Personal Management Merit Badge History

Earned through 20202,100,383

Best year201056,793 earned

All-time popularity#21official, as of 2020#20by 2025 (estimate)

Earned by Year

First earned in 1972. Peak year 2010 with 56,793. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

197213,299 earned#36 of 124

197312,522 earned#45 of 122

197431,526 earned#26 of 121

197542,140 earned#20 of 128

197640,858 earned#18 of 130

197735,466 earned#20 of 130

197830,513 earned#22 of 131

197930,106 earned#19 of 132

198023,406 earned#16 of 132

198134,893 earned#16 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

19937,955 earned#54 of 123

1994No data available

1995No data available

199645,973 earned#17 of 134

1997No data available

1998No data available

1999No data available

200047,232 earned#17 of 128

200146,940 earned#15 of 129

200252,449 earned#16 of 129

200350,617 earned#16 of 130

200453,691 earned#13 of 121

200551,197 earned#12 of 121

200651,334 earned#11 of 121

200749,861 earned#11 of 121

200850,240 earned#12 of 121

200956,330 earned#11 of 122

201056,793 earned#11 of 125

201153,459 earned#11 of 129

201254,529 earned#10 of 132

201353,273 earned#6 of 129

201448,299 earned#12 of 136

201551,105 earned#11 of 138

201650,251 earned#11 of 138

201749,287 earned#10 of 139

201848,393 earned#12 of 139

201948,464 earned#7 of 139

202040,897 earned#5 of 137

2021No data available#17 of 137

2022No data available#11 of 138

2023No data available#11 of 138

2024No data available#11 of 138

2025No data available#8 of 141

Known count No data available

"—" means merit badges were earned that year but the exact number is not currently known. "#8 of 141" means the badge was number 8 of the 141 merit badges earned that year. National counts have not been published since 2020, but the rankings have. 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.

197213,299#36 of 124

197312,522#45 of 122

197431,526#26 of 121

197542,140#20 of 128

197640,858#18 of 130

197735,466#20 of 130

197830,513#22 of 131

197930,106#19 of 132

198023,406#16 of 132

198134,893#16 of 134

1982—

1983—

1984—

1985—

1986—

1987—

1988—

1989—

1990—

1991—

1992—

19937,955#54 of 123

1994—

1995—

199645,973#17 of 134

1997—

1998—

1999—

200047,232#17 of 128

200146,940#15 of 129

200252,449#16 of 129

200350,617#16 of 130

200453,691#13 of 121

200551,197#12 of 121

200651,334#11 of 121

200749,861#11 of 121

200850,240#12 of 121

200956,330#11 of 122

201056,793#11 of 125

201153,459#11 of 129

201254,529#10 of 132

201353,273#6 of 129

201448,299#12 of 136

201551,105#11 of 138

201650,251#11 of 138

201749,287#10 of 139

201848,393#12 of 139

201948,464#7 of 139

202040,897#5 of 137

2021—#17 of 137

2022—#11 of 138

2023—#11 of 138

2024—#11 of 138

2025—#8 of 141

Grand total through 2020:

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.

Personal Management: workbook data

Printings (53)

Have	Year	Month	Cover	Run	©	BSA #	UPC	SKU	SA #	HC	Notes
x	1972	June	8	20M	1972					HCSV1, HCSV2
x	1973	January	8	20M	1972					HCT
x	1973	September	8	35M	1972
x	1974	November	8	30M	1972
	1975	not made
x	1976	February	8	30M	1972
x	1977	October	8	24M	1972
	1978	not made
x	1979	February	8	20M	1972
x	1980	March	9A	19M	1972
x	1981	February	9A	20M	1972
x	1982	January	9A	20M	1972
x	1982	December	9A	25M	1982
x	1983	October	9A	22M	1982
x	1984	August	9A	22M	1982
x	1985	August	9A	22M	1982
x	1986	June	9A	25M	1982
x	1987	May	9A	25M	1982
x	1988	February	9A	25M	1982
x	1989	February	9A	25M	1982
x	1990	January	9A	25M	1982
x	1991	January	9A	25M	1982
x	1992	January	9A	27M	1982
x	1993	January	9A	27M	1982
x	1994	January	9A	27M
x	1995	January	9A	29M
x	1995	December	9A	25M
x	1996	September	9B		1996						revised 1996 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
x	1997	September	9B		1996						revised 1996 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
x	1998		9B		1996
x	1999		9B
x	2000		9B
x	2001		9B
x	2002		9B
x	2003		9B
x	2003		9C-1
x	2004		9C-1
x	2005		9C-1
x	2006		9C-1
x	2007		9C-2
x	2007		9C-2								2nd printing
x	2008		10A
x	2009		10B
x	2010		10C
	2011	not made
x	2012		10C
x	2013		10C
x	2014		10C
x	2015		10C
	2016	not made
x	2017		10C
	2018	not made
x	2019		10D
x	2020		10D
	2021	not made
x	2022		10D
x	2023		10D
x	2024		10D		2023	35928	7301766602082	660208	300069374
x	2025		11A		2025	35928	7301766602082	660208	300082807

Earned and rank by year

Year	Earned	Rank	Of
1972	13,299	36	124
1973	12,522	45	122
1974	31,526	26	121
1975	42,140	20	128
1976	40,858	18	130
1977	35,466	20	130
1978	30,513	22	131
1979	30,106	19	132
1980	23,406	16	132
1981	34,893	16	134
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993	7,955	54	123
1994
1995
1996	45,973	17	134
1997
1998
1999
2000	47,232	17	128
2001	46,940	15	129
2002	52,449	16	129
2003	50,617	16	130
2004	53,691	13	121
2005	51,197	12	121
2006	51,334	11	121
2007	49,861	11	121
2008	50,240	12	121
2009	56,330	11	122
2010	56,793	11	125
2011	53,459	11	129
2012	54,529	10	132
2013	53,273	6	129
2014	48,299	12	136
2015	51,105	11	138
2016	50,251	11	138
2017	49,287	10	139
2018	48,393	12	139
2019	48,464	7	139
2020	40,897	5	137
2021		17	137
2022		11	138
2023		11	138
2024		11	138
2025		8	141