A method of operating a dryer appliance includes activating a heating system of the dryer appliance and tracking an energy output of the heating system. The method also includes determining a load score of a load of articles to be dried in the dryer appliance based on the tracked energy output and determining a termination criterion for a dry operation of the dryer appliance based on the load score. The method further includes performing the dry operation in the dryer appliance and terminating the dry operation when the determined termination criterion is reached.