If you’re a Scout parent or leader who likes to keep a finger on the pulse of youth interests, the list you’ve been waiting for is here!
Once a year, we share our roundup of the most-earned merit badges from the last calendar year. And we just got the results from 2023.
In 2022, we saw the Citizenship in Society merit badge top the list as it launched its first full year as the newest Eagle-required badge. This year, things look similar. That is at least until we get farther down the list. Let’s take a look at the 2023 merit badge rankings.
The top 10 most-earned merit badges of 2023
Bolded below are badges that flipped rankings slightly but still remain close to where they were last year. To compare, check out our 2022 merit badge rankings.
2023 Rank
Merit Badge
1
Citizenship in Society
2
First Aid
3
Swimming
4
Environmental Science
5
Citizenship in the World
6
Camping
7
Citizenship in the Nation
8
Personal Fitness
9
Communication
10
Cooking
Yup, this list looks very close to last year’s. But now let’s view the list through another lens.
An alternative top 10
If we remove the merit badges Scouts are required to earn to achieve Eagle Scout, we see another top 10 list. There are more than 100 other badges Scouts can choose among. Here’s what topped those rankings.
2023 Rank
Merit Badge
1
Fingerprinting
2
Chess
3
Archery
4
Rifle Shooting
5
Leatherwork
6
Wood Carving
7
Kayaking
8
Art
9
Fishing
10
Wilderness Survival
From last year, the Chess merit badge jumped up five spots! Otherwise, the changes were minor.
The rarest badges of 2023
There’s a realm of Scouts who live to earn the rarest badges. And we’ve got a list for them, too!
2023 Rank
Merit Badge
128
Dentistry
129
Gardening
130
Energy
131
Stamp Collecting
132
Composite Materials
133
American Labor
134
Surveying
135
Journalism
136
Drafting
137
Bugling
The Veterinary Medicine and Truck Transportation merit badges jumped out of the bottom 10, up 14 and 13 spots respectively. These least-earned badges saw a bit of shake up this year, proving Scouts’ interests change even from one year to the next.
Top gains of the year
Some badges made a leap in the ranks. In fact, the Collections merit badge was earned by 1,000 more Scouts in 2023!
Here are more notable gains.
2023 Rank
Merit Badge
2022 Rank
Difference
116
Veterinary Medicine
130
14
82
Mining in Society
95
13
118
Truck Transportation
131
13
109
Genealogy
120
11
96
Exploration
106
10
48
Pottery
57
9
66
Railroading
75
9
79
Collections
88
9
104
Model Design and Building
113
9
112
American Business
121
9
The complete 2023 merit badge rankings
The green text in the table below indicates a merit badge is one required to earn Eagle Scout. Eagle Scouts must earn a total of 21 merit badges, including these 14:
First Aid
Citizenship in the Community
Citizenship in the Nation
Citizenship in Society
Citizenship in the World
Communication
Cooking
Personal Fitness
Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving
Environmental Science OR Sustainability
Personal Management
Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling
Camping
Family Life
2023 Rank
Merit Badge
2022 Rank
Rank Difference
1
Citizenship in Society
1
2
First Aid
2
3
Swimming
3
4
Environmental Science
4
5
Citizenship in the World
5
6
Camping
6
7
Citizenship in the Nation
8
1
8
Personal Fitness
10
2
9
Communication
7
-2
10
Cooking
9
-1
11
Personal Management
11
12
Fingerprinting
12
13
Citizenship in the Community
13
14
Family Life
15
1
15
Emergency Preparedness
14
-1
16
Chess
21
5
17
Archery
17
18
Rifle Shooting
16
-2
19
Leatherwork
18
-1
20
Wood Carving
20
21
Kayaking
19
-2
22
Art
23
1
23
Fishing
24
1
24
Wilderness Survival
22
-2
25
Canoeing
25
26
Shotgun Shooting
26
27
Lifesaving
28
1
28
Climbing
27
-1
29
Space Exploration
29
30
Astronomy
31
1
31
Photography
32
1
32
Mammal Study
30
-2
33
Aviation
35
2
34
Geology
33
-1
35
Basketry
34
-1
36
Welding
39
3
37
Small Boat Sailing
36
-1
38
Metalwork
42
4
39
Engineering
41
2
40
Nature
37
-3
41
Pioneering
43
2
42
Robotics
44
2
43
Game Design
38
-5
44
Weather
47
3
45
Chemistry
45
46
Music
52
6
47
Automotive Maintenance
51
4
48
Pottery
57
9
49
Sculpture
49
50
Fire Safety
53
3
51
Geocaching
48
-3
52
Orienteering
50
-2
53
Indian Lore
40
-13
54
Horsemanship
55
1
55
Forestry
56
1
56
Fish & Wildlife Management
54
-2
57
Search and Rescue
46
-11
58
Signs, Signals, and Codes
58
59
Animation
60
1
60
Moviemaking
64
4
61
Oceanography
61
62
Electricity
62
63
Motor Boating
59
-4
64
Electronics
65
1
65
Sustainability
63
-2
66
Railroading
75
9
67
Snow Sports
68
1
68
Nuclear Science
71
3
69
Hiking
69
70
Digital Technology
74
4
71
Disabilities Awareness
76
5
72
Pulp and Paper
66
-6
73
Salesmanship
72
-1
74
Soil and Water Conservation
67
-7
75
Scouting Heritage
82
7
76
Radio
81
5
77
Traffic Safety
73
-4
78
Public Speaking
77
-1
79
Collections
88
9
80
Rowing
70
-10
81
Archaeology
78
-3
82
Mining in Society
95
13
83
Reptile and Amphibian Study
79
-4
84
Crime Prevention
83
-1
85
American Heritage
87
2
86
Bird Study
80
-6
87
Pets
86
-1
88
Sports
93
5
89
Law
90
1
90
Painting
84
-6
91
Woodwork
85
-6
92
Entrepreneurship
94
2
93
Architecture
91
-2
94
Coin Collecting
92
-2
95
Programming
96
1
96
Exploration
106
10
97
Cycling
89
-8
98
Fly Fishing
98
99
Animal Science
99
100
Plumbing
97
-3
101
Scholarship
100
-1
102
Reading
104
2
103
Backpacking
102
-1
104
Model Design and Building
113
9
105
Textile
105
106
Whitewater
101
-5
107
Insect Study
108
1
108
Safety
103
-5
109
Genealogy
120
11
110
Dog Care
111
1
111
Graphic Arts
109
-2
112
American Business
121
9
113
Theater
118
5
114
Home Repairs
107
-7
115
Veterinary Medicine
129
14
116
Plant Science
117
1
117
Inventing
112
-5
118
Truck Transportation
131
13
119
American Cultures
119
120
Skating
125
5
121
Golf
114
-7
122
Farm Mechanics
116
-6
123
Medicine/Health Care Professions
115
-8
124
Water Sports
122
-2
125
Public Health
110
-15
126
SCUBA Diving
123
-3
127
Athletics
125
-2
128
Landscape Architecture
128
129
Dentistry
132
3
130
Gardening
126
-4
131
Energy
127
-4
132
Stamp Collecting
133
1
133
Composite Materials
130
-3
134
American Labor
134
135
Surveying
136
1
136
Journalism
135
-1
137
Drafting
137
138
Bugling
138
139
Computers
139
140
Cinematography
140
Who helps us gather this info?
Thank you to Scouts BSA’s Garfield Murden for supplying our merit badge rankings data!
