- The Number: 75% on 120 Questions
- How Modified Angoff Sets the Cut Score
- What 75% Looks Like in Practice
- Exam Format That Shapes Your Score
- Where Your Points Come From: The Four Domains
- Results, Retakes and Fees
- Passing Is Only One Gate
- A Domain-Based Plan for Reaching 75%
- Reading the Historical Pass Data Honestly
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Council-certified Environmental Infection Control Consultant (CEICC) exam requires a 75% passing threshold, set by ACAC using the Modified Angoff method.
- The exam has 120 closed-book multiple-choice questions, each with at least four answer choices, in a three-hour window.
- Results are available immediately after testing, whether you sit at a Kryterion test center or take the exam by online video proctoring.
- A retake costs $100; the full initial cost is $500, split into a $100 examination fee and a $400 certification fee.
The Number: 75% on 120 Questions
The Council-certified Environmental Infection Control Consultant credential, administered by the American Council for Accredited Certification (ACAC), uses a clear passing threshold: 75%. The exam consists of 120 multiple-choice questions, so the threshold is a percentage of the exam rather than a scaled score on an arbitrary range. Candidates should plan to demonstrate competence across the whole blueprint rather than hoping to excel in one area and skate through the rest.
ACAC does not publish a per-domain minimum in the materials we reviewed, and the handbook's four competency headings are unweighted. That matters for your strategy. Because no domain is described as a guaranteed larger share of the exam, the safest assumption is that weakness in any single domain can cost you the margin you need. If you want a full breakdown of the content areas, see our complete guide to all four CEICC content areas.
How Modified Angoff Sets the Cut Score
ACAC states that the passing threshold is set using the Modified Angoff method. This is a standard-setting approach used in credentialing, and understanding it removes a lot of anxiety about the number.
The logic behind the method
In an Angoff-style process, a panel of subject-matter experts reviews each question and judges how likely a minimally competent candidate would be to answer it correctly. Those judgments are aggregated into a cut score. The key idea is that the passing standard reflects the performance expected of a minimally qualified practitioner, not a comparison against other test takers.
- It is criterion-referenced. You are measured against a competence standard, not graded on a curve against your cohort.
- It is not tuned to hit a pass rate. A strong or weak group of candidates does not move the threshold.
- It anchors on practice-readiness. The standard reflects what a competent environmental infection control consultant should know on day one of independent work.
What this means for you: nobody can tell you the cut score will drop for an unusually hard exam form, and you should not count on it. Aim to meet the competence standard on the content itself. For context on how demanding that standard feels in practice, read How Hard Is the CEICC Exam?
What 75% Looks Like in Practice
On a 120-question exam, 75% is a high bar compared with many entry-level certifications, but it is a fair one for a credential aimed at people who already have documented field experience. Candidates who reach the exam have typically completed years of work in or around healthcare construction, infection prevention, facilities, or related roles, so the questions assume applied familiarity rather than memorized trivia.
| Item | CEICC Detail |
|---|---|
| Passing threshold | 75% |
| Standard-setting method | Modified Angoff |
| Number of questions | 120 multiple-choice |
| Answer choices per question | At least four |
| Time allowed | Three hours |
| Reference materials | Closed book |
| Result timing | Available immediately |
Three hours for 120 questions averages out to a comfortable pace of roughly a minute and a half per item, which leaves room to flag and revisit uncertain questions. The time limit is rarely the main obstacle; content mastery is.
Exam Format That Shapes Your Score
Closed book, scenario-minded
The CEICC exam is closed book. You cannot bring the CDC guideline, OSHA text, or ASHRAE tables into the room. That makes recall of key definitions, thresholds and decision logic essential. At the same time, because the credential is oriented toward real project work, expect questions that ask you to apply a principle to a situation rather than recite a definition in isolation.
Delivery options
You can take the exam two ways: at a computer-based test center through Kryterion, or via secure online video proctoring. Either route produces an immediate result. Choose the setting where you are least likely to be distracted or hit a technical snag; a calm environment protects your score as much as extra study hours do. For scheduling mechanics, see our guide to CEICC exam dates, testing windows and deadlines.
No mandatory training course
ACAC does not require a specific training course before you test. An optional study guide exists (copyright 2020), and it can help you map your preparation to the handbook's competencies. Independent preparation is acceptable, but your plan should still be structured. Our CEICC study guide walks through a first-attempt approach, and the CEICC training overview covers optional preparation routes.
Where Your Points Come From: The Four Domains
The handbook lists four Required Skills competencies, corroborated by the optional study guide. They are unweighted, and they do not establish exhaustive exam coverage, so treat them as a floor for your preparation rather than a complete syllabus. Every point toward your 75% comes from some combination of these areas.
Domain 1: Infectious Diseases and Their Modes of Transmission in the Healthcare Setting
This is the foundation for every risk decision you make later. You need to connect pathogens to how they spread and to who is vulnerable.
- Distinguish airborne, droplet and contact transmission and the environmental implications of each
- Recognize which patient populations are most vulnerable to environmental pathogens
- Understand how dust, water and air systems can become reservoirs or vectors
Domain 2: Principles of Infection Control During Construction, Demolition and Renovation
This is the signature area of the credential. Expect applied questions on containment, pressure relationships, barriers and risk classification.
- Matching project activity and patient risk to the level of precautions required
- Barrier, negative-pressure and filtration concepts used during dust-generating work
- Traffic control, cleaning and the handling of debris near occupied patient areas
Domain 3: Infection Control Project Management
Knowing the technical rules is not enough; you must show how a consultant organizes and enforces them on a live project.
- Coordination among facilities, infection prevention, contractors and clinical leadership
- Documentation, monitoring and communication across the life of a project
- Escalation and corrective action when controls fail
Domain 4: Effective Infection Control Practices
This area covers the practices that keep protections working day to day, including worker protection and ethical conduct.
- Bloodborne pathogen safeguards aligned with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030
- Respiratory protection reasoning, including the logic in NIOSH Respirator Selection Logic (2004)
- Professional responsibilities consistent with the ACAC Code of Conduct
The handbook's reference list includes the CDC environmental infection control guideline (2003, updated 2019), OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030, NIOSH Respirator Selection Logic (2004), and the ACAC Code of Conduct. It also lists ASHRAE 170-2008, which the linked 2020 study guide omits. Because that discrepancy exists, study the ventilation concepts behind ASHRAE 170 anyway; you do not want to lose points on a topic the handbook names but the study guide skipped. A deeper domain-by-domain tour is available in our CEICC exam domains guide, and a condensed recall sheet is in the CEICC cheat sheet.
Results, Retakes and Fees
One of the more candidate-friendly features of the exam is that results are available immediately. You will know where you stand as soon as you finish, rather than waiting weeks.
| Fee Item | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Examination fee | $100 |
| Certification fee | $400 |
| Initial total | $500 |
| Retake | $100 |
| Renewal | $400 |
The retake fee is $100, the same as the base examination fee. That is meaningful when you weigh how to approach a first attempt: a miss is recoverable, but it costs money and time, and it is better avoided through preparation than treated as a free practice run. For the full financial picture, see the CEICC certification cost breakdown.
Key Takeaway
Do not schedule your sitting as a diagnostic. The 75% threshold applies every time, and each retake adds $100. Use domain-level practice to find weak spots before test day, then sit the exam when your practice results sit clearly above the line.
Passing Is Only One Gate
Many candidates focus so heavily on the passing score that they overlook the other requirements. A passing exam result does not by itself confer the credential. ACAC requires documented eligibility, four distinct project sheets with verification, and the award requires unanimous board approval.
Eligibility pathways
- A relevant four-year degree, or equivalent 30 qualifying semester credits, plus four years of documented field experience
- A relevant two-year degree, or equivalent 15 qualifying credits, plus six years of documented field experience
- A high-school diploma or GED plus eight years of documented field experience
Our CEICC requirements guide explains how to document each pathway.
Mind the deadline discrepancy
The current application page allows six months to complete the process, while the handbook says 90 days. These sources disagree, so confirm the applicable deadline directly with ACAC before you begin. Do not plan your study calendar around the longer window without written confirmation, because a missed deadline could mean repeating steps and paying again.
After you pass
The credential is valid for two years. Renewal requires 40 renewal credits (RCs): 10 for continued field activity and 30 hours of professional development, with records subject to audit. Note that the CEICC credential page instead describes 20 professional-development hours annually, so confirm that discrepancy with ACAC when planning renewal. If you are still weighing whether the effort pays off, see Is the CEICC Certification Worth It?, along with the CEICC salary guide and CEICC jobs overview.
A Domain-Based Plan for Reaching 75%
Because the four domains are unweighted and you cannot know which one will punish a gap, the best plan sequences them by dependency: foundational transmission knowledge first, then the construction-specific controls built on it, then management and practice. Here is one way to schedule it.
Domain 1 foundations
- Map each transmission route to its environmental control implications
- Review the CDC environmental infection control guideline sections on air and water
Domain 2 depth
- Work through containment, pressure and barrier scenarios until the logic is automatic
- Study ventilation principles behind ASHRAE 170, even though the study guide omits it
Domains 3 and 4
- Practice project-coordination and documentation scenarios
- Review OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030, respirator selection logic and the ACAC Code of Conduct
Full-length simulation
- Sit a timed, closed-book run of 120 questions in three hours
- Review every miss by domain and revisit the weakest area before booking
Adjust the length to your background. A candidate with years of infection prevention experience may compress the early weeks, while someone from a facilities background may need longer on Domain 1. When you are ready to measure yourself, use the CEICC practice tests to benchmark each domain against the 75% line.
Reading the Historical Pass Data Honestly
ACAC's published pass-ratio reports show 3 passes from 3 examinations in 2024 (100%) and 1 from 1 in 2023 (100%). Those figures look reassuring, but they should not be read as a forecast of your odds. The cohorts are tiny, the reports include retakes and state-license-only examinations, and they are not first-attempt success estimates. A 100% ratio on a handful of exams tells you almost nothing about difficulty.
Similarly, ACAC's December 31, 2025 activity report lists 25 current CEICC certifications. That is a count of holders, not exam volume, so it cannot be turned into a pass rate. The credential is clearly a small, specialized one, which is itself useful context: the community of certified consultants is compact, and the exam is aimed at experienced practitioners. For a fuller discussion of what the numbers do and do not show, see our CEICC pass rate analysis.
If you are new to the credential and want the basics before digging into scoring, our overviews on what CEICC is and the CEICC certification cover the fundamentals. For another look at the same topic from a different angle, return to this passing score reference whenever you need the core numbers at a glance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The passing threshold is 75%, set by ACAC using the Modified Angoff method. The exam has 120 multiple-choice questions, and you must meet the 75% standard to pass.
Yes. Results are available immediately after you finish, whether you test at a Kryterion computer-based test center or through secure online video proctoring.
A retake costs $100. The initial total is $500, made up of a $100 examination fee and a $400 certification fee. Renewal costs $400.
No. You must also meet the eligibility requirements, submit four distinct project sheets with verification, and receive unanimous board approval. Confirm the application deadline with ACAC, since the application page says six months while the handbook says 90 days.
No. The 2024 and 2023 ratios come from very small cohorts, include retakes and state-license-only examinations, and are not first-attempt success estimates. Treat them as background, not as a measure of difficulty.