PCCN Passing Score and Pass Rates Explained

Progressive-care nurses often search for the PCCN passing score and find conflicting numbers. Some sources still describe an older 125-question exam, while others treat the cut score as a percentage of all 150 items. This article clears up the denominator, the applicable date, and the pass-rate data AACN actually publishes. If you are earlier in your prep, start with the AACN PCCN handbook; if you want hands-on practice, try our free PCCN practice questions.

The passing score: 82 of 125

AACN’s current passing standard for the Adult PCCN exam is 82 correct out of 125 scored items. That standard took effect on January 31, 2024, alongside the test plan that became effective February 6, 2024. The cut is a raw score, not a percentage, and it applies only to the scored items.

The exam itself has 150 total items: 125 count toward your pass/fail result and 25 are unscored pretest items. You cannot tell which items are pretest, so every question should be approached as if it counts. The 82/125 cut means you need about 65.6% of the scored items, not 65.6% of the 150 items displayed. Because the 25 unscored items could fall anywhere in the exam, a candidate who counts 82 correct answers overall has not necessarily met the standard.

AACN sets the cut score through a standard-setting study and may adjust it as the exam forms are updated. Always check AACN’s current Exam Stats & Scores page before you register, especially if you are retaking after a gap of a year or more.

Pass rates by year

AACN publishes first-time pass rates alongside total candidates tested. These are different populations: the candidate total is not the denominator for the first-time pass rate. Do not multiply the two columns to estimate first-time passes.

The selected AACN table does not give the first-time candidate count or a separate all-attempts pass rate. We therefore report the first-time rate as published and do not derive an overall rate from the other columns.

What the numbers say about difficulty

A first-time pass rate describes that year’s group. It does not measure the difficulty an individual nurse will experience or establish which preparation method works best.

• Population: These are candidates who attempted certification, not a representative sample of all progressive-care nurses.
• Preparation: Use the current test plan to identify what to study. The aggregate pass-rate table does not compare study methods.
• Attempt type: A first-time pass rate excludes repeat attempts. AACN’s total candidates-tested column has a broader scope.
• Individual gaps: Review your own performance feedback and practice errors; the annual rate cannot identify your weak topics or pacing needs.

Use a timed practice set to identify topics and pacing to review. A question-bank percentage is not a validated estimate of your chance of passing.

Your score report

Computer-based candidates see results on screen and receive a detailed score report by email within 24 hours, according to the current PCCN handbook. Use the report’s actual performance feedback; it does not identify the unscored items you encountered.

Read the explanations supplied with your report rather than assuming it uses “above/near/below” labels. If a field is unclear, ask AACN what its denominator means before using it to rank weak areas.