Pillar · 6 min read
Praxis SLP Passing Score by State: The Full 50-State Breakdown
The rare case where the national number and the state number agree: 162 everywhere. Here's the full state-by-state breakdown and score-sending walkthrough.
Cross-checked against the current ETS Praxis 5331 Speech-Language Pathology Test at a Glance and ASHA CCC-SLP standards.
The short answer: 162 on a 100–200 scale is the passing score on the Praxis 5331 in effect for both the ASHA CCC-SLP certificate and every US state that licenses speech-language pathologists. There is no state currently requiring a higher cutoff, and no state accepting a lower one. This is the rare case where the national number and the state number are the same.
Where 162 comes from
The 5331 is scored on a scaled 100–200 range. ETS converts your raw score (correct answers out of the 117 scored items — 15 pretest items don't count) into the scaled score using an equating process that smooths differences between test forms. Because forms vary in difficulty, the raw-to-scaled table is different for every administration. In practice ~85 of 117 scored items correct (roughly 73%) has landed you at 162 on recent forms, but don't build your study plan around a raw target — build it around a scaled-score cushion.
Try our Praxis score calculator to estimate the scaled score from a raw score, or read the full score report guide.
Do any states require a different score?
No. All 50 states and the District of Columbia recognize the ASHA cutoff of 162 for licensure as a speech-language pathologist. Some states let you satisfy the exam requirement by holding the ASHA CCC-SLP (which itself required the 162), which functionally makes 162 the universal number.
The place state-by-state variation shows up is not the score — it's which exams you need in addition to the 5331. School-based SLPs in some states also need a state basic-skills exam or a state-specific pedagogy test. Check your state's page in our state requirements directory.
Score reporting to the state board
The state board wants your score sent directly from ETS, not a printout from you. Two ways to do that:
- At registration (free): Add your state board as one of your four free score recipients using the ETS recipient code list.
- After the fact (~$40 per report): Log into your ETS dashboard, add the recipient, and pay the fee. Reports go out within 2 weeks.
If you also want the score sent to ASHA, use recipient code R5031.
What if I score 160 or 161?
Even one point short of 162 is a fail. There is no rounding, no state that accepts 160, and no appeal process for the score itself. Your options are:
- Wait the 21-day ETS retake window and retest (full $146 fee).
- Focus retake prep on the two subscore areas where you scored lowest — the score report shows a range for each of the three content categories. Read our failed-the-Praxis playbook for the retake plan.
Popular state pages
Confirm passing score, board name, and additional required tests for your state:
- California SLP requirements
- Texas SLP requirements
- New York SLP requirements
- Florida SLP requirements
- Illinois SLP requirements
- See all 50 states →
Frequently asked questions
- What is the passing score for the speech-language pathology Praxis?
- 162 on a 100–200 scaled score. ASHA sets that cut score for the CCC-SLP, and every US state licensure board accepts the same 162 — no state requires higher.
- How many questions do I need right to score 162?
- There is no fixed raw-score cutoff because ETS equates each form, but candidates typically need roughly 90 to 100 correct out of 132 — about 70 to 76 percent — to land at or above 162.
- What happens if I score 160 or 161?
- That is a fail for ASHA certification and state licensure, and ETS does not round up or rescore selected-response items. You must retake the 5331 after the 21-day waiting period.
- Does my state require a different Praxis passing score?
- No. All 50 states, DC, and the US territories use the ASHA-aligned 162 cut score for the Praxis 5331.
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