Checked 28 October 2026. Cycle 274 dates and eligibility rules are from NAVADMIN 241/26 (15 October 2026), read on 28 October 2026. BUPERSINST 1430.16H itself could not be opened (its host refused our connection); what this page says about it comes from the Navy’s own release and the NAVADMINs that cite it.
The next Navy E-7 exam is on Thursday 21 January 2027, and to sit it you must have passed the PMK-EE by 30 November 2026 and finished the ALDC by 31 December 2026 (SO and SB sailors complete the NSW or NSWDG LPO course instead). NAVADMIN 241/26, released on 15 October 2026, sets that cycle (Cycle 274) for active duty and TAR first class petty officers. This page summarizes the Cycle 274 guidance in the Navy documents we could read: the 175-question Navy-wide exam, the paper answer sheet, how the Navy-wide exam is scored, the eligibility dates in NAVADMIN 241/26, what changed with the new advancement manual and the Rating Knowledge Exam, and a way to study that fits the weeks left before 21 January 2027. We could not open BUPERSINST 1430.16H itself, and the saved texts give no RKE question count or scoring rule.
Independent: not affiliated with the US Navy, the Navy Advancement Center or Navy COOL. ProSyllabus is an independent study site and nothing here is official. Every date, rule and figure below is quoted or summarized from Navy documents (NAVADMINs, fact sheets, Navy Advancement Center pages and Navy COOL), read on 28 October 2026; where we could not confirm something, the page says so.
DVIDS 4 April 2018; NAC General Advancement FAQs (13MAR23); DVIDS 22 January 2020; NAVADMIN 241/26.
The E-7 exam at a glance
| Feature | January 2027 E-7 exam | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 175 rating-related questions on the Navy-wide exam (NWAE); the saved texts give no E-7 RKE question count | The 2018 Navy release on PMK: “Future NWAEs will then consist of 175 rating-related questions”; the 2023 NAC FAQ sets pass cuts for a “175-item NWAE”. |
| Content | Your rating’s bibliography and its topics and subtopics on Navy COOL | January 2027 E-7 bib page, notes 2 and 3. |
| PMK (professional military knowledge) | Not on the exam; measured by the separate PMK-EE | January 2027 E-7 bib page, note 4. |
| Answer sheet | Paper; your command mails the answer sheets to NETPDC in Pensacola | NAVADMIN 241/26, paragraphs 6 and 7. |
| Time allowed | The Navy documents we read do not state the time allowed; our simulator times each exam at 3 hours. | No saved Navy document states it; we could not open BUPERSINST 1430.16H itself. |
| Pass mark | Raw score of 61 (questions right out of 175, no deletions) on the NWAE; the saved texts give no separate RKE cut | NAC FAQ, question 28 (“175-item NWAE (without deletions)”). |
| Score that counts | Standard score, 20 to 80, against everyone on the same exam | NAC FAQ, question 6. |
| What it decides | Selection board eligibility: the top 60% of FMS in each examination rating or competitive group | DVIDS, 22 January 2020; NAC FAQ, question 21. |
Sources as listed. The right-hand column quotes or summarizes them.
Two details worth knowing. On PMK: a 2018 Navy release said PMK would become a stand-alone, once-per-paygrade eligibility exam, removed from the E-4 to E-6 exams starting with the September 2019 cycle (Cycle 244), and the current E-7 bib states that “PMK questions are no longer part of the Navy-Wide Advancement Exam (NWAE)”. On time: The Navy documents we read do not state the time allowed; our simulator times each exam at 3 hours. Ask your ESO how your command runs the session.
Cycle 274 dates and eligibility
NAVADMIN 241/26 sets the January 2027 cycle. The table compares it with Cycle 270, the January 2026 exam, so you can see the pattern: every date moves on by a year, and the exam moved from Thursday 15 January to Thursday 21 January.
| Item | Cycle 270 (January 2026 exam) | Cycle 274 (January 2027 exam) |
|---|---|---|
| NAVADMIN | 223/25, released 23 October 2025 | 241/26, released 15 October 2026 |
| What it covers | E7 Navy-Wide Advancement Examination (NWAE) | E7 NWAE and Rating Knowledge Exam (RKE), “as applicable to each candidate” |
| Advancement manual it cites | BUPERSINST 1430.16G CH-1 | BUPERSINST 1430.16H (21 January 2026) |
| PMK-EE deadline | 30 November 2025 | 30 November 2026, with a passing score of 80 or above |
| ELD ALDC deadline | 31 December 2025 | 31 December 2026 |
| Exam administration | 15 January 2026 | 21 January 2027 |
| Deviation (if authorized) completed by | 31 January 2026 | 31 January 2027 |
| Substitute-exam ordering deadline | 31 January 2026 | 31 January 2027 |
| Time-in-rate date | On or before 1 January 2024 | On or before 1 January 2025 |
| Early promote TIR waiver date | On or before 1 January 2025 | On or before 1 January 2026 |
| Terminal eligibility date | 1 January 2027 | 1 January 2028 |
| E6 evaluations used for RSCA PMA | Dated 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2025 | Dated 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2026 |
| Security clearance dated before (ratings that need one, MA included) | 1 January 2026 | 1 January 2027 |
From NAVADMIN 223/25 (Cycle 270) and NAVADMIN 241/26 (Cycle 274).
How many days until each Cycle 274 deadline?
The four dates in NAVADMIN 241/26, counted in calendar days from today’s date on your device. A command that must move the exam (with a valid reason) may request a deviation from PERS-8031; if authorized, the exam is completed by 31 January 2027. Check them with your ESO.
Dates from NAVADMIN 241/26, read 28 October 2026. The counting is ours.
Your eligibility checklist
| Requirement | Cycle 274 rule | Who to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Time in rate | On or before 1 January 2025; an early-promote TIR waiver can reduce it by one year with CO or OIC approval (EP TIR waiver date 1 January 2026), with an EAW created manually. | ESO |
| PMK-EE | Passed once per paygrade by 30 November 2026, “with a passing score of 80 or above” (NAVADMIN 241/26); a 2018 Navy release says each area must be passed at 80 percent, with failed areas retaken. It applies to every E7 candidate, early promote and limited duty officer candidates included; waivers “are normally not approved without extraordinary circumstances”. | Your own record; PMK-EE score questions go to NETPDC N321 |
| ELD ALDC | Completed by 31 December 2026 (SO and SB sailors complete the NSW or NSWDG LPO course instead). | Command training office |
| CO or OIC recommendation | Required to take any Navy-wide exam; the NAC FAQ points to the promotion recommendation on your evaluation. | Your chain of command |
| Enlisted Advancement Worksheet (EAW) | “The authoritative source of data used to determine Cycle 274 E7 eligibility”; mandatory; closes and locks one week after the exam date. | ESO: verify it before it locks |
| Security clearance (MA and other listed ratings) | Top Secret or Secret adjudication, or a CO or OIC interim clearance, dated before 1 January 2027. MA is on the list; HM is not. | Security manager |
| High-year tenure | Active-duty sailors eligible for HYT Plus may take part without regard to HYT limits. TAR sailors may serve past HYT gates only with a standard individual waiver, and TAR personnel “who are approved for an HYT waiver but have reached the next higher paygrade HYT gate, are eligible to continue in service with HYT waiver; however, they are no longer eligible for advancement.” | Career counselor |
From NAVADMIN 241/26, paragraphs 2 to 4, and the NAC General Advancement FAQs (13MAR23), question 3.
The NAC FAQ adds a practical warning: “many exams are invalidated due to security clearances.” For an MA1 that is a December job, not a January one.
NWAE or Rating Knowledge Exam?
The change that stands out in the January 2027 NAVADMIN is the RKE. The Cycle 270 message covered the “E7 Navy-Wide Advancement Examination”. The Cycle 274 message covers the “E7 Navy-Wide Advancement Examination (NWAE) and Rating Knowledge Exam (RKE)”, and adds: “The use of ‘exam’ in this NAVADMIN refers to the NWAE or RKE, as applicable to each candidate.” It does not list which ratings take the RKE at E-7.
| Question | What the Navy says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What is the RKE? | The exam taken by Billet-Based Advancement (BBA) ratings in place of the NWAE. “The RKE will be completely consistent with the NWAE as to type and scope of questions and will be conducted using the same processes and timeline as the NWAE.” | Fact Sheet NAV 255/24 |
| Which ratings moved to the RKE? | ABE, ABF, ABH, AME, AO, CS, DC, EM, IC, GM, GSM, MM, QM and RS (E-5 and E-6): ABE and DC from June 2024, the rest from the March 2025 cycle. HM and MA are not on that list. | Fact Sheet NAV 255/24 (the list, the March 2025 start and the RKE); Fact Sheet NAV 112/25 repeats the 14 as fully integrated into BBA |
| Does January 2027 include an E-7 RKE? | Yes: NAVADMIN 241/26 covers an E7 NWAE and RKE, as applicable to each candidate, without naming the RKE ratings. | NAVADMIN 241/26 |
| Are HM and MA on the January 2027 E-7 bibliographies? | Yes: both ratings have regular and substitute E-7 bibs and topics on Navy COOL for January 2027. | Navy COOL |
Sources as listed, read 28 October 2026.
For an HM1 or MA1 the practical answer is simple. Your command orders your exam on NEAS against your DoD ID number, and your EAW holds the eligibility data for it; confirm with your ESO which exam was ordered for you. Either way, the Navy says the RKE is “completely consistent with the NWAE as to type and scope of questions”, so the preparation is the same: your rating’s January 2027 bib.
BUPERSINST 1430.16H: the new advancement manual
Cycle 274 is the first January cycle run under BUPERSINST 1430.16H, the Advancement Manual for Enlisted Personnel of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Navy Reserve, which the Navy published on 21 January 2026. (The Cycle 270 NAVADMIN still cited 1430.16G CH-1.) The Navy’s release says the new instruction “replaces all previous versions and interim NAVADMIN guidance”, and tells sailors not to rely on previous versions or interim NAVADMINs. Of the changes the release lists, three matter to E-7 candidates:
| Change in 1430.16H | What the Navy says | What it means for the E-7 exam |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | “For Sailors competing for advancement to E-7, the manual updates how performance is calculated by incorporating the reporting senior’s cumulative average (RSCA) into performance mark average (PMA) calculations.” | Your RSCA PMA is 60% of your FMS; the exam standard score is the other 40%. |
| Billet-Based Advancement | BBA is codified as the primary reference for billet-driven promotions; “As of 2026, nearly all active-duty E-6 ratings are included in BBA, with 14 ratings fully integrated from E-5 through E-9.” | Under SEM, a chief screening can be followed by a billet for advancement, one of the two paths of advancement Fact Sheet 112/25 describes; some communities are exempt. See our Senior Enlisted Marketplace guide. |
| Leadership development | The instruction “formally incorporates Navy Enlisted Leadership Development (ELD) course completion requirements for all enlisted paygrades.” | The ALDC deadline of 31 December 2026 is an eligibility rule, not a suggestion. |
From DVIDS, Chief of Naval Personnel, 29 January 2026, and NAVADMIN 241/26.
How the exam is scored, in one minute
On an NWAE with no deleted questions you need 61 right out of 175 to pass. Your raw score is then converted to a standard score from 20 to 80 against everyone who sat your exam; 50 is the middle. Your FMS is 60% RSCA PMA and 40% standard score, and candidates are ranked within their examination rating or competitive group; everyone above the 60% line who meets the other requirements becomes selection board eligible. Results reach command triads on BUPERS Online and then your profile sheet. The detail, and how to use the section breakdown, is in our profile sheet guide; the board timeline is in our results guide. These are the Navy-wide exam (NWAE) rules: the saved Navy texts give no question count, pass cut or FMS formula for an E-7 RKE, so if your EAW shows an RKE, confirm the rules with your ESO.
Free questions for your rating, scored by bib topic
Pick your rating to start. Each answer cites its bib reference and chapter.
How to study for the E-7 exam
The Navy Advancement Center’s advice fits in two sentences: “Mastery of the exam comes down to how well you know your job. Learn as much as you can about your rating from all sources. Study the references listed in your bibliography.” Here is how to turn that into a plan.
| Step | How (our method, the Navy’s rules) |
|---|---|
| 1. Get the right bib | Navy COOL, E7, January 2027 - Active Duty/TAR, your rating. The NAC warns that bibliographies are exam-specific: use the one for this cycle. |
| 2. Collect the references | The bib page says “Reference links previously provided on this site have been permanently removed to comply with DoD security policies”, so find each document. We found no official public copy of the HM or MA rate training manual. Six of the seven NTTPs on the MA bib are controlled distribution; NTTP 3-07.3.2 (2020) is publicly releasable but we could not retrieve a copy (our search): ask your command. |
| 3. Read the listed chapters | Where the bib names chapters, read those closely; where it names none, the bib does not narrow it, so we suggest the whole document. Start from the listed edition and check for updates: the bib page says an updated reference “will be considered when the exam is scored”. |
| 4. Use last year’s profile sheet | Start with your lowest-percentile sections. The NAC says the subject matter will reappear, “But not the same questions!” |
| 5. Practice at exam length | 175 questions in one sitting is long. Sit at least one full timed practice exam before the last week. |
| 6. Last week | Weak subtopics only; confirm time, place and what to bring with your ESO. |
Quotes from the NAC General Advancement FAQs (13MAR23), questions 19 and 29, and the January 2027 E-7 bib page. The steps are our suggestion.
Our Navy bibs guide maps every January 2027 HM and MA reference to a topic and gives a six-week plan by week. For full-length practice, the Navy E-7 HM exam simulator and the Navy E-7 MA exam simulator each have two timed 175-question exams written from those bibs. Both are built only from the publicly released references on the January 2027 bibs (HM: 32 of its 37 references, 15 of 20 subtopics; MA: 21 of its 41 references, 16 of 29 subtopics); the rate training manuals and controlled references are not covered, so study those from your own copies.
Three MA questions written from the bib
Three questions in the style of the E-7 exam, written from references on the January 2027 MA bibliography, with the answer, the reasoning and the reference. The Navy documents we read do not state the time allowed; our simulator times each exam at 3 hours. At 3 hours for 175 questions you have roughly a minute each (our arithmetic), so try that pace.
Question 1 · MA · Law Enforcement Operations · Investigations
After a proper Article 31(b) advisement, a suspect says she will not answer any questions. What does Mil. R. Evid. 305 require?
- Questioning may go on about other offenses
- Questioning may go on if she is re-advised
- Questioning must cease immediately
- Questioning may resume after one hour
Answer: C. If a person chooses to exercise the privilege against self-incrimination, questioning must cease immediately. The rule allows no waiting period, no shift to other offenses and no repeat advisement to continue.
Reference: MCM (2024 Edition), Part III, Mil. R. Evid. 305(c)(4)
From the ProSyllabus Navy E-7 MA exam simulator: an original question written from a reference on the January 2027 MA E-7 bibliography. It is not a Navy exam question or a past question, and the Navy has not written or endorsed it. It is one of the simulator’s three free questions.
Question 2 · MA · Physical Security · Access Control
A department head asks the security office to make a new spare-parts cage a restricted area. How must a restricted area be established?
- In writing by the CO within his or her jurisdiction
- By the security officer verbally, then posted at the entrance
- By NCIS after an installation threat assessment
- By the region commander after CNIC approval
Answer: A. Restricted areas shall be established in writing by the CO within his or her jurisdiction, under the instruction and 50 U.S.C. 797, and designated restricted areas shall be part of installation plans or local instructions for physical security. A verbal designation, an NCIS designation or a region commander designation is not the method the text prescribes.
Reference: OPNAVINST 5530.14E (with Change-3), encl. (1), para 0210.g(1)
From the ProSyllabus Navy E-7 MA exam simulator: an original question written from a reference on the January 2027 MA E-7 bibliography. It is not a Navy exam question or a past question, and the Navy has not written or endorsed it. It is one of the simulator’s three free questions.
Question 3 · MA · Weapons Handling · Use Of Force
After an MA uses OC spray on a combative subject, the subject begins wheezing. What does DoDD 5210.56 require of the MA?
- Decontaminate the subject before seeking any care
- Note the reaction in the incident report and continue the apprehension
- Refer the subject to sick call after booking
- Provide or coordinate prompt and appropriate medical attention
Answer: D. Personnel using less than deadly force will provide or coordinate prompt and appropriate medical attention when a medical need arises, such as an asthmatic reaction to pepper spray. Recording it and moving on, or delaying care until after booking or decontamination, does not meet that duty.
Reference: DoDD 5210.56 (Change 1), para 3.4.d(2)
From the ProSyllabus Navy E-7 MA exam simulator: an original question written from a reference on the January 2027 MA E-7 bibliography. It is not a Navy exam question or a past question, and the Navy has not written or endorsed it. It is one of the simulator’s three free questions.
| Question | Bib topic | Reference | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Law Enforcement Operations | MCM (2024 Edition), Part III, Mil. R. Evid. 305(c)(4) | C: Questioning must cease immediately |
| 2 | Physical Security | OPNAVINST 5530.14E (with Change-3), encl. (1), para 0210.g(1) | A: In writing by the CO within his or her jurisdiction |
| 3 | Weapons Handling | DoDD 5210.56 (Change 1), para 3.4.d(2) | D: Provide or coordinate prompt and appropriate medical attention |
The table repeats the three answers for readers on a version of this page that does not show the cards.
- Two full 175-question exams, or 20-question drills by topic
- Every answer cites its bib reference and chapter
- Your score by bib topic, like a profile sheet
- One payment, no subscription
On exam day
Your command runs the exam on 21 January 2027 unless it has an authorized deviation from Navy Personnel Command (PERS-8031), in which case the exam must be done by 31 January 2027. If you cannot sit the regular exam for a valid reason, a substitute exam may be ordered; NETPDC N321 approves them, the ordering deadline is 31 January 2027, and the substitute exam has its own bib. After the exam, check the NEAS “tote board” with your ESO to see that your command’s answer sheets have arrived, and verify your EAW before it locks one week after the exam date on the worksheet.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next Navy E-7 exam?
Thursday 21 January 2027, Cycle 274, under NAVADMIN 241/26. The PMK-EE must be passed by 30 November 2026 and the ALDC completed by 31 December 2026 (SO and SB sailors complete the NSW or NSWDG LPO course instead).
How many questions are on the Navy chief exam?
The Navy-wide E-7 exam (NWAE) has 175 rating-related questions; the saved Navy texts give no question count for an E-7 Rating Knowledge Exam, so check with your ESO if your EAW shows an RKE. PMK questions are no longer on the Navy-wide exam; they are in the separate PMK-EE.
How long is the Navy E-7 exam?
The Navy documents we read do not state the time allowed; our simulator times each exam at 3 hours. We could not open BUPERSINST 1430.16H itself, so check with your ESO.
What is the minimum score to pass the E-7 exam?
For the Navy-wide exam, a raw score of 61: 61 questions right out of 175, on an exam with no deletions, per the Navy Advancement Center. It is not a standard score. The saved texts give no cut for an E-7 Rating Knowledge Exam.
Is the E-7 exam still on paper?
Yes. NAVADMIN 241/26 tells commands to administer the exam and return answer sheets per the advancement manual and to mail answer sheet packages to OMM CMF Pensacola, attention NETPDC N321.
Do HM and MA take the NWAE or the Rating Knowledge Exam in January 2027?
NAVADMIN 241/26 covers an E7 NWAE and RKE “as applicable to each candidate” without listing the RKE ratings. HM and MA are on the January 2027 E-7 bibs and are not on the published list of RKE ratings at E-5 and E-6. Confirm on your EAW and with your ESO which exam is ordered for you. The Navy says the RKE matches the NWAE in type and scope of questions.
Which instruction governs Navy advancement?
BUPERSINST 1430.16H, the Advancement Manual for Enlisted Personnel of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Navy Reserve, published on 21 January 2026. It replaces all previous versions and interim NAVADMIN guidance.
What happens if I miss the exam date?
Your command can request a deviation from PERS-8031 for a valid reason (completed by 31 January 2027), or a substitute exam can be ordered by 31 January 2027 with NETPDC N321’s approval. Substitute exams have their own bib.
Practice for 21 January: the Navy E-7 HM exam simulator and the Navy E-7 MA exam simulator. Both are built only from the publicly released references on the January 2027 bibs (HM: 32 of its 37 references, 15 of 20 subtopics; MA: 21 of its 41 references, 16 of 29 subtopics); the rate training manuals and controlled references are not covered, so study those from your own copies.
More in this series
- Navy bibs: find your E-7 reading list (HM and MA) and plan your study
- Navy E-7 results and board eligible: the FY-27 timeline and what to do next
- Navy profile sheet explained: exam score, standard score and FMS
- Senior Enlisted Marketplace and the chief board: what changed since FY26
- PMK-EE for E-7: format, the 80% rule and the official app
Sources
- official — NAVADMIN 241/26: January 2027 Cycle 274 Active-Duty and TAR E7 Navy-Wide Advancement Examination and Rating Knowledge Exam (R 151506Z OCT 26; read via an Internet Archive copy of the official URL, which refused our connection)
- official — NAVADMIN 223/25: January 2026 Cycle 270 Active Duty and TAR E7 Navy-Wide Advancement Examination (R 231650Z OCT 25; read via an Internet Archive copy of the official URL, which refused our connection)
- official — DVIDS (Chief of Naval Personnel), 29 January 2026: Navy Updates Enlisted Advancement Manual, BUPERSINST 1430.16H
- official — Navy Advancement Center: General Advancement Frequently Asked Questions (13MAR23), on Navy COOL
- official — DVIDS (Naval Education and Training Command), 4 April 2018: Professional Military Knowledge Transitions to Stand-Alone Electronic Exams
- official — DVIDS (Naval Education and Training Professional Development Center), 22 January 2020: First use of Command Leadership Notification for E-7 Selection Board Eligibility (the 60/40 Final Multiple Score)
- official — Fact Sheet NAV 255/24: Billet-Based Advancement Policy Update (December 2024; read via an Internet Archive copy of the official URL, which refused our connection)
- official — Fact Sheet NAV 112/25: Billet-Based Advancement 2025 Update (May 2025; read via an Internet Archive copy of the official URL, which refused our connection)
- official — Navy COOL: Navy Advancement Bibliographies (index page; the January 2027 E-7 Bibliographies and Topics and Subtopics pages open from it, rating by rating)
- official — MyNavy HR: Enlisted advancement pages (where NAVADMIN 241/26 says further Cycle 274 information is posted)
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
