- What Pass-Rate Data Actually Exists for the CBM
- Two Hurdles, Two Different Kinds of Evidence
- Why a Single Pass Rate Would Mislead You
- What the 75% Written Cutoff Tells You
- Who Actually Sits This Exam
- Fifteen Subject Areas and Where Candidates Tend to Struggle
- A Domain-Ordered Preparation Sequence
- The Financial Stakes of Each Attempt
- Frequently Asked Questions
- AMS does not publicly disclose a current pass rate for the Certified Broadcast Meteorologist written examination.
- A 2019 Board note estimated roughly half passed the first weathercast evaluation; that is not a written-exam statistic.
- The written exam has 100 questions and a 75% passing score, with 15 unweighted subject areas.
- Remote first-attempt cost is $390 for AMS members or $720 for nonmembers, before dues and preparation.
What Pass-Rate Data Actually Exists for the CBM
Anyone searching for a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist pass rate wants a clean percentage: "X% of candidates pass." The honest answer is that no current, verified figure of that kind has been published for the written examination. The American Meteorological Society (AMS) administers the credential, and its public study guide and references pages do not list a current written-exam pass rate. Sites that quote a precise number are either guessing or borrowing from a different credential that happens to share the "CBM" acronym.
That gap matters, because it changes how you should prepare. Instead of anchoring on a statistic you cannot verify, you can anchor on what AMS does publish: the format, the passing score, the subject headings, the eligibility rules and the weathercast scoring thresholds. This article walks through each of those and explains what they imply about difficulty. If you want the broader difficulty picture, our guide on how hard the CBM exam is covers the qualitative side in more depth.
Two Hurdles, Two Different Kinds of Evidence
The Certified Broadcast Meteorologist credential is not a single exam. It combines a written test with a performance evaluation of your on-air work, and the evidence about each is very different.
The written examination
The written test is 100 multiple-choice and true-false questions, closed book. The legacy-provider FAQ lists 120 minutes; reconfirm the time limit with your current appointment, since AMS now uses SMT/Prometric (an older AMS FAQ still names PSI). The passing score is 75%. AMS does not disclose how many questions are scored versus unscored. No current written pass rate is public.
The weathercast evaluation
Beyond the written test, candidates submit two additional weathercasts, each active and routine, with a maximum of five minutes each. Evaluators score three criteria: Graphical Content, Explanation and Presentation. You need an average above 3.0 in each of the three, separately. A strong score in one area cannot offset a weak one. Spanish-language submissions require an English transcript.
The one performance-related figure we found is a 2019 Board note estimating that about half of candidates passed the first weathercast evaluation. That is a dated, approximate statement about a different component. It should not be read as the written-exam pass rate, and it should not be read as a current figure either.
| Component | What is publicly known | Pass-rate evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Written examination | 100 questions, 75% to pass, closed book, 15 subject headings | No current rate disclosed |
| Weathercast evaluation | Two weathercasts, 5 minutes max each, above-3.0 average in each of three criteria | 2019 Board note: about half passed first evaluation (approximate, dated) |
Why a Single Pass Rate Would Mislead You
Even if AMS published a number tomorrow, it would be a blunt instrument for three reasons specific to this credential.
- The candidate pool is pre-screened. Applicants must hold an accredited meteorology or atmospheric-science degree (or an approved equivalent), submit transcripts showing required coursework, and document on-air experience. People who reach the exam have already cleared a high bar, so a pass rate describes a self-selected, experienced group rather than the general public.
- The credential has two gates. A headline "pass rate" could blend written results, weathercast results, or both, and you would not know which. A candidate who passes the written test but needs to resubmit weathercasts has had a very different experience from one who fails the written test.
- Preparation varies enormously. A working broadcaster who forecasts daily has a different gap profile from someone who has been out of school for years. A single average hides that spread.
For a candidate, the useful question is not "what percent pass?" but "which of the 15 subject areas will I need to refresh, and is my on-air work scoring above 3.0 on all three criteria?" Our CBM passing score breakdown explains the scoring thresholds in more detail.
What the 75% Written Cutoff Tells You
The published passing score on the written test is 75%. On a 100-question exam, that translates to roughly 75 questions answered correctly, though because AMS does not disclose whether all items are scored, you should not assume every question counts equally toward the final result. Prepare as though every item matters.
A 75% cutoff is a mastery threshold, not a minimum-competence floor. It means you can miss roughly a quarter of the material and still pass, but it also means no single weak area is safe to ignore. With fifteen subject headings and no published topic weights, you cannot responsibly skip one and hope it is lightly tested. AMS does not publish topic percentages on its study-guide or references pages, so any claim about which domain carries the most questions is guesswork. We do not publish such a claim here.
Who Actually Sits This Exam
Understanding the candidate pool helps you interpret any pass-rate chatter. To apply you need:
- An accredited meteorology or atmospheric-science degree, or an approved equivalent
- Required coursework documented through transcripts
- Two years of full-time or three years of part-time on-air experience (student-station work is excluded)
These candidates are typically working broadcast meteorologists at television stations, and the credential is a recognized marker of both scientific grounding and communication skill. If you are mapping out whether you qualify, see our CBM requirements guide. If you are curious about the career side, the pages on CBM jobs and the CBM salary guide cover the employment context, and whether the certification is worth it weighs the return on the investment.
Fifteen Subject Areas and Where Candidates Tend to Struggle
The written-test reference list contains fifteen substantive subject headings, running from General Meteorological Knowledge through Winter Weather. (The AMS Glossary of Meteorology entry that precedes them is a terminology resource and is not counted as a subject area.) These are unweighted reference topics, so the grouping below is an editorial way to organize your review, not an official blueprint. For a full walkthrough, see our complete guide to all 15 CBM content areas.
Observation and Analysis Tools
Domains: Data & Instruments, Radar Meteorology, Satellite.
- Interpreting what each sensor actually measures, and its limitations
- Reading radar and satellite products the way you would on air
- Recognizing artifacts and misleading signatures before you present them
Forecast Foundations
Domains: General Meteorological Knowledge, Physical Meteorology, Numerical Weather Prediction, Cyclones and Jets.
- Core atmospheric physics that underpins every forecast decision
- How numerical models are built, where they fail, and how forecasters weigh them
- The structure and evolution of mid-latitude systems and upper-level flow
High-Impact Weather
Domains: Severe Storm Structure/Tornadoes, Tropical Meteorology, Flooding, Winter Weather.
- Storm structure and the ingredients behind severe and tornadic development
- Tropical systems and their hazards
- Flood processes and winter precipitation-type reasoning
Context, Communication and Practice
Domains: Climatology & Climate Change, Regional Weather, Station Scientist, Weather Safety.
- Climate background a broadcaster is expected to explain accurately
- Regional patterns relevant to your viewing area and beyond it
- The station-scientist role and responsible, safety-focused communication
Working broadcasters often feel most comfortable with the visible, daily-use topics such as radar, severe weather and safety messaging, and least comfortable with areas they touch less often, such as the physics and numerical-modeling material. That is an observation about typical preparation patterns, not a published statistic, but it is a reasonable guide for deciding where to spend review time. For a condensed refresher, the CBM cheat sheet collects the must-know facts, and you can drill each area with questions on the CBM practice test site.
A Domain-Ordered Preparation Sequence
Generic study advice matters less here than sequencing the right content in the right order. Because the physical and modeling topics underpin the applied ones, it makes sense to build foundations first and finish with the high-impact and communication topics you may already know well.
Foundations
- General Meteorological Knowledge and Physical Meteorology
- Numerical Weather Prediction and Cyclones and Jets
- Take a diagnostic practice set to find your weakest area
Tools and Observation
- Data & Instruments, Radar Meteorology, Satellite
- Practice interpreting products and spotting limitations
High-Impact Weather
- Severe Storm Structure/Tornadoes, Tropical Meteorology, Flooding, Winter Weather
Context and Communication
- Climatology & Climate Change, Regional Weather, Station Scientist, Weather Safety
Full-Length Review
- Timed 100-question practice sets under closed-book conditions
- Revisit any domain scoring below your 75% target
This is an editorial schedule, not an AMS-prescribed one; adjust the pacing to your own experience. Meanwhile, keep your weathercast preparation running in parallel. Because the evaluation requires an above-3.0 average in Graphical Content, Explanation and Presentation, treat your two submissions as a separate project with its own review cycle. For a fuller written-exam plan, read our CBM study guide, and for guidance on structured preparation, see CBM training.
Key Takeaway
Because AMS publishes no topic weights and no current pass rate, your best protection is breadth plus practice. Score yourself domain by domain and keep every one of the fifteen areas at or above your 75% target before you schedule.
The Financial Stakes of Each Attempt
Since no pass rate is available to tell you your odds, it helps to understand what each attempt costs, because that is what makes preparation worth the effort. The application fee is $330 for AMS members and $660 for nonmembers. Each scheduling carries an additional testing fee: $60 for remote, $75 at a US testing center, or $85 at an international center. A remote first attempt therefore totals $390 for members or $720 for nonmembers, excluding membership dues and preparation costs.
| Item | AMS Member | Nonmember |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $330 | $660 |
| Remote scheduling fee | $60 | $60 |
| Remote first-attempt total | $390 | $720 |
| US test-center scheduling fee | $75 | $75 |
| International test-center scheduling fee | $85 | $85 |
After certification, the credential is valid for one year. Annual renewal costs $206 for members or $515 for nonmembers, and you need 28 professional-development points every five years. The member-versus-nonmember gap is large, so weigh it carefully against membership dues; our CBM certification cost breakdown works through the full picture. You apply through AMS before scheduling, with remote or center options available. Calculator and adaptive-testing rules are unverified, so confirm them with your appointment confirmation instead of assuming. For timing and deadlines, see CBM exam dates.
Frequently Asked Questions
AMS does not publicly disclose a current pass rate for the written examination. A 2019 Board note estimated about half of candidates passed the first weathercast evaluation, but that is an approximate, dated figure about a different component, not a current written-exam statistic.
The written passing score is 75%. The test has 100 multiple-choice and true-false questions and is closed book. AMS does not disclose how many items are scored versus unscored, so aim comfortably above the cutoff in every subject area.
AMS publishes no topic weights or percentages for its fifteen written-test reference headings. Any claim about a highest-weight domain is unverified, so prepare evenly across all fifteen areas.
You submit two additional weathercasts, active and routine, up to five minutes each. You must earn an average above 3.0 separately in Graphical Content, Explanation and Presentation. Spanish submissions need an English transcript.
A remote first attempt totals $390 for AMS members or $720 for nonmembers, excluding dues and preparation. Test-center scheduling adds $75 (US) or $85 (international) instead of the $60 remote fee.
If you want to measure your readiness against the real subject areas rather than a rumored statistic, start with domain-by-domain practice on the CBM Exam Prep practice tests, and revisit the 15-domain guide as you identify gaps.