IND Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass

The Number: 75% on a 100-Question Exam

If you are preparing for the Industrial Electronics (IND) Journeyman certification from ETA International, the single most important figure is the passing score: 75%. ETA's live exam tables for IND list a 100-question exam with a two-hour time limit and a 75% passing threshold. Under that format, you need roughly 75 correct answers out of 100 to pass.

That sounds simple, and it mostly is. But a few details deserve a careful read before you build a study plan around the number. This guide walks through what the score means, how the exam is delivered, where the scope gets ambiguous, and how to structure your preparation so you land comfortably above the line rather than hovering near it.

For a broader picture of how the exam stacks up in difficulty, see How Hard Is the IND Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026. If you want the full list of what is tested, the IND Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 16 Content Areas covers each area in depth.

What 75% Means in Practice

The arithmetic of the cut line

On a 100-question exam, a 75% threshold gives you a margin of 25 missed questions. That is a meaningful cushion, but it is not a license to ignore entire topic areas. Industrial Electronics spans 16 competency categories, from Safety and Industrial Mathematics through Robotics. If you neglect even two or three of them, you can burn through your 25-question allowance quickly, especially if those areas are ones you find unfamiliar.

The scenarios above are illustrative arithmetic, not published statistics. ETA does not release score distributions, and this guide does not claim any pass-rate figures. For what is and is not publicly known on that topic, read IND Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows.

Why "just barely passing" is a risky target

Aiming for exactly 75% leaves no room for a bad day, an unfamiliar question style, or a misread schematic. Because the exam is a single sitting with no hands-on assessment, every point comes from selected-response questions. A practical target is to score well above 75% on timed practice material before you sit for the real thing, so that nerves and a few surprise questions do not push you under.

Exam Format and Test-Day Rules

Knowing the rules removes avoidable stress. According to ETA's published IND information and testing FAQ, the exam works like this:

• Questions and time: 100 questions in two hours, per the live IND tables.
• Passing score: 75%.
• Hands-on component: None. The assessment is written/online only.
• Exam fee: USD 80.
• Delivery: Proctored through ETA Certification Administrators, using Trapeza online testing or paper and pencil.
• Remote proctoring: Optional ExamRoom.AI proctoring must be arranged through ETA and adds USD 16 for the two-hour exam.
• ID: Photo ID is required.
• Materials: Scratch paper and a non-programmable scientific calculator are permitted; used scratch paper goes back to the proctor.
• Prohibited: Phones are not allowed, and candidates may not leave the room once testing begins.

The no-leaving rule is easy to overlook. Two hours is manageable, but plan your meal, hydration, and restroom break before you start. For the cost side of registration, including how the optional proctoring fee fits in, see IND Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.

Why the 16 Domains Have No Published Weights

Many certification exams publish a domain-by-domain percentage blueprint. ETA's IND competency document does not. It lists 16 numbered categories as exam objectives but assigns no weights to them. That means any claim you see online about "Domain X is 20% of the exam" for IND is not backed by ETA's published materials.

The 16 areas, in the order ETA lists them, are:

1. Safety
2. Industrial Mathematics
3. Diagrams and Schematics
4. Electrical Components
5. Electro-Mechanical Devices
6. Wiring and Codes
7. AC Power Sources and Motors
8. DC Power Sources and Motors
9. Networking, Interfacing, and Programming
10. Test Equipment and Troubleshooting
11. Industrial Communications
12. Networks
13. Fluid Power
14. Instrumentation
15. PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers)
16. Robotics

Because weights are unpublished, the rational strategy is breadth first, depth second. Make sure you can answer fundamental questions in every category before you polish your strongest ones. The IND Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt expands on this approach.

Where Candidates Lose Points

Since no category carries a published weight, think about where points are most likely to slip away based on the nature of the material. The following domain blocks highlight areas where industrial electronics candidates commonly need extra attention.

The bullet points above describe the kind of material each category covers, not an official ETA question list. Use ETA's competency document as your authoritative checklist, and use the IND Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts for a fast refresher.

Using the Calculator and Scratch Paper

Because ETA permits a non-programmable scientific calculator and scratch paper, you can and should work calculation problems out rather than estimating. Practice with the same kind of calculator you will bring, so there are no surprises about key layout or function behavior. Programmable and graphing models are not the intent of the rule, so check ETA's testing guidance before test day if you are unsure whether yours qualifies.

Scratch paper is especially useful for two question types:

• Multi-step circuit calculations, where writing each intermediate value prevents transcription errors.
• Diagram and schematic questions, where redrawing a simplified version of a circuit helps you trace current paths and spot the answer.

Retake Rules and Retest Strategy

ETA offers one eligible exam retake at no charge within one year of the original exam session. If you opt for ExamRoom.AI remote proctoring, the USD 16 proctoring fee applies to the two-hour examination, including an otherwise eligible free retake. In other words, the retake itself is free, but remote proctoring is billed again.

How to use a retake wisely

1. Record what you remember immediately. After the exam, write down the topic areas that felt shaky, while the memory is fresh. You will not recall specific questions, but you can recall categories.
2. Rebuild around your weakest categories. Because the exam is unweighted in published materials, your weakest domains are the most efficient place to recover points.
3. Use the one-year window deliberately. You have time to study properly before retesting, so there is no reason to rush back in a few days.

If you are still deciding whether the investment makes sense, Is the IND Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and the IND Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis are good companions to this article.

A Domain-Ordered Prep Schedule

Rather than generic advice, order your preparation by how the IND domains build on each other. Foundations first, specialties last, then timed review. This is a sample six-week arrangement; stretch or compress it to fit your experience.

Troubleshooting sits last on purpose: it draws on nearly everything else, so it rewards you most once the earlier material is solid. You can try questions in this style on the IND practice test site, and the IND Training overview covers other ways to build skills.

After You Pass: Term and Maintenance

Hitting 75% earns you a certification with a four-year term. To keep it active, ETA's general maintenance route for credentials without hands-on testing involves submitting the Certification Maintenance Form with either 10 continuing-education hours per year (40 over the four years) or a supervisor-completed Employer Verification, plus a fee of USD 25 per year (USD 100 over the four-year cycle).

Eligibility is worth confirming before you even register. The Journeyman pathway requires CETa or the complete EM1-5 foundation, and ETA says a candidate should have two or more years of experience. Details are in IND Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify. For scheduling, see IND Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling, and for career context, browse IND Jobs.

Frequently Asked Questions

For a general introduction to the credential, start with What Is IND Certification?, then put your knowledge to the test with the IND practice exams.