What is a passing score on the TEAS? How scores work and who sets the cutoff
Written and reviewed by Rebecca Moore, MSN, RN, CEN · 3 min read · Updated October 2026
Short answer
There is no single passing score on the TEAS. ATI reports a total score from 0% to 100% and a score for each section, and each nursing program sets its own minimum. One program may accept a score another would call uncompetitive, so the passing score that matters is the one published by the program you are applying to.
What is on your score report
The headline number is your adjusted individual total score. ATI converts your raw count of correct answers through a process called equating, which adjusts for small differences in difficulty between test forms, and reports the result on a 0% to 100% scale. Only the 150 scored questions count toward it.
Below that you get a score for each of the four sections, adjusted the same way. The section scores do not add up to the total, so do not try to reconcile them. If you do not complete all four sections, ATI does not report a total score at all.
The report also shows national and program means, your percentile rank, and a list of topics to review based on the questions you missed. That last list is the most useful part of the report if you plan to retake.
The five preparedness levels
ATI places every total score into one of five academic preparedness levels: Developmental (0.0% to 40.7%), Basic (41.3% to 58.0%), Proficient (58.7% to 77.3%), Advanced (78.0% to 90.0%), and Exemplary (90.7% to 100.0%).
These are ATI's description of readiness, not a pass mark. ATI says Proficient indicates a moderate level of preparedness and that students there may still need work on some objectives. Some programs phrase their requirement as a level, others as a percentage, and some look at a particular section score as well.
Your school sets the cutoff
Programs publish their own minimums and they vary. Golden West College in California, for example, requires a minimum of 62% and says a competitive score is typically 70% or higher. Another program may rank applicants by score with no fixed floor, or weight the TEAS alongside GPA and prerequisite grades.
Retake rules are set by the school too: how many attempts count, how long you must wait, and whether your best or most recent score is used. Look these up before your first attempt, not after it, because they change how you should plan.
Whatever the cutoff, the way to move a score is the same: find the section that is costing you, then practise it under time. Our free TEAS practice questions are split by section so you can see which one that is.
Common questions
Is 70 a good TEAS score?
It depends entirely on the program. A 70% falls in ATI's Proficient band. Some schools would accept it and some competitive programs admit mostly applicants who score higher. Check the published minimum and, if the school shares it, the typical admitted score.
Can you fail the TEAS?
Not in the sense of a pass or fail result from ATI. You receive a score, and each program decides whether that score meets its requirement.
Do my section scores add up to my total?
No. Each section score and the total score are adjusted separately for form difficulty, so they will not sum.