Blog / EPPP Passing Score by State (2026): What Score You Need
EPPP Passing Score by State (2026): What Score You Need
The EPPP passing score is a scaled 500 for most candidates. That is the score ASPPB recommends for independent practice, on a scale that runs from 200 to 800. But it is not the only number out there. ASPPB also recommends 450 for supervised practice, and New York writes its standard on a different scale entirely. Your licensing board decides which line applies to you.
Here is the short version, then the details, then a ten-minute way to confirm your own number.
| Where the number comes from | What it says |
|---|---|
| ASPPB, independent practice | Scaled score of 500 |
| ASPPB, supervised practice | Scaled score of 450 |
| California Board of Psychology | "A scaled score of 500 as recommended by ASPPB" |
| New York (NYSED) | "A converted score of at least 75 as determined by the State Board for Psychology" |
| Everywhere else | Set by your board. Check its official site |
When I sat my first EPPP practice diagnostic, I scored 19 percent. So I get why the first thing you want is one clean number. You want to see the target before you start running at it.
The short answer: 500 on a 200 to 800 scale
ASPPB's EPPP Candidate Handbook (January 2026 edition) says the scale runs from 200 to 800. It calls 500 "the ASPPB recommended passing score for independent practice." If you are going for a full, independent license, 500 is almost certainly your line.
You do not get extra credit for clearing it by a lot. A pass is a pass. I passed with a 588. That did not make me more licensed than someone who scored 501.
The second number most posts skip: 450
The same handbook lists a second recommended score: 450 for supervised practice. The handbook does not list which boards use it. If your board licenses people at a supervised level, ask it whether 450 applies to that license.
Do not assume 450 applies to you. If you are headed for independent licensure, plan for 500 unless your board tells you in writing that a different number applies.
Passing score by state: two real examples
Every state and province runs its own licensing board, and each one writes its own rule. Here are two, quoted straight from the board sites.
California. The Board of Psychology's regulation says that for computer-delivered forms of the EPPP, "the board shall apply a scaled score of 500 as recommended by ASPPB." California also makes you pass a second exam after the EPPP, the California Psychology Laws and Ethics Examination (CPLEE). So passing the EPPP in California is step one of two.
New York. The Office of the Professions says you must pass the EPPP "with a converted score of at least 75 as determined by the State Board for Psychology." That is a different scale from ASPPB's 200 to 800. New York does not publish how 75 lines up with a scaled score, so do not try to convert it yourself. New York also only requires Part 1. Its page says the EPPP Part 2 (Skills) "has not been adopted in New York State."
The takeaway from these two: even when the bar is basically the same, the way a board writes it can look different. That is why a copied 50-state table is risky. One stale cell can send you into the exam aiming at the wrong target.
What "scaled score" means (and why there is no raw cutoff)
Your scaled score is not the number of questions you got right. ASPPB converts your raw score (the count of correct answers) to the 200 to 800 scale so that scores on different forms of the test mean the same thing.
The handbook is direct about what that means for you. The 500 and 450 lines do not change, but "the number of questions that have to be answered correctly to achieve a passing score can change." An easier form needs more correct answers. A harder form needs fewer.
So there is no fixed "get X right and you pass" number. It also helps to know that of the 225 questions on the exam, 50 are unscored pretest items. You cannot tell which ones they are, so treat every question like it counts.
If you want the full breakdown of how the score is built and what your score report shows, read how the EPPP is scored. For question count and timing, see the EPPP exam format guide.
How to find your state's exact EPPP passing score
This takes about ten minutes, and it beats any table you find online, including this one.
- Find your state or provincial psychology board. Search "[your state] board of psychology." Use the official .gov site (or the provincial college), not a prep company's summary.
- Open the licensure or exam requirements page. Boards post their required exams and passing standards there, or in their regulations.
- Write down three things: the EPPP passing score, whether they need Part 2, and whether they add a state law or ethics exam (like California's CPLEE).
- If anything is unclear, email the board. They answer this question all the time. Get the answer in writing.
- Cross-check with ASPPB for anything about the exam itself: scale, scoring, and fees.
Boards are the authority on their own rules. ASPPB is the authority on the exam. Between those two, you have the real answer.
Passing score vs. pass rate
People mix these up all the time.
Your passing score is the bar (a scaled 500 for most candidates). The pass rate is how many people clear it. ASPPB's 2024 report on first-time takers from 2019 to 2023 puts the pass rate at 76.9% for candidates from APA or CPA accredited doctoral programs, and 48.8% for nonaccredited or other programs.
So about three in four accredited first-timers clear the bar. For the full breakdown by degree, program, and state, see EPPP pass rates.
Does the 2027 EPPP change the passing score?
Yes, the format changes. ASPPB has announced a new EPPP going live in fall 2027. It covers six content domains and will use "a pass/fail standard based on a total score." ASPPB's rollout timeline includes a standard-setting step to establish the new cut score before the exam goes live.
If you are testing on the current exam, the 200 to 800 scale and the 500 and 450 lines above are what apply to you. If your date falls after the switch, confirm the new standard with ASPPB and your board. That number does not exist yet, so no blog post (this one included) can give it to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What score do you need to pass the EPPP?
For most candidates, a scaled score of 500 on the 200 to 800 scale. That is ASPPB's recommended score for independent practice. ASPPB also recommends 450 for supervised practice. Your board decides which applies.
Is the EPPP passing score different by state?
The bar is usually the ASPPB number, but each board sets and writes its own rule. California applies 500. New York requires "a converted score of at least 75." Check your board's official site.
How many questions do I need to get right to pass?
There is no fixed number. ASPPB says the number of correct answers needed to reach a passing scaled score can change from one test form to the next. Also, 50 of the 225 questions are unscored.
What is the EPPP passing score in California?
A scaled score of 500, per the California Board of Psychology's regulation. California also requires the CPLEE, its own law and ethics exam.
What is the EPPP passing score in New York?
New York requires "a converted score of at least 75 as determined by the State Board for Psychology," and only requires Part 1.
Find out how far you are from 500
Knowing the bar is step one. Knowing where you stand is step two. Take the free 100-question EPPP practice exam. It covers all 8 domains, scores as you go, and explains every answer, so you see which domains are keeping you under the line. Then read the free EPPP practice questions guide for what to do with the result.
Anders Chan, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist and the founder of thePsychology.ai. He passed the EPPP on his first attempt with a score of 588 after starting from a 19% diagnostic.
