Two kinds of HESI A2 score
You get a percent score for each section you take. Many programs also look at a cumulative score, the average of the section scores the program counts. Alvin College calls it the average of the section scores; the University of Arizona combines just four sections, including Biology. The two kinds of score can tell different stories: an 85% cumulative can hide a 68% in Math. That is why the rule your school uses matters more than any single number. Elsevier publishes no national pass mark; each school sets its own.
How schools set cutoffs
- A minimum in every required section. Each section has to reach the cutoff on its own.
- A minimum cumulative. Only the average has to reach the cutoff.
- Both. A cumulative minimum plus a section minimum, sometimes higher for one section, such as Reading at Lamar State College Orange.
- Points in a ranking rubric. Above the minimum, a higher score earns more admission points, so the minimum only keeps you eligible.
Real cutoffs, school by school
Here is what 11 programs published when we checked their pages on October 17, 2026. They show how much the rules differ. Never borrow another school's number: read the admission page for every program on your list, and verify with the school before you test.
| Program | Sections counted | Published minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Alvin College ADN (TX) | Math, Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar, A&P | Reading 78% and cumulative 78% |
| Lamar State College Orange ADN (TX) | Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar, Math, A&P | Composite 75%; Math and A&P 75%; Reading 80% |
| Odessa College ADN (TX) | Math, Reading, Grammar, A&P, plus Critical Thinking | 78% in each section, then points by score |
| Lone Star College ADN (TX) | Reading, Grammar, Vocabulary, A&P, Math, plus Critical Thinking | 80% in each; Critical Thinking 750 |
| Temple College ADN (TX) | Vocabulary, Math, Reading | 80% in each |
| Tallahassee State College (FL) | Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar, Math | 80% in each |
| Estrella Mountain / Maricopa CCs (AZ) | Math, Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar | Math 75%; average of Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar 80% |
| University of Arizona MEPN | Reading, Vocabulary, Math, Biology | Combined average 75% |
| UNM–Valencia (NM) | Biology, Chemistry, Grammar, Math, Reading, Vocabulary | 75% in each and a 75% composite |
| East Carolina University BSN (NC) | Math, Vocabulary, Reading, Biology, A&P | No pass line; points from the average (75% and up earns points) |
| St. Clair County CC (MI) | Grammar, Reading, Vocabulary, Math, A&P | 70% average; the HESI is half of the admission points |
Across these and a few more we checked, minimums ran from 65% (an LPN program) to 80%, and 75% and 80% were the most common. Several programs, including Odessa, ECU, and St. Clair, turn the score into ranking points, so a higher score keeps helping above the minimum.
Check a score against your school's rule
Tick your school's sections, enter its minimums, and type in practice scores. The calculator flags any section below the minimum and works out the cumulative.
HESI A2 score calculator
Pick your school's sections, then check a score against its cutoffs
Counts and times are the usual ones; your school may set its own.
No scores yet? Take exactly these sections as a free practice test.
Take a free HESI A2 testMinimum vs competitive
A minimum keeps your application eligible. When a program has more qualified applicants than seats, it ranks them, often on GPA, prerequisite grades, and the entrance exam. In that case the score that gets you in can sit well above the posted minimum. If a program publishes its rubric or the scores of admitted students, use those to set a target. If it does not, ask admissions how the HESI is weighted.
Our scores are practice scores
NurseSavvy's practice tests report a percent for each section and a cumulative, the same shape as the real report, so you can compare them with your school's rule. They are practice scores, not official HESI scores, and they cannot promise an admission result. Use them to see which section needs work. Then study that section and retest.
If a score comes in below a cutoff, read the HESI A2 retake guide before you book another attempt.
HESI and HESI A2 are registered trademarks of Elsevier. NurseSavvy is not affiliated with or endorsed by Elsevier.
Common questions
What is a passing score on the HESI A2?
There is no national passing score. Each nursing program sets its own minimums, usually a percent for each required section, a cumulative percent, or both.
Is 75% a good HESI A2 score?
It meets the minimum at some programs and falls short at others. In the 15 programs we checked, minimums ran from 65% (an LPN program) to 80%, most often 75% or 80% (78% at two Texas programs). A higher score also helps at schools that rank applicants.
Is 80% a good HESI A2 score?
An 80% in every section met the percent minimums at all 15 programs we checked, but several of them rank applicants by score, so more points still help. Check every program’s cutoff and whether it ranks by score.
How is the HESI A2 cumulative score calculated?
Schools describe the cumulative (or composite) score as the average of the section scores they count. Schools differ on which sections feed it, so check how your own program calculates it.
Does a high cumulative score make up for a low section score?
Not at a school that sets both. If a program requires a minimum in each section, every section must reach it on its own, whatever the cumulative is.