Many students often get confused between percentage and percentile. These two words sound similar, but they mean very different things. You might see both when you get exam results, especially in competitive tests like JEE, NEET, CAT, or university exams.
This article will help you understand the difference between percentage and percentile, how both are calculated, and what they actually tell you.
What Is Percentage?
Percentage is a measure of how many marks you got out of the total, expressed out of 100. It shows your personal score or performance in an exam.
Simple Formula:
Percentage = (Your Marks / Total Marks) × 100
Example:
If you scored 80 marks out of 100, your percentage is:
(80 / 100) × 100 = 80%
It’s a direct reflection of your score. If your percentage is 80%, that means you got 80% of the total questions or marks right.
What Is Percentile?
Percentile tells you where you stand among others who took the same test. It’s about ranking, not raw score.
It shows what percentage of students scored less than you.
Simple Meaning:
- If your percentile is 90, it means you performed better than 90% of students.
- That does not mean you got 90 marks.
Example:
If 100 students appeared in an exam, and your score is better than 90 of them, your percentile is 90.
Key Differences Between Percentage and Percentile
| Feature | Percentage | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Your marks out of 100 | Rank compared to others |
| Based on | Your score only | Your score + others’ scores |
| Example Value | 75% means you got 75 out of 100 | 75 percentile means 75% scored less |
| Range | 0 to 100 | 0 to 100 |
| Use | Regular exams | Competitive or entrance exams |
When Is Percentage Used?
You’ll usually see percentage used in:
- School report cards
- University semester results
- Class tests or final exams
- Internal assessments
When Is Percentile Used?
You’ll see percentile mostly in:
- Competitive exams (like JEE, NEET, CAT)
- Aptitude tests
- Normalized tests where scores are compared across sessions or shifts
Why Percentile Can Be Confusing
Percentile doesn’t show your actual marks. That’s why students sometimes think it’s their percentage. But it’s not.
Here’s an example to show how they differ:
- You scored 70 out of 100:
Your percentage is 70%. - If many others scored less than you, your percentile could be 90 or 95.
In some cases, even if your percentage is lower, your percentile can be higher, if the exam was tough and others did worse.
Another Example (Easy to Visualize)
Let’s say 5 students took a test.
| Student | Marks (out of 100) | Percentage | Rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 95 | 95% | 1 | 100 |
| B | 85 | 85% | 2 | 80 |
| C | 75 | 75% | 3 | 60 |
| D | 65 | 65% | 4 | 40 |
| E | 55 | 55% | 5 | 20 |
So you can see:
- Student C got 75%, but their percentile is 60.
- This means 60% of students scored less than them.
Why Do Exams Use Percentile?
Some exams are held in multiple shifts or sessions, and each session might have a different level of difficulty.
For example:
- One paper might be harder than the other.
- Percentile makes the results fairer by comparing students to others in the same group.
That’s why exams like JEE Main, NEET, CAT, GATE use percentile, not just raw marks or percentage.
Which Is More Important?
It depends on the situation:
- For job applications, scholarships, or college admissions, many ask for percentage.
- For competitive exam rankings, percentile decides your rank, eligibility, or cut-off.
So both are important, but for different reasons.
Common Student Doubts
Can I convert percentile to percentage?
No. There’s no fixed formula to convert percentile to percentage. They are completely different concepts.
Is 99 percentile the same as 99%?
No.
- 99 percentile means you scored better than 99% of students.
- 99% (percentage) means you got 99 out of 100 marks.
Which one do colleges look at?
It depends.
- Normal admissions usually ask for percentage.
- Competitive exams or merit lists often use percentile.
Quick Summary
| Term | What it shows | Tells you… |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage | Your performance | How well you scored |
| Percentile | Your position | How well you rank among others |
Want to Convert Your CGPA or SGPA to Percentage?
If you’re confused about converting your CGPA or SGPA into a percentage, you can use this tool:
https://cgpa2percentagecalculator.com
It supports different grading scales like 4.0, 5.0, and 10.0, and uses actual university formulas. It’s made to help students just like you.
Final Thought
Percentage and percentile are not the same. One tells you how much you scored, and the other tells you how many people you scored better than. Both are useful, but for different purposes.