The RSES (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale) measures global self-esteem: 10 items rated Strongly agree to Strongly disagree, for a total of 0–30. Five items (2, 5, 6, 8, and 9) are reverse-scored — this page is a quick-reference tool for licensed clinicians and trainees, and the calculator below handles the reverse scoring automatically: just select the response the client gave for each item.
Administer the instrument from your own licensed/official copy, then select the client's response for each item below.
Progress Note Studio would have auto-scored this RSES inside a complete note — offline. Free demo.
Runs entirely in your browser — nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.
Items 2, 5, 6, 8, and 9 are reverse-scored; the calculator applies the reversal for you. Select the client's actual response — do not pre-reverse anything.
| Total score | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| 0–14 | suggests low self-esteem (<15) |
| 15–25 | within the normal range (15–25) |
| 26–30 | high self-esteem |
Screening scores are not a diagnosis. Interpretation requires clinical judgment by a licensed professional. Results shown here are score ranges and severity categories only. This page is a quick-reference tool for licensed clinicians and trainees — it is not intended for self-diagnosis or for use by the general public, and it is not medical or clinical advice.
RSES: developed by Dr. Morris Rosenberg (1965), Society and the Adolescent Self-Image, Princeton University Press. Used with attribution to the Rosenberg family / University of Maryland Department of Sociology; no fee or permission required.
This calculator does not reproduce the questionnaire itself; use your licensed/official copy of the instrument to administer it. Items are identified by number only.
Progress Note Studio builds complete, audit-ready SOAP notes from point-and-click clinical findings — with PHQ-9, GAD-7, PCL-5, C-SSRS and four more screeners that score themselves. 100% offline. One-time license. No subscription, ever.