflects how you actually perform.
2. Review by topic and timing. Sort your misses by topic, and look at where time drained away. A question you rushed and a question you ran out of time on call for different fixes.
3. Practice the weak spots, then re-test. Work the specific topics that cost you points, then take another timed test to see whether the pattern changed.

Math Prep Pro is built around that loop. You can take timed AMC practice tests for AMC 8, AMC 10, AMC 12, and AIME, then use the topic and timing analytics and AI-generated test reviews to see which topics and pacing patterns are holding your score back. The idea is practice with feedback, not just more questions — so each test points to what to work on next.

It won't promise a number. What it gives you is a clearer picture of your strengths, weak spots, and pacing, so your practice time goes where it counts.

FAQ

Source note

The 2027 AIME qualifying scores on this page are taken from the official MAA 2026–27 AIME Rules and Policies, updated August 26, 2026. That policy sets the qualifying-score requirement at 100 for AMC 10A/10B and 85 for AMC 12A/12B. The 2025 and 2026 historical AIME cutoffs and the Distinction and Honor Roll Distinction thresholds are taken from the official MAA threshold announcements for those earlier cycles. AMC 8 recognition thresholds and full score-distribution/percentile tables are not reproduced here; consult the official MAA materials for the cycle you are checking. MAA policies can change by competition cycle, so always confirm the rules for the year you care about.

Official sources:

• MAA 2026–27 AIME Rules and Policies (updated August 26, 2026): https://maa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2026-27-AIME-Policies.pdf
• MAA 2026–27 AMC Rules and Policies (updated August 21, 2026): https://maa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2026-27-AMC-Policies.pdf
• MAA announcement on the 2027 AIME qualifying scores and Pearson testing centers: https://maa.org/news/maa-announces-official-testing-centers-for-the-2027-american-invitational-mathematics-examination/
• MAA 2025–26 AIME Thresholds: https://maa.org/news/2025-26-aime-thresholds-are-now-available/
• MAA 2024–25 AIME Thresholds: https://maa.org/news/aime-thresholds-are-available/
• MAA AMC Policies: https://maa.org/student-programs/amc/maa-american-mathematics-competitions-policies/
• MAA Invitational Competitions: https://maa.org/maa-invitational-competitions/

Kevin Scott Math Instructor & Co-Founder of MPP