SHSAT cutoff scores for all 8 schools, 2022–2026
Updated
For 2026 admissions, 9th-grade cutoffs ranged from 495 at Brooklyn Latin to 561 at Stuyvesant. A cutoff, which NYC calls the “lowest qualifying score,” is the lowest SHSAT score that got an offer at a school.
| School | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Range | Change from 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuyvesant Manhattan | 563 | 561 | 561 | 556 | 561 | 556–563 | +5 |
| HSMSE Manhattan | 532 | 518 | 542 | 526 | 539 | 518–542 | +13 |
| Queens Sciences Queens | 523 | 527 | 524 | 518 | 531 | 518–531 | +13 |
| Bronx Science Bronx | 524 | 521 | 526 | 518 | 525 | 518–526 | +7 |
| Staten Island Tech Staten Island | 527 | 521 | 519 | 527 | 517 | 517–527 | −10 |
| American Studies Bronx | 516 | 510 | 514 | 504 | 507 | 504–516 | +3 |
| Brooklyn Tech Brooklyn | 506 | 503 | 507 | 505 | 506 | 503–507 | +1 |
| Brooklyn Latin Brooklyn | 497 | 493 | 492 | 496 | 495 | 492–497 | −1 |
Bold: 2026. In the last column, red means the cutoff went up from 2025 and green means it went down.
Source: NYC Public Schools, “Lowest Qualifying SHSAT Score” tables on the Specialized High Schools admissions page. 2022–2025 values are from archived copies of the same page (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025). Checked October 6, 2026.
Past cutoffs are a guide, not a prediction. Cutoffs change every year. Under NYC’s offer process, each cutoff depends on who takes the test that year and which schools those students rank.
How many questions right does each cutoff take on a practice test? See our estimate for every school in the SHSAT score calculator.
Is 570 a good SHSAT score?
Yes. A 570 is above every 9th-grade cutoff for 2026 admissions; the highest was Stuyvesant’s 561. A practice-test 570 is less certain, because one PrepCAT mini test can be off by about 50 points either way. With that margin, our model gives a practice-test 570 about a 57% chance of reaching Stuyvesant’s cutoff.
Cutoffs for 2027 admissions may move, since fall 2026 is the first computer-adaptive SHSAT. For 9th graders applying for 10th grade, a 570 is above 6 of the 8 cutoffs for 2026, but not Bronx Science or Brooklyn Latin (both 652).
How we got 57%: we treat a practice-test 570 as 570 ± 50 and Stuyvesant’s next cutoff as 561 ± 4 (its 2022–2026 swing, at least 4 points), then compute the chance that the score lands above the cutoff. Check 570 in the score calculator.
10th-grade cutoffs for 2026
NYC publishes separate cutoffs for 9th graders, who test for a seat in 10th grade. The SHSAT is open to NYC residents who are current 8th graders or first-time (not repeating) 9th graders. There are very few 10th-grade seats, so these values can be unusual: Brooklyn Latin’s 10th-grade cutoff was 652, against 495 for 9th grade; Bronx Science’s was 652, against 525.
| School | 10th grade, 2026 | 9th grade, 2026 (for comparison) |
|---|---|---|
| Stuyvesant High School | 562 | 561 |
| High School for Mathematics, Science and Engineering at City College | 554 | 539 |
| Queens High School for the Sciences at York College | 537 | 531 |
| The Bronx High School of Science | 652 | 525 |
| Staten Island Technical High School | 530 | 517 |
| High School of American Studies at Lehman College | 535 | 507 |
| Brooklyn Technical High School | 543 | 506 |
| The Brooklyn Latin School | 652 | 495 |
10th-grade values exactly as NYC Public Schools published them for 2026 admissions. Only 2026 is shown here.
How much cutoffs move from year to year
Most stable: Brooklyn Tech
From 2022 to 2026, the Brooklyn Tech cutoff stayed within 4 points (503–507). The Brooklyn Latin cutoff stayed within 5 (492–497), and the Stuyvesant cutoff within 7 (556–563).
Biggest swings: HSMSE and Queens Sciences
From 2022 to 2026, the HSMSE cutoff swung across 24 points (518–542) and the Queens Sciences cutoff across 13 (518–531). A cutoff moves when the number of seats changes or when a different mix of students tests and ranks the school.
Your ranking matters as much as your score
Each student gets an offer from the highest school on their list whose cutoff they reach. A 530 reached the Bronx Science cutoff for 2026 (525), but it led to Bronx Science only for students who did not also reach a school they ranked higher.
Below the cutoff? Discovery and DREAM
Discovery is a summer program that gives some students who score below the cutoff a second way in. It is for rising 9th graders from low-income backgrounds and schools. Students who finish it successfully can enroll at a specialized high school in September. NYC contacts eligible students in the spring, after the test. Read the rules on NYC Public Schools’ Discovery program page.
DREAM is NYC’s own extracurricular SHSAT prep program for eligible public school students. See who can join DREAM.
Questions about cutoffs
What is the SHSAT cutoff score for Stuyvesant in 2026?
For 2026 admissions, Stuyvesant’s lowest qualifying score was 561 for 9th-grade entry and 562 for 10th-grade entry. From 2022 to 2026, its 9th-grade cutoff ranged from 556 to 563.
Is there a passing score on the SHSAT?
No. Students are ranked by composite score, and each one gets an offer from the highest school on their list that still has seats. A school’s cutoff is the score of the last student who got an offer there.
Will cutoffs change with the new adaptive test?
Possibly. Fall 2026 is the first computer-adaptive SHSAT. NYC says the way it turns test performance into reported scores stays consistent with past tests, but cutoffs for 2027 admissions could still move more than in a normal year. Treat past cutoffs as a guide and aim for a margin above them. What changed on the 2026 SHSAT.