<ARTICLE>                                       5
<LEGEND>
This  schedule  contains  summary  financial   information  extracted  from  the
financial statements for National Computer Systems,  Inc. and Subsidiaries,  for
the fiscal year ended  January 31,  1998,  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
       
                                                                                  
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                          3-MOS            6-MOS              9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                      JAN-31-1998      JAN-31-1998        JAN-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                         FEB-01-1997      MAY-01-1997        AUG-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                           APR-30-1997      JUL-31-1997        OCT-31-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                        1.0              1.0                1.0
<CASH>                                                  27,436            8,518             22,084
<SECURITIES>                                                 0                0                  0
<RECEIVABLES>                                           79,321           91,753             80,854
<ALLOWANCES>                                                 0                0                  0
<INVENTORY>                                             23,149           21,950             21,844
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                       135,688          128,107            131,986
<PP&E>                                                 168,618          173,907            176,862
<DEPRECIATION>                                         (90,901)         (94,637)           (95,902)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                         267,231          291,377            295,812
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                   71,830           89,651             89,546
<BONDS>                                                 14,974           14,163             13,954
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                        0                0                  0
<PREFERRED>                                                  0                0                  0
<COMMON>                                                   918              920                922
<OTHER-SE>                                             172,619          179,975            184,745
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                           267,231          291,377            295,812
<SALES>                                                 34,037           38,857             45,846
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                        78,971           96,029            115,387
<CGS>                                                   15,235           17,804             18,256
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                           48,160           57,962             74,644
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                        23,511           26,194             30,736
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                             0                0                  0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                         325              310                330
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                          6,748           11,611             10,126
<INCOME-TAX>                                             2,700            4,600              4,100
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                      4,048            7,011              6,026
<DISCONTINUED>                                               0                0                  0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                              0                0                  0
<CHANGES>                                                    0                0                  0
<NET-INCOME>                                             4,048            7,011              6,026
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                             0.13             0.23               0.20
<EPS-DILUTED>                                             0.13             0.22               0.19