NFL Passer Rating Calculator
Enter completions, attempts, passing yards, touchdowns and interceptions to get the official NFL passer rating instantly — the same 0-to-158.3 formula the league has used since 1973. Switch to the NCAA tab for the college passing efficiency formula.
The NFL Passer Rating Calculator computes the league's official quarterback rating from five box-score numbers: completions, attempts, yards, touchdowns and interceptions. The result updates as you type, shows the four component scores so you can see exactly what helped or hurt the rating, and flags a perfect 158.3. The NCAA toggle switches to the college passing efficiency formula, which uses the same five inputs but a completely different scale. Everything runs in your browser — no sign-up, nothing uploaded.
How NFL Passer Rating Is Calculated
The NFL formula, adopted in 1973, scores four categories — completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown percentage and interception percentage — each on a scale from 0 to 2.375:
a = (Comp/Att − 0.3) × 5
b = (Yards/Att − 3) × 0.25
c = (TD/Att) × 20
d = 2.375 − (INT/Att × 25)
Each component is capped between 0 and 2.375, then: Rating = ((a + b + c + d) ÷ 6) × 100. That cap is why the maximum possible rating is exactly 158.3 — achieved with at least 77.5% completions, 12.5+ yards per attempt, a touchdown on at least 11.875% of attempts, and zero interceptions.
The NCAA formula is different
College football uses passing efficiency instead: (8.4 × Yards + 330 × TD + 100 × Comp − 200 × INT) ÷ Attempts. It has no caps, so ratings above 200 are common for elite college seasons and the theoretical range is roughly −731 to 1,261. Never compare an NFL rating to an NCAA rating directly — a 158.3 in the NFL and a 180 in college are both excellent, but they live on unrelated scales.
What Counts as a Good Passer Rating?
| NFL rating | Verdict |
|---|---|
| 158.3 | Perfect game |
| 110+ | Elite performance |
| 95–110 | Very good |
| 85–95 | Around league average |
| 70–85 | Below average |
| Under 70 | Poor day |
League-wide averages have climbed for decades as passing offenses evolved — a 90 rating was elite in the 1990s and is roughly average in the modern NFL. That's worth remembering when comparing eras.
Worked Example: Calculating a Passer Rating Step by Step
Take a quarterback who goes 24 of 33 for 310 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. Run the four components:
- Completion percentage: 24 ÷ 33 = 0.7273. (0.7273 − 0.3) × 5 = 2.136
- Yards per attempt: 310 ÷ 33 = 9.394. (9.394 − 3) × 0.25 = 1.598
- Touchdown percentage: (3 ÷ 33) × 20 = 1.818
- Interception percentage: 2.375 − ((1 ÷ 33) × 25) = 2.375 − 0.758 = 1.617
None of the four exceeds the 2.375 ceiling or falls below zero, so no capping applies. Sum them: 2.136 + 1.598 + 1.818 + 1.617 = 7.169. Then (7.169 ÷ 6) × 100 = 119.5 — an elite line, comfortably above the 110 threshold. Notice how much the single interception costs: with zero picks the fourth component would be the full 2.375, lifting the rating to about 132.1. That is a 12.6-point swing from one throw, which is why interception rate is the harshest term in the formula. The rating formula itself is defined in the NFL's official rules and statistics guidance, published by the league at NFL Football Operations.
Passer rating vs QBR
Passer rating is not ESPN's Total QBR. Passer rating is a pure box-score formula anyone can compute (that's what this calculator does); QBR is a proprietary 0–100 model that folds in play-by-play context, rushing, sacks and win probability. The two often disagree — a QB can post a high passer rating from safe short throws while QBR grades the same game as mediocre.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is NFL passer rating calculated?
From four components, each scaled 0 to 2.375: completion percentage — (Comp/Att − 0.3) × 5; yards per attempt — (Yds/Att − 3) × 0.25; touchdown percentage — (TD/Att) × 20; and interception percentage — 2.375 − (INT/Att × 25). The four capped components are averaged and multiplied by 100, giving a scale of 0 to 158.3.
What is a perfect passer rating?
158.3 — the maximum the formula allows. It requires completing at least 77.5% of passes, averaging at least 12.5 yards per attempt, throwing a touchdown on at least 11.875% of attempts, and zero interceptions, all in the same game.
What is a good passer rating in the NFL?
In the modern NFL, roughly 85–95 is around league average, 95–110 is very good, and anything over 110 is elite. Under 70 is a poor outing. Averages have risen over the decades, so a rating that was excellent in the 1990s is merely average today.
Is passer rating the same as QBR?
No. Passer rating is the official league formula computed purely from box-score stats — anyone can reproduce it, which is what this calculator does. Total QBR is ESPN’s proprietary 0–100 metric that incorporates play-by-play context, rushing, sacks and win probability. The two frequently disagree.
How is the NCAA passer rating different?
College football uses passing efficiency: (8.4 × Yards + 330 × TD + 100 × Completions − 200 × INT) ÷ Attempts. It has no component caps, so values above 200 happen in elite seasons. NFL and NCAA numbers are on unrelated scales and should never be compared directly.
Can a quarterback have a 0.0 passer rating?
Yes. If all four components bottom out — completion percentage at or below 30%, 3 or fewer yards per attempt, no touchdowns, and a high enough interception rate — the formula floors at exactly 0.0. It has happened in real NFL games.
Does this calculator work for a single game and a full season?
Yes — the formula is identical for any sample size. Enter one game’s box score or a full season’s totals; the rating is computed the same way from completions, attempts, yards, touchdowns and interceptions.
How much does one interception lower a passer rating?
More than most people expect. On a 33-attempt game, a single interception costs about 12.6 rating points — a 24 of 33, 310-yard, 3-touchdown line rates 132.1 with no picks but 119.5 with one. The interception term subtracts 25 points of scale per interception per attempt, making it the harshest of the four components.
How do you calculate passer rating by hand?
Work out the four components, cap each between 0 and 2.375, add them, divide by 6, then multiply by 100. For a 24 of 33, 310-yard, 3-TD, 1-INT line: completion 2.136, yards per attempt 1.598, touchdown 1.818, interception 1.617. That sums to 7.169; 7.169 ÷ 6 × 100 = 119.5.