Short answer: The Calculations part of the Texas Master Electrician exam has 33 questions in 170 minutes. Three are not scored, so 30 count, and you need 70% on this part by itself: 21 of the 30 scored points. Services and service equipment (8 points) and motors and generators (6 points) carry almost half the part. In TDLR fiscal year 2025, 19.08% of attempts passed, the lowest of all Journeyman and Master exam parts.
Part of Texas Electrician Exams: every Texas license step and exam in one place. For eligibility, fees and the NEC Knowledge part, see the full Texas Master Electrician exam guide.
The Calculations part in numbers
| Item | Master Calculations |
|---|---|
| Questions on screen | 33 |
| Not scored | 3 |
| Scored points | 30 |
| Time | 170 minutes, about 5.2 minutes per question |
| Pass mark | 70% on this part, which is 21 of 30 scored points |
| Code edition | 2026 NEC |
| Fee | $78 for both parts; $78 to retake one or both |
The NEC Knowledge part is scored separately: 75 questions (5 unscored) in 150 minutes, also 70%. Unused time in one part does not carry over to the other, so a fast Knowledge part buys you nothing on Calculations.
Where the 30 points are
TDLR’s May 12, 2026 staff report lists the Master Calculations points by subject area. Two areas stand out:
- Electrical services and service equipment: 8 points.
- Motors and generators: 6 points.
Together that is 14 of 30, almost half. The other 16 points are spread across the remaining subject areas. Compared with the Journeyman exam, the Master exam goes deeper into services, feeders and motors. If you can only fix one thing before your date, fix services first and motors second.
Why this is the hardest part
| Fiscal year | Attempts | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,946 | 19.08% |
| 2024 | 3,487 | 19.96% |
These are attempts, retakes included, not people. In fiscal year 2025, Master Calculations passed fewer attempts than either Journeyman part and fewer than Master NEC Knowledge (22.21%). Two years in a row it has stayed at about one pass in five attempts. More periods are on the Texas electrician exam pass rates page.
What changed with the 2026 NEC
The exam is on the 2026 NEC. If you passed your Journeyman exam on the 2023 edition, many locations moved. The biggest one for this part: load calculations were reorganized from Article 220 into a new Article 120. Re-tab and re-learn your book for 2026 before you time yourself. Book rules are the same as for the Journeyman exam: a soft-bound NEC, publisher tabs only, no handbook and no marking during the exam. See NEC code book tabs for the Texas exam.
A plan for the 21 points
- Start with services. Eight points sit there. Work service and feeder load problems until you can find the 2026 article and set up the calculation without searching.
- Then motors and generators. Six more points. Practice finding the right table first, then the arithmetic.
- Practice the real clock. 33 questions in 170 minutes, on its own, after a full Knowledge part if you can. About 5 minutes a question is an average, not a budget for every question; mark long ones and come back.
- Keep a mistake log. For every miss, write the code location and the step you got wrong. Re-solve it a few days later without the solution.
- If you fail, read the subject breakdown on your score report and study those areas before you pay the $78 retake.
Practice in the same format
Try 20 free Texas Master questions on the 2026 NEC, no sign-up.
The Texas Master practice pack, US$79 has 368 original practice questions and 10 full two-part timed mocks in the PSI format: NEC Knowledge (75 questions, 150 minutes) and Calculations (33 questions, 170 minutes), each scored against the 70% pass line. Every calculation question comes with a step-by-step solution. One payment, no subscription. Ask within 30 days of payment for a full refund if you have not started a paid mock or downloaded the PDF.
FAQ
How many calculation questions are on the Texas Master Electrician exam?
33, of which 30 are scored. You have 170 minutes for this part.
How many do I need right to pass the Master Calculations part?
70% of the 30 scored points, which is 21. The 3 unscored questions do not count, and you cannot tell which ones they are.
Which topics are worth the most on Master Calculations?
Electrical services and service equipment (8 points) and motors and generators (6 points), per TDLR’s May 12, 2026 staff report.
Can a strong NEC Knowledge score make up for a weak Calculations score?
No. Each part is scored on its own and each needs 70%.
Next step on the Texas ladder: after the Master license, a contractor business needs a Master Electrician of record. See the Texas electrical contractor license.
Sources
- TDLR: Apply for a New Master Electrician License, read October 1, 2026
- PSI candidate information bulletin for TDLR electricians, updated September 15, 2026, read October 1, 2026
- TDLR staff reports, May 12, 2026, read October 1, 2026
- TDLR fiscal year 2025 electrician exam statistics, read October 1, 2026
- TDLR fiscal year 2024 electrician exam statistics, read October 2, 2026
Tsai Electro is an independent learning site, not affiliated with TDLR or PSI. Rules and fees can change, so confirm on the TDLR and PSI pages above.
