Scores

Praxis Core passing scores explained: why they vary by state

October 27, 2026 · 5 minute read

The most common Praxis Core question is also the one with no single answer: what score do I need? Candidates search for a national passing score, find three different numbers on three different sites, and end up more confused than when they started. This guide explains why that happens and how to pin down the one number that matters for you.

States set the scores, not the test maker

ETS builds and scores the Praxis Core, but it does not decide what counts as passing for your license or your program. Each state sets its own required score for each subtest, and teacher preparation programs sometimes set their own bar on top of that. So the passing score for Reading 5713 in one state can be different from the score next door, and the Writing score in the same state can be different again. There are three separate targets, and they are all local.

The range to expect

Across states, Core passing scores fall roughly between 130 and 162, depending on the subtest and the state. Scores themselves run on a scale with 200 at the top. A required score in the low 150s is common for reading and writing in many states, but treat that as background, not as your answer. Your answer is the specific trio of numbers your state and program publish. If a website gives you one national number with no state attached, it is giving you a guess dressed up as a fact.

How to find your exact scores

1. Start with your state education agency or licensing office. It publishes the required scores for licensure.
2. Then check your teacher preparation program. Programs can require scores for admission or progression that differ from the state licensing floor.
3. Write down all three numbers, one per subtest, and the date by which your program needs them.
4. If the two sources disagree, ask your program advisor which one governs your next step, and get the answer in writing.

The FAQ page covers the short version of this, and the overview of what the Praxis Core is explains the subtests themselves.

What the score means for your study plan

Your required score turns practice from vague to measurable. Suppose your state requires a score in the mid-150s for mathematics and your diagnostic shows math as your weakest subtest by a wide margin. That subtest gets the most weeks, the most drills, and the earliest timed practice. A subtest where you are already testing comfortably gets maintenance work instead. Candidates get into trouble in two ways: studying everything evenly when one subtest is at risk, or ignoring a subtest because it felt fine in a class years ago. A diagnostic plus your target scores settles both questions with evidence.

A word on retakes

Because each subtest is scored on its own, a shortfall is narrow. You retake the one subtest, not the whole Core. That also means a smart first attempt matters: schedule subtests so a retake still fits before your program deadline, instead of booking everything on the last possible date. Build that buffer into your plan from the start, the way the guide on how long to study recommends.

How Kudosli uses your state

Kudosli asks for your state and frames your readiness around the score your state sets, rather than a national average that does not apply to anyone in particular. Your dashboard tracks accuracy and pacing by subtest and skill, so you can see which subtest is closest to its target and which one needs the next block of work. No prep product can promise you a score. What it can do is keep your real target in front of you and measure your practice against it honestly.