NM2GI Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows

What Pass Rate Data Actually Exists for NM2GI

Candidates searching for an NM2GI pass rate usually want one reassuring number: "X percent of people pass." For National Master 200 GL and Inland (NM2GI), that number does not exist in any authoritative public source. The United States Coast Guard National Maritime Center (NMC), which governs the GLI05 scope covering Master or Mate less than 200 GRT, publishes examination modules and topic matrices. It does not publish a population-wide pass rate for this endorsement.

That absence matters, and it is worth stating plainly because the internet is full of confident-sounding percentages attached to maritime exams. Any figure you find that claims to represent "the" NM2GI pass rate is either an anecdote from a single school or instructor, an extrapolation from a different credential, or an invention. This site's approach is to tell you what the published record supports and then help you reason about your own odds using the structure of the exam itself.

If you want a deeper look at how the credential is scored, see our breakdown of the NM2GI passing score, and for a broader overview of what the endorsement is, start with What Is NM2GI?

Why a Single Pass Rate Would Mislead You

Even if a pass rate were published, a single aggregate figure would be a poor guide for an individual candidate. The reason is structural: NM2GI is not one examination with one score. It is a set of issuer-published modules, and the number of modules an applicant sits depends on the applicant.

• Different routes, different module sets. A Great Lakes and Inland applicant uses Q100 for Rules of the Road. An Inland applicant may use Q300 instead when the applicable COLREGS limitation is accepted.
• Different starting points. Some applicants are sitting the full original-exam structure. Others are pursuing a raise of grade or a route extension, which involve separate modules.
• Different prior credit. Your approval to test from the NMC defines what you actually need to pass, and that may not match a classmate's.

An aggregate pass rate would blend all of these populations together. A mariner retaking one module after a narrow miss and a first-time candidate facing the full five-module route are not facing the same odds, and a blended average would describe neither of them. That is why this article focuses on the structure of the exam and where candidates realistically struggle rather than on a headline percentage.

The Module Structure Behind Every Result

To reason about your own chances, you first need to know exactly what you are being tested on. The full-route structure for National Master 200 GL and Inland has five module groups, organized here as unweighted, route-aware preparation groups:

Two clarifications prevent common misunderstandings. First, Q100 and Q300 are alternatives, so the route is five modules, not six. Never count them together as simultaneous requirements. Second, the number of groups is not a universal count of examinations for every applicant. Your NMC approval to test governs what you actually sit.

Several other module numbers appear in NMC materials and sometimes confuse candidates. Q345 (Navigation and Deck General/Safety) is a separate raise-of-grade module for moving from Master less than 100 to Master/Mate less than 200. Q346 is a separate route for an OUPV moving to Mate less than 200. Neither is an extra domain in the Master-original full route. For a domain-by-domain walkthrough, see NM2GI Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 5 Content Areas.

Module-by-Module Risk Profile

Without a published pass rate, the most useful substitute is a qualitative risk assessment of each module group. The following reflects how the content is built and where candidates commonly need the most preparation. These are not statistics; they are structural observations about what each module asks of you.

For candidates trying to gauge relative difficulty across these groups, our companion piece How Hard Is the NM2GI Exam? goes deeper on where the friction tends to appear.

How Your Route Changes the Odds

Because outcomes depend on which modules you face, your route is the single biggest variable in any honest discussion of pass likelihood. Consider how the routes differ in practice:

Note what the table does not claim: it does not assert a universal count for the raise-of-grade or OUPV routes, because those depend on your individual approval. If you are on one of those routes, the "five modules" framing in this article does not describe your situation, and you should rely on the NMC's published information for your specific path.

Eligibility and prerequisites shape which route you land on, so review NM2GI Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify before you plan your preparation.

Common Failure Patterns on the Chart Plot and Rules Modules

While the NMC does not publish module-level pass rates, instructors and candidates consistently describe a few recurring ways that otherwise capable mariners lose points. These are qualitative patterns, not measured data.

Chart Plot: precision beats speed

Q343 is the module most dependent on procedural discipline. Because it is required in the full-exam structure, there is no way around it. Candidates who rush often introduce small plotting or arithmetic errors that cascade through a multi-step problem. The remedy is to build a repeatable plotting routine and practice it until your method is the same every time, then speed up only after your accuracy is stable.

Rules of the Road: the Inland versus International trap

Candidates preparing for Q100 must keep two rule sets straight. The danger is not ignorance of either set in isolation; it is blending them. A candidate who knows the Inland rule and applies it to an International scenario, or the reverse, loses points even while feeling confident. If you are on a route where Q300 applies, the Inland-only scope narrows this risk, but only if the COLREGS limitation is accepted for your endorsement.

Experience that masks a knowledge gap

Working mariners sometimes assume that years on the water will carry them through Q340 and Q341. Practical competence is valuable, but these modules test formal knowledge, terminology, and regulatory detail. The gap between "I do this every day" and "I can answer a question about the underlying rule" is where points disappear.

A Sequencing Plan Built Around the Five Module Groups

Because the modules vary in nature, the order in which you prepare matters. The skills-heavy Chart Plot module benefits from long, early exposure, while the recall-heavy Rules module benefits from steady repetition close to test day. Here is one way to sequence a five-week preparation window, tied directly to the module groups.

This is a template, not a prescription. If you are retaking a single module or sitting a raise-of-grade route, compress or reorder accordingly. For a fuller preparation framework, read NM2GI Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt, and keep the NM2GI Cheat Sheet handy for final review.

How to Evaluate Pass-Rate Claims You See Online

Since no authoritative pass rate exists, you will encounter claims anyway. Use these filters before letting a number shape your preparation or your confidence.

1. Identify the credential. Several unrelated credentials share the NM2GI acronym. A pass rate attached to a different credential tells you nothing about National Master 200 GL and Inland. Confirm the claim refers to the Coast Guard NMC Master or Mate less than 200 GRT scope (GLI05).
2. Ask for the denominator. A rate from one training school reflects that school's students, not all applicants.
3. Check the module. A figure for one module, such as Rules of the Road, does not describe the full five-module route.
4. Look for a primary source. If a claim cannot be traced to the NMC, treat it as unverified.
5. Beware precision without provenance. A suspiciously exact percentage with no source is a warning sign, not a feature.

Other practical questions, such as cost and scheduling, are separate from pass likelihood. See NM2GI Certification Cost 2026 and NM2GI Exam Dates 2026 for those topics, keeping in mind that current fee figures are not established by the source packet used for this article and should be confirmed with the NMC.

Reading a Failed Module as a Diagnostic

Because the exam is modular, a miss on one module does not erase the others. That structure turns a failed attempt into useful information. Rather than asking whether you "failed the exam," ask which specific module group fell short and why.

• If Chart Plot was the problem, your weakness is likely procedural. Rebuild your plotting routine and practice accuracy before speed.
• If Rules of the Road was the problem, check whether you blended Inland and International rules, or whether your recall of lights and signals was shaky.
• If Deck General or Safety was the problem, your formal knowledge of regulations and terminology likely lagged behind your practical experience.
• If Navigation General was the problem, verify that your materials were specific to Great Lakes and Inland rather than generic.

Confirm retake rules, waiting periods, and any limits directly with the NMC, because those procedural details are not established by the source material used here. Practicing against realistic questions in a timed environment helps you diagnose weaknesses before an official attempt. You can start with the NM2GI practice test to identify which module groups need the most work, then return to the main practice site as you tighten your preparation. If you are also weighing the endorsement's value, see Is the NM2GI Certification Worth It? and NM2GI Jobs for context on where the credential can lead.

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