Scouts BSA National Director Garfield Murden should get a merit badge for all the work it takes to track merit badge data. He recently released the 2025 rankings.
A few items of note:
In the Top 10 Least Earned chart, you’ll find Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence. These badges were introduced in mid-October, so they didn’t have much time to climb. However, the data shows Artificial Intelligence was earned 982 times in just 11 weeks. Cybersecurity was earned 952 times. At this pace, these two badges will be contenders for a spot among the most popular of 2026.
The Top 10 Non-Eagle Required chart also excludes Eagle electives. Eagle candidates are required to earn certain badges; others are electives. For electives, they must complete Cycling, Hiking or Swimming; Emergency Preparedness or Lifesaving; and Environmental Science or Sustainability.
In the Biggest Gains chart, Golf held on to the top spot by moving up 14 places. Last year, Golf was first in this category after moving up FORE-ty spots.
The Full List
Bold – Eagle required or Eagle elective.
| Merit Badge | 2025 Rank | 2024 Rank |
|---|---|---|
| First Aid | 1 | 1 |
| Citizenship in the World | 2 | 2 |
| Citizenship in the Nation | 3 | 5 |
| Swimming | 4 | 3 |
| Communication | 5 | 6 |
| Citizenship in Society | 6 | 4 |
| Camping | 7 | 7 |
| Personal Management | 8 | 11 |
| Personal Fitness | 9 | 9 |
| Cooking | 10 | 10 |
| Environmental Science | 11 | 8 |
| Citizenship in the Community | 12 | 12 |
| Family Life | 13 | 13 |
| Emergency Preparedness | 14 | 14 |
| Fingerprinting | 15 | 15 |
| Rifle Shooting | 16 | 16 |
| Archery | 17 | 17 |
| Leatherwork | 18 | 18 |
| Chess | 19 | 19 |
| Wood Carving | 20 | 20 |
| Kayaking | 21 | 21 |
| Fishing | 22 | 23 |
| Art | 23 | 22 |
| Wilderness Survival | 24 | 24 |
| Sustainability | 25 | 31 |
| Canoeing | 26 | 25 |
| Photography | 27 | 26 |
| Shotgun Shooting | 28 | 27 |
| Space Exploration | 29 | 30 |
| Lifesaving | 30 | 29 |
| Geology | 31 | 35 |
| Climbing | 32 | 28 |
| Mammal Study | 33 | 32 |
| Astronomy | 34 | 33 |
| Aviation | 35 | 34 |
| Metalwork | 36 | 36 |
| Engineering | 37 | 38 |
| Basketry | 38 | 39 |
| Welding | 39 | 41 |
| Small Boat Sailing | 40 | 37 |
| Chemistry | 41 | 52 |
| Nature | 42 | 40 |
| Search and Rescue | 43 | 49 |
| Music | 44 | 42 |
| Robotics | 45 | 43 |
| Pottery | 46 | 55 |
| Weather | 47 | 44 |
| Moviemaking | 48 | 54 |
| Automotive Maintenance | 49 | 48 |
| Fire Safety | 50 | 50 |
| Game Design | 51 | 47 |
| Pioneering | 52 | 45 |
| Geocaching | 53 | 46 |
| Animation | 54 | 61 |
| Pulp and Paper | 55 | 67 |
| Fish & Wildlife Management | 56 | 53 |
| Forestry | 57 | 57 |
| Horsemanship | 58 | 58 |
| Signs, Signals, and Codes | 59 | 60 |
| Sculpture | 60 | 51 |
| Nuclear Science | 61 | 66 |
| Orienteering | 62 | 56 |
| Electricity | 63 | 59 |
| American Indian Culture (Indian Lore) | 64 | 63 |
| Motor Boating | 65 | 62 |
| Oceanography | 66 | 64 |
| Golf | 67 | 81 |
| Public Speaking | 68 | 76 |
| Crime Prevention | 69 | 80 |
| Soil and Water Conservation | 70 | 71 |
| Snow Sports | 71 | 74 |
| Digital Technology | 72 | 69 |
| Railroading | 73 | 73 |
| Salesmanship | 74 | 65 |
| Electronics | 75 | 68 |
| Traffic Safety | 76 | 70 |
| Scouting Heritage | 77 | 78 |
| Hiking | 78 | 72 |
| Disabilities Awareness | 79 | 82 |
| Entrepreneurship | 80 | 86 |
| Collections | 81 | 77 |
| Radio | 82 | 83 |
| Archaeology | 83 | 84 |
| Mining in Society | 84 | 92 |
| Rowing | 85 | 75 |
| Bird Study | 86 | 79 |
| Law | 87 | 91 |
| Plumbing | 88 | 94 |
| Coin Collecting | 89 | 96 |
| Architecture | 90 | 97 |
| Painting | 91 | 89 |
| American Heritage | 92 | 87 |
| Reptile and Amphibian Study | 93 | 85 |
| Woodwork | 94 | 88 |
| Fly Fishing | 95 | 100 |
| Programming | 96 | 93 |
| Exploration | 97 | 95 |
| Pets | 98 | 90 |
| Textile | 99 | 103 |
| Animal Science | 100 | 99 |
| Sports | 101 | 98 |
| Cycling | 102 | 102 |
| Graphic Arts | 103 | 110 |
| American Business | 104 | 101 |
| Scholarship | 105 | 105 |
| Model Design and Building | 106 | 104 |
| Reading | 107 | 107 |
| Whitewater | 108 | 108 |
| Backpacking | 109 | 106 |
| Theater | 110 | 113 |
| Home Repairs | 111 | 112 |
| Plant Science | 112 | 118 |
| Insect Study | 113 | 111 |
| Safety | 114 | 109 |
| Skating | 115 | 115 |
| Genealogy | 116 | 116 |
| Public Health | 117 | 119 |
| Medicine/Health Care Professions | 118 | 123 |
| Inventing | 119 | 117 |
| Dog Care | 120 | 114 |
| American Cultures | 121 | 120 |
| Veterinary Medicine | 122 | 122 |
| Farm Mechanics | 123 | 127 |
| Composite Materials | 124 | 134 |
| Energy | 125 | 121 |
| Landscape Architecture | 126 | 131 |
| Water Sports | 127 | 125 |
| Gardening | 128 | 129 |
| Journalism | 129 | 132 |
| Truck Transportation | 130 | 128 |
| Athletics | 131 | 124 |
| SCUBA Diving | 132 | 126 |
| Dentistry | 133 | 130 |
| Artificial Intelligence | 134 | 999 |
| Cybersecurity | 135 | 999 |
| American Labor | 136 | 133 |
| Surveying | 137 | 137 |
| Multisport | 138 | 999 |
| Stamp Collecting | 139 | 136 |
| Drafting | 140 | 135 |
| Bugling | 141 | 138 |
