General Science Merit Badge History

Earned through 200352,953

Best year197312,592 earned

All-time popularity#169official, as of 2020#176by 2025 (estimate)

Earned by Year

First earned in 1972. Peak year 1973 with 12,592. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

19727,322 earned#57 of 124

197312,592 earned#44 of 122

19745,057 earned#79 of 121

19754,691 earned#83 of 128

19763,457 earned#91 of 130

19772,965 earned#92 of 130

19782,414 earned#94 of 131

19792,056 earned#85 of 132

19801,031 earned#93 of 132

19811,518 earned#95 of 134

1982No data available

1983No data available

1984No data available

1985No data available

1986No data available

1987No data available

1988No data available

1989No data available

1990No data available

1991No data available

1992No data available

19931,431 earned#108 of 123

1994No data available

1995No data available

1996205 earned#119 of 134

1997No data available

1998No data available

1999No data available

200039 earned#125 of 128

200118 earned#123 of 129

2002143 earned#123 of 129

200324 earned#125 of 130

Known count No data available

"—" means merit badges were earned that year but the exact number is not currently known. "#125 of 130" means the badge was number 125 of the 130 merit badges earned that year. The grand total comes from official reports and includes the years without a known count. The 2025 all-time place is an estimate, because the counts for 2021 to 2025 are worked out from each year's official ranking and the total number of merit badges earned that year.

19727,322#57 of 124

197312,592#44 of 122

19745,057#79 of 121

19754,691#83 of 128

19763,457#91 of 130

19772,965#92 of 130

19782,414#94 of 131

19792,056#85 of 132

19801,031#93 of 132

19811,518#95 of 134

1982—

1983—

1984—

1985—

1986—

1987—

1988—

1989—

1990—

1991—

1992—

19931,431#108 of 123

1994—

1995—

1996205#119 of 134

1997—

1998—

1999—

200039#125 of 128

200118#123 of 129

2002143#123 of 129

200324#125 of 130

Grand total through 2003:

This page keeps growing. More of this badge's history, including its patches and pamphlets, is being checked and will be added once it is confirmed.

General Science: workbook data

Printings (19)

Have	Year	Month	Cover	Back	Run	©	BSA #	UPC	HC
x	1972	June	8A	back-8a-1	10M	1972	3332		HCSV1
x	1972	November	8A	back-8a-2	8M	1972	3332		HCSV1, HCSV2
x	1973	August	8A	back-8a-2	15M	1972	3332		HCT
	1974	not made
	1975	not made
x	1976	May	8B	back-8c-1	4.6M	1972	3332
	1977	not made
	1978	not made
x	1979	March	8B	back-8d	2M	1972	3332
	1980	not made
x	1981	February	9A-1	back-9a	2M	1972	3332
x	1981	September	9A-1	back-9a	2M	1972	3332
	1982	not made
x	1983	January	9A-1	back-9a	2M	1972	3332
x	1983	November	9A-1	back-9a	2.5M	1972	3332
x	1984	September	9A-1	back-9b-1	2.5M	1972	3332
x	1985	July	9A-1	back-9b-2	2.5M	1972	3332
x	1986	October	9A-1	back-9b-2	2M	1972	3332
x	1987	August	9A-1	back-9b-2	2.5M	1972	3332
x	1988	February	9A-1	back-9b-2	2.5M	1972	3332
x	1989	February	9A-1	back-9b-2	2.5M	1972	3332
x	1990	February	9A-1	back-9b-2	3M	1972	3332
x	1991	September	9A-1	back-9c-1	2.5M	1972	3332
	1992	not made
x	1993	February	9	9c-2	2.5M	1972	33332	730176333328
x	1994	May	9A-2	back-9d	2.5M	1972	33332	730176333328
	1995	not made

Earned and rank by year

Year	Earned	Rank	Of
1972	7,322	57	124
1973	12,592	44	122
1974	5,057	79	121
1975	4,691	83	128
1976	3,457	91	130
1977	2,965	92	130
1978	2,414	94	131
1979	2,056	85	132
1980	1,031	93	132
1981	1,518	95	134
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993	1,431	108	123
1994
1995
1996	205	119	134
1997
1998
1999
2000	39	125	128
2001	18	123	129
2002	143	123	129
2003	24	125	130