Short answer
There is no published cut score. PMI says the passing score for all of its exams is determined by sound psychometric analysis, and your result is a pass or fail with a rating for each domain.
Source: PMI Certification Handbook, revised June 2026 · checked October 30, 2026
Of the 150 questions, 135 are scored and 15 are unscored pretest items mixed in at random, per the CAPM Examination Content Outline. You cannot tell which ones are the pretest items.
How the result reaches you
Step 1
When a computer-based exam ends
You receive the score report on completion: pass or fail, plus a performance rating for each of the four domains (PMI Certification Handbook, checked October 30, 2026).
Step 2
Paper-based sittings
The score report arrives by email 6 to 8 weeks after the session (PMI Certification Handbook, checked October 30, 2026).
Step 3
Reading the ratings
The domain ratings are diagnostics. PMI publishes no rule that turns ratings into a pass, so they tell you where you were strong and weak and stop there.
Step 4
Rescore, paper exams only
A manual rescore costs $45, U.S. pricing, and is offered only for paper-based administrations (CAPM ECO, checked October 30, 2026).
What to aim at instead
With no target number, the domain weights are the useful map: Project Management Fundamentals and Core Concepts (36%), Business Analysis Frameworks (27%), Agile Frameworks/Methodologies (20%) and Predictive, Plan-Based Methodologies (17%) (CAPM ECO, checked October 30, 2026).
A run on the timed mock exam gives a raw score and a topic table. The raw score says nothing about PMI’s line; the topic table says where the next week of study goes. For the format itself, see CAPM questions and time.
What the report does and does not say
What share of candidates pass?
PMI does not publish a pass rate for the CAPM, and it publishes no cut score either (PMI Certification Handbook, checked October 30, 2026).
Do the pretest questions count toward the result?
No. The 15 pretest items are unscored and placed at random among the 150 (CAPM ECO, checked October 30, 2026).
Will I see a percentage on my report?
The handbook describes a pass or fail result with a rating per domain. It does not describe a percentage score, so do not plan around one.
Is the CAPM graded on a curve?
PMI calls its passing standard criteria-based and set by psychometric analysis (PMI Certification Handbook, checked October 30, 2026). How that feels on the day is covered on how hard the CAPM is.
What if the report says fail?
Use the domain ratings to pick what to restudy. Attempts, fees and the waiting period are on CAPM retake policy.
Sources
- PMI Certification Handbook, revised June 2026 www.pmi.org — passing score method, score report timing
- PMI CAPM Examination Content Outline, 2023 update www.pmi.org — scored and pretest items, domain weights, manual rescore