PBSE Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows

What the Published Numbers Actually Cover

When candidates search for a PBSE pass rate, they usually want one clean percentage. The reality is more nuanced, and understanding that nuance is the first step toward reading the data correctly. The Perfusion Basic Science Examination (PBSE) is Part I of the Certified Clinical Perfusionist (CCP) examination process administered by the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion (ABCP). CAPE is the separate Part II. Every statistic discussed in this article refers to PBSE only, not CAPE and not the complete CCP credential.

The most recent verified statistics come from the ABCP 2025 Annual Report, which breaks results out by administration (Spring 2025 and Fall 2025) and by candidate cohort (first-time, repeat, and all candidates). Each of those splits tells a different story, and averaging them into one number would hide the very patterns that matter for your preparation.

Spring 2025 vs. Fall 2025: Side by Side

The table below reproduces the ABCP 2025 Annual Report figures for PBSE, preserving both the administration and the cohort. Counts are shown as passed/tested.

Two things jump out immediately. First, the fall administration is far larger: 263 first-time candidates versus 43 in spring. That reflects how the profession's training pipeline works, since many perfusion programs graduate students in a pattern that feeds the fall window. Second, the repeat-candidate numbers are small in both windows (34 and 20 candidates), so a handful of results can move those percentages noticeably.

If you are weighing how demanding the exam is overall, pair this data with our complete PBSE difficulty guide, which looks at what the content and format ask of you beyond the raw percentages.

Why There Is No Single 2026 Pass Rate

You will sometimes see articles quote a single "PBSE pass rate for 2026." Treat those claims with caution. The 2025 Annual Report covers 2025 administrations, and the 2026 fall window (October 20-24, 2026) had not produced published, verified cohort statistics as of the October 14, 2026 research date. Applications for that window closed October 5, 2026. Any number presented as the 2026 rate would be a guess.

The honest summary is this: the best available evidence is the 2025 pair of administrations, and the best way to use it is to understand the pattern rather than to anchor on one figure.

• Do not average the windows. Spring and fall differ greatly in size and candidate mix, so a blended number would mostly reflect the larger fall group.
• Do not mix PBSE with CAPE. CAPE has its own separate four-hour timer, its own application emphasis, and its own statistics.
• Do not treat the pass rate as your odds. It describes a population, not your preparation, your program, or your readiness.

For the specific score threshold behind these outcomes, see our dedicated page on the PBSE passing score.

First-Time vs. Repeat Candidates

The most actionable pattern in the data is the gap between first-time and repeat candidates. In Fall 2025, first-time candidates passed at 92.0% while repeat candidates passed at 55.0% (11/20). In Spring 2025 the gap was narrower but still present: 74.4% versus 64.7%.

Why would repeat candidates perform worse? The data cannot tell us causation, but several explanations are reasonable to consider:

• Selection effect. Someone retesting has, by definition, already fallen short of the standard at least once, so the repeat group is enriched for candidates with persistent knowledge gaps.
• Fresh coursework advantage. First-time candidates are often close to completing perfusion program coursework, so basic-science material is recent.
• Preparation drift. Retesters sometimes reuse the same study approach that did not work the first time rather than diagnosing specific weak domains.

ABCP permits unlimited attempts, limited to once per examination window. That is a flexible policy, but note that separate state licensure attempt limits may apply depending on where you intend to practice. If you are planning around a retake, build your approach from our PBSE study guide and focus on domain-level diagnosis rather than simply re-reading everything.

How Passing Is Decided: The 400 Scaled Score

PBSE results are reported on a scaled score range of 120 to 480, and the passing score is 400. The standard is criterion-referenced. In practical terms, that means you are measured against a defined level of competence, not against the other people who happened to test with you. There is no grading curve, and ABCP does not publish a raw-percentage rule that translates the 400 into a specific number of correct answers.

This matters for interpreting pass rates. A high fall pass rate does not mean the exam was graded more leniently, and a lower spring rate does not mean it was graded more strictly. Because the standard is fixed to a criterion, differences between windows most plausibly reflect differences in who was tested and how prepared they were.

Results arrive in two stages: a preliminary pass/fail is issued at the test center, and final verified results follow within six weeks. For more on scaled scoring, read our breakdown of exactly what you need to pass.

Format Changes Arriving in Fall 2026

Starting Fall 2026, PBSE delivery uses blocks. Candidates cannot return to a submitted block. The total testing time (a four-hour limit) and the approximate item count (about 220 multiple-choice items) are unchanged. ABCP has not published an official block size, so avoid assuming one.

This is a meaningful shift for candidates accustomed to flagging questions and circling back at the end. Under block delivery, you commit to your answers in each block before moving forward. Because the 2025 statistics reflect the earlier delivery approach, it is reasonable to watch whether the new structure changes outcomes, though no data exists yet and no prediction should be treated as fact.

Pearson VUE test centers deliver the examination, with Professional Testing, Inc. (PTI) supporting development and administration.

Where Candidates Lose Points: The 11 Domains

The pass-rate data does not break results down by domain, so no one can honestly say which domain causes the most failures. What we can say is how the content is organized. The eleven knowledge-base headings below are shared by PBSE and CAPE, and all of them may be tested on PBSE, which emphasizes basic-science processes while CAPE emphasizes application. No official percentage distribution has been verified, so no domain should be called the "largest."

For a heading-by-heading walkthrough, see our complete guide to all 11 PBSE content areas. Note that official sources disagree slightly on naming for area 9: an undated certification summary calls it ECMO/ECLS/Special Procedures and Techniques, while the versioned guidebook uses Special Procedures/Special Techniques, which this article follows. The guidebook itself also shows a version conflict (1.6 in parsed text, 1.3 on the rendered cover), though the eleven scope headings agree. The knowledge-base survey was last conducted in 2023.

The Eligibility Filter Behind the Numbers

Pass rates describe candidates who already cleared a demanding eligibility screen, which is one reason first-time performance can be strong. To sit for PBSE, applicants normally need to have graduated from an accredited perfusion program before testing, and must provide an official graduation transcript, a school clinical-competency statement, and a documented case record. Applicants may apply while enrolled as long as graduation precedes the examination.

Under the detailed guidebook criteria, the case record requires at least 75 qualifying primary clinical perfusion activities, made up of at least 70 primary CPB cases plus five qualifying 3P ECMO or 6P VAD cases. At least 10 pediatric CPB cases must be performed or observed; performed pediatric cases may overlap the 75, but observed ones cannot count toward it. Cases must occur in the US, its territories, or Canada, and an ABCP-certified CCP instructor must be physically present during CPB cases. Effective November 1, 2025, submitted records require the instructor's full first and last name and CCP number, including the overseeing CCP for ECMO/VAD cases.

The simplified "75 CPB" wording on the main PBSE page is looser than the guidebook, and the detailed 70-plus-5 rule takes precedence. Our PBSE requirements guide covers the full prerequisite checklist, including the limited historic exceptions.

Fees, Windows, and Attempt Rules

The pass-rate story connects directly to the economics of each attempt. The PBSE fee is USD 360, plus a USD 100 late-application fee when applicable, and the published no-refund policy applies. Because attempts are limited to once per examination window, a failed attempt typically costs both money and months.

The current calendar lists the fall window as October 20-24, 2026, which takes precedence over the October 21-24 dates in the older 2025 Annual Report. The fall application window is no longer open as of the research date. Regular spring and fall windows continue, and January and July 2027 pilot windows exist but are limited to eligible retesting candidates and qualifying CAPE holdovers with prior-window applications on file, not unrestricted new applicants. For the complete cost picture, see our PBSE certification cost breakdown, and for scheduling details, our PBSE exam dates page.

Turning the Data Into a Plan

Pass-rate statistics are most useful when they change how you prepare. Here is one short, PBSE-specific way to sequence your final weeks, built around the domain structure rather than a generic template.

Beyond sequencing, use the 2025 data to calibrate your own standard. If the repeat-candidate pass rate was 55.0% in Fall 2025, the lesson is not to fear a retake but to make any retake targeted. Use domain feedback from practice exams to find where you are weakest, and only then decide how to spend your hours. Our PBSE cheat sheet is a handy final-week review, and you can test yourself against realistic questions on the main PBSE practice test site.

It is also worth keeping the larger picture in view. PBSE is an examination, not a standalone renewable credential, and passing it alone does not award CCP. That requires passing both PBSE and CAPE. If you are weighing the long-term value, our ROI analysis separates occupational pay from certification-specific effects, since no PBSE-specific salary premium has been verified. Ready to start drilling? Head to our PBSE practice questions to build timing and block-format familiarity.

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