QMED Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass

What "Passing" Means for the QMED Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer Exam

When mariners search for the QMED passing score, they usually want a single number: a percentage, a scaled score, or a count of questions they must answer correctly. This article is about the National QMED: Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer endorsement (QMED02), issued under the authority of the United States Coast Guard National Maritime Center (NMC). It is not about any other credential that happens to share the "QMED" abbreviation, and the details here apply only to this rating.

Before getting into numbers, it helps to understand what the exam actually is. The NMC publishes two examination modules for this endorsement: Q802 Electrician and Q803 Refrigerating Engineer. Each module has its own published topic list. Passing means demonstrating competence across the topics in the module you are sitting. It does not mean accumulating points in a pooled score the way a general knowledge test might.

If you are still orienting yourself on what this credential covers, our explainers on what QMED is and what QMED stands for are good starting points. For the full eligibility picture, see QMED requirements: eligibility, prerequisites and how to qualify.

What We Can and Cannot Say About the Cut Score

Here is the honest situation: the official NMC pages for the QMED02 Electrician-Refrigerating Engineer exam publish the topic lists for Q802 and Q803. The sources we rely on for this site do not present a verified, current percentage cut score for these modules. Rather than guess, we are not going to print a number we cannot back up.

What you can do with confidence is prepare to a standard well above any plausible threshold. Because the exam is built from a defined list of topics, the practical target is simple: be able to answer questions on every listed topic in your module, not just the ones you find comfortable. That approach protects you regardless of where the exact cut line sits.

For a data-informed look at how candidates tend to fare overall, see our discussion of the QMED pass rate, and for a realistic sense of effort, read how hard the QMED exam is.

Two Modules, Two Separate Targets: Q802 and Q803

The single most important structural fact about this exam is that it is not a blueprint with percentage-weighted domains. The two headings on the NMC page, Electrician (Q802) and Refrigerating Engineer (Q803), are examination modules. Each is its own topic list, and each represents a distinct body of knowledge.

That has direct consequences for how you think about a "passing score":

• No domain-weight shortcuts. You cannot decide to skip a topic because it "only counts for 10 percent," since no such weights are published.
• Module-specific preparation. Studying Q803 refrigeration theory does not help much if you are sitting Q802, and vice versa, although there is meaningful overlap in the general subjects and safety material.
• Generic QMED material is not enough. Study content written for other engine-room ratings, such as Oiler or Junior Engineer, will not substitute for the rating-specific scope of the Electrician or Refrigerating Engineer topic lists.

For a deeper walkthrough of how these two content areas are organized, see our QMED exam domains guide.

Q802 Electrician: Where Points Are Won

The Q802 module is heavily electrical, but it begins with a broad set of general shipboard subjects. Candidates who focus only on circuits and ignore the general engineering material often leave points on the table.

Notice how much of the Q802 list is practical and diagnostic in nature: troubleshooting, maintenance, measuring devices, and motor controllers. Expect questions that ask you to reason about what a reading or symptom means, not only to recall a definition.

Q803 Refrigerating Engineer: Where Points Are Won

The Q803 module swaps the deep electrical emphasis for refrigeration and related heat-and-fluid topics, while keeping a smaller electrical component.

If your career path leans toward galley refrigeration, provisions plant, and HVAC work, Q803 is the module that mirrors that responsibility. For where these skills lead professionally, see QMED jobs.

The Shared Foundation Both Modules Test

Both Q802 and Q803 include a substantial Safety and Environmental Protection block. Because it appears in both lists, it is effectively guaranteed content regardless of which module you sit, and it is one of the most efficient places to build confidence.

• Communications
• Damage control
• Elementary first aid
• Emergency equipment
• Environmental awareness
• Fire prevention, firefighting equipment, and firefighting principles
• General safety
• Hazardous materials

Q802 vs. Q803 at a Glance

A Module-Driven Preparation Plan

Since no weights are published, the smartest schedule is built around the structure of the topic lists themselves: shared foundation first, module-specific depth second, integrated review last. The timeline below is written for Q802 and Q803 specifically; for a broader plan, see our QMED study guide and our overview of QMED training options.

Why this order? The safety and general material is shared and relatively learnable, so it builds momentum. The module core is where the hardest reasoning lives and deserves your longest blocks. Troubleshooting comes last because it draws on everything before it.

Where Candidates Lose Points

Studying for the wrong module

Because both modules share the QMED02 endorsement, it is easy to blend materials. Confirm which module you are sitting and keep your notes separated. A refrigeration deep dive does not help on Q802, and a circuits deep dive does not help on Q803.

Treating generic engine-room material as sufficient

Material built for Oiler, Junior Engineer, or other ratings covers pumps and lubrication but misses the rating-specific depth in motor controllers, distribution systems, or refrigeration cycles. The scope of this endorsement is specific, and your preparation should be too.

Neglecting calculations and drawings

Calculations (in Q802) and drawings and tables (in both modules) reward practice. Reading a one-line diagram or working through a load calculation is a skill, not a fact you can memorize the night before.

Over-relying on rumor about the cut score

Plenty of advice about "the number you need" is unverified. A better use of your time is building across-the-board competence and confirming the current official standard directly. If you are weighing the investment, our pieces on QMED certification cost and the return on investment of QMED certification help you decide how much preparation effort makes sense.

Why Clearing the Bar Matters for Your Career

The QMED02 endorsement opens doors in engine-department roles aboard U.S.-flag vessels, where electrical and refrigeration competence is part of keeping the plant running. Employers care less about how far above the line you scored and more that you hold the endorsement and can troubleshoot real equipment. For earnings context, see the QMED salary guide, and for the official timing of testing, check QMED exam dates and scheduling.

If you want a quick last-minute refresher format, our QMED cheat sheet distills must-know facts, and you can build timed familiarity with the exam style through the practice test site.

Frequently Asked Questions