MBI scoring: three scores, no single total, and no cut-offs
Each MBI dimension is scored separately, and the publisher advises against combining them into one burnout score. [1] A report compares each scale score with general population norms as percentiles. [3] Cut-off scores that appeared in earlier editions were removed from the fourth edition because they had "no diagnostic validity". [1]
How are MBI scores calculated?
Each scale gets its own score. The publisher advises against using a single burnout score, and against using the exhaustion scale alone as a stand-in for burnout. It also says abbreviated versions of the MBI cannot be combined into a composite score. [1] The exact scoring keys are in the MBI manual (fourth edition), which the publisher sells separately. [2][3] We do not reproduce them here. If you take the survey through Mind Garden, the report does the calculation.
What does the report show?
The "Report About Me" lists an introduction, why burnout matters, your profile, your results as scale scores and percentiles compared with general population norms, and recommendations. Its appendices cover burnout profiles, coping strategies, suggestions for reducing job stress, and your individual responses. [3]
Worked example
An invented person takes the MBI-GS and the report shows their percentiles against general population norms.
What are the burnout profiles?
Mind Garden describes five profiles: engaged, ineffective, overextended, disengaged, and burnout. They are derived from the levels of the three dimensions and are meant to guide interventions. The profile classification was validated on the MBI-GS only. [1][2] They are groupings from research, and they are not diagnoses.
Why are there no cut-offs?
You may find tables of "low", "moderate", and "high" MBI scores on websites. The publisher says cut-off scores appeared in editions through 1996, and were removed from the fourth edition because they had "no diagnostic validity". It describes the earlier cut-offs as arbitrary. [1] If a page gives you cut-offs, ask where they come from.
Is the result a percentage or a probability?
No. A percentile says where your score sits among a reference group, not how likely you are to have burnout.
Common questions
What is a high MBI score?
A high score on a dimension means you scored high compared with a reference group on that dimension. The publisher gives no diagnostic cut-offs, and removed them from the fourth edition. [1]
Can I add the three MBI scores together?
The publisher advises against a single burnout score. [1]
Why do other websites give MBI cut-offs?
Earlier editions of the manual contained them. The publisher says they had no diagnostic validity and removed them. [1]
Sources and further reading
These links open external research and health-information websites.
- Mind Garden: Maslach Burnout Inventory (the publisher's MBI page)
The versions and item counts, the three dimensions, the seven-point frequency scale, the five burnout profiles, the advice against a single burnout score, and the statement that cut-offs were removed from the fourth edition. Read on 2 November 2026. - Mind Garden: MBI General Survey (MBI-GS)
The 16-item general survey, its three scales and what each describes, the occupations it is meant for, and the profile classification. Read on 2 November 2026. - Mind Garden: Report About Me, MBI-GS
The single-use report for an individual, how the survey is delivered by email after purchase, what the report contains, and the prices listed. Read on 2 November 2026.
This page is educational. A questionnaire score cannot establish a diagnosis or explain the cause of your symptoms. If you are struggling, speak with a doctor or mental health professional, whatever your score. Read when to get help for work stress or find a helpline in your country.