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United States · Licensing exam

NPTE passing score: what 600 means

You need a scaled score of 600 to pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE), on both the physical therapist (PT) and physical therapist assistant (PTA) exams. The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) reports scores from 200 to 800, but the exam is pass or fail, and every jurisdiction uses the same NPTE passing score. FSBPT doesn’t publish a fixed number or percentage of right answers, because that number moves slightly from one exam form to the next.

  • 600Scaled score to pass
  • 200 to 800Range of scores FSBPT reports
  • 1 to 2 questionsUsual shift in the raw pass mark
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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

How the NPTE is scored

Each question has one correct answer, and your raw score is the number you get right. There’s no penalty for a wrong answer, and only the scored questions count; the unscored pretest items don’t.

Exam forms vary slightly in difficulty, so FSBPT converts raw scores to scaled scores from 200 to 800. A given scaled score stands for the same level of achievement whichever form you took. An 800 isn’t a perfect score, only the highest score FSBPT reports.

Is the NPTE passing score the same in every state?

Yes. All jurisdiction licensing authorities have adopted the same criterion-referenced passing standard, a scaled 600. FSBPT designs the exam to tell whether you have at least the minimum competence to practice as an entry-level PT or PTA.

The standard has moved before. FSBPT raised the cut score at both levels in 2013 and in 2018, and decided not to raise it in 2023.

How many questions do you need to get right?

FSBPT doesn’t give a set number. The number of right answers that makes 600 changes from form to form, but FSBPT says it’s generally within a range of one or two questions.

If you fail, FSBPT’s Performance Feedback Report gets closer. For each content area and body system it shows an On Track to Pass number: how many items you’d need there for that area to be consistent with a passing score. You can’t pass or fail one area on its own, so doing better elsewhere can make up for a weak one.

PEAT, which gives an NPTE-scaled score →NPTE pass rates →

When a score affects your next attempt

A score under 600 means you can register again for a later sitting, within FSBPT’s attempt limits. Very low scores matter too: they count against your eligibility to keep testing, and a very low or very large score change can lead FSBPT to hold a score for review.

Retake rules and attempt limits →NPTE results and held scores →
Sources: FSBPT and 3 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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