How Hard Is the ARRT Radiography Exam? 85.8% Passed on the First Attempt in 2025

The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) publishes its pass rates, and for Radiography the most recent figure is 85.8% of first attempt candidates passing in 2025, out of 14,072 first time candidates, per ARRT’s 2025 Annual Exam Report. The 2024 report shows 85.2% for 12,665 first time candidates. As of October 2026, 2025 is the newest year ARRT has published. By our arithmetic, about 14.2% of first time candidates in 2025, roughly 1 in 7, did not pass on their first try. The exam has 200 scored questions plus 30 unscored pilot questions, 230 minutes of testing time, and a passing total scaled score of 75 on a 1 to 99 scale, which ARRT’s report lists as roughly 67% correct. So the Radiography exam is passed by most first time candidates, and it is still a long, broad exam where about one in seven candidates misses the standard on a first attempt. The sections below tie each difficulty factor to a published number.

What the Pass Rate Tells You, and What It Does Not

ARRT states that its annual report is based on each candidate’s first attempt, because every candidate has a first attempt. That makes 85.8% a clean first try figure, not a blend that includes retakers. It is not a prediction for any individual. Candidates must complete an ARRT verified educational program with an associate degree or higher before they apply, so the pass rate describes a group that has already finished formal training, which is our observation rather than an ARRT statement. For the exam blueprint, see our guide to what is on the ARRT Radiography exam.

For context inside ARRT’s own 2025 report, Radiography’s rounded pass rate of 86% is the second highest of the 13 exams listed. Mammography is higher at 91%, and the other eleven range from 53% to 78%. The mean total scaled score for Radiography in 2025 was 82.7, which sits 7.7 points above the passing score of 75. ARRT also reports 2,726 repeat candidates for Radiography in 2025 next to the 14,072 first time candidates, so retaking is common enough to plan for.

The Hard Numbers Behind the Difficulty

Factor	Number	What It Means
First attempt pass rate	85.8% (2025), 85.2% (2024)	Published by ARRT; about 1 in 7 first time candidates did not pass in 2025
Passing standard	Scaled score of 75	Scaled, not percent correct; ARRT lists about 67% correct to pass in 2025
Exam length	230 items in 230 minutes	About one minute per item, with 30 unidentified pilot items among them
Content breadth	8 subcategories in 4 categories	Largest is Procedures at 66 scored questions (33%)
Attempt limit	3 attempts in 3 years	Each attempt needs a new application and fee

Per ARRT’s 2025 Annual Exam Report, 2026 Primary Eligibility Pathway Handbook, and content specifications, as of October 2026.

Why the Scaled Score Is Not a Percentage

ARRT reports a total scaled score from 1 to 99 and requires 75 to pass. ARRT warns that scaled scores are sometimes mistaken for percent correct, and that a scaled score of 75 does not mean 75% of items were answered correctly. Scaling adjusts for small difficulty differences between exam forms so that a given score reflects the same level of performance on any form. In the 2025 report, ARRT lists approximately 67% correct as the level needed to pass. On 200 scored questions, that works out to about 134 correct, our arithmetic from ARRT’s approximation, and the exact figure varies by form. The practical point: you can miss roughly a third of the scored questions and still pass, but you cannot tell which 30 items are unscored pilots, so every question needs a real answer.

Time and Format

The Radiography appointment is 250 minutes: an 8 minute tutorial, a 2 minute nondisclosure agreement, 230 minutes of testing, and a 10 minute survey, per ARRT’s 2026 handbook. With 230 items total, you have close to one minute per question, which ARRT itself advises as a planning guide. That is a steady pace rather than a rushed one, but positioning and image evaluation questions that ask you to reason through a projection can run longer than recall items. ARRT scores based on correct answers, so guessing and flagging is better than leaving an item blank. The exam is administered on a computer at a Pearson test center, according to the handbook.

Where Scores Are Lowest

ARRT’s 2025 report gives mean section scores on a 0.1 to 9.9 scale for each of the eight subcategories. They are tightly clustered: Image Acquisition and Evaluation was highest at 8.4, and Thorax and Abdomen Procedures was lowest at 8.1. Radiation Protection and Head, Spine and Pelvis Procedures each averaged 8.2, and the remaining four averaged 8.3. ARRT cautions that section scores are less reliable than total scores because they come from fewer items, so read this as “no single area is the trouble spot” rather than “skip the 8.4 area.” Weight is the better guide to effort: Procedures carries 66 of 200 scored questions, and Extremity Procedures alone carries 28. For the full category breakdown, see our guide to what’s on the ARRT Radiography exam.

If You Do Not Pass

ARRT gives you three attempts, all within three years of the date your first exam window opens. Each attempt requires a new application and fee: $225 for the initial application and $200 for each reapplication after a first or second unsuccessful attempt, as of October 2026. Each exam window lasts 365 calendar days. If you do not pass on the third attempt, ARRT provides requalification instructions on your dashboard, and missing the reapplication deadline before your three year period ends can mean repeating an educational program. ARRT also advises comparing the current content specifications to those you studied before a retake, because they are updated regularly.

What Changes on March 1, 2027

Two ARRT changes take effect March 1, 2027. New content specifications, board approved in January 2026, move the scored counts to Patient Care 31, Safety 46, Image Production 51, and Procedures 72, from 33, 50, 51, and 66. ARRT also approved an updated passing standard effective the same date and states the purpose is not to increase or decrease pass rates. Candidates testing on or after March 1, 2027 are measured under both. Because ARRT has not published a post change pass rate as of October 2026, the 2025 figure remains the latest evidence of difficulty. For the full list of content shifts, see our guide to the ARRT 2027 exam changes.

The most reliable way to judge your own readiness is to practice against the four categories at real exam length. Try a free ARRT Radiography practice test to see which categories need work, or start practicing now with full length practice that mirrors the exam’s category weights.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ARRT Radiography exam pass rate?

ARRT’s 2025 Annual Exam Report lists 85.8% of first attempt Radiography candidates passing, out of 14,072. The 2024 figure was 85.2%. As of October 2026, 2025 is the newest published year.

Is the ARRT Radiography exam hard?

Most first time candidates pass, but about 1 in 7 did not in 2025. The exam is 200 scored questions plus 30 pilot items in 230 minutes, covering eight subcategories, with a passing scaled score of 75.

What percent do you need to pass the ARRT Radiography exam?

ARRT scores on a 1 to 99 scale with 75 required to pass. Its 2025 report lists roughly 67% correct as the approximate level needed, though the exact figure varies by exam form.

How many times can you take the ARRT Radiography exam?

Three attempts within three years of your first exam window opening. Each attempt needs a new application and fee, $200 for each reapplication as of October 2026.

Sources

• ARRT, Exam Statistics (2025 and 2024 Annual Exam Reports)
• ARRT, 2026 Primary Eligibility Pathway Handbook
• ARRT, Fees
• ARRT, Examination Content Specifications
• ARRT, Updated Radiography passing standard (August 27, 2026)

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