<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>                                      5
<LEGEND>
This  schedule  contains  summary  financial   information  extracted  from  the
financial statements for National Computer Systems,  Inc. and Subsidiaries,  for
the  fiscal  years  ended  January  31,  1996 and 1997 and is  qualified  in its
entirety by reference to such financial statements.

</LEGEND>
<RESTATED>
<CIK>                                          0000069999
<NAME>                                         NATIONAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC.

<MULTIPLIER>                        1,000
<CURRENCY>                          U.S.Dollars
       
<S>                                 <C>               <C>               <C>               <C>              <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                       12-MOS            12-MOS            3-MOS             6-MOS            9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                   JAN-31-1996       JAN-31-1997       JAN-31-1997       JAN-31-1997      JAN-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                      FEB-01-1995       FEB-01-1996       FEB-01-1996       MAY-01-1996      AUG-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                        JAN-31-1996       JAN-31-1997       APR-30-1996       JUL-31-1996      OCT-31-1996
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                     1.0               1.0               1.0               1.0              1.0
<CASH>                                5,154            58,079             7,316            84,165           72,532
<SECURITIES>                              0                 0                 0                 0                0
<RECEIVABLES>                        68,713            79,056            57,912            64,721           64,811
<ALLOWANCES>                              0                 0                 0                 0                0
<INVENTORY>                          18,336            18,176            23,112            18,692           20,417
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                    118,220           160,837           115,939           175,692          165,968
<PP&E>                              154,425           172,136           155,031           158,974          161,598
<DEPRECIATION>                      (79,596)          (92,722)          (81,286)          (84,640)         (86,501)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                      219,724           273,920           214,906           275,636          264,682
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                62,632            82,172            56,924            94,688           80,650
<BONDS>                              24,535            16,329            23,228             7,228            8,098
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                     0                 0                 0                 0                0
<PREFERRED>                               0                 0                 0                 0                0
<COMMON>                                922               914               927               920              916
<OTHER-SE>                          127,276           169,120           129,912           168,934          171,662
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>        219,724           273,920           214,906           275,636          264,682
<SALES>                             130,648           134,144            60,812            71,113           78,578
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                    300,883           331,159            70,507            80,964           88,783
<CGS>                                61,233            62,075            37,140            43,204           53,302
<TOTAL-COSTS>                       189,145           212,401            43,769            49,676           60,138
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                     81,034            92,112            20,157            21,412           20,863
<LOSS-PROVISION>                          0                 0                 0                 0                0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                    3,276             1,677               568               625              232
<INCOME-PRETAX>                      27,760            26,533             5,361             9,783            8,400
<INCOME-TAX>                         11,180            12,867             2,160             3,890            3,450
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                  16,580            13,666             3,201             5,893            4,950
<DISCONTINUED>                        5,679            (2,229)             (370)           (1,859)               0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                           0                 0                 0                 0                0
<CHANGES>                                 0                 0                 0                 0                0
<NET-INCOME>                         22,259            49,580             2,831            42,177            4,950
<EPS-PRIMARY>                             0.73              1.64              0.10              1.39             0.16
<EPS-DILUTED>                             0.71              1.59              0.09              1.35             0.16
        


</TABLE>