You ticked the boxes, pressed Calculate, and now a number is staring back at you. Maybe it's 91. Maybe it's 54. Either way, the next question is always the same: what does my Rice Purity Test score actually mean?
This guide explains exactly how the purity score is calculated, what every range on the 0–100 scale says (and doesn't say), why the "average score" you see online changes from site to site, and how to compare your result with friends fairly. No judgment, no made-up statistics.
Quick answer
Your Rice Purity score is 100 minus the number of items you checked. A higher score means you've had fewer of the 100 listed experiences; a lower score means you've had more. In short: 100–98 extremely pure, 97–94 high purity, 93–77 moderate purity, 76–45 moderate to low purity, and below 45 very experienced. The score counts experiences. It does not measure character, maturity or worth.
How the Rice Purity Test score is calculated
The Rice Purity Test is a list of 100 yes-or-no questions that all start with an unspoken "Have you ever…?". Everyone starts at 100. Every item you check takes away exactly one point. Check 23 items and your score is 77. Check none and you keep a perfect 100.
Three details about this simple math explain almost everything about what your number means:
- Every item weighs the same. Holding hands romantically costs one point, and so does being arrested. The test doesn't rank experiences by how serious they are, so two people with the same score can have very different stories.
- The score can only go down. Because the questions ask whether you have ever done something, a checked box stays checked for life. Your score is a running total, not a mood.
- The list covers five broad areas: romance and relationships (dates, kissing, partners), physical intimacy, alcohol, tobacco and drugs, rules and the law (school discipline, police), and daring social moments such as skinny-dipping. Many questions use the term MPS, short for "member of the preferred sex", which keeps the list neutral for every sexual orientation.
The order matters too. The list starts gently (holding hands, a first date) and becomes more personal as it goes. That gradual build is why the test works as an icebreaker, and it's why most people's checked boxes cluster in the first half of the list.
Rice Purity Test score chart (0–100)
Here is the full score chart we use on our Rice Purity Test. The labels are a friendly shorthand, not official categories. Treat them as a starting point for reflection rather than a verdict.
| Score range | Label | What it usually reflects |
|---|---|---|
| 100–98 | Extremely pure | Almost none of the listed experiences yet |
| 97–94 | High purity | A few gentle firsts, such as a first date or first kiss |
| 93–77 | Moderate purity | Common early-adult experiences: relationships, parties, a little rule-bending |
| 76–45 | Moderate to low purity | A broad mix of relationship, social and party experiences |
| Below 45 | Experienced | Most areas of the list, usually built up over many years |
What each score range means
100–98: Extremely pure
A score in this range means you've checked two items or fewer. People here are usually at the very start of their adult life, have prioritized other things (school, work, family, faith), or simply haven't been interested in dating or partying. An honest 100 is rare among adults, but it's a perfectly real result. It isn't a gold star, and it isn't something to "fix".
97–94: High purity
Three to six checked items usually means a handful of gentle firsts: holding hands, a date, maybe a first kiss or a first relationship. Because the list opens with exactly these experiences, this range often reflects someone who has just started exploring romance.
93–77: Moderate purity
This is the middle of the scale and, for many people, the range that feels "normal". It typically includes relationships, some physical intimacy, alcohol at parties and perhaps a minor run-in with school rules. Since the test was originally handed to new students during Rice University's Orientation Week, this band describes the kind of life the test was written around: early adulthood with a few stories to tell.
76–45: Moderate to low purity
Scores here reflect broad life experience across several areas of the list: long-term relationships, nights out, travel, maybe some rule-breaking. It's common for people in their twenties and beyond, simply because they've had more time. A score in this range doesn't mean reckless; it means the list has had years to catch up with you.
Below 45: Experienced
Below 45 means you've checked more than half of the list, usually across every category. Age is the biggest factor: the older you are, the more boxes life tends to tick. Very low scores are uncommon because the bottom of the list includes extreme and even illegal scenarios that almost nobody has experienced. If you see a 3 or a 0 online, it's almost always a joke.
What is the average Rice Purity score?
Here's the honest answer: there is no official average Rice Purity score. The first published results date back to 1924, when Rice University's student newspaper, The Rice Thresher, reported an informal ten-question survey of 119 female students. The modern 100-question version has never been studied scientifically.
Averages you'll find online, often quoted somewhere in the 60s or 70s, come from self-reported, self-selected results. They're interesting, but they're shaky for four reasons:
- Different versions. Many sites reword or replace questions, so their scores aren't measuring the same list.
- Who takes it. An online quiz attracts curious people of every age. A 19-year-old and a 35-year-old are not comparable.
- Honesty. People tend to shade answers in the direction they think looks good, a well-documented effect called social desirability bias.
- Joke answers. Plenty of people click everything (or nothing) just to see what happens, which drags any average around.
The only average that really means something is your own group's. If you're curious, have everyone write their score on a slip of paper, add them up and divide by the number of people. Our guide to playing the Rice Purity Test with friends has more ideas for anonymous reveals.
Is a high or low score "good"?
Neither. The Rice Purity Test is a checklist, not an exam, so there's no passing mark. The reactions you see online ("aww" for a 95, "wild" for a 40) are social reactions, not part of the test. Even the version presented by The Rice Thresher carries a tongue-in-cheek warning: "Caution: This is not a bucket list."
Instead of asking whether your score is good, try three better questions:
- Does this number match my life so far? If it does, the test did its job.
- Did any question surprise me? That's usually the most interesting part of the whole exercise.
- Is there anything I'd like to change, for me and not for the score? A score is never a reason to do something you don't want to do.
Why your score changes over time
Because every question asks about your whole life, your score can only stay the same or drop. That's exactly why the test became a tradition at Rice: the Thresher describes it as a way for students "to track the maturation of their experiences throughout college". Taking it once a year, or at milestones such as starting university, graduating or moving cities, turns it into a light-hearted diary.
What doesn't work is retaking it on the same day with different answers. If the first honest result felt too high or too low, that feeling is worth more thought than a new number.
How to compare scores fairly
- Use the same version. Everyone should take the same original 100-question list, ideally on the same site.
- Answer privately. People edit their answers when someone is watching. Take it alone, then share.
- Remember age and background. Time, culture, religion and personal values all shape a score. Compare ranges, not single points.
- Share the number, not the answers. Which boxes someone checked is their business. A score is enough for a fun comparison.
- Keep it kind. The point is laughing about the list together, not ranking each other.
Curious why a simple checklist can feel so personal? Read Is the Rice Purity Test accurate? for the psychology behind your score, or discover the real history of the test, from a 1924 student newspaper to TikTok. And if you've also tried an "Am I gay?" quiz, find out how accurate gay tests really are.
Frequently asked questions
What does a Rice Purity score of 100 mean?
A score of 100 means you did not check any of the 100 items. It is the highest possible score and simply means none of the listed experiences apply to you yet. It is not a grade and it is not better or worse than any other score.
Can you get a score of 0 on the Rice Purity Test?
In theory, yes, if you check all 100 items. In practice almost nobody does, because a few items describe extreme or illegal situations that very few people have experienced. Scores in the single digits are almost always joke answers.
Is 50 a good Rice Purity score?
A score of 50 sits in the 76–45 "moderate to low purity" range, which usually reflects a broad mix of relationship, social and party experiences. There is no good or bad score; 50 simply means you checked half of the items.
What is a normal Rice Purity score for a college student?
There is no official average. The test is anonymous and has never been studied scientifically in its modern form. Because it was designed as an orientation activity for first-year students, many people taking it in college land somewhere in the middle ranges, but any score is normal.
Why did I get a different score on another website?
Many websites change the wording, swap questions or even drop items, so their 100 questions are not identical. Small changes add up. To compare with friends, make sure everyone takes the same version of the original 100-question list.
Is my Rice Purity score private?
On ricepuritytesthq.com your answers are counted in your browser and are never sent to our server. Nobody else can see your score unless you share it.
