Certification Exam Statistics and Cut Scores
This summarized statistical data is for the past three calendar years. Aggregate data itemized for each certification program includes total number of exam candidates tested for the year, first-time pass rate for the year, total number of certificants, renewed certificants, total failed and new certificants.
2023
| Exam | Candidates Tested | First Time Pass Rate | Total Certificants | Renewed | Total Failed | New Certificants |
|---|
| CCRN (Adult) | 17,279 | 81.20% | 92,725 | 18,666 | 5,585 | 11,765 |
| CCRN (Neonatal) | 356 | 72.20% | 6,948 | 424 | 152 | 208 |
| CCRN (Pediatric) | 1,213 | 77.20% | 8,108 | 1,813 | 405 | 811 |
| PCCN | 3,477 | 70.30% | 20,930 | 4,340 | 1,436 | 2,014 |
| ACNPC-AG | 1,238 | 91.40% | 4,541 | 393 | 337 | 901 |
| ACCNS-AG | 106 | 91.10% | 858 | 122 | 9 | 22 |
| ACCNS-N | 15 | 84.60% | 67 | 8 | 4 | 6 |
| ACCNS-P | 22 | 82.30% | 149 | 28 | 8 | 14 |
| CMC | 1,002 | 82.80% | 3,882 | 565 | 230 | 712 |
| CSC | 1,021 | 69.70% | 3,360 | 504 | 485 | 536 |
| *CCNS (Adult) | n/a | n/a | 810 | 177 | n/a | n/a |
| *CCNS (Neonatal) | n/a | n/a | 39 | 5 | n/a | n/a |
| *CCNS (Pediatric) | n/a | n/a | 25 | 6 | n/a | n/a |
| *ACNPC | n/a | n/a | 204 | 49 | n/a | n/a |
| *Renewal Only |
2022
| Exam | Candidates Tested | First Time Pass Rate | Total Certificants | Renewed | Total Failed | New Certificants |
|---|
| CCRN (Adult) | 14,304 | 81.36% | 84,407 | 18,728 | 4,517 | 9,667 |
| CCRN (Neonatal) | 315 | 78.79% | 1,793 | 416 | 1,711 | 174 |
| CCRN (Pediatric) | 1,067 | 75.98% | 7,507 | 1,699 | 368 | 696 |
| CCRN-E | 47 | 75.00% | 506 | 165 | 20 | 23 |
| CCRN-K (Adult) | 133 | 80.53% | 4,712 | 1,600 | 42 | 93 |
| CCRN-K (Neonatal) | 3 | 50.00% | 86 | 32 | 3 | 0 |
| CCRN-K (Pediatric) | 11 | 70.00% | 475 | 158 | 4 | 6 |
| PCCN | 2,988 | 74.00% | 20,055 | 4,480 | 1,146 | 1,779 |
| PCCN-K | 52 | 74.00% | 1,142 | 404 | 21 | 29 |
| ACNPC-AG | 1,405 | 83.10% | 3,542 | 403 | 341 | 823 |
| ACCNS-AG | 114 | 81.25% | 815 | 84 | 36 | 76 |
| ACCNS-N | 15 | 63.64% | 57 | 5 | 7 | 10 |
| ACCNS-P | 35 | 83.33% | 136 | 8 | 10 | 24 |
| CMC | 901 | 83.67% | 3,560 | 614 | 240 | 654 |
| CSC | 989 | 67.95% | 3,320 | 517 | 418 | 503 |
| *CCNS (Adult) | n/a | n/a | 849 | 162 | n/a | n/a |
| *CCNS (Neonatal) | n/a | n/a | 43 | 8 | n/a | n/a |
| *CCNS (Pediatric) | n/a | n/a | 26 | 3 | n/a | n/a |
| *ACNPC | n/a | n/a | 211 | 31 | n/a | n/a |
| *Renewal Only |
2021
| Exam | Candidates Tested | First Time Pass Rate | Total Certificants | Renewed | Total Failed | New Certificants |
|---|
| CCRN (Adult) | 13,907 | 71.5% | 84,189 | 18,850 | 4,259 | 9,681 |
| CCRN (Neonatal) | 374 | 67.7% | 1,818 | 386 | 169 | 205 |
| CCRN (Pediatric) | 1,277 | 72.3% | 7,589 | 1,708 | 366 | 911 |
| CCRN-E | 40 | 50.0% | 419 | 1,507 | 20 | 20 |
| CCRN-K (Adult) | 92 | 78.8% | 4,407 | 25 | 21 | 71 |
| CCRN-K (Neonatal) | 9 | 88.9% | 82 | 144 | 6 | 3 |
| CCRN-K (Pediatric) | 11 | 45.5% | 440 | 150 | 1 | 10 |
| PCCN | 3,874 | 67.0% | 21,016 | 4,623 | 1,429 | 2,442 |
| PCCN-K | 60 | 72.2% | 983 | 420 | 20 | 40 |
| ACNPC-AG | 992 | 83.1% | 2,910 | 198 | 176 | 778 |
| ACCNS-AG | 96 | 89.1% | 759 | 83 | 8 | 86 |
| ACCNS-N | 12 | 72.7% | 48 | 5 | 5 | 9 |
| ACCNS-P | 29 | 80.0% | 116 | 7 | 47 | 21 |
| CMC | 945 | 75.0% | 3,286 | 599 | 256 | 689 |
| CSC | 984 | 72.6% | 3,235 | 521 | 298 | 686 |
| *CCNS (Adult) | n/a | n/a | 883 | 21 | n/a | n/a |
| *CCNS (Neonatal) | n/a | n/a | 42 | 0 | n/a | n/a |
| *CCNS (Pediatric) | n/a | n/a | 27 | 1 | n/a | n/a |
| *ACNPC | n/a | n/a | 220 | 42 | n/a | n/a |
| *Renewal Only |
2020
| Exam | Candidates Tested | First Time Pass Rate | Total Certificants | Renewed | Total Failed | New Certificants |
|---|
| CCRN (Adult) | 12,381 | 78.5% | 83,052 | 17,243 | 3,270 | 9,111 |
| CCRN (Neonatal) | 341 | 67.2% | 1,762 | 403 | 132 | 209 |
| CCRN (Pediatric) | 1,107 | 76.0% | 7,331 | 1,588 | 310 | 797 |
| CCRN-E | 41 | 53.1% | 460 | 110 | 21 | 20 |
| CCRN-K (Adult) | 96 | 77.8% | 4,044 | 1,280 | 30 | 66 |
| CCRN-K (Neonatal) | 7 | 57.0% | 76 | 20 | 3 | 10 |
| CCRN-K (Pediatric) | 12 | 80.0% | 396 | 138 | 2 | 520 |
| PCCN | 3,361 | 71.6% | 21,001 | 4,052 | 1,087 | 2,274 |
| PCCN-K | 53 | 74.4% | 834 | 280 | 37 | 37 |
| ACNPC-AG | 581 | 86.0% | 2,152 | 156 | 113 | 468 |
| ACCNS-AG | 84 | 83.3% | 698 | 100 | 19 | 65 |
| ACCNS-N | 6 | 83.0% | 39 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| ACCNS-P | 21 | 70.6% | 97 | 10 | 8 | 13 |
| CMC | 707 | 77.2% | 2,913 | 443 | 187 | 520 |
| CSC | 709 | 76.2% | 2,889 | 508 | 194 | 515 |
| *CCNS (Adult) | n/a | n/a | 889 | 214 | n/a | n/a |
| *CCNS (Neonatal) | n/a | n/a | 43 | 5 | n/a | n/a |
| *CCNS (Pediatric) | n/a | n/a | 27 | 4 | n/a | n/a |
| *ACNPC | n/a | n/a | 230 | 46 | n/a | n/a |
| *Renewal Only |
Exam Cut Scores
The cut score (also known as the passing score) is the number of scored questions that must be answered correctly on an exam to achieve certification. The passing score is not a percentage but a raw number that may change over time as an exam is updated based on results of the most recent study of practice (also known as a job analysis) or when the exam forms are periodically changed and equated for difficulty.
The passing score should not be confused with the "pass rate" (see Exam Statistics above), which is the percentage of candidates testing who are successful at passing an exam.
Passing scores for AACN Certification Corporation exams are determined using a systematic procedure known as the modified Angoff method in collaboration with professional psychometricians from our testing service, PSI. Below are current exam passing scores and their effective dates.
| Exam | Total # of Items on Exam | # of Scored Items on Exam | Passing (Cut) Score | Score Effective Date |
|---|
| CCRN (Adult) | 150 | 125 | 83 | 03/25/2020 |
| CCRN (Pediatric) | 150 | 125 | 82 | 03/25/2020
|
| CCRN (Neonatal) | 150 | 125 | 84 | 03/25/2020
|
| PCCN | 150 | 125 | 82 | 01/31/2024 |
| ACCNS-AG | 175 | 150 | 94 | 01/31/2024 |
| ACCNS-P | 175 | 150 | 94 | 01/31/2024
|
| ACCNS-N | 175 | 150 | 98 | 01/31/2024 |
| ACNPC-AG | 175 | 150 | 101 | 01/10/2022 |
| CMC | 90 | 75 | 50 | 06/01/2022 |
| CSC | 90 | 75 | 55 | 01/31/2022 |
