What's the actual passing score for CMI? Getting conflicting info

by FirstTimeTaker 1,811 views6 replies
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FirstTimeTakerOP
April 15, 2026

Been searching for the CMI passing score and I keep seeing different numbers. Some say 70%, others say 75%, and the official website isn't super clear.

I've been working through "CMI" searches online and the passing requirement seems to vary by state or version? Or am I overthinking this?

My practice test scores are hovering around 71%. Should I be aiming higher before I schedule my actual exam?

Also I noticed on CMI - Certified Custodial Technician — are the practice questions usually harder or easier than the real thing? Trying to calibrate how ready I actually am.

Any recent test takers who can share what the real cutoff is?

The free cmi best practices in cleaning procedures helped me understand what the exam actually tests rather than just what the material covers.

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JustFinished
April 15, 2026

The honest answer is: it depends a lot on your background.

If you're already working in this field, the CMI exam is testing knowledge you probably use daily. The "CMI" sections will feel familiar.

If you're coming in from outside, give yourself an extra 2 weeks and really focus on the practical application questions.

The practice tests here are worth doing repeatedly — I did the same test bank multiple times and found new questions I'd missed each time.

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CertifiedSoon_N
May 27, 2026

What helped me most with exam prep specifically: stop thinking about it as a topic to memorize and start thinking about the types of decisions it's asking you to make. Once I shifted to that frame, my CMI scores in that section jumped about 12 points within a week.

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CertHunter
June 3, 2026

The advice about understanding why wrong answers are wrong — not just memorizing right ones — is genuinely the best CMI advice in this thread. Rebuilt my prep around that and it made a real difference.

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StudyGroup_V
June 3, 2026

Quick update: just cleared 82% on my most recent CMI practice set using free cmi occupational health safety guidelines. Sitting for the real thing in 4 weeks. Feeling cautiously optimistic.

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CertHunter
July 5, 2026

Just hit 74% on my last practice run so I'm feeling cautiously optimistic. I've been using the free cmi occupational health safety guidelines questions to fill gaps in the safety regs section, which honestly wasn't my strongest area. Planning to sit the real thing in about three weeks if my scores stay consistent.

On the passing score thing -- I think the 70% vs 75% confusion comes from different credential tracks under the CMI umbrella. It's worth calling the certifying body directly to confirm which version you're testing for. Don't overthink it though, just aim for 80%+ on practice and you'll be fine either way.

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Mike_T
July 5, 2026

I was confused by this too when I started studying. From what I've gathered, the passing threshold can depend on which version of the test you're taking, so don't stress if you're seeing different numbers floating around.

As for me, I just hit 74% on my last practice run which felt pretty good considering I was in the 60s two weeks ago. Sitting the real thing in about three weeks, so I'm just grinding through practice sets and hoping it holds up on test day.

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