Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES)
See what the scale measures, how it is scored, and how a result is read against reference norms.
The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale is a short, public-domain measure of global self-esteem - a person's overall sense of their own worth. First published by Morris Rosenberg in 1965, it is the single most widely used self-esteem measure in the world, with ten statements that take about three minutes to answer.
The model
What it measures
The RSES measures one thing: global self-esteem, the overall positive or negative attitude a person holds toward themselves. It is deliberately unidimensional - there are no separate scored subscales, just a single total.
The aspects below are conceptual facets of how self-worth shows up in everyday life - self-acceptance, self-respect and quiet confidence - not separately scored dimensions. Five statements are worded positively and five negatively (and reverse-keyed) so the scale does not simply reward agreeing with everything; the total is the sum of all ten.
- SESelf-Esteem
Global self-worth - the overall positive or negative orientation toward oneself.
Facets: Self-worth, Self-acceptance, Self-respect, Confidence.
The evidence
Science and validity
The RSES is one of the most thoroughly researched instruments in psychology. Internal consistency is consistently strong - Cronbach's alpha typically falls between about .77 and .90 across samples and translations - and test-retest reliability over two weeks sits around .85. It correlates in the expected directions with depression, anxiety and other self-esteem measures, and in a 53-nation study its single-factor structure was largely invariant across cultures.
You rate each of ten statements on a 4-point agree-disagree scale, scored 0 (strongly disagree) to 3 (strongly agree). The five negatively worded statements are reverse-keyed so that, after reversal, a higher value always means more self-esteem, and the ten items are summed to a total from 0 to 30. Some studies score each item 1 to 4 instead, which shifts the same total to a 10-40 range, so a score is only comparable with norms on the same metric. There are no pass/fail cut-offs; the result is norm-referenced against a comparison group. A persistent technical finding is that the positively and negatively worded items can split into two correlated method factors, but the scale is still used and scored as a single total.
Where you stand
How a score becomes a percentile
A raw score only means something against a comparison group. For example, on the 0-30 scoring used here a self-esteem total of 26 sits above the average for a published sample of US adults (where the mean is near 22.6), placing it around the 72nd percentile - higher self-esteem than roughly seven in ten adults. Drag the slider to see how a score maps to a percentile.
The reference data
How your result is compared
On Psychology.me, your result is read against the reference norms for this test. It is not matched to your country, language or sex.
In the research literature, norm or validation data for this instrument have been published in these languages and regions:
This list describes published research. It is not the comparison your result on this site is scored against.
How it works
What the questions feel like
Illustrative statements showing the style of the items. These are examples, not the official scored items.
On the whole, I am content with the person I am.
Illustrative example in the style of the scale, not an official scored item.
I feel I have several qualities worth valuing.
Illustrative example, not an official scored item.
At times I feel I have little to be proud of.
Illustrative reverse-worded example, not an official scored item.
I am able to do most things as capably as other people.
Illustrative example, not an official scored item.
Honest strengths and limitations
Strengths
- The most widely used self-esteem measure in the world, with strong reliability and decades of validation across 53+ nations.
- Very short (about 3 minutes) and fully public domain, free to use without permission.
- A clear, single global score that is easy to interpret and to track over time.
Limitations
- It is a single global score, not a profile - it tells you the overall level of self-esteem, not which life areas it comes from.
- Like all self-reports it can be shaped by mood and self-presentation, and it captures how someone feels now rather than a fixed trait.
- Cross-country mean comparisons are confounded by response styles and measurement differences, so percentiles are a guide, not a verdict.
See your full profile
A complete report, with plain-language interpretation of every trait.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale measure?
It measures global self-esteem - a person's overall sense of their own worth - with ten short statements. It is deliberately unidimensional: there is one total score rather than separate subscales.
How is the RSES scored?
Each of the ten items is rated on a 4-point agree-disagree scale. Each answer is scored 0 to 3, the five negatively worded items are reverse-keyed so higher always means more self-esteem, and the items are summed to a total from 0 to 30. Some studies score each item 1 to 4, giving 10-40 instead; the two metrics cannot be mixed. There are no official clinical cut-offs; the score is read against a comparison group.
Is the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale free to use?
Yes. The RSES is in the public domain and free to use without permission, per the statement from the Rosenberg family and the University of Maryland. On Psychology.me you can take the 10-item scale itself: it is free to start with no account, and your free result places your self-esteem below average, within the average range, or above average. The detailed report is paid.
How long does it take?
About three minutes - ten statements on a 4-point scale.
Related tests
- Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the Adolescent Self-Image. Princeton University Press.
- Schmitt, D. P., & Allik, J. (2005). Simultaneous administration of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale in 53 nations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 89(4), 623-642.
- Sinclair, S. J., Blais, M. A., Gansler, D. A., Sandberg, E., Bistis, K., & LoCicero, A. (2010). Psychometric properties of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale: Overall and across demographic groups living within the United States. Evaluation & the Health Professions, 33(1), 56-80.
The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale is the work of Morris Rosenberg (1965) and is in the public domain; this independent informational page describes the instrument.