- No verified population pass-rate series exists for RCCE Level 1; the 62% figure is a passing threshold, not a candidate success rate.
- The current Level 1 exam is 100 questions in 120 minutes with a 62% passing score.
- Older sources cite 70% and 72% for legacy Level 1 forms; the current linked specification controls.
- The handbook lists four domains but publishes no percentage weights, so never assume 25% each.
What "Pass Rate" Really Means for RCCE Level 1
Search for the Rocheston Certified Cybersecurity Engineer - Level 1 pass rate and you will find plenty of confident-sounding numbers. Most of them are not pass rates at all. They are passing scores: the minimum percentage of questions a candidate must answer correctly. That is a very different thing from the share of candidates who succeed.
This article separates the two. Here is the plain position as of the October 2026 research check: no verified Level 1 population pass-rate series has been published or established. Rocheston, through its Department of Certification (RDoC), documents what the exam looks like and what score you need. It does not publish a cohort success percentage that we could verify. Any site quoting a precise "RCCE pass rate" without a primary source is guessing, and we will not add to that noise.
If you want a sense of difficulty rather than a statistic, our How Hard Is the RCCE Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 works through the exam's demands qualitatively. For the exact scoring rule, see RCCE Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
The Numbers Rocheston Does Publish
The current exact Level 1 page and the linked RCCE Candidate Handbook agree on the core specifications. The table below lists only what those current sources support, along with the items that remain unpublished.
| Item | Current published position |
|---|---|
| Number of questions | 100 |
| Time allowed | Two hours (120 minutes) |
| Passing score | 62% |
| Scored vs. unscored items | Not published |
| Scaled-score system | Not established |
| Population pass rate | Not published or verified |
| Domain percentage weights | Not published |
| Delivery | Online proctoring (Rocheston Ramsys named on the Level 1 page; the handbook also names Cyberclass) |
Two details deserve emphasis. First, the five-day figure you may see attached to RCCE refers to the training course, not the exam. The exam itself is a two-hour sitting. Labs and the capstone belong to course work and are not evidence of a separate timed practical. Second, because the scored and unscored split is not disclosed, it is not possible to say precisely how many questions each point of score represents. Treat 62 correct out of 100 as the working target and aim well above it.
Why Older Figures Muddy the Picture
Part of the confusion around RCCE statistics comes from the credential's history. Several older documents describe earlier Level 1 specifications, and they do not match the current one.
- The legacy Exam Versions page contrasts an older Level 1 examination (90 questions, 70% to pass) with a planned accredited examination (100 questions, 62% to pass).
- An older Level 1 Certification Program Guide, Version 6, an undated brochure, cites roughly 90 questions and a 72% threshold, along with a 53-module curriculum.
- Some training-partner marketing repeats 70% or makes lifetime-validity claims. Those are not exam facts and should not be used for planning.
This is also why we warn readers off third-party "pass rate" claims. When a source mixes the 70% legacy threshold with the 62% current one, the resulting commentary is unreliable. For the full threshold discussion, read our passing score guide.
The Four Domains Behind the Score
The RCCE Candidate Handbook lists four examination domains. They are the formal outline for the current offering, and every question you answer falls under one of them. Crucially, no percentage weights are published. Do not convert four headings into four 25% allocations, and do not assume any single domain is the heaviest.
Domain 1: Cybersecurity Policies and Governance
This domain concerns the rules, standards and organizational structures that guide security decisions.
- How security policies are written, approved and enforced
- Governance roles and accountability inside an organization
- Connecting policy to day-to-day controls and compliance expectations
Domain 2: Risks/Threats/Vulnerability Assessment
Here the focus is identifying and evaluating what could go wrong.
- Recognizing threat types and the attacks behind them
- Finding and rating vulnerabilities in systems, applications and networks
- Assessing risk so that findings can be prioritized
Domain 3: Risks/Threats/Vulnerability Management
Where assessment finds problems, management addresses them over time.
- Selecting and applying mitigations and controls
- Ongoing handling of vulnerabilities, including patching practices
- Tracking residual risk and deciding what to accept, reduce or transfer
Domain 4: Security Incident Response and Recovery Plan
This domain covers what happens when prevention fails.
- Detecting and handling security incidents in a structured way
- Containment, eradication and recovery planning
- Documenting and improving the response process afterward
Notice the relationship between Domains 2 and 3: assessment and management are paired, and exam questions can sit at the boundary between "find it" and "fix it." Our RCCE Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 4 Content Areas expands each area in more depth.
Format, Proctoring and Retake Mechanics
Item formats: a documented conflict
Sources disagree on question style. The current Level 1 page specifies multiple-choice, true/false and short-answer items. The linked generic handbook describes objective multiple-choice only. Because the conflict is unresolved, the safest preparation is to be comfortable with all three styles, and not to assume a performance-based lab will appear (none was verified as part of the certification exam). No adaptive format was verified either.
Proctored, not open-book
The exam is delivered with online proctoring. Under the linked policies, candidates face identity verification, a room inspection and a secure browser, and outside books, notes and electronics are not accessible. The public Proctoring Candidate Manual (version 1.0, dated July 15, 2021) describes a Windows and Safe Exam Browser setup, no extra screens or headphones, no ordinary toilet breaks, and calculators only when the exam instructions expressly allow them. Treat those details as dated guidance. Your booked sitting's instructions and any approved accommodations take precedence.
Pearson VUE maintains a Rocheston program page, updated September 17, 2026, but availability of the exact current 100-question Level 1 form through Pearson was not verified. Do not assume bookings are interchangeable across providers. Scheduling specifics are covered in RCCE Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
Retakes and cost
The generic official exam policy lists USD 499 for the examination and USD 499 for a retake, with no member or non-member tiers. The current Level 1 page, however, asks candidates to request a regional and format quote and to confirm whether the exam is bundled with training. Meanwhile, the handbook promises one free attempt after a failure or missed attendance, while the policy lists paid retakes with no cooling period. Because these statements conflict, no universal free-retake entitlement is asserted here. Confirm your exact terms in writing before you pay. A partner's advertised USD 500 voucher does not replace the issuer's tariff. See RCCE Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown for the full cost picture.
Key Takeaway
Since retake terms are inconsistent across Rocheston's own documents, the practical way to protect your investment is to prepare as if you have exactly one attempt, and to get your retake entitlement confirmed before you sit.
Where the 25 Preparation Modules Fit
The current Level 1 course page lists 25 preparation modules, in order: Cybersecurity Threats, Attacks and Defenses; Cyber Vulnerabilities; Reconnaissance, ML and Artificial Intelligence; Web Application Attacks; Web Shells, Spyware and Backdoors; Denial of Service Attacks; Hacking Frameworks; Android Hacking; Wireless Hacking; Log Management and Network Analyzers; Firewalls and IDS; Malware Analysis; Patch Management; Identity and Access Management; Cybersecurity Policies and Governance; Security Incident Response and Recovery Plan; Cryptography; Blockchain and Cryptocurrency; Quantum Computing; Cloud Security; Zero-Trust Architecture; Virtualization with QEMU and Private Cloud; IoT Security Testing and Certification; Risk Assessment; and Risk Management.
These are supported preparation topics, not 25 official exam domains. They are also unweighted, and the public record does not provide a mapping between the 25 modules and the four formal domains. We will not invent one. What you can say sensibly is that some modules obviously relate to a named domain by title (for example, the governance, incident response, risk assessment and risk management modules), while many technical modules such as web application attacks, wireless hacking and malware analysis support the broader threat and vulnerability knowledge that Domains 2 and 3 draw on. Do not treat the module list as a guarantee of exam coverage.
Practice also takes place in a lab environment: Rocheston's training references Rose OS labs. Hands-on familiarity helps you reason about attacks and defenses, even though labs are course work and not a separate timed certification practical.
A Domain-Ordered Readiness Plan
Because the pass rate is unknown, your best protection is measurable readiness: consistently scoring comfortably above 62% on realistic practice material across all four domains. A sensible order follows the logic of the domains themselves. Build the governance vocabulary first, then the assess-and-manage pair, then the response plan that ties everything together.
Domain 1: Policies and Governance
- Learn policy, standards and governance terminology
- Review the governance module and the role of accountability
Domain 2: Vulnerability Assessment
- Work through the threat, vulnerability, web, wireless and malware modules
- Practice rating risk and prioritizing findings
Domain 3: Vulnerability Management
- Cover patch management, identity and access management, firewalls and IDS, zero-trust
- Connect each finding from Domain 2 to a mitigation
Domain 4: Incident Response and Recovery
- Study response phases and recovery planning
- Run timed mixed-domain practice under 120-minute conditions
Why this order? Policy gives context for everything else; assessment must come before management because you cannot manage what you have not identified; and incident response is easiest to absorb once you understand the threats and controls it responds to. Use the final stretch for full 100-question timed runs, since pacing across 120 minutes matters on a proctored exam with no scheduled breaks. For broader planning, see RCCE Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt, and keep the RCCE Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts handy for last-day review. You can also test yourself on our RCCE practice questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
No verified population pass rate has been published or established for RCCE Level 1. Figures you may see online are usually the passing score, which is 62% on the current specification, not the share of candidates who pass.
The current exact Level 1 page, the linked handbook and the scoring policy all state 62%, on a 100-question, 120-minute exam. Older sources mention 70% and 72% for legacy forms, but the current linked specification controls.
The handbook lists four domains but publishes no percentage weights. You should not assume 25% each or guess which domain is heaviest, so prepare all four: Policies and Governance, Vulnerability Assessment, Vulnerability Management, and Incident Response and Recovery.
It depends on the route. The eligibility page allows authorized RCCE training with an attendance certificate, or self-study plus two years of cybersecurity work experience with a supervisor or employer letter. The handbook states a two-year minimum without that exception. Read RCCE Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify and confirm your route with Rocheston.
The unknown pass rate is a reason to prepare thoroughly, not a reason to skip it. The credential is valid for two years and renews through 100 Rocheston Continuing Education credits, and ANAB's directory lists RCCE within Rocheston's accreditation scope through June 21, 2027. For a value analysis, see Is the RCCE Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026.