What does NPS stand for? In most offices it stands for Net Promoter Score, a single number that sums up how likely customers are to recommend a company to a friend. Outside of work, the same three letters very often mean the National Park Service, the federal agency that runs America's national parks.
A third meaning turns up in hardware stores and plumbing supply catalogs: nominal pipe size, a standard way of naming pipe diameters. Context nearly always settles it. A survey email points to the score, a trail map points to the parks and a pipe fitting label points to the size.
Quick facts
Stands for
Net Promoter Score (business)Other meanings
National Park Service, nominal pipe sizeType
InitialismHow to say it
N P S, one letter at a timeScore range
Minus 100 to plus 100Used in
Customer surveys, marketing reports, park signs, pipe specs
The three big NPS meanings, most common first
The letters have three common meanings in the United States. Here they are in rough order, with the clue that gives each one away.
| Meaning | Field | Clue in context |
|---|---|---|
| Net Promoter Score | Business, customer service | A survey asking you to rate something from 0 to 10 |
| National Park Service | Government, travel | Ranger hats, park passes, campground signs |
| Nominal pipe size | Plumbing, construction | A number before a pipe fitting, such as 1/2 inch NPS |
Less common uses exist too. A military school, a few state programs and some medical and drug policy papers use NPS for their own long names. If none of the three main readings fits, look for the full form spelled out earlier in the document.
What does NPS stand for in business?
NPS stands for Net Promoter Score in business, and it comes from one question that many companies send after a purchase or a support call: "How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?" Customers answer on a scale from 0 to 10.
- Promoters pick 9 or 10. They are fans who are likely to spread the word.
- Passives pick 7 or 8. They are satisfied but not excited.
- Detractors pick 0 through 6. They are unhappy enough that they may warn others away.
The score itself is the percent of promoters minus the percent of detractors. Passives count in the total but not in the subtraction. That is why the result can run anywhere from minus 100, where everyone is a detractor, to plus 100, where everyone is a promoter. The number is shown without a percent sign.
Teams track NPS next to other KPIs and often store the answers in a CRM so they can follow up with unhappy customers. For more office shorthand, see the business acronyms guide.
Working out a Net Promoter Score by hand
The math is simple enough to do on a napkin. Suppose a bakery collects 200 survey answers in a month.
Monthly report: 120 people chose 9 or 10, 50 chose 7 or 8 and 30 chose 6 or lower. Promoters are 120 out of 200, or 60 percent. Detractors are 30 out of 200, or 15 percent. The bakery's NPS is 60 minus 15, which is 45.
A positive score means fans outnumber critics. What counts as a good score depends on the industry, so companies usually compare themselves with their own past results or with similar businesses rather than chasing one magic number. Most survey tools also ask a follow up question, such as "What is the main reason for your score?", because the comments explain the number.
NPS as the National Park Service
On a road sign, a brochure or a ranger's uniform patch, NPS means the National Park Service. It is a federal agency within the Department of the Interior, created in 1916 to look after national parks and monuments. Today it also cares for historic sites, battlefields, seashores and trails across the country.
You may see the letters on park maps ("NPS visitor center"), on camping rules and in news stories about park openings or closures. In that setting nobody is talking about surveys. For other agency letters, browse government acronyms.
Saying and writing the letters
Out loud it is "N P S." Keep it in capitals and skip the periods. N is pronounced "en," so pair it with an: "an NPS survey," "an NPS ranger."
A few writing habits keep reports clear:
- Spell out Net Promoter Score the first time, then use NPS.
- Write the score as a plain number: "Our NPS rose from 32 to 41."
- Avoid "NPS score" in formal writing, since the S already means score. It is common in speech anyway.
- Use "points," not "percent," for changes: "up nine points."
Mix ups to watch for
NPS is easy to confuse with nearby survey terms. CSAT, short for customer satisfaction score, asks how happy someone was with one experience. NPS asks about loyalty and word of mouth over time. The two are often reported side by side but measure different things.
In plumbing, nominal pipe size is not the same as the actual outside diameter. A pipe labeled 1/2 inch NPS measures a bit more than half an inch across on the outside, so builders check charts instead of guessing. Our what is an acronym page explains why NPS is classed as an initialism.
Questions people ask
What does NPS stand for in a survey?
In a survey, NPS stands for Net Promoter Score. The survey asks how likely you are to recommend a company on a 0 to 10 scale, and the company turns everyone's answers into one score.
Is a negative NPS bad?
A negative score means there are more detractors than promoters, so more customers are unhappy than enthusiastic. It is a warning sign, and companies usually read the written comments to find out what went wrong.
What does NPS stand for on a park sign?
On park signs, maps and uniforms, NPS stands for the National Park Service. It is the federal agency that manages national parks, monuments and many historic sites.
Why does a 7 or 8 not count in NPS?
Scores of 7 and 8 mark passives, people who are satisfied but not likely to promote the brand. They still count in the total number of answers, which lowers both percentages, but they are not added or subtracted on their own.
Should NPS be called an acronym?
Technically NPS is an initialism, because listeners hear three distinct letters. Everyday speakers often lump it in with acronyms anyway, and the meaning still comes through.