Pengi Editor's Note
The Pengi editorial team curated this Think Academy guide to 2025 AMC 10 and AMC 12 cutoff scores. Understanding exactly what scores qualify for AIME and Honor Roll — and how those thresholds have shifted historically — is critical information for setting realistic competition goals.
Source: Think Academy Blog
AMC 10 & AMC 12 Cutoff Scores 2025: AIME Qualification & Distinction Levels
AIME qualification thresholds reach historic highs
The 2025 AMC 10 cutoff scores and 2025 AMC 12 cutoff scores have officially been released by the MAA. This year’s results point to a clear trend: top-level competition is intensifying, with higher cutoffs and tighter score margins than in recent years.
This article covers:
- Official AIME qualification scores
- Distinction (Top 5%) and Honor Roll Distinction (Top 1%) cutoffs
- Historical trends from 2020–2025
- What these numbers mean for students preparing for AIME and beyond
Official 2025 AMC 10 Cutoff Scores
While Honor Roll (HR) and Distinguished Honor Roll (DHR) have been widely used by parents and students in the past, the MAA now officially uses “Distinction (Top 5%)” and “Honor Roll Distinction (Top 1%)” to recognize top performers.
AMC 10A
- AIME cutoff score: 105
- Honor Roll Distinction (Top 1%): 136.5
- Distinction (Top 5%): 112.5
- Average score: 57.13
AMC 10B
- AIME cutoff score: 99
- Honor Roll Distinction (Top 1%): 133.5
- Distinction (Top 5%): 105
- Average score: 57.00
Get the official 2025 AMC 10A & B real exam — plus the full step-by-step worked solutions.
Official 2025 AMC 12 Cutoff Scores
AMC 12A
- AIME cutoff score: 96
- Honor Roll Distinction (Top 1%): 150
- Distinction (Top 5%): 127.5
- Average score: 64.44
AMC 12B
- AIME cutoff score: 100.5
- Honor Roll Distinction (Top 1%): 145.5
- Distinction (Top 5%): 127.5
- Average score: 65.99
Source Link: MAA official website
2025 AMC Young Women in Mathematics Awards
In addition to cutoff-based distinctions, the 2025 AMC cycle also included national-level recognition awards for female students who scored at the very top nationwide through the Young Women in Mathematics Awards & Certificates program. With the generous support of multiple sponsors, the MAA is able to recognize and celebrate a broader group of exceptional top scorers, expanding visibility, encouragement, and long-term impact for young women excelling at the highest levels of competitive mathematics.
2025 National Award Recipients
- Maryam Mirzakhani AMC 8 Award
Recognizing female students who scored among the highest nationwide on the AMC 8
92 national award recipients - D. E. Shaw Group AMC 10 Award
Recognizing female students who scored among the highest nationwide on the AMC 10
9 national award recipients - Two Sigma AMC 10 Award
Recognizing female students who scored among the highest nationwide on the AMC 10
7 national award recipients - Jane Street AMC 12 Award
Recognizing female students who scored among the highest nationwide on the AMC 12
9 national award recipients - Citadel & Citadel Securities AMC 12 Award
Recognizing female students who scored among the highest nationwide on the AMC 12
6 national award recipients
Total national award recipients across AMC 8, AMC 10, and AMC 12 (2025): 123 students
Certificates (Regional Recognition)
In addition to national awards, certificates were awarded to the highest-scoring female students within each MAA Section for AMC 8, AMC 10, and AMC 12. These certificates represent regional-level top performance and are awarded independently of national awards.
Because certificates are issued by individual MAA sections, the total number of certificate recipients is not centrally published and exceeds the number of national award recipients.
How These Awards Fit into the 2025 Competition Landscape
- National awards recognize performance at the very top of the score distribution, beyond percentile-based distinctions
- These honors are separate from AIME qualification, Distinction (Top 5%), and Honor Roll Distinction (Top 1%)
- The number of award recipients reflects the growing depth of elite performance, particularly at the AMC 10 and AMC 12 levels
To view the official, complete list of 2025 Young Women in Mathematics Award and Certificate recipients, visit the MAA’s awards page.
AMC 10 Cutoff Score Trends (2020–2025)
| AMC 10 Cut-Off Scores | AIME Cut-off Score | Honor Roll Distinction (Top 1%) | Distinction (Top 5%) | Average Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 AMC 10A | 105 | 136.5 | 112.5 | 57.13 |
| 2025 AMC 10B | 99 | 133.5 | 105 | 57 |
| 2024 AMC 10A | 94.5 | 132 | 105 | 58 |
| 2024 AMC 10B | 105 | 138 | 114 | 61.77 |
| 2023 AMC 10A | 103.5 | 136.5 | 111 | 64.74 |
| 2023 AMC 10B | 105 | 135 | 112.5 | 64.10 |
| 2022 AMC 10A | 93 | 120 | 109.5 | 58.33 |
| 2022 AMC 10B | 94.5 | 114 | 106.5 | 57.91 |
| 2021 Fall AMC 10A | 96 | 117 | 96 | 59.4 |
| 2021 Fall AMC 10B | 96 | 120 | 96 | 56.32 |
| 2021 Spring AMC 10A | 103.5 | 132 | 103.5 | 65.53 |
| 2021 Spring AMC 10B | 102 | 126 | 102 | 62.31 |
| 2020 AMC 10A | 103.5 | 124.5 | 103.5 | 64.29 |
| 2020 AMC 10B | 102 | 120 | 102 | 61.22 |
AIME Qualification: Reaching the Upper Bound
From 2020 to 2025, the AMC 10 AIME cutoff score shows a clear upward trend:
- A score of 105 has appeared multiple times (2023–2025)
- This represents the upper limit of the historical range in recent years
Key insight:
The AMC 10 AIME cutoff is no longer an occasional spike—it reflects a consistently higher bar for qualification driven by stronger preparation among top students.
Distinction and Honor Roll Distinction: Increasing Score Compression
- Honor Roll Distinction (Top 1%) cutoffs in 2025 match or approach the highest levels recorded since 2023
- Distinction (Top 5%) thresholds remain well above 100
A notable pattern emerges:
The score gap between Distinction and Honor Roll Distinction is narrowing, meaning that fewer mistakes separate the top 5% from the top 1%.
Average Scores vs Award Cutoffs
While award thresholds remain high, average AMC 10 scores in 2025 dropped to around 57, compared with the low-to-mid 60s during 2021–2023.
Interpretation:
AMC 10 results show a top-heavy distribution:
- Elite students continue to perform at very high levels
- The broader test-taking population is scoring lower on average
AMC 12 Cutoff Score Trends (2022–2025)
| AMC 12 Cut-Off Scores | AIME Cut-off Score | Honor Roll Distinction(Top 1%) | Distinction( Top 5%) | Average Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 AMC 12A | 96 | 150 | 127.5 | 64.44 |
| 2025 AMC 12B | 100.5 | 145.5 | 127.5 | 65.99 |
| 2024 AMC 12A | 85.5 | 133.5 | 108 | 56.6 |
| 2024 AMC 12B | 88.5 | 139.5 | 118.5 | 61.72 |
| 2023 AMC 12A | 85.5 | 139.5 | 114 | 62.54 |
| 2023 AMC 12B | 88.5 | 135 | 112.5 | 64.10 |
| 2022 AMC 12A | 85.5 | 120 | 109.5 | 58.33 |
| 2022 AMC 12B | 81 | 114 | 106.5 | 57.91 |
Record-High Thresholds Across All Awards
The 2025 AMC 12 cutoff scores mark the most competitive year in the dataset:
- AIME cutoffs rose sharply from the mid-80s (2022–2024) to 96 and 100.5
- Distinction (Top 5%) and Honor Roll Distinction (Top 1%) reached new highs
- Average scores were the highest observed in recent years
This combination has not appeared in previous cycles.
Perfect Scores and Elite Competition
In 2025:
- AMC 12A reached a Honor Roll Distinction cutoff of 150, a perfect score
- A historically high number of students achieved full marks
This suggests that the AMC 12 is increasingly serving as a screening step for AIME-level readiness, rather than a strong separator among already elite students.
AMC 10 vs AMC 12: What the Data Shows
| Metric | AMC 10 | AMC 12 |
|---|---|---|
| AIME cutoff trend | High, stable | Rapid increase |
| Average score trend | Declining | Rising |
| Competition intensity | Concentrated at the top | Broad across levels |
| Score compression | Strong in top 5% | Very strong in top 1% |
How Students Should Interpret Their Scores
- Just missed AIME qualification: Often reflects execution or pacing issues rather than gaps in core understanding.
- Disctinction but not Honor Roll Distinction: Indicates solid competition readiness, with refinement needed in multi-step reasoning.
- AMC 10 & 12 AIME qualifiers: Preparation should now shift toward AIME-specific problem solving and proof-level thinking.
Final Takeaway
The 2025 AMC 10 and AMC 12 cutoff scores confirm that competitive math is becoming increasingly selective at the top. With Distinction defined as the top 5% and Honor Roll Distinction as the top 1%, the narrowing score gaps show that precision, depth, and consistency now matter more than ever.
For students aiming for AIME and advanced math pathways, these results should be viewed as the new competitive baseline, not a one-year anomaly. Early preparation and systematic practice are no longer optional—they are essential.
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