Biology · Chemistry · Physics · Earth/Space · General Science
The Praxis science tests are ETS's content-knowledge exams that gate a science-teaching license in most U.S. states. Whether you need Biology (5236), Chemistry (5246), Physics (5266), Earth & Space Sciences (5572), or the broad-field General Science (5436), the score on this single exam decides whether your state board issues your endorsement — and with science teachers in chronic short supply, districts often can't hire you until ETS reports a qualifying score. This page breaks down exactly what each test covers, how it's delivered, and how to clear it the first time.
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Five content-knowledge tests cover the science endorsements — pick the one your state requires
| Subject test | Current code | Questions | Time | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biology: Content Knowledge | 5236 | 150 | 2h 30m | Secondary biology / life-science endorsement |
| Chemistry: Content Knowledge | 5246 | 125 | 2h 30m | Secondary chemistry endorsement |
| Physics: Content Knowledge | 5266 | 125 | 2h 30m | Secondary physics endorsement |
| Earth & Space Sciences: Content Knowledge | 5572 | 125 | 2h 30m | Earth / space science endorsement |
| General Science: Content Knowledge | 5436 | 135 | 2h 30m | Middle-school / broad-field science |
Older forms — Biology 5235, Chemistry 5245, Physics 5265, and General Science 5435 — have been retired or are being phased out, but some state boards still accept them during the transition. Always confirm the exact code on your state's approved-test list before you register, because a passing score on a code your state doesn't accept won't license you.
How a Praxis science test is built — at a glance
~125–150
Mostly multiple-choice where you pick one or more answers, plus other formats like numeric-entry and drag-and-drop. No essays — every point comes from objective items.
~50%
Roughly half the questions fuse content with practices — interpreting data, designing investigations, and modeling — rather than asking you to recall a fact in isolation.
~25%
A quarter to a third of items embed content in a classroom scenario — diagnosing a student misconception or choosing a demonstration — so pedagogy matters too.
You get 2 hours 30 minutes of testing time for the single-subject and General Science tests, with no scheduled break. An on-screen periodic table, a table of physical constants, and conversion factors are provided for the chemistry, physics, earth-science, and general-science forms; an on-screen calculator is generally not required.
Your raw score (questions answered correctly — there is no penalty for guessing) is converted to a scaled score from 100 to 200. There is no fixed national pass mark: each state sets its own qualifying score, so the same scaled score can pass in one state and fall short in another. ETS reports your score against the requirement of the state you select.
Content domains shared across the science tests — bars show approximate share on the single-subject forms
The heart of your subject — cell biology, genetics, evolution, and ecology for Biology; mechanics, E&M, and waves for Physics; bonding, reactions, and thermochemistry for Chemistry.
Interpreting graphs and lab data, designing and critiquing investigations, building models, and using evidence to support claims — the NGSS-aligned reasoning skills woven through the test.
How science and engineering work, safe lab practice, the history and limits of scientific knowledge, and the societal and ethical impact of science and technology.
The exact domain weights differ by subject — Physics leans heavily on quantitative problem-solving, Biology on systems and processes, and General Science spreads thinner across all four science strands. Whatever your form, the test rewards candidates who can both recall a deep content base and apply it to unfamiliar data and classroom situations.
Two ways to sit the test — and what to expect on test day
You sit the test on a workstation in a quiet, monitored Praxis/Prometric center. Staff verify your government-issued photo ID, store your belongings, and provide an erasable noteboard. Centers fill quickly near university towns at the start of each semester, so book early. The fee is $130 per test.
You take the identical test from a private room, monitored live by a human proctor through ProctorU inside the ETS Secure Browser. You install the secure browser, pass a system and equipment check, verify your ID, and complete a room scan. The at-home option runs seven days a week.
You have up to 12 minutes after your slot to start check-in or the test is canceled with no refund. The proctor verifies a valid, unexpired photo ID whose name matches your ETS registration.
A clear desk, no second monitor, no phone within reach, no notes, and a full webcam scan of the room. You may use the on-screen erasable noteboard; no physical scratch paper unless approved.
Stay in frame and on-camera throughout — there is no scheduled break. Looking off-screen, talking aloud, leaving your seat, or a dropped connection can flag or void the session.
The Praxis science tests gate science-teaching licensure
No gatekeeping requirement — but the breadth is the killer
Difficulty: The trap isn't depth, it's breadth and time. A single-subject test compresses an entire science major into 125–150 questions in 2.5 hours, and General Science makes it worse by spanning physics, chemistry, biology, and earth/space at once. Add the half-the-test Science & Engineering Practices and teaching-scenario items, and rote review alone rarely clears a state cut score — exactly the pressure point our help is built to remove.
The Praxis science content test is the one number standing between you and a science-teaching license — and for provisionally-hired teachers it usually carries a hard deadline. Exam Assist pairs you with a vetted science specialist and works on a pay-after-you-pass model, so the risk sits with us, not you. No upfront fee, guaranteed results: Exam Assist handles the sitting end to end, and you settle only after the verified result.
Tell us which test code you need (5236, 5246, 5266, 5572, or 5436), your state and its cut score, delivery method, and your test date. Takes a couple of minutes over WhatsApp, Telegram, or Discord.
We review your subject, timeline, and state requirement and tell you plainly whether it's realistic — before any money is discussed. If it isn't a fit, we say so.
Exam Assist handles the sitting end to end. You're matched with a science specialist who maps the work around your exact subject domains, the Science & Engineering Practices items, and the ProctorU at-home environment — discreetly and confidentially.
You only pay once your qualifying score is confirmed on your official ETS report. No verified result, nothing owed.
The Praxis at-home test runs on ProctorU. See how we work discreetly within that live-proctored environment.
ServiceGeneral support for remotely-proctored tests delivered through a secure browser like ETS's.
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Straight answers about the Praxis science tests
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