RD Exam Passing Score: What a Scaled 25 on CDR's 1–50 Scale Means

The RD exam passing score: a scaled 25 out of 50

CDR's RD Exam Handbook for Candidates says the exam "is scored on a scale of 1–50" and that the minimum scaled score required to pass is 25. Everything else on this page follows from two more sentences in the same section:

• The number of questions you must answer correctly to reach 25 "varies from one examination to another," because each exam includes a different set of questions.
• If you receive an exam that is slightly more difficult, fewer questions need to be answered correctly to pass. If it's slightly easier, more do.

So a 25 doesn't mean 50% correct, and there's no fixed number of right answers to aim for. CDR's stated purpose is that candidates "are neither rewarded nor penalized" for getting an easier or harder set.

One date caveat: the handbook says the passing standard "was established with the implementation of the current test specifications." As of October 27, 2026, CDR hadn't published a passing standard for the 2027–2031 specifications that start on January 1, 2027, or said whether 25 carries over. If you test in 2027, check the handbook edition in force for your appointment.

Why the RD exam has no fixed number of correct answers

The RD exam is computer-adaptive. The handbook says the computer monitors both your performance and the difficulty of the questions it gives you, and evaluates your performance against the passing standard for the exam. Two candidates can answer a different number of questions correctly and both land on 25, because they faced different questions.

Two practical consequences:

• You can't count your way to a pass during the exam. You don't see which answers are right, 25 of the questions are unscored pretest items you can't identify, and difficulty varies. Give each question your full attention and move on.
• Practice percentages don't convert to a scaled score. A practice set's percent correct depends on that set's difficulty. Use practice to find weak topics, not to predict a number.

Since what counts is accuracy on questions that may be harder than your last one, the most useful practice is the kind that explains why each option is right or wrong. You can work through explained practice in all four domains at launch, or start now with free questions linked at the end of this page.

What your RD exam score report shows

At the end of the exam, the handbook says your score displays on the screen, and the test administrator gives you a printed score report once you've returned the erasable note board and other materials. The 2025 FAQ lists what the report includes:

• your total scaled score
• the scaled score required to pass
• your scaled sub-scores

If you don't receive a report, you can get one through Pearson's scheduling portal or by contacting Pearson VUE. Pearson's CDR page also lets you download another copy.

Under the 2022–2026 outline, the FAQ groups the RD exam's four domains into two sub-scores:

The 2027–2031 outline uses four different domains, and CDR hadn't published a new sub-score grouping as of October 27, 2026, so a 2027 report may group results differently.

How much the RD exam sub-scores can tell you

CDR is direct about the limits. The handbook says content-area scores "are not used to determine pass-fail decision outcomes," that they offer only "a general indication" of performance, and that their precision diminishes with fewer items. Areas with more items also affect the overall score more than areas with fewer.

In practice:

• A low sub-score points to a half of the exam, not a topic. Each sub-score blends two domains, so it can't tell you whether the problem was, say, screening or counseling.
• A sub-score near 25 isn't a near pass or a near fail on its own. Only the total decides.
• Your own notes add detail. Right after the exam, write down which topic areas felt uncertain. That's more specific than the report, as long as you don't record or share actual questions, which the non-disclosure agreement forbids.

If a sub-score is weak, the planned full prep is built for that next step: you can turn a weak sub-score into targeted drills with the planned Fix It and Weak Spot tools, which save every miss and drill your lowest domain.

RD exam scores of 2, quitting, and other edge cases

In CDR's FAQ, a score of 2 marks an inconclusive exam: time ran out before question 125. The RD exam format guide shows how to pace 125 to 145 questions in three hours so it doesn't happen.

Percentiles, averages and the highest RD exam score

• Percentiles aren't on your report. The FAQ lists the candidate report's contents without percentiles. Percentile ranks, national mean scores and institutional means appear in the institutional reports CDR sends program directors in February and August.
• The highest possible score is 50, the top of the scale. CDR's candidate materials describe a pass-fail decision, and the credential you earn is the same whatever your passing score.
• CDR doesn't release questions or correct answers, to protect the exam's security, so the report is all the feedback you'll get.

Can you appeal a failing RD exam score?

No. The handbook allows written appeals of Commission policy decisions, such as eligibility, within 30 calendar days of an adverse decision, with a $20 review fee. But it lists exam-specific appeals that won't be considered: receiving a failing score, the exam or individual test items, and disputes about content validity. If something went wrong during testing, the time to act is at the test center: the handbook tells you to raise your hand and notify the administrator immediately.

After your RD exam score

If you passed, the handbook says you'll receive information about maintaining your credential by email within a week. CDR's registration maintenance page says the fee notice arrives about 72 hours after you pass, and the RD fee is $80, rising to $90 on June 1, 2027.

If you didn't pass, you'll need to reauthorize with CDR before you can schedule again, and the earliest retest is 46 days after your attempt. The RD exam retake guide covers the steps and the new eight-attempt limit. The free RD exam retake planner builds a weekly plan from how each domain went. For practice now, try the 20 free RD exam practice questions, each with an explanation. If your retake is two or three months away, see the planned 90-day access option for a retake window. Checkout isn't open yet.