It’s time for our annual roundup of the most-earned and rarest merit badges. Let’s take a look at what changed, what stayed the same and what took the prize as our most highly earned merit badge of last year (SURPRISE! It’s never been in the top spot before).
In 2021, we saw the rebound of merit badges many Scouts earn at summer camp. And 2022 seems to have solidified interest in those badges. Read on to see where Scouts have remained consistent and where they’ve focused new interest.
The 10 most-earned merit badges of 2022
The Citizenship in Society merit badge shook up the top-earned list during its first full year as an option for Scouts (and as it became a required merit badge for Eagle Scouts last summer).
| 2022 Rank | Merit Badge |
| 1 | Citizenship in Society |
| 2 | First Aid |
| 3 | Swimming |
| 4 | Environmental Science |
| 5 | Citizenship in the World |
| 6 | Camping |
| 7 | Communication |
| 8 | Citizenship in the Nation |
| 9 | Cooking |
| 10 | Personal Fitness |
The alternative top 10
OK, let’s take a look at the most popular merit badges that aren’t required to earn Eagle Scout.
| 2022 Rank | Merit Badge |
| 1 | Fingerprinting |
| 2 | Rifle Shooting |
| 3 | Archery |
| 4 | Leatherwork |
| 5 | Kayaking |
| 6 | Wood Carving |
| 7 | Chess |
| 8 | Wilderness Survival |
| 9 | Art |
| 10 | Fishing |
The 10 rarest merit badges of 2022
Are you or your Scouts collector’s-edition merit badge fans? Here are some of the most rarely earned badges from 2022.
| 2022 Rank | Merit Badge |
| 128 | Veterinary Medicine |
| 129 | Composite Materials |
| 130 | Truck Transportation |
| 131 | Dentistry |
| 132 | Stamp Collecting |
| 133 | American Labor |
| 134 | Journalism |
| 135 | Surveying |
| 136 | Drafting |
| 137 | Bugling |
Noteworthy changes in the rankings
While somewhat consistent, check out some minor shake ups in the rankings below.
Top gains
| 2022 Rank | Merit Badge | 2021 Rank | Difference |
| 81 | Radio | 98 | 17 |
| 65 | Electronics | 80 | 15 |
| 101 | Whitewater | 116 | 15 |
| 71 | Nuclear Science | 85 | 14 |
| 75 | Railroading | 89 | 14 |
| 35 | Aviation | 48 | 13 |
| 45 | Chemistry | 58 | 13 |
| 41 | Engineering | 52 | 11 |
| 72 | Salesmanship | 83 | 11 |
| 68 | Snow Sports | 78 | 10 |
The complete lineup
Green means a merit badge is required for Eagle.
A total of 21 merit badges must be earned for the Eagle Scout rank, including these 14 merit badges:
- 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
| 2022 Rank | Merit Badge | 2021 Rank | Difference |
| 1 | Citizenship in Society | ||
| 2 | First Aid | 2 | |
| 3 | Swimming | 1 | -2 |
| 4 | Environmental Science | 3 | -1 |
| 5 | Citizenship in the World | 5 | 0 |
| 6 | Camping | 4 | -2 |
| 7 | Communication | 7 | 0 |
| 8 | Citizenship in the Nation | 11 | 3 |
| 9 | Cooking | 6 | -3 |
| 10 | Personal Fitness | 9 | -1 |
| 11 | Personal Management | 17 | 6 |
| 12 | Fingerprinting | 12 | 0 |
| 13 | Citizenship in the Community | 15 | 2 |
| 14 | Emergency Preparedness | 18 | 4 |
| 15 | Family Life | 16 | 1 |
| 16 | Rifle Shooting | 8 | -8 |
| 17 | Archery | 10 | -7 |
| 18 | Leatherwork | 13 | -5 |
| 19 | Kayaking | 14 | -5 |
| 20 | Wood Carving | 19 | -1 |
| 21 | Chess | 21 | 0 |
| 22 | Wilderness Survival | 22 | 0 |
| 23 | Art | 24 | 1 |
| 24 | Fishing | 20 | -4 |
| 25 | Canoeing | 23 | -2 |
| 26 | Shotgun Shooting | 26 | 0 |
| 27 | Climbing | 28 | 1 |
| 28 | Lifesaving | 29 | 1 |
| 29 | Space Exploration | 25 | -4 |
| 30 | Mammal Study | 27 | -3 |
| 31 | Astronomy | 30 | -1 |
| 32 | Photography | 33 | 1 |
| 33 | Geology | 31 | -2 |
| 34 | Basketry | 34 | 0 |
| 35 | Aviation | 48 | 13 |
| 36 | Small Boat Sailing | 38 | 2 |
| 37 | Nature | 32 | -5 |
| 38 | Game Design | 37 | -1 |
| 39 | Welding | 44 | 5 |
| 40 | Indian Lore | 36 | -4 |
| 41 | Engineering | 52 | 11 |
| 42 | Metalwork | 35 | -7 |
| 43 | Pioneering | 39 | -4 |
| 44 | Robotics | 43 | -1 |
| 45 | Chemistry | 58 | 13 |
| 46 | Search and Rescue | 49 | 3 |
| 47 | Weather | 40 | -7 |
| 48 | Geocaching | 41 | -7 |
| 49 | Sculpture | 53 | 4 |
| 50 | Orienteering | 45 | -5 |
| 51 | Automotive Maintenance | 50 | -1 |
| 52 | Music | 56 | 4 |
| 53 | Fire Safety | 55 | 2 |
| 54 | Fish & Wildlife Management | 47 | -7 |
| 55 | Horsemanship | 42 | -13 |
| 56 | Forestry | 46 | -10 |
| 57 | Pottery | 51 | -6 |
| 58 | Signs, Signals, and Codes | 57 | -1 |
| 59 | Motor Boating | 62 | 3 |
| 60 | Animation | 59 | -1 |
| 61 | Oceanography | 63 | 2 |
| 62 | Electricity | 67 | 5 |
| 63 | Sustainability | 61 | -2 |
| 64 | Moviemaking | 66 | 2 |
| 65 | Electronics | 80 | 15 |
| 66 | Pulp and Paper | 70 | 4 |
| 67 | Soil and Water Conservation | 64 | -3 |
| 68 | Snow Sports | 78 | 10 |
| 69 | Hiking | 60 | -9 |
| 70 | Rowing | 72 | 2 |
| 71 | Nuclear Science | 85 | 14 |
| 72 | Salesmanship | 83 | 11 |
| 73 | Traffic Safety | 77 | 4 |
| 74 | Digital Technology | 68 | -6 |
| 75 | Railroading | 89 | 14 |
| 76 | Disabilities Awareness | 74 | -2 |
| 77 | Public Speaking | 79 | 2 |
| 78 | Archaeology | 76 | -2 |
| 79 | Reptile and Amphibian Study | 71 | -8 |
| 80 | Bird Study | 73 | -7 |
| 81 | Radio | 98 | 17 |
| 82 | Scouting Heritage | 65 | -17 |
| 83 | Crime Prevention | 86 | 3 |
| 84 | Painting | 87 | 3 |
| 85 | Woodwork | 84 | -1 |
| 86 | Pets | 69 | -17 |
| 87 | American Heritage | 82 | -5 |
| 88 | Collections | 81 | -7 |
| 89 | Cycling | 75 | -14 |
| 90 | Law | 91 | 1 |
| 91 | Architecture | 97 | 6 |
| 92 | Coin Collecting | 93 | 1 |
| 93 | Sports | 96 | 3 |
| 94 | Entrepreneurship | 101 | 7 |
| 95 | Programming | 100 | 5 |
| 96 | Mining in Society | 102 | 6 |
| 97 | Plumbing | 103 | 6 |
| 98 | Fly Fishing | 94 | -4 |
| 99 | Animal Science | 88 | -11 |
| 100 | Scholarship | 90 | -10 |
| 101 | Whitewater | 116 | 15 |
| 102 | Backpacking | 95 | -7 |
| 103 | Safety | 104 | 1 |
| 104 | Reading | 92 | -12 |
| 105 | Textile | 110 | 5 |
| 106 | Exploration | 108 | 2 |
| 107 | Home Repairs | 109 | 2 |
| 108 | Insect Study | 99 | -9 |
| 109 | Graphic Arts | 106 | -3 |
| 110 | Public Health | 54 | -56 |
| 111 | Dog Care | 107 | -4 |
| 112 | Inventing | 111 | -1 |
| 113 | Model Design and Building | 122 | 9 |
| 114 | Golf | 115 | 1 |
| 115 | Medicine | 114 | -1 |
| 116 | Farm Mechanics | 112 | -4 |
| 117 | Plant Science | 119 | 2 |
| 118 | Theater | 126 | 8 |
| 119 | American Cultures | 113 | -6 |
| 120 | Genealogy | 105 | -15 |
| 121 | American Business | 118 | -3 |
| 122 | Water Sports | 124 | 2 |
| 123 | Scuba Diving | 121 | -2 |
| 124 | Skating | 120 | -4 |
| 125 | Athletics | 123 | -2 |
| 126 | Gardening | 117 | -9 |
| 127 | Energy | 127 | 0 |
| 128 | Landscape Architecture | 125 | -3 |
| 129 | Veterinary Medicine | 129 | 0 |
| 130 | Composite Materials | 132 | 2 |
| 130 | Journalism | 130 | 0 |
| 131 | Truck Transportation | 128 | -3 |
| 132 | Dentistry | 131 | -1 |
| 133 | Stamp Collecting | 133 | 0 |
| 134 | American Labor | 134 | 0 |
| 136 | Surveying | 135 | -1 |
| 137 | Drafting | 136 | -1 |
| 138 | Bugling | 137 | -1 |
Looking for more merit badge metrics?
Take a look at last year’s post to see how these numbers measure up to 2021. And thank you to Scouts BSA’s Garfield Murden for supplying this year’s rankings!
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