RTM Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass

What the Passing Score of 75 Actually Means

If you are preparing for the Registered Technologist - Mammography credential, the first number you will hear is 75. That is the passing score on the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) scale, and it applies to the Mammography (M) postprimary examination delivered through Pearson VUE test centers. This site uses "RTM" as shorthand for that credential; ARRT's own discipline designation is simply Mammography (M).

The critical detail is the scale. ARRT reports results as a scaled score between 1 and 99, and a 75 is the minimum needed to pass. It is a standard set by the issuer, anchored to a defined level of competence, rather than a percentage of questions you must answer correctly. Candidates who treat 75 as "I need to get three out of four right" tend to misjudge both how they are doing on practice tests and how much margin they actually have.

For a deeper look at how the credential is structured overall, see our RTM certification overview and the explainer on what RTM certification is.

Why 75 Is Not 75% Correct

Scaled scoring exists so that a score of 75 represents the same level of ability regardless of which version of the exam you receive. Different forms of the exam can vary slightly in difficulty. Rather than penalizing a candidate who drew a harder form, the scoring process adjusts so the passing standard stays equivalent across forms.

That has several practical implications for you:

• Raw-score math is unreliable. Answering a certain number of the 115 scored questions correctly may be enough on one form and fall short on another. You cannot reverse-engineer the exact cutoff.
• Practice-test percentages are only a rough proxy. A strong, stable result on well-built practice questions is encouraging, but it is not a guarantee of a 75 on exam day.
• The scale runs 1-99. A 75 is a pass; anything below is not. The score report you receive will show your scaled score, and ARRT explains interpretation on its exam scoring page.

When you take our RTM practice tests, treat the percentages as a diagnostic for weak areas rather than a prediction of your scaled score. The more useful signal is whether your performance is consistent across all three content categories.

How the 145-Question Exam Is Built

The examination contains 145 total questions. Of those, 115 are scored and 30 are unscored pilot questions that ARRT uses to evaluate future items. You will not be told which are which, so every question deserves your full attention.

Question formats you should expect

The exam is primarily single-best-answer multiple choice. ARRT's handbook also describes other possible formats, including multiple-response (select all that apply) and ordered-response (arrange steps in sequence), plus image-based questions. In a mammography context, image-based items can involve evaluating positioning, identifying anatomy or pathology, or recognizing technical problems on an image, so visual practice matters as much as memorizing facts.

You must answer each item before advancing, but you can flag questions and return to them. With 150 minutes for 145 questions, you have roughly a minute per item on average, which is comfortable for recall questions and tighter for image-heavy ones. Flagging a tough item and moving on is a sound way to protect your pace.

Where the Scored Questions Come From

Your score is built from performance across three official major content categories. The controlling source is the Mammography Examination Content Specifications (board approved July 2024, effective September 1, 2025). ARRT specifies how many of the 115 scored questions come from each category, and we present these as counts rather than converting them into percentages.

Add those up and you get 20 + 30 + 65 = 115 scored questions. Procedures alone accounts for more than half of what is scored, which should shape where you spend your hours. Our complete guide to the three RTM content areas walks through each category in more detail.

What the 2025 Pass Statistics Say

The ARRT Annual Exam Report - 2025 provides two numbers that are easy to confuse, and they describe different groups of candidates:

The 90.3% figure is not the full-calendar-year pass rate; it covers only first-time candidates who took the revised exam after the September 2025 blueprint took effect. The 91% figure is the full-year first-attempt summary and straddles the old and new blueprints. Neither number tells you your personal odds, but both indicate that candidates who meet the eligibility requirements and prepare tend to do well.

One reason pass rates run high is selection: to sit for this exam you must already hold ARRT certification and registration in Radiography and have completed substantial structured education and clinical experience. For more context, read our RTM pass rate analysis and the difficulty guide.

Attempt Limits and Retake Costs

You have three examination attempts within three years of the opening of your initial examination window. If you do not pass within that limit, you would need to meet the requirements again as ARRT directs.

Because each reattempt costs $200 and consumes one of only three chances, it pays to be ready on the first try rather than testing early "just to see." For a full financial picture, including study materials and other expenses, see the RTM certification cost breakdown.

Eligibility Gates Before You Ever See a Score

You cannot reach the passing-score question until you clear ARRT's postprimary eligibility requirements. These are strict and documentation-heavy, so start early.

Prerequisites

• Current ARRT certification and registration in Radiography
• Compliance with ARRT ethics requirements
• 16 hours of structured education completed within the 24 months before application, with at least one credit in each major content category
• Verified clinical experience completed within the corresponding 24-month eligibility window

Clinical experience requirements

• MQSA compliance before performing any procedures that will count
• Independent mammographic imaging of 75 patients, with no phantom or simulated substitutions
• All nine prescribed quality-control activities at their required repetition counts
• Review of at least 10 mammography cases with an MQSA-qualified interpreting physician
• At least five elective procedures through observation, assistance or participation

The full walkthrough is in our RTM requirements guide, and timing details are covered in RTM exam dates and scheduling.

Test-Day Mechanics That Affect Your Score

Knowing the rules removes avoidable stress and protects the score you have earned through preparation.

• Closed book. No notes or reference materials are permitted.
• Calculators. Basic and scientific on-screen calculators are available. Pearson can supply a basic four-function calculator on request. Personal calculators are prohibited.
• Answer before advancing. Each item must be answered before you move on, but you can flag and revisit.
• Time budget. You have 150 minutes of answering time within a 170-minute appointment. The remaining time covers the tutorial, nondisclosure agreement and survey, so do not count it as working time.
• Pilot questions. Thirty items do not count. If a question feels unusually obscure, it may be one of them, but never assume so; answer everything with care.

Turning the Blueprint Into a Study Plan

Since the passing standard is fixed at 75 and your result depends on performance across the whole blueprint, the smartest preparation weights your time toward where the scored questions live. Here is one way to sequence an eight-week plan, with Procedures getting the most attention because it holds 65 of the 115 scored questions.

The reasoning is simple: the first four weeks go to the category that decides the most scored questions, and Patient Care, though smallest, is reviewed late because it overlaps with knowledge you already use in daily practice. If you want a fuller framework, our RTM study guide goes deeper, and the one-page cheat sheet is useful for a final review. You can also test yourself with timed sets on the main practice test site.

After You Pass: Keeping the Credential

Earning a 75 or higher is the start of an ongoing obligation, not the end. To maintain your certification and registration you must:

• Renew annually for $65, regardless of how many ARRT credentials you hold
• Continue complying with ARRT ethics requirements
• Earn 24 approved continuing education credits per two-year biennium, which applies per biennium rather than per credential

Credentials earned on or after January 1, 2011 also require Continuing Qualifications Requirements (CQR) every 10 years. That involves a professional profile, a structured self-assessment and any prescribed CE. ARRT also permits you to accept the maximum CQR CE prescription instead of taking the self-assessment.

If you are weighing whether the effort pays off, our analyses of whether the certification is worth it, the salary picture and current RTM jobs can help you decide, and RTM training options can help you plan your structured education.

Frequently Asked Questions