- CRT Pass Rate Data: What NBRC Actually Reported
- Why the TMC Exam Has Two Cut Scores
- New Candidates vs. Repeat Candidates
- What the TMC Exam Format Means for Your Odds
- The Three Domains Behind the Numbers
- Where Candidates Lose Points
- The 2026 Deadline and Why It Matters Now
- Building a Domain-Weighted Study Plan
- Frequently Asked Questions
- NBRC's 2025 TMC low-cut pass rate was 78.5% for new candidates, but only 48.9% for repeat candidates.
- High-cut (RRT-eligibility) pass rates were lower: 68.2% for new candidates, 29.4% for repeat test-takers.
- Interventions (Domain 3) carries 70 of 140 scored items - half the entire exam.
- TMC applications close December 15, 2026, with testing ending December 31, 2026, before the exam format changes.
CRT Pass Rate Data: What NBRC Actually Reported
If you're researching the CRT pass rate, you're really asking two questions at once: how many people meet the minimum standard to earn Certified Respiratory Therapist status, and how many meet the higher standard that also opens the door to Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) eligibility. The National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC), which owns the Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) Examination administered through PSI, reports both figures separately - and the gap between them tells you a lot about how the exam is structured.
For 2025, NBRC reported a low-cut pass rate of 78.5% for new candidates and a high-cut pass rate of 68.2% for that same new-candidate pool. Those numbers reflect people sitting for the TMC exam for the first time, under the blueprint that has been in effect since January 2020 and remains active through December 2026.
Why the TMC Exam Has Two Cut Scores
The TMC Examination is scored against two thresholds. Meeting the low cut score earns the CRT credential outright. Meeting the high cut score does that too, but it also establishes eligibility for the Clinical Simulation Examination (CSE) - the second step toward RRT status - provided the candidate also satisfies the separate RRT admission requirements. In other words, every RRT-track candidate still has to clear the same TMC exam; they just need a higher score on it.
This dual-cut design explains why the pass-rate data looks the way it does. A large share of candidates clear the low cut and become CRTs, while a smaller share also clears the higher bar. If you're deciding which target to aim for, the CRT Passing Score 2026 guide breaks down exactly what separates the two thresholds in practical terms.
Key Takeaway
Know which cut score you're aiming for before you start studying. If RRT is part of your plan, prepare to the high-cut standard from day one rather than trying to "add on" difficulty later.
New Candidates vs. Repeat Candidates
The single most striking pattern in NBRC's 2025 data is the drop-off between new and repeat test-takers. Low-cut pass rates fell from 78.5% (new) to 48.9% (repeat). High-cut pass rates fell even further, from 68.2% (new) to 29.4% (repeat).
| Candidate Type | Low-Cut Pass Rate (CRT) | High-Cut Pass Rate (CSE Eligibility) | Exam Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Applicant | 78.5% | 68.2% | USD 190 |
| Repeat Applicant | 48.9% | 29.4% | USD 150 |
That gap isn't a coincidence. Candidates who don't pass on the first attempt are, on average, walking back in without having closed the specific knowledge gaps that caused the miss the first time. Retesting is cheaper (USD 150 versus USD 190), but the data makes clear that a discount fee doesn't offset a repeated study approach. If your first attempt didn't go as planned, treat your retake prep differently - the CRT Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt is written specifically to help first-time candidates avoid becoming part of that repeat-candidate statistic.
What the TMC Exam Format Means for Your Odds
Pass rates don't exist in a vacuum - they're a direct function of the exam's structure. The TMC Examination is a computer-based test with 160 multiple-choice questions: 140 scored items and 20 unscored pretest items mixed in without identification, under a 3-hour time limit. There's no penalty for guessing, and an onscreen calculator is available for any computation-based items.
- 160 total questions, but only 140 count toward your score
- 3-hour limit - roughly a minute per question if you budget evenly
- No guessing penalty - every question should be answered, even under time pressure
- Fee structure: USD 190 for new applicants, USD 150 for repeat applicants
Because you can't tell scored items from pretest items during the exam, the only reliable strategy is to treat all 160 questions as if they count. For a full walkthrough of registration logistics, testing windows, and how the fee structure interacts with the 2026 deadline, see the CRT Certification Cost 2026 breakdown and the CRT Exam Dates 2026 guide.
The Three Domains Behind the Numbers
Pass rates are ultimately a reflection of how well candidates perform across the exam's three content domains. The official scored-item allocation is 50/20/70 across Patient Data, Troubleshooting/Quality Control/Infection Control, and Interventions - meaning Interventions alone accounts for half of all scored questions.
Domain 1: Patient Data
Covers interpreting clinical information - history, physical findings, lab and diagnostic results - to guide respiratory care decisions. 50 of 140 scored items fall here.
- Weak data interpretation skills show up immediately in low-cut misses
Domain 2: Troubleshooting and Quality Control of Devices, and Infection Control
Tests equipment malfunction recognition, quality-control procedures, and infection-control protocol. Smallest domain at 20 of 140 scored items, but frequently underprepared.
- Candidates often skip equipment troubleshooting drills in favor of clinical topics
Domain 3: Initiation and Modification of Interventions
The largest domain by far - 70 of 140 scored items. Covers initiating, adjusting, and discontinuing respiratory therapies and interventions based on patient response.
- Because it's half the scored exam, weakness here has an outsized effect on your overall result
Given that Interventions makes up exactly half of the scored questions, a candidate who is strong in Patient Data but shaky in Interventions is statistically far more likely to land below the cut score than the reverse. For a full domain-by-domain breakdown with content specifics, the CRT Exam Domains 2026 guide covers all three content areas in depth.
Where Candidates Lose Points
Because NBRC doesn't publish domain-level pass/fail breakdowns publicly, candidates shouldn't assume any single topic is "the reason" for a missed cut score. What the structure of the exam does tell us is where the statistical risk concentrates:
- Interventions volume: With 70 of 140 scored items in one domain, uneven preparation here has more mathematical impact than gaps in the smaller domains.
- Pretest item uncertainty: Since 20 of the 160 questions are unscored and unmarked, some candidates report feeling like they encountered an unusually hard question - that may simply be a pretest item, not a sign of failure.
- Time management under a 3-hour limit: Rushing the final quarter of the exam to make the clock is a common, avoidable cause of missed points.
Candidates who want an honest gauge of how demanding the exam really is - separate from marketing claims - should read How Hard Is the CRT Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026, which puts the format and content load in context.
The 2026 Deadline and Why It Matters Now
The current TMC Examination blueprint, in effect since January 2020, closes out at the end of 2026. NBRC has set a firm cutoff: applications for the TMC exam close December 15, 2026, and testing under this version ends December 31, 2026. Starting January 4, 2027, a replacement Respiratory Therapy Examination takes over - a longer test with 185 questions (160 scored plus 25 pretest), a 4-hour limit, and higher fees of USD 360 (new) and USD 300 (repeat).
If your associate-degree program timeline or personal schedule gives you flexibility, sitting for the exam before the 2026 cutoff means lower fees and a format with a known track record. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and have graduated from a CoARC-supported or accredited entry-to-practice respiratory therapy program - confirm your eligibility early using the CRT Requirements 2026 guide so a paperwork delay doesn't push you past the December 15 application deadline.
Building a Domain-Weighted Study Plan
Given that Interventions represents half the scored exam, your study calendar should mirror that weighting rather than splitting time evenly across all three domains. A simple way to structure preparation:
Patient Data Foundations
- Review history-taking, physical assessment, and lab/diagnostic interpretation
- Practice questions weighted to the 50-item domain share
Interventions - the Priority Domain
- Dedicate the longest block here since it covers 70 of 140 scored items
- Drill initiation, modification, and discontinuation scenarios across therapy types
Troubleshooting, QC, and Infection Control
- Cover the smaller 20-item domain without skipping it entirely
- Focus on equipment malfunction recognition and infection-control protocol
Full-Length Timed Practice
- Simulate the 3-hour, 160-question format, including guessing on uncertain items since there's no penalty
- Review missed items by domain to spot where your time is best spent
This weighting isn't a generic study hack - it's a direct response to the 50/20/70 scored-item allocation. Spending equal time on all three domains ignores the fact that Interventions alone can swing your result more than the other two domains combined. For question banks organized by these exact domain weights, practice with CRT Exam Prep's full practice test platform rather than generic multiple-choice drills.
Once your certification is secured, note that CRT credentials follow a five-year maintenance cycle involving quarterly assessments and CE requirements (0, 15, or 30 credits depending on performance), or an eligible exam-based renewal route, with a CMP fee of USD 125 per cycle billed at USD 25 annually. That's a separate consideration from passing the TMC exam itself, but worth planning for once you're certified - see the Is the CRT Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 for how that maintenance cost fits into the bigger picture, and the CRT Salary Guide 2026 for how the credential translates into hiring opportunities across hospitals, home care, and skilled nursing settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
NBRC reported a low-cut pass rate of 78.5% for new candidates and 48.9% for repeat candidates on the TMC Examination. High-cut pass rates were 68.2% for new candidates and 29.4% for repeat candidates.
Meeting the low cut score earns the CRT credential. Meeting the high cut score also earns CRT but additionally establishes eligibility for the Clinical Simulation Examination, provided separate RRT admission requirements are met.
The 2025 data shows repeat candidates passing at roughly half the rate of new candidates at the low cut, and less than half at the high cut, suggesting many retakes don't involve sufficiently different preparation from the first attempt.
No. There is no penalty for guessing, so every one of the 160 questions should be answered even if you're unsure, since unanswered questions cannot earn points.
TMC applications close December 15, 2026, with testing ending December 31, 2026. After that, a new 185-question, 4-hour exam launches in January 2027 with higher fees, so testing under the current format may be preferable if you're already eligible.