DietitianLicense

RD Exam Pass Rate (2026): First-Time, Retake, and Cost

· Compiled and verified against primary state-board, CDR, and ACEND sources by DietitianLicense — cite-or-deny, with no invented figures. How we source & verify →

67.6% of first attempts at the CDR Registration Examination for Dietitians passed in January–June 2026, and 83.9%of candidates pass within a year of their first try. Retakes pass far less often. Below are CDR’s own figures by pathway and by attempt, followed by what a retake costs and the new limit on attempts.

First-Time Pass Rate by Pathway

Your eligibility pathway is the supervised-practice route that qualified you to sit the exam. Graduate-program candidates passed most often on their first try; candidates from individualized pathways least often, on a small base.

First attempts, January–June 2026. Source: CDR, Summary by Registration Eligibility Pathway.
GroupTestedPassedPass rate
Coordinated Program18012871.1%
Dietetic Internship83654365.0%
Graduate Program (Future Education Model)33424874.3%
Individualized Supervised Practice Pathways191052.6%
All first attempts1,37993267.6%

The total also counts foreign-equivalency and reciprocity candidates, who are not broken out above.

Pass Rate on a Retake

Second attempts passed 37.4% of the time, about half the first-attempt rate, and the rate keeps falling with each try. This is the strongest argument for preparing seriously the first time.

Every test taken, January–June 2026, by attempt number. Source: CDR.
GroupTestedPassedPass rate
1st attempt1,37993267.6%
2nd attempt54020237.4%
3rd attempt37310127.1%
4th or later attempt85416819.7%
All tests3,1461,40344.6%

Pass Rate Within One Year

Counting retakes, most candidates get there. Of everyone whose first attempt fell in 2025, 83.9% had passed within twelve months of it.

Candidates with a first attempt in 2025, passed within one year. Source: CDR.
GroupTestedPassedPass rate
Coordinated Program53045485.7%
Dietetic Internship2,0161,67883.2%
Graduate Program (Future Education Model)72565189.8%
Individualized Supervised Practice Program765369.7%
All pathways3,4112,86383.9%

What the RD Exam Costs

The exam fee is $250, paid by credit card when you book your Pearson VUE appointment. It is separate from Academy membership dues and CDR registration maintenance fees.

CDR’s optional test bundle costs $350: your first attempt plus a $100 voucher that covers a retake. Without it, a retake costs the full fee again, so a fail-then-pass costs $350 with the bundle and $500 without it.

The bundle comes out ahead if your chance of needing a retake is above 40% (the $100 you pay up front, against the $150 it saves). Across all candidates, 32% of first attempts fail, so for the average candidate it comes out slightly behind. If your practice scores are shaky, it is worth buying; if you are scoring well, skip it.

Retake Rules and the New Attempt Limit

  • 45-day wait. You can retest after 45 calendar days. You may reauthorize and reschedule during the wait, but the appointment must fall on day 46 or later.
  • Reauthorize first. A retake is not automatic: you reauthorize with CDR, then pay the current fee or use a bundle voucher.
  • One-time waiver. If your employer needs you to pass sooner to keep your job, CDR will waive the wait once, on a letter from the employer.
  • Lifetime limit of 8 attempts for anyone who establishes exam eligibility on or after January 1, 2027. CDR’s board set it in May 2026. If you are already eligible, there is no limit.

Pass the First Time

The gap between a 67.6% first-attempt rate and a 37.4% second-attempt rate is the case for structured prep. Our RD exam prep guide covers the four content domains, the adaptive format and the passing score of 25.

Recommended exam prep

Formal prep pays for itself against a retake. These are the resources we point candidates to for the CDR Registration Examination for Dietitians.

Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Registration Examination for Dietitians Secrets Study GuideMometrix · SponsoredRegistration Examination for Dietitians Secrets Study GuideA full review of the CDR Registration Examination for Dietitians — domain-by-domain concept breakdowns and practice questions built for a first-try pass.See the study guide →Dietitian Exam FlashcardsMometrix · SponsoredDietitian Exam FlashcardsPortable flashcards for the high-frequency RD-exam topics — a cheaper add-on for drilling terms and definitions on the go.See the flashcards →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the pass rate for the RD exam?

67.6% of first attempts passed in January–June 2026, per CDR's published statistics (932 of 1,379). Measured over a longer window, 83.9% of candidates whose first attempt fell in 2025 had passed within one year of it.

What is the pass rate on a second attempt?

Lower than the first: 37.4% of second attempts passed in January–June 2026, 27.1% of third attempts, and 19.7% of fourth or later attempts. Candidates who retake are, by definition, the ones who found the exam hardest, so these rates describe that group rather than your odds after more study.

How much does the RD exam cost?

The exam fee is $250, paid by credit card when you book the appointment. CDR also sells an optional $350 test bundle: the first attempt plus a $100 voucher that covers a retake if you need one. A retake without the voucher costs the full current fee again.

How soon can I retake the RD exam?

After 45 calendar days. You must reauthorize with CDR and pay the current fee (or use a bundle voucher); you can reschedule during the wait, but the appointment itself must fall on day 46 or later. CDR grants a one-time waiver of the wait if your employer needs you to pass sooner to keep your job.

Is there a limit on how many times you can take the RD exam?

Not for anyone already eligible. In May 2026 CDR set a lifetime limit of 8 attempts, and it applies only to candidates who establish exam eligibility on or after January 1, 2027.

Sources