Praxis 5331 Score Report Guide: What 162 Actually Means

The Praxis 5331 uses a scaled score from 100 to 200. ASHA requires a minimum scaled score of 162 to qualify for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP).

Some state licensing boards use the ASHA cutoff, but a few use their own. Check your state's requirements if you plan to practice outside of ASHA's CCC framework.

162 is not "62%". It is a scaled score. The raw number of questions you need to answer correctly depends on the test form because forms can vary in difficulty.

The Praxis 5331 has 132 total questions, but not all of them are scored. Public exam information notes that some items may be unscored pretest items used to calibrate future forms. You cannot tell which questions are pretest and which are scored, so you should treat all 132 as if they count.

Your raw score (number correct on scored items) is converted to a scaled score using a form-specific conversion table. The conversion is designed so that a 162 on one form is equivalent in difficulty to a 162 on any other form.

There is no penalty for wrong answers. Always answer every question. A guess is better than a blank.

Your Praxis 5331 score report includes:

• Your scaled score (the number you need to meet or exceed 162).
• Whether you passed based on the recommended cutoff.
• Category-level performance: range of raw points in Category I (Foundations), II (Assessment), and III (Treatment).
• Your ASHA score report recipient (if you set one at registration) automatically receives your result.

Once you pass, a higher score does not matter for ASHA certification or most state licenses. 162 and 195 are functionally equivalent. You get your CCC-SLP either way.

That said, if you are applying to competitive CF positions, some employers glance at your scaled score as a tiebreaker. More realistically, nobody asks after your first job.

Our advice: aim for a comfortable margin above 162 (say, 170+) so you are not nervous on exam day, but do not chase a score you do not need.

First: you are not alone, and you are not going to fail out. ASHA's most recent national data (2024–25) show about 83% of all reported 5331 scores at or above 162. That figure includes repeat attempts, so it is not a first-attempt pass rate, but it does mean a meaningful share of test-takers sit the exam more than once.

Here is what to do:

1. Wait the required 28 days before retaking, based on the ETS retake policy. The exam moves to PSI on January 11, 2027; recheck the retake rule for PSI appointments. 2. Get your score report and identify your weakest content category. The score report gives you a range, not exact subscores, but it is enough to know where to focus. 3. Target retrieval practice in your weak areas. Do not just reread textbooks. Use practice questions with rationales. 4. Take one more full timed exam about a week before your retake to rebuild pacing. 5. Go in with a plan. A retake is a second, better-informed attempt: you now know the format, the pacing, and where your points slipped.

ETS keeps Praxis scores reportable for 10 years, but ASHA's window is shorter and is the one that matters for the CCC-SLP.

For ASHA certification, a passing score must be earned no more than 5 years before ASHA receives your certification application, and no later than 2 years after it receives the application. Always check the current ASHA certification standards for the latest requirements, especially as the 2027 standards take effect.