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PCCN Pass Rate 2026: 70.10% (2025) + Free Study Plan
Key Facts
- AACN lists the PCCN exam as 150 items with 125 scored and 25 unscored pretest questions.
- AACN lists a 3-hour test length for PCCN.
- AACN reports the current PCCN cut score as 82 correct answers out of 125 scored items.
- AACN member exam fee is $260 and nonmember fee is $375 for PCCN.
- AACN eligibility includes 1,750 direct-care hours in the prior 2 years with 875 in the most recent year, or a 2,000-hour 5-year pathway with 144 recent hours.
- AACN statistics show a 70.10% first-time PCCN pass rate in 2025.
- BLS reports a May 2025 median annual wage of $97,550 for registered nurses, with 6% projected growth from 2025 to 2035 and about 180,800 openings per year.
PCCN in 2026: What It Takes to Pass on Your First Attempt
The AACN Adult PCCN credential is designed for nurses caring for acutely ill adults in progressive care, step-down, telemetry, and transitional-care units. It is not an entry-level nursing exam. It tests whether you can integrate pathophysiology, monitoring data, escalation timing, and family-centered professional practice under pressure.
If you are balancing 12-hour shifts and trying to certify without burning out, your advantage comes from structure: study to blueprint weight, train with clinical scenarios, and use a hard calendar.
Exam Format & Structure
- Component Details
- Total Questions 150 multiple-choice items (125 scored + 25 pretest)
- Time Limit 3 hours
- Passing Score Current AACN cut score: 82 correct out of 125 scored items
- Pass Rate 70.10% first-time pass rate in 2025 (AACN statistics)
- Cost $260 AACN members / $375 nonmembers
- Testing Format PSI test center or live remote proctoring
- Start Your FREE PCCN Prep Today