If a score is at the 60th percentile, what does that indicate?

If a score is at the 60th percentile, what does that indicate?

• A. The person performed worse than 60% of reference group.
• B. The person is at the median.
• C. The person performed better than 60% of reference group.
• D. The person is in the bottom 40th percentile.

Answer: (C)

Percentiles indicate where a score stands compared to peers. A score at the 60th percentile means you performed better than 60% of the reference group (and worse than the remaining 40%). This places you above the median, since the median is the 50th percentile. So the interpretation is that you did better than 60% of peers, not worse, not at the bottom, and not exactly at the median.

Percentiles indicate where a score stands compared to peers. A score at the 60th percentile means you performed better than 60% of the reference group (and worse than the remaining 40%). This places you above the median, since the median is the 50th percentile. So the interpretation is that you did better than 60% of peers, not worse, not at the bottom, and not exactly at the median.