I have just three words: Camping. Is. Back.
After staking out a spot in seventh or eighth place in popularity from 2014 to 2018, the Eagle-required Camping merit badge jumped to third place in the 2019 rankings, released this month.
The 52,328 young people who earned Camping in 2019 accounted for a 5% increase over 2018’s total.
Still, that wasn’t enough to unseat the First Aid merit badge, which extended its reign at No. 1 to five years. Camping also couldn’t pass the Swimming merit badge, which picked up the silver medal.
2019 was a big year for the American Business and Backpacking merit badges, too. The pair saw their earn totals skyrocket by 166% and 78%, respectively. The news wasn’t so great for the Plant Science merit badge (down 21%) or Dentistry merit badge (down 22%), however.
Let’s take a deep dive into the complete list — from 2019’s most popular merit badge to its rarest.
The actual top 10
Each merit badge in 2019’s top 10 has something in common: it’s required to earn the Eagle Scout award, Scouts BSA’s highest honor.
The BSA didn’t select its Eagle-required badges at random. Together, they represent a set of essential skills for life.
| Rank | Merit Badge | 2019 earned |
| 1 | First Aid | 62,352 |
| 2 | Swimming | 59,074 |
| 3 | Camping | 52,328 |
| 4 | Citizenship in the World | 50,700 |
| 5 | Personal Fitness | 49,802 |
| 6 | Cooking | 49,039 |
| 7 | Personal Management | 48,464 |
| 8 | Citizenship in the Nation | 48,182 |
| 9 | Communication | 48,117 |
| 10 | Family Life | 47,788 |
The alternative top 10
Now let’s grade on a curve. If we eliminate the Eagle-required merit badges from the list, which do Scouts earn most?
You’ll find a common theme in the list below. These are offered at most summer camps, giving Scouts an excellent opportunity to complete them.
| Rank | Merit Badge | 2019 earned |
| 1 | Fingerprinting | 36,510 |
| 2 | Rifle Shooting | 34,049 |
| 3 | Archery | 31,934 |
| 4 | Leatherwork | 31,397 |
| 5 | Wood Carving | 28,599 |
| 6 | Kayaking | 28,093 |
| 7 | Chess | 25,999 |
| 8 | Wilderness Survival | 25,863 |
| 9 | Fishing | 23,589 |
| 10 | Art | 23,074 |
The bottom 10
The list excludes Computers (replaced by Digital Technology in 2014), even though 72 Scouts earned the Computers merit badge in 2019.
How is it possible to earn a discontinued merit badge? According to the Guide to Advancement, once a Scout starts working on a merit badge, there’s no time limit for finishing — other than the Scout’s 18th birthday. As long as a Scout began working on the Computers MB by Dec. 31, 2014, and hadn’t turned 18, he could earn the badge in 2019.
Is one of your favorite merit badges in the list below? If so, don’t get sad! Get going. Offer to serve as a merit badge counselor and breathe new life into one of the lesser-earned badges. Then come back to check the 2020 list next year and see how you did.
| Rank | Merit Badge | 2019 earned |
| 128 | American Business | 1,468 |
| 129 | Gardening | 1,440 |
| 130 | Landscape Architecture | 1,395 |
| 131 | Composite Materials | 1,383 |
| 132 | Drafting | 1,364 |
| 133 | American Labor | 1,298 |
| 134 | Journalism | 1,283 |
| 135 | Surveying | 987 |
| 136 | Stamp Collecting | 919 |
| 137 | Bugling | 453 |
The ups and downs
One year of numbers can’t tell the whole story. Take American Business as an example. The badge was one of the 10 least-earned badges in 2019, but its popularity actually increased by 166%. Any business would gladly take a year-over-year increase like that, even if they were still the 128th most popular business around.
Here are the top 10 gains and losses from 2018 to 2019.
Top 10 Gains
| Merit Badge | 2018 | 2019 | Percent change |
| American Business | 551 | 1,468 | 166% |
| Backpacking | 2,295 | 4,079 | 78% |
| Scholarship | 4,433 | 5,442 | 23% |
| American Cultures | 2,519 | 3,089 | 23% |
| Painting | 3,709 | 4,486 | 21% |
| Theater | 2,294 | 2,745 | 20% |
| American Labor | 1,109 | 1,298 | 17% |
| Reading | 3,873 | 4,495 | 16% |
| Nature | 12,372 | 14,150 | 14% |
| Sculpture | 8,212 | 9,383 | 14% |
Takeaways:
- Three of the four “American” merit badges are on this list. The one that isn’t, American Heritage, saw a mild drop of 1%.
- There are some cool pairings on this list: Backpacking and Nature, Scholarship and Reading, Painting and Sculpture.
Top 10 Drops
| Merit Badge | 2018 | 2019 | Percent change |
| Rowing | 8,377 | 7,189 | -14% |
| Motor Boating | 9,697 | 8,298 | -14% |
| Environmental Science | 54,237 | 46,202 | -15% |
| Genealogy | 4,830 | 4,096 | -15% |
| Indian Lore | 16,003 | 13,530 | -15% |
| Mining in Society | 4,650 | 3,929 | -16% |
| Composite Materials | 1,646 | 1,383 | -16% |
| Bugling | 551 | 453 | -18% |
| Plant Science | 2,569 | 2,041 | -21% |
| Dentistry | 3,110 | 2,433 | -22% |
Takeaways:
- The list doesn’t include the discontinued Computers merit badge. If it did, that one would be at the bottom with a drop of 64%.
- While the Environmental Science merit badge was down double digits, its sibling, the Sustainability merit badge, saw a 2% increase. Scouts must earn one of these two merit badges to complete all the requirements for Eagle.
- With 453 merit badges earned, the Bugling merit badge fell to its lowest total since at least 2009 — the first year for which detailed statistics are available. Buglers, that’s your cue.
What’s the source?
The data comes from Local Council Charter Applications. That means they’re based on the actual number earned, not on sales of the badges. Some troops purchase extra emblems in anticipation of future badge earnings, so sales numbers can mislead.
Special thanks to the BSA’s Garfield Murden for supplying the numbers.
The raw data
What follows are the complete rankings. I should warn you that this information is only for the geekiest of geeks like me — people unfazed by line after line after line of numbers.
You’ve been warned. Keep scrolling to find:
- The complete 2019 rankings
- Merit badge popularity over the last five years
- Lifetime rankings from 1911 to 2019
- Every merit badge ranked by its percent change from 2018 to 2019
The complete 2019 rankings
What the colors mean:
- Blue: merit badge is required for Eagle
- Red: merit badge is considered “new” — released in 2015 or later
| Rank | Merit Badge | 2019 earned |
| 1 | First Aid | 62,352 |
| 2 | Swimming | 59,074 |
| 3 | Camping | 52,328 |
| 4 | Citizenship in the World | 50,700 |
| 5 | Personal Fitness | 49,802 |
| 6 | Cooking | 49,039 |
| 7 | Personal Management | 48,464 |
| 8 | Citizenship in the Nation | 48,182 |
| 9 | Communication | 48,117 |
| 10 | Family Life | 47,788 |
| 11 | Citizenship in the Community | 46,750 |
| 12 | Environmental Science | 46,202 |
| 13 | Emergency Preparedness | 39,022 |
| 14 | Fingerprinting | 36,510 |
| 15 | Rifle Shooting | 34,049 |
| 16 | Archery | 31,934 |
| 17 | Leatherwork | 31,397 |
| 18 | Wood Carving | 28,599 |
| 19 | Kayaking | 28,093 |
| 20 | Chess | 25,999 |
| 21 | Wilderness Survival | 25,863 |
| 22 | Fishing | 23,589 |
| 23 | Art | 23,074 |
| 24 | Canoeing | 22,734 |
| 25 | Lifesaving | 19,444 |
| 26 | Shotgun Shooting | 18,576 |
| 27 | Space Exploration | 18,432 |
| 28 | Mammal Study | 17,799 |
| 29 | Climbing | 17,305 |
| 30 | Astronomy | 16,473 |
| 31 | Geology | 16,041 |
| 32 | Game Design | 14,424 |
| 33 | Aviation | 14,227 |
| 34 | Basketry | 14,216 |
| 35 | Nature | 14,150 |
| 36 | Photography | 14,057 |
| 37 | Robotics | 13,827 |
| 38 | Indian Lore | 13,530 |
| 39 | Small Boat Sailing | 13,202 |
| 40 | Music | 12,882 |
| 41 | Metalwork | 12,586 |
| 42 | Weather | 12,311 |
| 43 | Pioneering | 12,282 |
| 44 | Orienteering | 12,249 |
| 45 | Engineering | 12,184 |
| 46 | Chemistry | 11,745 |
| 47 | Geocaching | 11,271 |
| 48 | Welding | 11,129 |
| 49 | Fire Safety | 11,045 |
| 50 | Fish & Wildlife Management | 10,676 |
| 51 | Automotive Maintenance | 10,489 |
| 52 | Forestry | 10,299 |
| 53 | Search and Rescue | 9,764 |
| 54 | Moviemaking | 9,738 |
| 55 | Horsemanship | 9,515 |
| 56 | Electricity | 9,383 |
| 57 | Sculpture | 9,383 |
| 58 | Pottery | 8,566 |
| 59 | Oceanography | 8,460 |
| 60 | Motor Boating | 8,298 |
| 61 | Soil and Water Conservation | 8,242 |
| 62 | Signs, Signals, and Codes | 7,854 |
| 63 | Snow Sports | 7,375 |
| 64 | Sustainability | 7,328 |
| 65 | Electronics | 7,204 |
| 66 | Animation | 7,193 |
| 67 | Rowing | 7,189 |
| 68 | Digital Technology | 7,096 |
| 69 | Hiking | 6,865 |
| 70 | Railroading | 6,818 |
| 71 | Salesmanship | 6,813 |
| 72 | Public Speaking | 6,695 |
| 73 | Nuclear Science | 6,623 |
| 74 | Crime Prevention | 6,517 |
| 75 | Traffic Safety | 6,477 |
| 76 | Scouting Heritage | 6,285 |
| 77 | Sports | 6,133 |
| 78 | Reptile and Amphibian Study | 6,009 |
| 79 | Pulp and Paper | 5,973 |
| 80 | Disabilities Awareness | 5,933 |
| 81 | Archaeology | 5,722 |
| 82 | Law | 5,681 |
| 83 | Bird Study | 5,629 |
| 84 | Radio | 5,519 |
| 85 | Cycling | 5,503 |
| 86 | American Heritage | 5,454 |
| 87 | Scholarship | 5,442 |
| 88 | Pets | 5,130 |
| 89 | Fly Fishing | 5,005 |
| 90 | Coin Collecting | 4,822 |
| 91 | Plumbing | 4,743 |
| 92 | Programming | 4,717 |
| 93 | Woodwork | 4,503 |
| 94 | Reading | 4,495 |
| 95 | Painting | 4,486 |
| 96 | Animal Science | 4,155 |
| 97 | Genealogy | 4,096 |
| 98 | Backpacking | 4,079 |
| 99 | Collections | 4,060 |
| 100 | Architecture | 4,016 |
| 101 | Mining in Society | 3,929 |
| 102 | Medicine | 3,758 |
| 103 | Entrepreneurship | 3,410 |
| 104 | Inventing | 3,259 |
| 105 | Safety | 3,208 |
| 106 | Home Repairs | 3,193 |
| 107 | Graphic Arts | 3,178 |
| 108 | Dog Care | 3,151 |
| 109 | Exploration | 3,107 |
| 110 | Veterinary Medicine | 3,103 |
| 111 | American Cultures | 3,089 |
| 112 | Golf | 2,959 |
| 113 | Whitewater | 2,890 |
| 114 | Athletics | 2,844 |
| 115 | Model Design and Building | 2,770 |
| 116 | Water Sports | 2,762 |
| 117 | Theater | 2,745 |
| 118 | Energy | 2,727 |
| 119 | Textile | 2,523 |
| 120 | Public Health | 2,507 |
| 121 | Farm Mechanics | 2,500 |
| 122 | Truck Transportation | 2,469 |
| 123 | Dentistry | 2,433 |
| 124 | Insect Study | 2,392 |
| 125 | Plant Science | 2,041 |
| 126 | Skating | 1,979 |
| 127 | Scuba Diving | 1,912 |
| 128 | American Business | 1,468 |
| 129 | Gardening | 1,440 |
| 130 | Landscape Architecture | 1,395 |
| 131 | Composite Materials | 1,383 |
| 132 | Drafting | 1,364 |
| 133 | American Labor | 1,298 |
| 134 | Journalism | 1,283 |
| 135 | Surveying | 987 |
| 136 | Stamp Collecting | 919 |
| 137 | Bugling | 453 |
| 138 | Computers* | 72 |
| 139 | Cinematography** | 0 |
*Discontinued in 2014
**Became Moviemaking in 2013
Merit badge numbers over the last five years
Sorted alphabetically.
| Merit Badge | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| American Business | 587 | 627 | 613 | 551 | 1,468 |
| American Cultures | 2,233 | 2,218 | 2,298 | 2,519 | 3,089 |
| American Heritage | 5,599 | 4,952 | 5,496 | 5,530 | 5,454 |
| American Labor | 1,106 | 812 | 901 | 1,109 | 1,298 |
| Animal Science | 4,414 | 3,852 | 3,848 | 3,769 | 4,155 |
| Animation | 1,099 | 4,637 | 5,462 | 6,981 | 7,193 |
| Archaeology | 7,590 | 7,388 | 6,876 | 6,056 | 5,722 |
| Archery | 41,879 | 39,419 | 35,301 | 34,487 | 31,934 |
| Architecture | 3,362 | 3,230 | 3,654 | 3,881 | 4,016 |
| Art | 24,374 | 22,990 | 21,567 | 21,793 | 23,074 |
| Astronomy | 16,706 | 16,355 | 15,702 | 15,531 | 16,473 |
| Athletics | 3,604 | 3,125 | 2,754 | 2,808 | 2,844 |
| Automotive Maintenance | 9,961 | 10,748 | 10,205 | 10,360 | 10,489 |
| Aviation | 15,170 | 14,477 | 14,347 | 13,745 | 14,227 |
| Backpacking | 3,973 | 3,963 | 3,498 | 2,295 | 4,079 |
| Basketry | 17,158 | 15,282 | 15,406 | 14,546 | 14,216 |
| Bird Study | 5,587 | 5,199 | 4,965 | 5,101 | 5,629 |
| Bugling | 492 | 479 | 454 | 551 | 453 |
| Camping | 54,342 | 53,534 | 50,871 | 49,893 | 52,328 |
| Canoeing | 29,461 | 28,288 | 26,052 | 26,094 | 22,734 |
| Chemistry | 10,560 | 10,865 | 10,248 | 11,140 | 11,745 |
| Chess | 27,235 | 27,416 | 26,919 | 28,260 | 25,999 |
| Cinematography | 1,260 | 841 | 231 | 1 | 0 |
| Citizenship in the Community | 52,071 | 51,975 | 48,736 | 49,863 | 46,750 |
| Citizenship in the Nation | 57,161 | 57,919 | 52,949 | 52,944 | 48,182 |
| Citizenship in the World | 60,171 | 59,363 | 55,917 | 55,843 | 50,700 |
| Climbing | 21,574 | 21,171 | 18,356 | 18,911 | 17,305 |
| Coin Collecting | 4,715 | 4,135 | 3,930 | 4,726 | 4,822 |
| Collections | 4,004 | 3,753 | 4,140 | 4,280 | 4,060 |
| Communication | 55,738 | 53,367 | 50,503 | 51,541 | 48,117 |
| Composite Materials | 2,183 | 1,597 | 1,407 | 1,646 | 1,383 |
| Computers | 1,686 | 354 | 207 | 202 | 72 |
| Cooking | 67,691 | 55,841 | 51,004 | 50,185 | 49,039 |
| Crime Prevention | 6,581 | 6,178 | 6,721 | 6,456 | 6,517 |
| Cycling | 6,626 | 6,334 | 5,742 | 5,671 | 5,503 |
| Dentistry | 3,485 | 2,910 | 3,135 | 3,110 | 2,433 |
| Digital Technology | 9,383 | 9,344 | 8,768 | 7,857 | 7,096 |
| Disabilities Awareness | 6,153 | 5,833 | 5,239 | 5,571 | 5,933 |
| Dog Care | 2,666 | 2,414 | 2,661 | 3,025 | 3,151 |
| Drafting | 1,339 | 1,168 | 1,119 | 1,231 | 1,364 |
| Electricity | 10,035 | 9,762 | 9,245 | 9,979 | 9,383 |
| Electronics | 8,352 | 7,814 | 7,524 | 7,731 | 7,204 |
| Emergency Preparedness | 47,879 | 47,004 | 43,351 | 43,063 | 39,022 |
| Energy | 3,190 | 2,955 | 2,749 | 2,607 | 2,727 |
| Engineering | 11,735 | 11,429 | 11,773 | 12,280 | 12,184 |
| Entrepreneurship | 2,927 | 3,365 | 3,473 | 3,353 | 3,410 |
| Environmental Science | 63,783 | 60,026 | 55,703 | 54,237 | 46,202 |
| Exploration | 0 | 0 | 2,090 | 3,351 | 3,107 |
| Family Life | 51,008 | 50,177 | 48,774 | 48,787 | 47,788 |
| Farm Mechanics | 2,244 | 2,368 | 2,307 | 2,226 | 2,500 |
| Fingerprinting | 43,743 | 40,700 | 38,989 | 38,239 | 36,510 |
| Fire Safety | 12,782 | 12,257 | 11,746 | 11,673 | 11,045 |
| First Aid | 80,716 | 75,256 | 69,563 | 69,565 | 62,352 |
| Fish & Wildlife Management | 13,164 | 12,647 | 11,615 | 11,822 | 10,676 |
| Fishing | 26,050 | 25,256 | 24,343 | 24,688 | 23,589 |
| Fly Fishing | 3,981 | 4,577 | 4,597 | 4,872 | 5,005 |
| Forestry | 12,905 | 12,519 | 11,456 | 11,326 | 10,299 |
| Game Design | 12,313 | 13,689 | 13,810 | 16,020 | 14,424 |
| Gardening | 1,582 | 1,375 | 1,450 | 1,428 | 1,440 |
| Genealogy | 5,316 | 4,570 | 5,213 | 4,830 | 4,096 |
| Geocaching | 15,582 | 15,210 | 12,604 | 12,972 | 11,271 |
| Geology | 22,180 | 18,516 | 18,674 | 17,242 | 16,041 |
| Golf | 3,826 | 3,605 | 3,248 | 3,060 | 2,959 |
| Graphic Arts | 3,356 | 3,251 | 3,066 | 3,343 | 3,178 |
| Hiking | 6,967 | 7,485 | 7,084 | 6,362 | 6,865 |
| Home Repairs | 3,288 | 3,325 | 3,432 | 3,579 | 3,193 |
| Horsemanship | 10,878 | 9,457 | 8,641 | 8,837 | 9,515 |
| Indian Lore | 22,241 | 18,234 | 17,003 | 16,003 | 13,530 |
| Insect Study | 3,550 | 2,341 | 2,644 | 2,716 | 2,392 |
| Inventing | 3,369 | 2,834 | 3,296 | 3,494 | 3,259 |
| Journalism | 1,037 | 970 | 1,127 | 1,153 | 1,283 |
| Kayaking | 34,054 | 33,137 | 30,466 | 31,362 | 28,093 |
| Landscape Architecture | 1,434 | 1,494 | 1,483 | 1,495 | 1,395 |
| Law | 5,633 | 5,226 | 5,402 | 5,656 | 5,681 |
| Leatherwork | 40,805 | 37,920 | 35,490 | 33,740 | 31,397 |
| Lifesaving | 23,983 | 22,382 | 20,748 | 20,952 | 19,444 |
| Mammal Study | 23,427 | 21,303 | 18,715 | 17,982 | 17,799 |
| Medicine | 3,807 | 3,767 | 3,561 | 3,878 | 3,758 |
| Metalwork | 12,340 | 12,639 | 12,990 | 12,768 | 12,586 |
| Mining in Society | 4,613 | 4,224 | 4,673 | 4,650 | 3,929 |
| Model Design and Building | 2,795 | 2,770 | 2,564 | 2,674 | 2,770 |
| Motor Boating | 9,880 | 9,515 | 9,517 | 9,697 | 8,298 |
| Moviemaking | 10,064 | 10,851 | 9,262 | 9,416 | 9,738 |
| Music | 12,369 | 11,689 | 10,592 | 11,860 | 12,882 |
| Nature | 14,679 | 13,635 | 11,586 | 12,372 | 14,150 |
| Nuclear Science | 6,728 | 7,005 | 6,702 | 6,678 | 6,623 |
| Oceanography | 9,892 | 8,499 | 7,763 | 9,021 | 8,460 |
| Orienteering | 15,642 | 13,753 | 11,742 | 12,538 | 12,249 |
| Painting | 4,245 | 3,829 | 3,222 | 3,709 | 4,486 |
| Personal Fitness | 52,499 | 52,079 | 50,428 | 49,600 | 49,802 |
| Personal Management | 51,105 | 50,251 | 49,287 | 48,393 | 48,464 |
| Pets | 4,645 | 4,278 | 4,289 | 4,890 | 5,130 |
| Photography | 16,931 | 15,142 | 13,550 | 14,161 | 14,057 |
| Pioneering | 17,341 | 15,959 | 13,870 | 14,099 | 12,282 |
| Plant Science | 2,922 | 2,363 | 2,107 | 2,569 | 2,041 |
| Plumbing | 4,960 | 4,510 | 4,398 | 4,862 | 4,743 |
| Pottery | 8,384 | 8,230 | 7,940 | 7,890 | 8,566 |
| Programming | 3,577 | 4,085 | 4,138 | 4,723 | 4,717 |
| Public Health | 1,780 | 1,837 | 1,798 | 2,382 | 2,507 |
| Public Speaking | 7,793 | 7,497 | 7,035 | 7,250 | 6,695 |
| Pulp and Paper | 7,379 | 6,081 | 6,879 | 5,911 | 5,973 |
| Radio | 6,709 | 6,442 | 5,840 | 5,205 | 5,519 |
| Railroading | 7,651 | 6,599 | 6,663 | 6,728 | 6,818 |
| Reading | 4,179 | 3,574 | 3,524 | 3,873 | 4,495 |
| Reptile and Amphibian Study | 6,700 | 6,411 | 6,053 | 5,786 | 6,009 |
| Rifle Shooting | 43,196 | 41,444 | 37,796 | 37,695 | 34,049 |
| Robotics | 13,700 | 14,264 | 15,031 | 15,285 | 13,827 |
| Rowing | 9,995 | 9,408 | 8,239 | 8,377 | 7,189 |
| Safety | 3,937 | 4,267 | 3,280 | 3,322 | 3,208 |
| Salesmanship | 6,412 | 6,031 | 5,908 | 6,936 | 6,813 |
| Scholarship | 4,911 | 4,316 | 4,171 | 4,433 | 5,442 |
| Scouting Heritage | 5,558 | 5,266 | 5,916 | 5,901 | 6,285 |
| Scuba Diving | 2,135 | 1,792 | 1,842 | 2,036 | 1,912 |
| Sculpture | 10,042 | 8,900 | 8,715 | 8,212 | 9,383 |
| Search and Rescue | 11,725 | 10,361 | 10,107 | 10,107 | 9,764 |
| Shotgun Shooting | 21,895 | 20,912 | 19,703 | 20,241 | 18,576 |
| Signs, Signals, and Codes | 3,453 | 8,025 | 7,364 | 7,178 | 7,854 |
| Skating | 1,972 | 1,953 | 1,785 | 1,898 | 1,979 |
| Small Boat Sailing | 15,092 | 14,108 | 14,182 | 13,886 | 13,202 |
| Snow Sports | 7,251 | 7,177 | 7,267 | 6,961 | 7,375 |
| Soil and Water Conservation | 10,437 | 10,341 | 9,484 | 8,199 | 8,242 |
| Space Exploration | 21,607 | 20,137 | 18,994 | 19,574 | 18,432 |
| Sports | 8,272 | 7,626 | 6,556 | 6,594 | 6,133 |
| Stamp Collecting | 996 | 793 | 954 | 836 | 919 |
| Surveying | 879 | 1,028 | 863 | 1,065 | 987 |
| Sustainability | 6,625 | 6,813 | 7,295 | 7,192 | 7,328 |
| Swimming | 71,821 | 67,446 | 62,057 | 62,796 | 59,074 |
| Textile | 3,225 | 2,480 | 2,205 | 2,530 | 2,523 |
| Theater | 2,665 | 2,543 | 2,332 | 2,294 | 2,745 |
| Traffic Safety | 5,604 | 6,072 | 5,689 | 7,100 | 6,477 |
| Truck Transportation | 2,157 | 2,391 | 2,466 | 2,313 | 2,469 |
| Veterinary Medicine | 2,764 | 2,580 | 2,451 | 2,716 | 3,103 |
| Water Sports | 3,389 | 3,123 | 2,966 | 2,937 | 2,762 |
| Weather | 14,622 | 12,665 | 12,690 | 12,430 | 12,311 |
| Welding | 11,019 | 10,737 | 10,656 | 11,981 | 11,129 |
| Whitewater | 2,888 | 3,476 | 2,832 | 3,199 | 2,890 |
| Wilderness Survival | 37,581 | 35,221 | 30,814 | 29,392 | 25,863 |
| Wood Carving | 36,890 | 34,938 | 32,943 | 31,910 | 28,599 |
| Woodwork | 5,242 | 4,975 | 5,212 | 4,939 | 4,503 |
Lifetime rankings from 1911 to 2019
Two notes:
- This list includes only merit badges that could be earned in 2019. Sorry, but that means the Taxidermy merit badge (and these other discontinued merit badges) didn’t make the cut.
- The rankings are interesting but don’t tell the whole story. A merit badge released more recently will rank lower than one of the original 1911 merit badges. My favorite example of this is the Home Repairs merit badge. It’s No. 18 lifetime but was released in 1943. The Chess merit badge was more than eight times more popular in 2019, but it’s only been around since 2011.
| Rank | Merit Badge | Lifetime Total |
| 1 | First Aid | 7,339,352 |
| 2 | Swimming | 6,637,961 |
| 3 | Camping | 4,923,680 |
| 4 | Cooking | 4,612,121 |
| 5 | Citizenship in the Community | 3,711,151 |
| 6 | Citizenship in the Nation | 3,473,892 |
| 7 | Canoeing | 3,156,263 |
| 8 | Lifesaving | 3,144,917 |
| 9 | Environmental Science | 2,992,538 |
| 10 | Safety | 2,953,028 |
| 11 | Personal Fitness | 2,753,635 |
| 12 | Fire Safety | 2,667,155 |
| 13 | Leatherwork | 2,626,431 |
| 14 | Citizenship in the World | 2,550,753 |
| 15 | Basketry | 2,516,483 |
| 16 | Pioneering | 2,486,759 |
| 17 | Wood Carving | 2,452,938 |
| 18 | Home Repairs | 2,431,987 |
| 19 | Communication | 2,315,394 |
| 20 | Fishing | 2,112,875 |
| 21 | Personal Management | 2,059,486 |
| 22 | Emergency Preparedness | 2,057,648 |
| 23 | Fingerprinting | 1,872,579 |
| 24 | Wilderness Survival | 1,794,199 |
| 25 | Archery | 1,786,864 |
| 26 | Rowing | 1,761,046 |
| 27 | Nature | 1,731,864 |
| 28 | Public Health | 1,527,949 |
| 29 | Rifle Shooting | 1,522,159 |
| 30 | Reading | 1,502,689 |
| 31 | Art | 1,422,608 |
| 32 | Family Life | 1,406,879 |
| 33 | Music | 1,378,149 |
| 34 | Hiking | 1,364,980 |
| 35 | Scholarship | 1,299,987 |
| 36 | Mammal Study | 1,294,574 |
| 37 | Indian Lore | 1,284,879 |
| 38 | Forestry | 1,209,450 |
| 39 | Metalwork | 1,197,962 |
| 40 | Sports | 1,180,570 |
| 41 | Soil and Water Conservation | 1,168,948 |
| 42 | Athletics | 1,080,140 |
| 43 | Woodwork | 996,797 |
| 44 | Orienteering | 883,065 |
| 45 | Electricity | 853,209 |
| 46 | Geology | 739,775 |
| 47 | Small Boat Sailing | 722,779 |
| 48 | Astronomy | 720,021 |
| 49 | Fish & Wildlife Management | 713,132 |
| 50 | Horsemanship | 689,047 |
| 51 | Pets | 681,895 |
| 52 | Reptile and Amphibian Study | 679,061 |
| 53 | Public Speaking | 678,773 |
| 54 | Aviation | 676,463 |
| 55 | Space Exploration | 658,615 |
| 56 | Weather | 642,676 |
| 57 | Motor Boating | 633,245 |
| 58 | Shotgun Shooting | 621,607 |
| 59 | Bird Study | 608,666 |
| 60 | Cycling | 605,054 |
| 61 | Painting | 581,615 |
| 62 | Photography | 579,350 |
| 63 | Computers | 521,329 |
| 64 | Coin Collecting | 519,472 |
| 65 | Climbing | 513,827 |
| 66 | Snow Sports | 487,249 |
| 67 | Dog Care | 445,379 |
| 68 | Pottery | 424,961 |
| 69 | Plumbing | 414,851 |
| 70 | Chemistry | 405,021 |
| 71 | Gardening | 394,788 |
| 72 | Stamp Collecting | 394,005 |
| 73 | Salesmanship | 356,930 |
| 74 | Sculpture | 347,660 |
| 75 | Oceanography | 331,981 |
| 76 | Railroading | 271,814 |
| 77 | Water Sports | 265,231 |
| 78 | Genealogy | 255,663 |
| 79 | Electronics | 255,130 |
| 80 | Kayaking | 250,627 |
| 81 | Architecture | 234,588 |
| 82 | Model Design and Building | 233,749 |
| 83 | Farm Mechanics | 232,447 |
| 84 | Backpacking | 232,084 |
| 85 | Drafting | 230,879 |
| 86 | Chess | 223,710 |
| 87 | Automotive Maintenance | 218,848 |
| 88 | Law | 212,363 |
| 89 | Nuclear Science | 207,472 |
| 90 | Engineering | 205,937 |
| 91 | Radio | 202,197 |
| 92 | Archaeology | 189,622 |
| 93 | Traffic Safety | 188,513 |
| 94 | American Heritage | 185,852 |
| 95 | Golf | 183,468 |
| 96 | Skating | 182,947 |
| 97 | Insect Study | 178,726 |
| 98 | Bugling | 172,503 |
| 99 | Crime Prevention | 169,121 |
| 100 | Collections | 162,095 |
| 101 | Surveying | 156,470 |
| 102 | Textile | 155,973 |
| 103 | Dentistry | 150,457 |
| 104 | Disabilities Awareness | 150,205 |
| 105 | Truck Transportation | 149,373 |
| 106 | Pulp and Paper | 146,830 |
| 107 | Geocaching | 144,118 |
| 108 | Robotics | 117,885 |
| 109 | Journalism | 111,952 |
| 110 | Cinematography | 106,448 |
| 111 | Whitewater | 103,737 |
| 112 | Theater | 96,241 |
| 113 | Energy | 94,621 |
| 114 | Medicine | 91,319 |
| 115 | Veterinary Medicine | 89,699 |
| 116 | Landscape Architecture | 89,012 |
| 117 | Game Design | 84,766 |
| 118 | Welding | 81,524 |
| 119 | Animal Science | 81,115 |
| 120 | American Cultures | 80,126 |
| 121 | Search and Rescue | 75,700 |
| 122 | Graphic Arts | 67,137 |
| 123 | American Business | 56,986 |
| 124 | Plant Science | 56,803 |
| 125 | Scouting Heritage | 55,773 |
| 126 | Moviemaking | 55,526 |
| 127 | Fly Fishing | 50,211 |
| 128 | Digital Technology | 45,462 |
| 129 | Sustainability | 41,271 |
| 130 | Entrepreneurship | 38,970 |
| 131 | Signs, Signals, and Codes | 33,874 |
| 132 | American Labor | 28,034 |
| 133 | Inventing | 27,345 |
| 134 | Mining in Society | 25,608 |
| 135 | Animation | 25,372 |
| 136 | Programming | 24,690 |
| 137 | Scuba Diving | 22,777 |
| 138 | Composite Materials | 21,461 |
| 139 | Exploration | 8,548 |
Every merit badge ranked by its percent change from 2018 to 2019
Alternate title: Sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down.
| Merit Badge | 2018 | 2019 | Percent change |
| American Business | 551 | 1,468 | 166% |
| Backpacking | 2,295 | 4,079 | 78% |
| Scholarship | 4,433 | 5,442 | 23% |
| American Cultures | 2,519 | 3,089 | 23% |
| Painting | 3,709 | 4,486 | 21% |
| Theater | 2,294 | 2,745 | 20% |
| American Labor | 1,109 | 1,298 | 17% |
| Reading | 3,873 | 4,495 | 16% |
| Nature | 12,372 | 14,150 | 14% |
| Sculpture | 8,212 | 9,383 | 14% |
| Veterinary Medicine | 2,716 | 3,103 | 14% |
| Farm Mechanics | 2,226 | 2,500 | 12% |
| Journalism | 1,153 | 1,283 | 11% |
| Drafting | 1,231 | 1,364 | 11% |
| Bird Study | 5,101 | 5,629 | 10% |
| Animal Science | 3,769 | 4,155 | 10% |
| Stamp Collecting | 836 | 919 | 10% |
| Signs, Signals, and Codes | 7,178 | 7,854 | 9% |
| Music | 11,860 | 12,882 | 9% |
| Pottery | 7,890 | 8,566 | 9% |
| Hiking | 6,362 | 6,865 | 8% |
| Horsemanship | 8,837 | 9,515 | 8% |
| Truck Transportation | 2,313 | 2,469 | 7% |
| Scouting Heritage | 5,901 | 6,285 | 7% |
| Disabilities Awareness | 5,571 | 5,933 | 6% |
| Astronomy | 15,531 | 16,473 | 6% |
| Radio | 5,205 | 5,519 | 6% |
| Snow Sports | 6,961 | 7,375 | 6% |
| Art | 21,793 | 23,074 | 6% |
| Chemistry | 11,140 | 11,745 | 5% |
| Public Health | 2,382 | 2,507 | 5% |
| Pets | 4,890 | 5,130 | 5% |
| Camping | 49,893 | 52,328 | 5% |
| Energy | 2,607 | 2,727 | 5% |
| Skating | 1,898 | 1,979 | 4% |
| Dog Care | 3,025 | 3,151 | 4% |
| Reptile and Amphibian Study | 5,786 | 6,009 | 4% |
| Model Design and Building | 2,674 | 2,770 | 4% |
| Aviation | 13,745 | 14,227 | 4% |
| Architecture | 3,881 | 4,016 | 3% |
| Moviemaking | 9,416 | 9,738 | 3% |
| Animation | 6,981 | 7,193 | 3% |
| Fly Fishing | 4,872 | 5,005 | 3% |
| Coin Collecting | 4,726 | 4,822 | 2% |
| Sustainability | 7,192 | 7,328 | 2% |
| Entrepreneurship | 3,353 | 3,410 | 2% |
| Railroading | 6,728 | 6,818 | 1% |
| Athletics | 2,808 | 2,844 | 1% |
| Automotive Maintenance | 10,360 | 10,489 | 1% |
| Pulp and Paper | 5,911 | 5,973 | 1% |
| Crime Prevention | 6,456 | 6,517 | 1% |
| Gardening | 1,428 | 1,440 | 1% |
| Soil and Water Conservation | 8,199 | 8,242 | 1% |
| Law | 5,656 | 5,681 | 0% |
| Personal Fitness | 49,600 | 49,802 | 0% |
| Personal Management | 48,393 | 48,464 | 0% |
| Programming | 4,723 | 4,717 | 0% |
| Textile | 2,530 | 2,523 | 0% |
| Photography | 14,161 | 14,057 | -1% |
| Engineering | 12,280 | 12,184 | -1% |
| Nuclear Science | 6,678 | 6,623 | -1% |
| Weather | 12,430 | 12,311 | -1% |
| Mammal Study | 17,982 | 17,799 | -1% |
| American Heritage | 5,530 | 5,454 | -1% |
| Metalwork | 12,768 | 12,586 | -1% |
| Salesmanship | 6,936 | 6,813 | -2% |
| Family Life | 48,787 | 47,788 | -2% |
| Basketry | 14,546 | 14,216 | -2% |
| Cooking | 50,185 | 49,039 | -2% |
| Orienteering | 12,538 | 12,249 | -2% |
| Plumbing | 4,862 | 4,743 | -2% |
| Cycling | 5,671 | 5,503 | -3% |
| Medicine | 3,878 | 3,758 | -3% |
| Golf | 3,060 | 2,959 | -3% |
| Search and Rescue | 10,107 | 9,764 | -3% |
| Safety | 3,322 | 3,208 | -3% |
| Fishing | 24,688 | 23,589 | -4% |
| Fingerprinting | 38,239 | 36,510 | -5% |
| Small Boat Sailing | 13,886 | 13,202 | -5% |
| Graphic Arts | 3,343 | 3,178 | -5% |
| Collections | 4,280 | 4,060 | -5% |
| Fire Safety | 11,673 | 11,045 | -5% |
| Archaeology | 6,056 | 5,722 | -6% |
| Space Exploration | 19,574 | 18,432 | -6% |
| Swimming | 62,796 | 59,074 | -6% |
| Water Sports | 2,937 | 2,762 | -6% |
| Electricity | 9,979 | 9,383 | -6% |
| Scuba Diving | 2,036 | 1,912 | -6% |
| Oceanography | 9,021 | 8,460 | -6% |
| Citizenship in the Community | 49,863 | 46,750 | -6% |
| Communication | 51,541 | 48,117 | -7% |
| Landscape Architecture | 1,495 | 1,395 | -7% |
| Inventing | 3,494 | 3,259 | -7% |
| Electronics | 7,731 | 7,204 | -7% |
| Leatherwork | 33,740 | 31,397 | -7% |
| Geology | 17,242 | 16,041 | -7% |
| Sports | 6,594 | 6,133 | -7% |
| Welding | 11,981 | 11,129 | -7% |
| Lifesaving | 20,952 | 19,444 | -7% |
| Exploration | 3,351 | 3,107 | -7% |
| Surveying | 1,065 | 987 | -7% |
| Archery | 34,487 | 31,934 | -7% |
| Public Speaking | 7,250 | 6,695 | -8% |
| Chess | 28,260 | 25,999 | -8% |
| Shotgun Shooting | 20,241 | 18,576 | -8% |
| Climbing | 18,911 | 17,305 | -8% |
| Traffic Safety | 7,100 | 6,477 | -9% |
| Woodwork | 4,939 | 4,503 | -9% |
| Citizenship in the Nation | 52,944 | 48,182 | -9% |
| Forestry | 11,326 | 10,299 | -9% |
| Citizenship in the World | 55,843 | 50,700 | -9% |
| Emergency Preparedness | 43,063 | 39,022 | -9% |
| Robotics | 15,285 | 13,827 | -10% |
| Whitewater | 3,199 | 2,890 | -10% |
| Rifle Shooting | 37,695 | 34,049 | -10% |
| Digital Technology | 7,857 | 7,096 | -10% |
| Fish & Wildlife Management | 11,822 | 10,676 | -10% |
| Game Design | 16,020 | 14,424 | -10% |
| First Aid | 69,565 | 62,352 | -10% |
| Wood Carving | 31,910 | 28,599 | -10% |
| Kayaking | 31,362 | 28,093 | -10% |
| Home Repairs | 3,579 | 3,193 | -11% |
| Insect Study | 2,716 | 2,392 | -12% |
| Wilderness Survival | 29,392 | 25,863 | -12% |
| Canoeing | 26,094 | 22,734 | -13% |
| Pioneering | 14,099 | 12,282 | -13% |
| Geocaching | 12,972 | 11,271 | -13% |
| Rowing | 8,377 | 7,189 | -14% |
| Motor Boating | 9,697 | 8,298 | -14% |
| Environmental Science | 54,237 | 46,202 | -15% |
| Genealogy | 4,830 | 4,096 | -15% |
| Indian Lore | 16,003 | 13,530 | -15% |
| Mining in Society | 4,650 | 3,929 | -16% |
| Composite Materials | 1,646 | 1,383 | -16% |
| Bugling | 551 | 453 | -18% |
| Plant Science | 2,569 | 2,041 | -21% |
| Dentistry | 3,110 | 2,433 | -22% |
| Computers | 202 | 72 | -64% |
That’s it. That’s the end. You made it to the end of the list and definitely deserve a s’more.
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