- What the Published Data Actually Shows
- Reading the Fall 2023 Board Minutes
- Why There Is No Clean Annual Pass Rate
- How Scoring Bands Shape Outcomes
- Where the Points Live: Question Allocation by Domain
- Retakes, Cycles, and the Three-Failure Rule
- The Open-Book Trap and Calculator Rules
- Sequencing Preparation by Domain
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The only published Level I result tallied here is the Fall 2023 cohort: 61 passes and 35 failures.
- That Fall 2023 figure is a historical cohort, not a current annual or first-time pass rate.
- Normal passing is 70%; 66-69 is pending cycle review and 65 or below fails.
- Field Equipment & Operations carries 75 of 200 questions, the largest allocation.
What the Published Data Actually Shows
Candidates searching for a CST pass rate usually want one number: the percentage of people who pass the Certified Survey Technician Level I examination. The honest answer is that the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) does not publish a current annual or first-time pass rate for Level I. What does exist is a set of historical grading results recorded in Certified Survey Technician Board minutes, and those results are useful as context as long as they are read for what they are.
This article walks through the one concrete data point available, explains why it cannot be stretched into a yearly statistic, and then turns to the structural factors that actually determine whether a candidate passes: the scoring bands, the question allocation across the six work elements, the retake rules, and the open-book format. If you want the broader picture of difficulty, our guide on how hard the CST exam is pairs well with this one.
Reading the Fall 2023 Board Minutes
The NSPS CST Board Fall 2023 Final Minutes, from the meeting held November 2-3, 2023, record quarter-grading results for Level I: 61 passes and 35 failures. That is 96 graded Level I results in that reporting window, with the passing group outnumbering the failing group.
It is tempting to convert that into a percentage and call it "the CST pass rate." We deliberately do not present a derived percentage as the official rate, for three reasons:
- It is one quarter-grading cohort. A single grading period cannot represent a full year, let alone current conditions.
- It is not first-time data. The minutes do not separate first attempts from retakes, so the figure cannot be treated as a first-attempt pass rate.
- It is historical. Fall 2023 predates the continuing education change that took effect with July 2026 renewals and any later Board adjustments to passing criteria.
| Data Point | What It Is | What It Is Not |
|---|---|---|
| 61 passes | Level I passes recorded in Fall 2023 Board minutes | A current annual total |
| 35 failures | Level I failures recorded in the same grading results | A first-time failure count |
| Source | NSPS CST Board Fall 2023 Final Minutes, November 2-3, 2023 | An issuer-published pass-rate statement |
The practical reading: in the cohort that was documented, more candidates passed than failed, but a meaningful number did not clear the bar. That alone is a reason to treat the exam seriously even though it has no experience prerequisite. For eligibility details, see our CST requirements guide.
Why There Is No Clean Annual Pass Rate
Several features of how Level I is delivered make a single headline pass rate hard to compute even if one were published.
Rolling, proctor-arranged administration
Level I is not given on one national test day. Applicants arrange an approved proctor and a site, and delivery can be online or on paper with an on-site proctor. Online availability is restricted on the NSPS fee and setup pages to weekdays and the second Saturday of each month, though a February 2024 proctor packet describes any date, so the actual appointment must be confirmed with NSPS and the proctor. Because candidates test throughout the year in small groups, results arrive in batches through the grading cycle rather than as one annual population. Our CST exam dates guide covers scheduling in more detail.
A mixed candidate pool
Level I requires no experience, and NSPS membership is not required. The pool therefore includes seasoned field crew members testing for recognition, students testing at a discounted rate, active military and veterans, and groups tested by employers. Each subgroup prepares differently, so an aggregate rate says little about any individual's odds.
Board adjustment of the passing criterion
The normal passing criterion is 70%, but it is explicitly subject to CST Board adjustment, and a borderline band is held for cycle review. A rate computed under one criterion would not be comparable to one computed under another.
How Scoring Bands Shape Outcomes
The results policy on the NSPS site defines three outcomes rather than a simple pass/fail split:
| Score | Outcome |
|---|---|
| 70% and above (normal criterion) | Pass, subject to CST Board adjustment |
| 66-69 | Pending cycle review |
| 65 or below | Fail |
That middle band matters for how you read any pass-rate discussion. A candidate who lands at 66-69 is neither passing nor failing at the moment results are first seen; the outcome waits on the Board's review of the full grading cycle. On a 200-question exam, a handful of questions can separate a pending result from a clear pass, which is why careless errors on the high-volume domains are so costly. For a deeper look at the numbers, see our CST passing score breakdown.
Where the Points Live: Question Allocation by Domain
NSPS publishes question allocations for the six work elements, not percentage weights, and we keep that distinction. The allocation totals 200 questions, and it tells you exactly where a failing score is most likely to be earned or avoided.
| Domain | Questions |
|---|---|
| Survey Types and History | 15 |
| Field Equipment & Operations | 75 |
| Survey Control | 6 |
| Survey Computations | 50 |
| Office Operations, Plan Reading and Preparation | 34 |
| First Aid & Safety | 20 |
Field Equipment & Operations (75 questions)
The largest block by a wide margin. A candidate who is weak here cannot compensate elsewhere.
- Instrument setup, leveling, and routine operating procedures
- Field practices and equipment care that crew members perform daily
- Terminology that appears in the recommended fundamental surveying text and the Definitions of Surveying and Associated Terms reference
Survey Computations (50 questions)
The second-largest block and the one most likely to punish slow or error-prone arithmetic under time pressure.
- Working problems accurately with a permitted calculator
- Using conversion charts correctly rather than from memory
- Checking units before committing to an answer
Office Operations, Plan Reading and Preparation (34 questions)
Reading and interpreting plans and documents, a strength for office-based technicians and a gap for some field-only candidates.
First Aid & Safety (20 questions)
Often underestimated. Twenty questions is a larger share than Survey Types and History, and a first-aid and safety manual is on the recommended reading list.
Survey Types and History (15) and Survey Control (6)
Small allocations, but Survey Control's six questions are the quickest to master. Neglecting either costs points that are cheap to secure.
Field Equipment & Operations and Survey Computations together account for 125 of 200 questions. Our complete guide to all six CST content areas expands on each domain.
Retakes, Cycles, and the Three-Failure Rule
Because a meaningful share of candidates do not pass on a given attempt, the retake rules are part of the real-world pass-rate story.
- Same-level retake within one year: USD 150 for individuals, or USD 100 for student, active military, and veteran candidates, compared with the initial fee of USD 180 individual or USD 120 for those categories.
- Complete cycle before retesting: The FAQ requires a full grading cycle to finish before a retest, so a failed attempt delays you rather than offering an immediate second shot.
- After three consecutive failures: The July 2024 Program Book requires documented education in the failed work elements before a fourth attempt.
Key Takeaway
The retake discount is real, but the waiting cycle is the bigger cost. Preparing to pass the first time saves months, not just the difference between USD 180 and USD 150. See our CST certification cost breakdown for the full fee picture.
Group pricing is a place where sources disagree: the FAQ and July 2024 Program Book list USD 120 for groups of at least 10 at the same site and time with the same proctor, while the dedicated fee page directs group applicants to NSPS for pricing. Confirm with NSPS before budgeting for a crew.
The Open-Book Trap and Calculator Rules
The exam is open book, with printed references and securely bound technical notes permitted. Resource sharing and access to network storage, email, or the internet are prohibited under the Online Exam Proctor Packet. A CST Flipchart is included with the exam fee and supplied on exam day.
The format creates a common failure pattern. Candidates assume they can look anything up, then discover that 200 multiple-choice questions in 4 hours averages roughly 72 seconds per question. Every minute spent paging through a reference is a minute not spent on the next item. Open-book rewards candidates who know the material well enough to use references only for confirmation, conversion charts, and tables.
Calculator policy
Under the dedicated calculator policy effective October 25, 2022, only these families are permitted: Casio fx-115 and fx-991, HP 33s and 35s, and TI-30X and TI-36X. Older FAQ language is broader; follow the dedicated policy page. Arriving with an unapproved model, or one you have never practiced on, is an avoidable way to lose time in the 50-question Survey Computations block.
Sequencing Preparation by Domain
Rather than a generic schedule, let the question allocation drive the order. The plan below assumes about five weeks and front-loads the domains that carry the most points. Our CST study guide offers a fuller framework.
Field Equipment & Operations
- Work through the fundamental surveying text on instruments and procedures
- Build your tabbed reference set for terminology
Field Equipment & Operations, continued
- Drill the weakest procedures from Week 1
- Confirm your permitted calculator model
Survey Computations
- Timed problem sets with conversion charts
- Practice unit checks before answering
Office Operations and First Aid & Safety
- Plan reading and preparation exercises
- First-aid and safety manual review
Survey Types and History, Survey Control, full review
- Quick wins on the two smallest allocations
- One or more full timed runs against the 4-hour limit
You can build timed-run habits with the practice questions on the main practice test site, and the CST cheat sheet is a handy companion for last-week review. Observed outside resources include NSPS itself, LearnCST, a Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Level 1 preview course, and OpenExamPrep; these are observed options, not rankings or issuer endorsements, and paid course contents were not reviewed.
What the pass rate means for your decision
If you are weighing the credential itself, keep expectations grounded. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2025 median annual pay of USD 54,240 for surveying and mapping technicians as an occupation, but that does not measure what CST holders earn or any certification premium, and the credential does not grant a surveying license. Our ROI analysis and salary guide treat those questions with the same caution. When you are ready to test yourself, start with a full-length practice session.
Frequently Asked Questions
NSPS does not publish a current annual or first-time pass rate for Level I. The historical Fall 2023 Board minutes record 61 passes and 35 failures, but that is a single cohort and should not be treated as a current rate.
The normal criterion is 70%, subject to CST Board adjustment. A score of 66-69 is pending cycle review, and 65 or below is a failing result.
Yes. A same-level retake within one year costs USD 150 for individuals or USD 100 for students, active military, and veterans, and a complete grading cycle must finish first. After three consecutive failures, documented education in the failed work elements is required before a fourth attempt.
Field Equipment & Operations, with 75 of 200 questions, is the largest allocation, followed by Survey Computations at 50. Together they make up 125 questions, so they deserve the most preparation time.
Not necessarily. With 200 questions in 4 hours, there is limited time to look things up. References are best used to confirm conversions and definitions rather than to learn material during the test.