- What "Passing Score" Actually Means Here
- The Two Domains That Determine Your Result
- Domain 1: Vocabulary
- Domain 2: Reading Comprehension
- Timing and Question Breakdown
- What Happens If You Don't Reach the Standard
- After the Reading Test: Physical Fitness Attempts
- Where the Reading Score Fits in the Full Hiring Process
- A Focused Prep Timeline by Domain
- Pay and Baseline Requirements Once You Clear It
- FAQs
- There's no percentage cutoff - you must read at no less than a ninth-grade level on the Nelson-Denny.
- The written test has 118 total questions across Vocabulary (80) and Reading Comprehension (38).
- You get two attempts at the reading standard before you're required to reapply from scratch.
- Passing the reading test unlocks three attempts at the physical fitness test, not an automatic hire.
What "Passing Score" Actually Means Here
Most people searching for a "passing score" expect a single number, like 70% or 80%. The Philadelphia Police Exam works differently. The written assessment used by the Philadelphia Police Department is the Nelson-Denny Reading Test, and it exists specifically to satisfy Pennsylvania MPOETC's police-recruit reading requirement. That means the bar isn't an arbitrary percentage set by a test vendor - it's tied to a grade-level reading benchmark.
Applicants must demonstrate reading ability at no less than the ninth-grade level. That's the number that matters. Your Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension results are combined to produce a reading-level score, and that score is checked against the ninth-grade floor. There's no domain-by-domain minimum published beyond that combined standard, which is why understanding how the two domains work together matters more than memorizing a percentage.
The Two Domains That Determine Your Result
The Philadelphia Police Exam is built from exactly two scored domains: Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension. Together they generate 118 multiple-choice questions. If you want a deeper breakdown of how these domains are weighted and what content they draw from, the Philadelphia Police Exam Exam Domains 2026 guide covers both in detail. For this article, the focus is narrower: what each domain requires to help you clear the ninth-grade reading threshold.
Domain 1: Vocabulary
This section has 80 multiple-choice questions in 15 minutes. Each item presents a word followed by five possible definitions, and you pick the correct one. The pace is fast - roughly 11 seconds per question - so recognition speed matters as much as raw vocabulary size.
- Words are drawn from general adult reading vocabulary, not police jargon or legal terminology
- Five answer choices per word means guessing carries more risk than on standard four-option tests
- Speed under time pressure is part of what's being measured, not just accuracy
Domain 2: Reading Comprehension
This section has 38 multiple-choice questions in 20 minutes, spread across roughly 7 to 9 short passages. You read a passage, then answer several questions tied directly to what it stated, implied, or organized.
- Passages vary in topic - expect general nonfiction-style writing, not police procedure text
- Questions test literal recall, main idea identification, and inference from context
- With 20 minutes across multiple passages, time management across the whole section matters more than perfecting any single passage
Timing and Question Breakdown
Here's how the numbers add up when you combine both domains:
| Section | Questions | Time Allowed | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vocabulary | 80 | 15 minutes | Word + 5 definition choices |
| Reading Comprehension | 38 | 20 minutes | 7-9 passages with multiple-choice questions |
| Total | 118 | 35 minutes timed | Full administration takes about 35-45 minutes |
The gap between "35 minutes timed testing" and "35 to 45 minutes total administration" is instructions, seating, and transition time between sections. Don't assume you'll get extra thinking time beyond the timed portions - plan your pacing around the 15-and-20-minute splits specifically.
Key Takeaway
Because Vocabulary allots only 15 minutes for 80 questions, practicing under a strict per-question time limit matters more here than for the comprehension section, where you have more room to read carefully.
What Happens If You Don't Reach the Standard
Applicants receive two attempts to reach the ninth-grade reading standard. If both attempts fall short, you're required to reapply to the process rather than simply retesting on a rolling basis. That structure makes early preparation more valuable than a "I'll just retake it" mindset - a second miss resets your timeline against the department's application windows, not just your personal calendar.
If you're unsure how difficult this threshold tends to be for candidates in practice, the difficulty guide and the pass rate breakdown both dig into what the data actually shows, without relying on invented percentages.
After the Reading Test: Physical Fitness Attempts
Passing the reading standard doesn't finish the testing phase - it opens the door to the physical fitness test. Candidates who clear the Nelson-Denny standard get three attempts at the physical fitness component, which includes:
- A 300-metre run
- One-minute push-ups
- One-minute sit-ups
- A 1.5-mile run
Notice the difference in attempt structure: two chances on the reading test, three on fitness. That's worth planning around if you're mapping out your overall preparation timeline, since the reading test is the earlier gate and arguably the one candidates underestimate most, given that it's a cognitive test rather than a physical one.
Where the Reading Score Fits in the Full Hiring Process
The Nelson-Denny-based Philadelphia Police Exam isn't a standalone hurdle - it's one gate in a longer sequence. After clearing the reading standard and the fitness attempts, candidates move through background investigation, medical and drug screening, a polygraph, and a psychological evaluation. Those who make it through all of that attend 38 weeks at the Police Academy.
If you want the complete rundown of every eligibility item before you even sit for the reading test - age, residency, licensing, and citizenship rules - the requirements guide lays it out step by step. And if you're weighing whether the whole process is worth pursuing before you commit study time, the ROI analysis is a useful companion read.
A Focused Prep Timeline by Domain
Because the exam is only two domains and 35 minutes of timed testing, a short, targeted prep window works better than an open-ended study plan. Here's a simple way to sequence it if your test date is a few weeks out:
Vocabulary Speed Work
- Drill timed vocabulary sets that mimic the five-definition format
- Track how many of 80 words you can accurately judge within a 15-minute simulated window
- Build a running list of words you consistently confuse
Reading Comprehension Pacing
- Practice reading short nonfiction passages and answering questions within a 20-minute cap
- Focus on main-idea and inference questions, since these appear repeatedly across 7-9 passages
- Time each passage separately to find where you're losing minutes
Full Simulation
- Run a complete 118-question, 35-minute timed simulation in one sitting
- Review every missed vocabulary and comprehension question for patterns
- Rest the day before your scheduled test date rather than cramming
For a more detailed week-by-week structure that also covers first-attempt strategy, the study guide expands on this approach. You can also run full-length timed practice through our practice test platform to get comfortable with the pacing before test day.
Pay and Baseline Requirements Once You Clear It
Passing the reading standard and fitness attempts eventually leads to compensation that starts at $67,934 during the Academy, rises to $72,651 after six months, and can reach up to $98,156, plus a $2,000 sign-on bonus. For a full breakdown of how pay progresses and what factors affect it, see the salary guide.
Current application windows listed on the recruitment site run September 14 to October 11, 2026 and December 28, 2026 to January 24, 2027, covering both general and bilingual applicants. If you're mapping your prep schedule against these dates, the exam dates guide lays out the testing windows in more detail, and the one-page cheat sheet is useful for a final review pass before your scheduled slot. You can also start practicing anytime through the main practice test site to see where your current reading level stands relative to the ninth-grade benchmark.
FAQs
No. The standard is a reading-level benchmark, not a percentage. You must demonstrate reading ability at no less than the ninth-grade level on the Nelson-Denny Reading Test, which combines your Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension performance.
There are 118 total multiple-choice questions: 80 in the Vocabulary section and 38 in the Reading Comprehension section, spread across 7 to 9 passages.
Timed testing totals 35 minutes - 15 minutes for Vocabulary and 20 minutes for Reading Comprehension. The full administration, including instructions, typically takes about 35 to 45 minutes.
You get two attempts to meet the standard. If you don't pass within those two attempts, you must reapply to the process rather than retest indefinitely.
No. Passing the reading standard qualifies you for three attempts at the physical fitness test, followed by background, medical, drug, polygraph, and psychological screening before the 38-week Police Academy.