Self-Esteem Test: Measure Your Sense of Self-Worth in a Few Minutes
This self-esteem test measures your overall sense of self-worth using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Get an instant score, an explanation of your result, and an optional report to discuss with a therapist.
Reviewed by Michael Callans, MSW 
Self-Esteem Test is a free, confidential 10-question self-assessment, based on the validated Rosenberg Scale (RSES). It takes about 7 minutes, runs entirely in your browser, and gives you a plain-language score across 3 interpretation bands plus an optional in-depth report. It is an educational screening, not a diagnosis.
One trusted measure of how you value yourself
Self-esteem is your overall sense of being a worthwhile person, including how you view your qualities, abilities, and value. The Rosenberg scale measures that global feeling through positive and negative statements about yourself. Your answers reflect your current perspective and can be influenced by circumstances.
Validated RSES items
The ten original Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale statements, worded faithfully. Five are positive and five are negative, which guards against simply agreeing with everything.
A single clear score
Each item scores 0 to 3, so the total runs from 0 to 30. Higher means stronger global self-worth. The score is read against decades of research norms. Research norms describe particular study populations; they do not turn the display bands into universal clinical thresholds.
A supportive interpretation
Most online quizzes give a vague label and stop. Your result explains what the score does and does not mean, normalizes where you land, and points to concrete next steps.
| Feature | Typical free quiz | Psychology.com |
|---|---|---|
| Validated Rosenberg (RSES) questions | Sometimes | Yes, faithful wording |
| Correct reverse scoring (5 items) | Often wrong | Yes, handled internally |
| Research-based score bands | Rarely shown | Yes, explained clearly |
| Clinician-reviewed interpretation | Rarely | Yes, clinician reviewed |
| Concrete next steps | No | Yes, evidence-based |
| Optional in-depth personalized report | No | Yes, written to your exact scores |
| Confidential (no data sent) | Often tracked | Runs in your browser |
How scoring works
Answers are scored 0–30 in total. Your result falls into one of 3 bands:
| Score | Band | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0–14 | Low self-esteem | Your score falls below 15, the range commonly associated with low self-esteem. That can be heavy to carry, and it is also one of the most workable things in psychology. |
| 15–25 | Normal range | Your score falls in the 15 to 25 range, which research considers normal self-esteem. You generally hold a balanced view of yourself, with the usual ups and downs. |
| 26–30 | High self-esteem | Your score is 26 or above, the range associated with high self-esteem. You tend to hold yourself in genuinely positive regard. |
Is this test right for teens, or only adults?
This self-esteem test uses a scale developed with adolescents and later studied in adults. Morris Rosenberg first developed and validated this scale with a large sample of high school students, and it has been used with both teenagers and adults in research ever since. The ten statements are written in plain, general language about satisfaction, worth, and capability, so a teenager can answer them as meaningfully as an adult can. If you are a parent wondering about a younger child rather than a teen, this scale was not built or tested for that age group, and a conversation with a pediatrician or child psychologist is a better starting point.
Whatever your age, the same caveat applies: this is a screening snapshot, not a diagnosis, and self-esteem naturally fluctuates more during adolescence than adulthood as identity, friendships, and independence are still taking shape.
Self-esteem vs self-compassion vs confidence
These three get used interchangeably, but they measure different things. Self-esteem, what this test screens, is a global judgment of your own worth. Confidence is usually narrower and skill-specific, like confidence in public speaking or in a particular relationship, and you can have high confidence in one area while your overall self-esteem stays low. Self-compassion is different again: it is how kindly you treat yourself when you fall short, and research increasingly suggests it may matter more for wellbeing than self-esteem itself, partly because it does not depend on comparing yourself favorably to others.
If the idea of being kinder to yourself resonates more than the idea of rating your own worth, our self-compassion test and the self-compassion exercises tool are worth exploring alongside this one. And if grandiosity or a fragile need for admiration feels more like the pattern you are trying to understand, the narcissism test looks at a very different, related territory.
A high self-esteem score alone does not establish narcissism. This scale asks how you value yourself overall; it does not assess entitlement, empathy, or how you respond to other people's needs. Likewise, a low score does not measure your ability, kindness, or actual worth. Keep the result focused on your current self-evaluation instead of using it as a character judgment.
What should I do after a low self-esteem test result?
Start with a situation where self-criticism interferes with your life, such as avoiding an opportunity or assuming a disagreement means you are unlikeable. The Self-Esteem Worksheet can help you record what happened, the conclusion you drew about yourself, and evidence that supports a more balanced view. You do not need to force a positive statement you cannot believe.
If self-criticism accompanies persistent sadness, loss of interest, or worry, the Depression Test and Anxiety Test offer related screening through the Psychology.com tests hub. Consider discussing the pattern with a licensed clinician when it affects relationships, work, school, or daily care. The Psychology.com therapist directory can help you look for support for self-esteem concerns.
For example, after a mistake at work, record the specific mistake separately from a conclusion such as "I fail at everything." Consider what you would say to a colleague in the same situation, and identify a practical repair you can make. The purpose is a fairer account of the event that leaves room for learning and responsibility.
How is the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale scored?
Positive and negative statements contribute in opposite directions. Agreeing with a positive statement increases the self-esteem total; agreeing with a negative statement lowers it after reverse scoring. This page handles that reversal automatically. Answer each statement as written rather than trying to adjust a response yourself to produce a particular result.
The total summarizes your overall self-evaluation. It is not a percentage, an intelligence score, or a rating of your worth relative to other people. The University of Maryland notes that the scale has no discrete cutoffs for high and low self-esteem. Read the displayed category as a discussion aid, and bring any concerns about self-criticism to a professional regardless of the label.
Methodology & sources
The ten questions reproduce the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965), a public-domain instrument and the most widely used measure of global self-esteem in the social sciences. Five items are positively worded and five are negatively worded; the negatively worded items are reverse-scored so that a higher total always reflects higher self-esteem. Each item is answered on a four-point agreement scale (Strongly agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly disagree) scored 0 to 3, giving a total from 0 to 30.
This screening is provided for education and self-reflection. The displayed bands are interpretive guides for discussing a score, rather than diagnostic thresholds. The University of Maryland's Rosenberg Scale FAQ states that the scale has no discrete cutoffs separating high and low self-esteem. A label in the result should therefore be read alongside your circumstances and daily functioning. Self-esteem can shift with experiences and support; the score does not establish a fixed trait or a mental health condition.
References
- Rosenberg M. Society and the Adolescent Self-Image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press; 1965.
- Robins RW, Hendin HM, Trzesniewski KH. Measuring global self-esteem: construct validation of a single-item measure and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2001;27(2):151-161.
- Sinclair SJ, Blais MA, Gansler DA, Sandberg E, Bistis K, LoCicero A. Psychometric properties of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale: overall and across demographic groups living within the United States. Eval Health Prof. 2010;33(1):56-80.
- University of Maryland, Department of Sociology. Rosenberg Scale FAQ; Using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.
- Sinclair SJ, et al. Psychometric properties of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Abstract and publication record. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20164106/
- University of Maryland, Department of Sociology. Rosenberg Scale FAQ: interpretation and the absence of discrete cutoffs. socy.umd.edu/about-us/rosenberg-scale-faq
- University of Maryland, Department of Sociology. Using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale: items and scoring guidance. socy.umd.edu/about-us/using-rosenberg-self-esteem-scale
Cite this source
Psychology.com. (2026, September 16). Self-Esteem Test. Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/tests/self-esteem
Self-Esteem Test FAQ
What is the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale?
It is a ten-item questionnaire developed by sociologist Morris Rosenberg in 1965 to measure global self-worth. It is the most widely used self-esteem measure in research and is free for use. It is a screening tool for reflection, not a diagnosis.
What score counts as low self-esteem?
A lower Rosenberg score suggests a less favorable overall view of yourself. The labels shown on this page are interpretive guides, not universal clinical thresholds: the University of Maryland's scale guidance does not define discrete cutoffs for high and low self-esteem. Consider how self-criticism affects your daily life, relationships, and willingness to try things when deciding whether to seek support.
Is this test a diagnosis?
No. It is for education and self-reflection only. Self-esteem is not itself a diagnosis, though persistently low self-worth can accompany conditions like depression or anxiety. If your result concerns you, a therapist can help. You can seek support for persistent self-criticism even when your score falls within the page's middle range.
Can self-esteem actually change?
Yes. Self-esteem is not fixed. It shifts with experiences, relationships, and how you talk to yourself. Approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy and self-compassion practice have good evidence for raising it over time. Progress may mean responding more fairly to a setback or staying engaged in something meaningful despite doubt. Your score is only part of that picture.
Is the test really confidential?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser. Your individual answers are scored in your browser and are never sent to us or linked to you. They stay in this tab so you can return to your result, and closing or clearing the tab clears them. If you ask us to email the PDF, we receive your summary scores with your email address, never your individual answers. No account is needed.
How accurate is the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale?
The RSES is one of the most extensively studied self-report measures in psychology, with decades of use across research and clinical settings. Studies of its psychometric properties, including work examining it across demographic groups in the United States, generally support its reliability and its validity as a measure of global self-worth, which is why it remains the standard choice for screening self-esteem. It cannot determine the cause of low self-worth or identify a mental health condition.
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