Naglieri General Ability Tests · understanding results
NGAT scores explained: standard score, percentile and stanine
Each NGAT test (Verbal, Nonverbal, Quantitative) produces one total standard score, scaled to an average of 100 with 15 points per standard deviation, plus a percentile and a stanine. A combined score is possible when two or three tests are given, and results can use national or local norms. Districts set their own cut-offs.
Which scores does the NGAT report?
The Naglieri General Ability Tests, published by Multi-Health Systems (MHS), are scored online in the MHS Group Insights platform. The official FAQ is short on this point: there are no subscores. Each of the three tests gives one total score, and standard scores, percentiles and stanines are provided to interpret it.
| Score or option | What MHS states | Where it is stated |
|---|---|---|
| Raw score | Number of items answered correctly on each completed test (40 items per test) | MHS Help Center; MHS storefront |
| Standard score | One total standard score per test; mean 100, standard deviation 15 | Official NGAT FAQ |
| Percentile | Provided for interpretation | Official NGAT FAQ |
| Stanine | Provided for interpretation | Official NGAT FAQ |
| Combined score | Can be generated when more than one test is given | MHS storefront |
| National norms | Age-based, 5 years 2 months to 14 years 9 months; grade-based, kindergarten to grade 6 | MHS storefront; MHS Help Center |
| Local norms | Kindergarten to grade 9; compares students tested in the same grade in a school, district or subdistrict | MHS storefront; MHS Help Center |
Sources: naglierigiftedtests.com FAQ; MHS storefront listing; MHS Help Center “Scoring and reporting”. Checked October 11, 2026.
How do you read an NGAT standard score?
The standard score places your child on a scale where 100 is the average and 15 points is one standard deviation. A score of 115 is therefore one standard deviation above the average of the comparison group, and 85 is one below. Because Verbal, Nonverbal and Quantitative are separate tests, your child can receive three different standard scores, and a gap between them is information, not a mistake.
Note the scale: the NGAT uses a standard deviation of 15, while the CogAT Standard Age Score and the NNAT3 Naglieri Ability Index use 16. The same number on two different tests does not mean the same position.
Local or national norms: which one is my child compared with?
MHS offers four comparisons: grade-based local, age-based local, grade-based national and age-based national. National norms compare a child with a nationally representative sample of grade or age peers, so the number of children tested in your district does not change the result. Local norms compare a child with the other students tested in the same grade in the same school or district, which helps schools find students who stand out in their own setting.
A child can have a modest national percentile and a high local one, or the reverse. The report should say which norm was used; if it does not, ask.
What NGAT score do you need for a gifted program?
No single number exists. Districts set their own cut-offs, choose whether they use one test, two or all three, decide between local and national norms, and usually look at other evidence too. Fairfax County Public Schools, for example, gives the online NGAT to groups of students in grades 2–7, and its letter to families says the NGAT is an abilities test, not something to study for like an achievement test. Ask your school for its written identification steps.
What to check on your child’s report
- Which tests were given, and whether a combined score was used.
- Whether the percentile is local or national, and age-based or grade-based.
- The Spanish-language parent report, if it is easier for your family to read.
District example: Fairfax County Public Schools, NGAT abilities test information.
Sources
Questions people ask
What is a good NGAT score?
MHS does not publish a gifted cut-off. A standard score of 100 is average and the scale has a standard deviation of 15, so 115 is one standard deviation above average. Each district decides which score, and which norms, lead to further review.
Does the NGAT give subscores?
No. The official FAQ says there are no subscores: each of the three tests (Verbal, Nonverbal, Quantitative) produces its own total standard score, with percentiles and stanines for interpretation.
What is the combined NGAT score?
When a district gives more than one of the three tests, MHS says a combined score can be generated. Whether your school uses the combined score or each test separately is the school’s choice.
What is the difference between local and national norms?
National norms compare your child with a nationally representative sample of grade or age peers. Local norms compare your child with the other students tested in the same grade in the same school or district.
Is there a parent report in Spanish?
Yes. The official FAQ says an individual student report for parents is available in English and Spanish.
Can practice results predict an NGAT score?
No. A practice app is not normed, so its results cannot be turned into a standard score, percentile or stanine. NGAT Test Prep says so in the app: its reports describe practice, not an official score.