What score do you actually need?
There is no national passing score on the TEAS. Every program sets its own, and the only number that matters to you is the one on your program's admissions page. Here is how to read the rest.
Typical requirements by program type
Typical, not authoritative. Verify against your program.
| Program | Usual range | Plan against |
|---|---|---|
| LPN / PN program | 55–65 | 60 |
| ADN (community college) | 60–70 | 65 |
| BSN program | 70–80 | 78 |
| Competitive or selective BSN | 80–90+ | 85 |
The national average composite is in the 60 to 70 range. Read that alongside the table: the average applicant is short of what a BSN program asks. Most people who get in were once short of it too.
The five preparedness levels
| Level | Total score | What a committee takes from it |
|---|---|---|
| Exemplary | 92.0 and above | Top of the applicant pool anywhere. |
| Advanced | 80.0 to 91.3 | Clears almost every published requirement, competitive programs included. |
| Proficient | 58.7 to 79.3 | The widest band and where most applicants land. Clears many ADN cuts, and the upper half clears most BSN cuts. |
| Basic | 40.7 to 58.0 | Below most published requirements. A retake with a plan is the usual answer. |
| Developmental | 40.0 and below | Groundwork first, then the exam. |
These are the Version 7 ranges. Sites still publishing 90.7 for Exemplary and 78.0 for Advanced are quoting Version 6.
How to turn a requirement into a study plan
Find your program's required score. Take a scored practice test to find where you are. The difference, in points, is the whole job.
One scored question is worth about 0.67 points, so a ten-point gap is roughly fifteen questions. Which fifteen is the part worth thinking about: they should come from the topics that carry the most questions and respond fastest to practice, not from the subject that worries you most.
Find your numberWorked example
Your program asks for 78. You score 66 on a practice test.
- Gap
- 12 points
- Questions
- about 18
- Realistic hours
- 25 to 35
- At 45 min a day
- 5 to 7 weeks
That arithmetic is why the test date matters more than the study method. Book the date, count backwards, and put the hours where the questions are.
Questions about scores
Is a 70 a good TEAS score?
It is above the national average and it is Proficient, which clears many ADN programs. For a BSN program asking 78 it is eight points short, and eight points is about twelve questions. Whether 70 is good depends entirely on the number your program publishes.
What is the average TEAS score?
The national average composite sits in the 60 to 70 range, which means the average test taker is Proficient and short of most BSN requirements. That gap is normal and it is closable.
Does my section score matter or only the total?
Most programs read the total. Some set a floor on individual sections, most often Science or Math, and a few rank applicants on the total as part of a points system. Read your program page, because these rules are not standard.
How long is a TEAS score valid?
Usually two years, but the program decides and some accept only one year. Check before you plan around an old score.
Can I send my score to more than one program?
Yes, and most applicants apply to several. That is worth knowing before you decide which requirement to aim at: plan for the highest number on your list, not the lowest.