ALS Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass

What "Passing" Actually Means for ALS(AAB)

When candidates search for the ALS passing score, they usually assume there is one single number that unlocks certification. For the Andrology Laboratory Scientist credential issued by the AAB Board of Registry (ABOR), that assumption is only half right. There isn't one exam - there are two - and you need a passing score on each one independently. Passing the Basic Knowledge exam with a great score does not offset a weak performance on the Andrology exam, and vice versa.

This structure matters more than most candidates realize when they start planning. If you're still mapping out what the credential covers before you dive into scoring mechanics, the ALS Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 2 Content Areas breaks down what each exam actually tests. This article focuses narrowly on the number you need to hit and how the scoring system is built.

The 60% Threshold on Each Exam

The passing standard set by ABOR for both examinations is 60%. That's the entire rule - no domain-by-domain sub-minimums are published, no sliding scale, and no bonus credit for finishing early. You either clear 60% correct on a given exam or you don't, and each exam is graded on its own.

Because the requirement is flat and identical across both exams, your prep strategy shouldn't treat one exam as "the easy one" and the other as the priority. Some candidates with strong bench experience feel more confident heading into the Andrology exam and under-prepare for Basic Knowledge - a mistake, since Basic Knowledge must be attempted first regardless of comfort level. Others assume Basic Knowledge is a formality and get caught off guard by how much foundational laboratory science it actually covers. For a broader gut-check on how tough this really is in practice, see How Hard Is the ALS Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.

Basic Knowledge vs. Andrology: Two Separate Hurdles

ALS(AAB) certification requires passing both the Basic Knowledge Examination and the Andrology Examination. These map directly to the two domains that define the credential:

For a deeper breakdown of the specific content weighting and topic lists inside each exam, the ALS Exam Domains 2026 guide is the companion piece to this one - read the two together if you're building a study plan from scratch.

Question Format and Testing Conditions

Both exams share the same format, which simplifies your prep logistics even though the content differs:

• 70 multiple-choice questions per exam
• 90 minutes per exam - a little over a minute per question on average
• No calculators permitted
• No outside notes or reference materials permitted

The absence of a calculator matters if you're expecting any quantitative reasoning items - you need to be comfortable doing basic math and unit conversions in your head or on scratch paper provided at the test site, not on a device. Because both exams run on a strict clock with no notes to lean on, recall speed under timed conditions is as important as raw knowledge. This is one reason a structured review resource like the ALS Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts is useful in the final week - not as a crutch during the exam, but as a way to drill the facts you need to have memorized cold before you sit down.

The Scoring Math: How Many Questions You Can Miss

Because each exam has exactly 70 questions and the passing bar is 60%, you can do the arithmetic directly instead of guessing at your margin.

In practical terms, that means you have a margin of roughly 28 missed questions per exam and still pass - but that margin shrinks fast if you're weak in an entire content area rather than making scattered errors across topics. A candidate who is solid across most of the material but has one or two blind spots is in a very different position than one who is uniformly shaky. Understanding where those gaps typically show up is exactly what the ALS Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt is built to help you diagnose.

Fees, Same-Day Testing, and What a Retake Costs

Passing score aside, the financial mechanics of testing are worth understanding before you schedule, because they directly affect how you should sequence your attempts.

• $115 - initial certification application
• $105 - first discipline examination fee
• $65 - second examination fee, if taken the same day as the first
• $35 - AAB proctor fee
• $320 - same-day total when both required exams use an AAB proctor

Note that college or university proctor fees, when applicable, are billed separately from the AAB proctor fee above. Because the second exam is discounted only when taken the same day, most candidates have a financial incentive to prepare both exams in parallel rather than spacing them out over separate testing sessions - provided they feel genuinely ready for both. If you're not confident in one domain, it may still be worth splitting the attempts rather than risking a failed exam and a costly retake. For the full cost picture, including what happens if you need to retest, see ALS Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.

Eligibility Comes Before the Score Matters

A passing score is irrelevant if you're not eligible to sit for the exam in the first place. ABOR offers four separate education routes toward ALS(AAB) eligibility, and each route also requires either completion of an approved clinical laboratory training program or at least three months of full-time high-complexity andrology laboratory training or experience within the preceding 10 years.

Candidates who complete their education requirement before finishing the training or experience requirement can still move forward under ALS-P(AAB) provisional status - a useful bridge for people early in their laboratory careers. If you're unsure which of the four education pathways applies to your background, or how the training requirement is documented, the full breakdown lives in ALS Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.

Preparing by Domain, Not by Calendar

Generic study advice tends to assign equal time blocks to whatever subject comes next on a calendar. For ALS candidates, it makes more sense to sequence your review around the two exams themselves, since Basic Knowledge must be completed first and both exams are scored independently.

This sequencing respects the rule that Basic Knowledge comes first while still giving Andrology content enough dedicated runway before test day. For a more detailed week-by-week plan built specifically around exam content rather than generic study techniques, use the ALS Study Guide 2026 alongside a practice test platform like our ALS practice exams to simulate the real 70-question, 90-minute format before you sit for the actual test.

After You Pass: Renewal and Keeping Your Score Valid

Clearing 60% on both exams gets you certified, but the credential isn't permanent without upkeep. ALS(AAB) certification renews annually for $115, and ABOR does not impose a continuing-education requirement to maintain it. However, if you go three years without renewing, your certification file closes entirely - meaning the passing scores you worked for effectively lapse and you'd need to re-qualify from scratch.

That renewal simplicity is one reason many candidates weigh whether the credential is worth pursuing in the first place. If you're still deciding, Is the ALS Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and ALS Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis cover the career and compensation side, while ALS Jobs looks at where andrology laboratory scientists actually get hired.

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