NBRC Exam Results: What Your Score Means and What to Do Next
Your pass/fail result appears on screen when you finish an NBRC exam, and PSI, NBRC's testing agency, emails your score report within 24 hours (NBRC FAQ). No email after 24 hours? Contact PSI at 833-256-1424 or examschedule@psionline.com. Results are never given out by phone.
Check your NBRC result
Unofficial guide built from NBRC's published cut scores, last verified October 29, 2026. Your NBRC score report is the official result.
For NBRC's multiple-choice examinations, your raw score is the number of scored questions you got right. A score that equals the applicable cut score passes. CSE raw scores total response points, not correctly completed problems (Handbook, p. 12).
TMC results at a glance (140 scored questions)
| Your raw score | What it means | Your next step |
|---|---|---|
| 92–140 | High cut. You earned the CRT credential and the score needed for the Clinical Simulation Examination (CSE). This is not yet the RRT. | Confirm you meet the CSE admission requirements, then apply. The CSE ends December 31, 2027. |
| 86–91 | Low cut. You earned the CRT credential, but not the high-cut score required for CSE. | For RRT, reach the TMC high cut before it ends December 31, 2026 and then pass CSE, or reach the new RT Examination's high cut from January 2027. Admission requirements still apply. |
| 73–85 | Not passed, but inside the range NBRC treats as within measurement error of the low cut. | Review the score gap and retake rules before you rebook. |
| 0–72 | Not passed, and outside NBRC's error range for the low cut. | Plan a full-exam review before your next attempt. |
Every score from 86 to 91 is also inside NBRC's error range for the high cut (79 and up). That is one to six points below 92; the score gap does not settle the other CSE admission requirements.
Cut scores for every NBRC exam
| Exam | Scored items | Cut score | Failing score inside NBRC's 99% error range | Failing score outside it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) | 140 | Low 86 (CRT) · High 92 (CRT + score for CSE eligibility) | Low: 73–85 · High: 79–91 | Below 73 · below 79 |
| Clinical Simulation (CSE) | 20 scored problems | About 72% of the maximum raw score. Your exact raw cut is on your score report. | Up to 32 points below your raw cut | More than 32 points below |
| Pulmonary Function Technology (PFT) | 100 | Low 61 (CPFT) · High 74 (CPFT + RPFT) | Low: 50–60 · High: 63–73 | Below 50 · below 63 |
| Neonatal/Pediatric Specialty (NPS) | 150 | 96 | 82–95 | Below 82 |
| Sleep Disorders Specialty (SDS) | 160 | 97 | 84–96 | Below 84 |
| Adult Critical Care Specialty (ACCS) | 150 | 102 | 89–101 | Below 89 |
| Asthma Educator Specialist (AE-C) | 150 | 105 | 92–104 | Below 92 |
| Respiratory Therapy Examination (from January 4, 2027) | 160 | Low 100 (CRT) · High 106 (RRT) | Low: 86–99 · High: 92–105 | Below 86 · below 92 |
Cut scores and error thresholds: NBRC, Accuracy of a Testing Result, Part 1, October 2026 file, Table 1. Scored items: NBRC Candidate Handbook, Rev. 09/03/2026, p. 4; PFT credential outcomes: p. 5. These are current published references, not a replacement for the cut and outcome on an older score report. The ACCS reference belongs with the current August 2026 outline.
The error range is NBRC's 99% boundary around each cut score, built from the exam's standard error of measurement. In a two-cut exam, a score can pass the low cut while remaining below the high cut. The boundary does not change the official result or prove that test-day factors affected your score (Part 2, pp. 1–2). NBRC suggests that candidates closer to a cut may need less remediation than those farther below it; this is general guidance, not a measurement of your required study time or readiness.
How NBRC scores your exam
Only scored questions count. Every NBRC multiple-choice exam includes unscored pretest questions that you can't tell apart from the real ones. The CSE includes two unscored pretest problems. Scoring uses only previously tested questions, which is why you get a result right away (Handbook, p. 4).
| Exam | Questions you answer | Scored | Time limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| TMC | 160 | 140 | 3 hours |
| CSE | 22 problems | 20 problems | 4 hours |
| Respiratory Therapy Examination (2027) | 185 | 160 | 4 hours |
| PFT | 115 | 100 | 2 hours |
| NPS | 170 | 150 | 4 hours |
| SDS | 180 | 160 | 4 hours |
| ACCS | 170 | 150 | 4 hours |
| AE-C | 175 | 150 | 3.5 hours |
Source: Handbook, pp. 4 and 12.
One point per correct answer on multiple-choice exams. There's no penalty for guessing on those exams. A panel of subject-matter experts sets each multiple-choice cut score at the minimum acceptable performance (Handbook, pp. 12 and 14).
The CSE gives one combined score. The simulation has information-gathering and decision-making sections, but NBRC adds your points across the whole exam into a single score and compares it with one cut score. You don't pass or fail the two section types separately (Handbook, p. 12).
You won't get domain subscores. NBRC reports only your total on purpose. Each subscore would rest on a small number of questions, would be less accurate than the total, and could point you at the wrong things to study (Part 1, p. 1). That's why NBRC's retake advice is to raise your overall ability rather than chase one content area.
The 2026–2027 exam change and your result
NBRC is replacing the TMC and CSE with one exam. Here are the dates that decide your next step (NBRC RT Examination page; CSE page):
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| October 1, 2026 | Applications open for the new Respiratory Therapy (RT) Examination |
| December 2026 | Confirm the TMC application cutoff with NBRC before booking: its RT page lists December 15 and its Resources FAQ lists December 17. |
| December 31, 2026 | Last day to take the TMC. The CRT-to-Registry admission routes also end. |
| January 4, 2027 | First day the RT Examination is available |
| December 31, 2027 | Last day of the CSE |
If you hit the TMC high cut
NBRC keeps the CSE available through December 31, 2027 for candidates who pass the TMC at the high cut by the end of 2026. Two things can still stop you:
- The high cut is only the score condition. You still have to meet the CSE admission requirements (CSE page).
- Don't let your record go inactive. An eligibility record can become inactive after a year without being scheduled for an examination or indicating an intention to attempt one. When that happens, a passing TMC or CSE performance toward the RRT is wiped out (Handbook, p. 10; CSE record-retention policy).
From January 2027, you can also earn RRT by passing the RT Examination at its high cut. Before you apply for the RT Examination while you still have a CSE route, check with NBRC (info@nbrc.org, 913-895-4900) how that application affects your CSE eligibility. Ask NBRC specifically whether submitting the RT application would close your remaining CSE application route.
If you hit the TMC low cut only
You're a CRT. There are two examination routes to RRT, subject to eligibility:
- TMC high cut, followed by CSE. Confirm the application cutoff with NBRC, reach the TMC high cut by December 31, 2026 within the retake rules below, and pass CSE while that route remains available.
- On the RT Examination from January 4, 2027. It costs $360 for a new applicant. RT applicants must be at least 18 and either hold an associate degree or higher from an entry-into-practice respiratory therapy program supported or accredited by CoARC, or hold the Canadian CSRT RRT credential.
NBRC says a CRT who scores below the low cut on a later TMC or RT attempt keeps the credential (TMC FAQ; RT FAQ). This does not waive credential-maintenance requirements.
What RT Examination results will mean (from January 4, 2027)
| Your RT result | What it means | Your next step |
|---|---|---|
| High cut reached: 106–160 | You earn the RRT credential, with no separate simulation exam. | Check your credential record and complete your state's licensing steps. |
| Low cut reached, high cut not reached: 100–105 | You earn CRT, not RRT, on this attempt. | Plan another attempt if you want RRT. |
| Below the low cut: 0–99 | No new credential on this attempt. A CRT you already hold stays in place. | Use the RT retake rule below. |
TMC and CSE attempts don't count toward your RT attempts (RT page). Don't carry the TMC's 86 and 92 over to the RT Examination. It's a different, longer exam; NBRC's October 2026 score guide lists the new examination's cuts as 100 and 106.
Didn't pass? Do these three things
1. Measure the gap. Use the cut on your official report and the tables above. A gap gives you context; it does not prescribe how many hours to study. NBRC is blunt that retesting without remediation rarely turns a fail into a pass, even when the miss was a point or two (Part 1, p. 1).
2. Reapply when the rules allow. You can reapply online two business days after your exam. That's when the application opens; it doesn't guarantee an appointment (Handbook, p. 13).
| Exam | Initial attempts before the longer wait (including your first) | Wait before each later attempt | Repeat fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| TMC | 3 | 120 days | $150 |
| CSE | 3 | 120 days | $200 |
| RT Examination (2027) | 3 | 120 days | $300 |
| PFT | 2 | 180 days | $170 |
| NPS | 2 | 180 days | $220 |
| SDS | 2 | 180 days | $250 |
| ACCS | 2 | 180 days | $250 |
| AE-C | 2 | 180 days | $250 |
Sources: Handbook, pp. 8 and 13.
A waiting period never extends an exam past its end date. If you've used your three TMC attempts and your 120-day wait ends after December 31, 2026, you cannot fit another TMC attempt into its remaining availability. Ask NBRC whether you meet the RT Examination's admission requirements. CSE candidates should count backward from December 31, 2027 the same way.
3. Study the whole exam, not one domain. NBRC's free practice exams run on the same software as the real test and give you a performance report (CRT page). Use the official content outline for the examination and version you will take.
Think your score is wrong?
A close fail is not, by itself, a sign of a scoring error. NBRC explains that, without a technical problem, a candidate's knowledge accounts for nearly all of a score. A fail is unlikely to be reversed on review even when it's close to the cut (NBRC, Accuracy of a Testing Result, Part 2, p. 2).
If you still want a review, these are the three routes, and they're different requests:
| Request | How it works |
|---|---|
| Score verification | Ask PSI in writing to verify your score from your recorded responses. $25, within 12 months of your exam (Handbook, p. 9). |
| Appeal | Covers non-disciplinary adverse decisions, including concerns about an unsuccessful result, a test-site problem that ended in a fail, or a medical or personal emergency. Write to the NBRC Admissions Committee within 30 days of the decision. Its decision is final (Handbook, p. 10). |
| Invalid result | PSI investigates problems such as computer failure. If the result is canceled because of circumstances outside your control, the testing agency arranges a free exam. NBRC can also cancel or withhold a score whose validity is in question (Handbook, p. 9). |
Need another copy of your score report? That's a separate request: $25 per copy, by check or money order to PSI within 12 months of your exam. PSI mails duplicates within approximately two weeks after receiving the request. The handbook (p. 9) lists the details your request must include.
You passed: confirm your credential
Your credential date is the day you passed. A digital certificate appears in the NBRC Practitioner Portal, and you can request a free printed certificate and wallet card within one year (Handbook, p. 13).
Three different things are easy to mix up:
- Your score report is the result of one exam attempt. It comes from PSI by email.
- Credential verification confirms what credentials you hold. Anyone can look you up free in NBRC's public directory, which doesn't show your credential earned date. NBRC also gives free verification by phone at 913-895-4900 and sells a $5 official verification letter (NBRC FAQ).
- Your state license is permission to practice, and your state's licensing agency controls it. NBRC can share your results and credential status with state licensure agencies, accredited respiratory care programs and CoARC (Handbook, p. 9), but you still apply for the license through your state.
If your credential record looks missing or wrong, contact NBRC at info@nbrc.org or 913-895-4900.
Practice exam results aren't NBRC results
NBRC's free practice exams show your results on screen and email them to the address you used to log in, but only if you finish in one sitting and select Finish and Display (CSE page). That score tells you how you did on those questions. It doesn't award a credential or predict your real result.
NBRC pass rates: national results, 2023–2025
NBRC publishes passing percentages each year for exams given January 1 through December 31. It reports new and repeat candidate groups separately but does not provide each group's count in this summary (NBRC, 2025 Examinations in Review).
| Exam and group | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| TMC, new candidates, low cut | 78.9% | 79.5% | 78.5% |
| TMC, new candidates, high cut | 69.4% | 69.9% | 68.2% |
| TMC, repeat candidates, low cut | 50.9% | 50.6% | 48.9% |
| TMC, repeat candidates, high cut | 32.0% | 31.6% | 29.4% |
| CSE, new candidates | 65.4% | 62.9% | 63.6% |
| CSE, repeat candidates | 50.5% | 49.6% | 53.0% |
| PFT, new candidates, low cut | 69.2% | 64.0% | 68.8% |
| PFT, new candidates, high cut | 37.9% | 31.8% | 31.5% |
| PFT, repeat candidates, low cut | 67.6% | 58.5% | 54.2% |
| PFT, repeat candidates, high cut | 19.1% | 16.9% | 15.7% |
Two patterns stand out. In 2025, about one in ten new TMC candidates cleared the low cut but not the high cut: 78.5% minus 68.2% is 10.3 percentage points, calculated from rounded published rates. That is the low-cut-only outcome. Repeat candidates passed at lower rates than new candidates on every exam and cut shown; the comparison does not explain why an individual failed. These are national rates, not a prediction for you. NBRC gave 24,364 exams and awarded 13,395 new credentials in 2025. Those totals count examinations and credentials, not necessarily distinct people.
Want to see how one school's graduates did? CoARC publishes program outcomes data as a spreadsheet and an interactive map. Programs self-report the data and CoARC verifies it. The current release is based on the 2025 Annual Report of Current Status and aggregates a three-year reporting period.
Quick answers
Is a score exactly at the cut score a pass? Yes. On the TMC, 86 earns CRT and 92 reaches the high cut.
Can I see which questions I missed? NBRC's published reporting and review procedures do not offer an item-by-item question review, and NBRC does not report domain subscores (Handbook, pp. 9–10; Part 1, p. 1). Practice exams give you a performance report on their own questions.
Can my score change after I leave the test center? NBRC and PSI have procedures for score verification, appeals and invalid results, described above. A close fail is unlikely to change on review.
Will my school see my results? It can. NBRC may release results to accredited respiratory care programs and to CoARC.
Sources
- NBRC Candidate Handbook, Rev. 09/03/2026: testing agency (p. 3); pretest and scored items (p. 4); RT Examination (p. 5); fees (p. 8); release of information, score verification, duplicate reports, cancellations (p. 9); appeals (p. 10); score report delivery, scoring, time limits (p. 12); passing, reapplying, retake waits (p. 13).
- NBRC Resources FAQ: on-screen result, 24-hour email, PSI contact, credential verification options, RT attempt rules.
- NBRC, Accuracy of a Testing Result, Part 1, October 2026 file: why subscores aren't reported; cut scores and 99% error thresholds (Table 1).
- NBRC, Accuracy of a Testing Result, Part 2 (2025): close scores, technical problems, likelihood of reversal.
- NBRC Respiratory Therapy Examination page: first availability, applications, TMC cutoff, scoring, attempts, CRT status, fees.
- NBRC CSE page: transition dates, admission requirements, record retention, practice exam instructions.
- NBRC CRT page: TMC scoring and free practice exams.
- NBRC, 2025 Examinations in Review: 2023–2025 pass rates, 2025 totals.
- NBRC current ACCS examination: August 2026 outline and current examination context.
- NBRC content outlines: examination versions for further preparation.
- CoARC programmatic outcomes data.
Last verified October 29, 2026, against the NBRC sources above, for result delivery, cut scores, scoring rules, fees, retake rules, transition dates and pass rates. We did not take an NBRC exam, sign in to a candidate account, or request a score verification. Researched and drafted with AI assistance by the Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team.
Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) or PSI. Exam and credential names identify their subjects; trademarks belong to their respective owners.