What Is a Good Figure Skating Score? A Quick Reference Guide

Erika Venza
2026-02-10T12:07:21-05:00

What counts as a good figure skating score? Quick reference ranges for men's, women's, pairs, and ice dance - short programs, free skates, and combined totals.

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What Is a Good Figure Skating Score? Quick Reference for Fans | Adults Skate Too

Scoring Guide
What Is a Good Figure Skating Score?

The cheat sheet for knowing whether that number on screen is impressive or not.

What's Inside

1. How Scoring Works

2. Men's Singles

3. Women's Singles

4. Pairs

5. Ice Dance

6. Things to Keep in Mind

7. Frequently Asked Questions

A score flashes on the screen. The skater either pumps their fist or looks devastated. The commentator says "that's a huge score" or doesn't. And you're sitting there thinking: is 185 good? Is 72 bad? What am I looking at?

Figure skating scores don't have a fixed maximum, so there's no intuitive way to know whether a number is impressive unless you have context. This guide gives you that context - quick reference ranges for every Olympic discipline so you can react in real time.

How Scoring Works (30-Second Version)

Every figure skating performance gets two scores that are added together:

Technical Element Score (TES): Points for each jump, spin, step sequence, and other element. Harder elements = higher base value, and each element also gets a Grade of Execution (GOE) from -5 to +5.

Program Component Score (PCS): Points for skating skills, transitions, performance, and composition. Each category is scored out of 10 by the judges.

The two scores combine into a Total Segment Score for each program (short or free). The short program score and free skate score combine into the Total Score that determines final placement.

For a deeper breakdown, read our complete guide to the scoring system.

Men's Singles

Short Program (about 2:40)

🟢 Elite / Medal contender: 95-115+

🟡 Strong (top 10 at Olympics): 85-95

🟠 Solid international: 75-85

🔴 Below average for Olympics: Under 75

For reference, Ilia Malinin scored 114.08 at the 2025 U.S. Championships. A score above 100 in the short program is exceptional - it means the skater nailed their three jump elements (typically including a quad) with high GOE and had strong component scores.

Free Skate (about 4:00)

🟢 Elite / Medal contender: 190-240+

🟡 Strong (top 10 at Olympics): 170-190

🟠 Solid international: 150-170

🔴 Below average for Olympics: Under 150

Malinin holds the all-time highest free skate score at 238.24, set at the 2025 Grand Prix Final with seven clean quads. At the 2026 Olympics team event, his 200.03 free skate clinched gold for Team USA - and that was considered a "restrained" effort.

Combined Total

🟢 Gold medal territory: 300-340+

🟡 Medal contender: 275-300

🟠 Top 10: 250-275

Malinin's personal best combined total is 333.81 (2025 Skate Canada International). Nathan Chen won the 2022 Olympic gold with 332.60. If you see a men's total above 300, you're watching one of the best performances of the competition.

Women's Singles

Short Program (about 2:40)

🟢 Elite / Medal contender: 72-82+

🟡 Strong (top 10 at Olympics): 65-72

🟠 Solid international: 58-65

🔴 Below average for Olympics: Under 58

Women's scores are generally lower than men's because the women's field has fewer quad jumps and the scoring system values those heavily. However, the gap has been narrowing - skaters like Kaori Sakamoto and Alysa Liu consistently push into the mid-to-high 70s even without quads, through exceptional skating skills and performance quality.

Free Skate (about 4:00)

🟢 Elite / Medal contender: 145-165+

🟡 Strong (top 10 at Olympics): 130-145

🟠 Solid international: 115-130

🔴 Below average for Olympics: Under 115

Combined Total

🟢 Gold medal territory: 225-240+

🟡 Medal contender: 210-225

🟠 Top 10: 190-210

Kaori Sakamoto, a three-time World champion (2022-2024), scored 236.09 at the 2022 World Championships. The women's event at Milano Cortina 2026 (short program February 17, free skate February 19) is expected to be one of the most competitive in Olympic history.

Pairs

Short Program

🟢 Elite / Medal contender: 72-82+

🟡 Strong: 64-72

🟠 Solid international: 55-64

Free Skate

🟢 Elite / Medal contender: 135-155+

🟡 Strong: 120-135

🟠 Solid international: 105-120

Combined Total

🟢 Gold medal territory: 215-235+

🟡 Medal contender: 195-215

Pairs scoring accounts for the complexity of synchronized elements - side-by-side jumps, throw jumps, lifts, death spirals, and twist lifts all have their own base values. A clean pairs free skate with a throw triple and side-by-side triples lands in the 135-145 range for top teams.

Ice Dance

Ice dance scoring works a little differently. There are no jumps - the emphasis is on skating skills, timing, expression, and lifts. The two segments are the Rhythm Dance (which has a prescribed theme/rhythm each season) and the Free Dance.

Rhythm Dance

🟢 Elite / Medal contender: 82-92+

🟡 Strong: 75-82

🟠 Solid international: 65-75

Free Dance

🟢 Elite / Medal contender: 125-140+

🟡 Strong: 110-125

🟠 Solid international: 95-110

Combined Total

🟢 Gold medal territory: 215-230+

🟡 Medal contender: 195-215

Madison Chock and Evan Bates, the three-time world champion American ice dance couple, are among the favorites for gold in Milano Cortina. Their best combined scores regularly push above 220.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

Scores don't have a ceiling. Unlike gymnastics (which used to max at a 10.0), figure skating scores are open-ended. As jumps get harder and programs get more complex, the theoretical maximum keeps rising. This is why Malinin's scores look so much higher than skaters from even 10 years ago.

Scores vary by competition. Judges can score slightly differently at different events. Worlds and Olympics tend to be scored more conservatively than Grand Prix events. A 190 at the Grand Prix Final might become a 183 at the Olympics for a similar skate.

The personal best matters. When commentators mention a "personal best" or "season's best," that's the real benchmark. Every skater is competing against their own trajectory as much as against each other.

Negative GOE is harsh. A fall doesn't just cost the 1.00 deduction - it also tanks the GOE on that element by -3 to -5. A single fall on a quad can cost 5-7 points total when you factor in the lost positive GOE they would have earned.

Want to Dig Deeper?

How Figure Skating Scoring Actually Works (Full Guide)

Every Figure Skating Jump Explained

How Skaters Decide Where to Put Jumps

Who Is Ilia Malinin? The Quad God Explained

Every Olympic Figure Skating Event, Explained

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is considered elite scoring for men's figure skating?

Elite men's scores typically exceed 95 in the short program and 190 in the free skate at Olympic level. Ilia Malinin holds the world record free skate at 238.24 with seven clean quadruple jumps. For context, Nathan Chen won the 2022 Olympic gold with a combined total of 332.60. A combined score above 300 represents world-class performance that matches Olympic medal contention.

How do women's scores compare to men's scores in figure skating?

Women's scores are generally lower than men's because the scoring system emphasizes quadruple jumps, which are more prevalent in men's skating. At the Olympics, elite women score 72 to 82+ in the short program versus men's 95 to 115+. However, the gap has been narrowing as women increasingly land quads. Three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto consistently scores in the high 70s without quads through exceptional skating skills and performance quality.

What is a good pairs figure skating score?

Gold-medal-level pairs typically score 72 to 82+ in the short program and 135 to 155+ in the free skate. A combined score above 215 places a team in medal contention at major competitions. Pairs scoring accounts for synchronized elements including side-by-side jumps, throw jumps, lifts, and death spirals. Japan's Miura and Kihara achieved a world-record free skate of 158.13 at the 2026 Olympics with their commanding pairs performance.

How much can a fall on a quad affect a skater's score?

A single fall on a quadruple jump typically costs 5 to 7 total points. The deduction includes a 1.00-point penalty plus a negative Grade of Execution (GOE) of -3 to -5, which reduces the element's base value. Additionally, the skater loses the positive GOE they would have earned for executing the jump cleanly. This is why one technical mistake in a free skate can dramatically change a skater's position in competition and affect final scoring outcomes.

Why do scores vary between the Grand Prix and the Olympics?

Different judging panels, competition caliber, and judge conservatism lead to scoring variations. Grand Prix events typically score higher than Worlds or the Olympics. A skater might receive 190 at the Grand Prix Final for a program that scores 183 at the Olympics, even for a similar skate. The ISU uses more experienced judges at prestigious events, and their standards are naturally more stringent at Olympic competition where the stakes are highest.

What does Grade of Execution measure in figure skating?

Grade of Execution (GOE) is a score from -5 to +5 assigned by each judge to every technical element. A GOE of 0 indicates adequate execution, while positive GOE adds to the element's base value for excellent performance. Negative GOE subtracts points for errors or falls. Each GOE level roughly adjusts the base value by approximately 10 percent. Understanding GOE is essential to comprehending how the IJS international judging system works.

How many judges score figure skating and how are scores calculated?

A panel of typically 9 judges scores each performance using the ISU Judging System. The highest and lowest scores are discarded before averaging the remaining seven scores for both Technical Element Score and Program Component Score. All judges use the same international ISU standards, ensuring consistency across competitions. This protection against outlier judging helps maintain score integrity and fairness in competitive figure skating.

What is the difference between TES and PCS in figure skating?

Technical Element Score (TES) awards points based on the difficulty and execution of jumps, spins, and step sequences, while Program Component Score (PCS) awards points for skating skills, transitions, performance, and composition. Both contribute equally to the final score. A skater might have high TES but lower PCS for technical prowess without artistry, or vice versa. The balance between the two determines competitive success.

Are there world records for figure skating scores?

Yes, Ilia Malinin holds the men's free skate world record at 238.24 (2025 Grand Prix Final) and the combined total world record at 333.81 (2025 Skate Canada). In women's, recent scores have climbed into the mid-230s for combined totals. Pairs set world records regularly as athletes continue to push technical difficulty. Since figure skating has no fixed score ceiling, records continue to fall as athletes land harder jumps with better execution quality.

How should adult skaters think about scoring when learning?

Adult skaters benefit from understanding that scoring emphasizes both technical difficulty and quality of execution. Learning figure skating terminology helps you appreciate elements and judge your own progress meaningfully. Your personal best and season's best matter more than comparative scores, especially as an adult returning to skating. Focus on consistent technical improvement and joyful expression rather than competing against elite Olympic standards.

Where can I find detailed information about specific figure skating scores?

Adults Skate Too provides comprehensive scoring resources, including guides to how the IJS scoring system works and breakdowns of what constitutes a good score at various competition levels. For current Olympic and World Championship results and scores, check the official Adults Skate Too collection for links to ISU resources and analysis.

Keep Reading

How Figure Skating Scoring Actually Works (Full Guide)

Every Figure Skating Jump Explained

How Skaters Decide Where to Put Jumps

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