Safety Merit Badge History

Earned through 20202,959,333

Best year199364,097 earned

All-time popularity#10official, as of 2020#10by 2025 (estimate)

Earned by Year

First earned in 1927. Peak year 1993 with 64,097. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

19278,317 earned#18 of 68

19284,539 earned#31 of 88

19293,863 earned#33 of 89

19303,599 earned#35 of 92

19314,097 earned#36 of 96

19324,835 earned#32 of 98

193322,413 earned#7 of 101

193421,427 earned#6 of 101

193525,610 earned#7 of 101

193623,396 earned#6 of 101

193725,641 earned#6 of 102

193831,510 earned#5 of 105

193935,403 earned#3 of 106

194035,750 earned#3 of 106

194131,751 earned#4 of 106

194231,736 earned#4 of 110

194334,732 earned#3 of 112

194441,603 earned#3 of 111

194540,116 earned#4 of 111

194630,807 earned#4 of 111

194726,992 earned#4 of 111

194825,360 earned#5 of 111

194929,179 earned#6 of 111

195033,037 earned#6 of 111

195136,380 earned#6 of 111

195236,369 earned#5 of 120

195328,449 earned#7 of 105

195433,855 earned#8 of 103

195536,947 earned#9 of 100

195637,332 earned#10 of 100

195737,912 earned#9 of 100

195839,136 earned#10 of 101

195939,228 earned#10 of 101

196043,126 earned#12 of 100

196146,386 earned#12 of 101

196245,513 earned#12 of 101

196347,331 earned#12 of 102

196454,053 earned#10 of 107

196553,432 earned#9 of 109

196652,928 earned#9 of 110

196755,189 earned#9 of 112

196853,117 earned#11 of 112

196954,723 earned#11 of 113

197052,427 earned#11 of 113

197150,527 earned#11 of 113

197248,270 earned#11 of 124

197346,062 earned#12 of 122

197445,389 earned#16 of 121

197550,380 earned#13 of 128

197646,412 earned#14 of 130

197742,862 earned#13 of 130

197837,282 earned#13 of 131

197935,581 earned#11 of 132

198028,406 earned#10 of 132

198142,240 earned#10 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

199364,097 earned#6 of 123

1994No data available

1995No data available

199656,311 earned#10 of 134

1997No data available

1998No data available

1999No data available

20008,099 earned#56 of 128

20015,451 earned#69 of 129

20025,030 earned#75 of 129

20034,936 earned#78 of 130

20044,637 earned#85 of 121

20054,040 earned#88 of 121

20064,123 earned#87 of 121

20073,605 earned#90 of 121

20083,661 earned#92 of 121

20094,304 earned#91 of 122

20104,088 earned#92 of 125

20114,128 earned#89 of 129

20123,824 earned#86 of 132

20134,349 earned#64 of 129

20143,778 earned#101 of 136

20153,937 earned#98 of 138

20164,267 earned#93 of 138

20173,280 earned#105 of 139

20183,322 earned#107 of 139

20193,208 earned#105 of 139

20206,305 earned#50 of 137

2021No data available#104 of 137

2022No data available#103 of 138

2023No data available#108 of 138

2024No data available#109 of 138

2025No data available#114 of 141

Known count No data available

"—" means merit badges were earned that year but the exact number is not currently known. "#114 of 141" means the badge was number 114 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.

19278,317#18 of 68

19284,539#31 of 88

19293,863#33 of 89

19303,599#35 of 92

19314,097#36 of 96

19324,835#32 of 98

193322,413#7 of 101

193421,427#6 of 101

193525,610#7 of 101

193623,396#6 of 101

193725,641#6 of 102

193831,510#5 of 105

193935,403#3 of 106

194035,750#3 of 106

194131,751#4 of 106

194231,736#4 of 110

194334,732#3 of 112

194441,603#3 of 111

194540,116#4 of 111

194630,807#4 of 111

194726,992#4 of 111

194825,360#5 of 111

194929,179#6 of 111

195033,037#6 of 111

195136,380#6 of 111

195236,369#5 of 120

195328,449#7 of 105

195433,855#8 of 103

195536,947#9 of 100

195637,332#10 of 100

195737,912#9 of 100

195839,136#10 of 101

195939,228#10 of 101

196043,126#12 of 100

196146,386#12 of 101

196245,513#12 of 101

196347,331#12 of 102

196454,053#10 of 107

196553,432#9 of 109

196652,928#9 of 110

196755,189#9 of 112

196853,117#11 of 112

196954,723#11 of 113

197052,427#11 of 113

197150,527#11 of 113

197248,270#11 of 124

197346,062#12 of 122

197445,389#16 of 121

197550,380#13 of 128

197646,412#14 of 130

197742,862#13 of 130

197837,282#13 of 131

197935,581#11 of 132

198028,406#10 of 132

198142,240#10 of 134

1982—

1983—

1984—

1985—

1986—

1987—

1988—

1989—

1990—

1991—

1992—

199364,097#6 of 123

1994—

1995—

199656,311#10 of 134

1997—

1998—

1999—

20008,099#56 of 128

20015,451#69 of 129

20025,030#75 of 129

20034,936#78 of 130

20044,637#85 of 121

20054,040#88 of 121

20064,123#87 of 121

20073,605#90 of 121

20083,661#92 of 121

20094,304#91 of 122

20104,088#92 of 125

20114,128#89 of 129

20123,824#86 of 132

20134,349#64 of 129

20143,778#101 of 136

20153,937#98 of 138

20164,267#93 of 138

20173,280#105 of 139

20183,322#107 of 139

20193,208#105 of 139

20206,305#50 of 137

2021—#104 of 137

2022—#103 of 138

2023—#108 of 138

2024—#109 of 138

2025—#114 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.

Safety: workbook data

Printings (110)

Have	Year	Month	Cover	Run	©	HC	Notes
c	1919		1C				hb 20th edition reference
c	1920		1C				hb 20th edition reference
	1921	not made
	1922	not made
c	1923		2				safety first - 15c Radio
	1924	not made
x	1925		3A-1		1925		safety first - intro 1 - page iv ends with 200 Fifth Ave address
x	1925		3A-1		1925		safety first - intro 2 - page iv ends with 200 Fifth Ave address
x	1926		3A-2				safety first
c	1926		3A-2				safety first-with pasted 1927 requirements
x	1926		3A-2				safety first-with pasted 1928 requirements
	1927		3A-2				safety first
x	1927		3A-3
c	1928		3A-2				safety first
x	1928		3B
x	1929		3B
x	1930	March	3B
x	1930	August	3B
c	1931	August	3B
c	1932	May	3B	1M
x	1933	March	3B	1M
x	1933	August	3B	1M
x	1933	November	3B	1M
x	1934	March	3B	3M
x	1935	January	3B	3M
x	1935	October	3B	4M
x	1935	October	3C	4M
	1936	not made
x	1937	February	3C	3M
x	1938	March	3D	1.5M
x	1938	April	3D	3M
x	1939	April	3D	3M
x	1939	November	4	4M
x	1940	September	4	4M
x	1941	June	4	4M
x	1942	March	4	5M
x	1943	February	4	6M	1943
x	1944	April	5A	7M	1943	HCC
x	1945	January	5B	10M	1943
x	1945	October	5B	5M	1943
x	1946	March	5B	10M	1943	HCE
	1947	not made
x	1948	February	5B	7M	1943	HCF
x	1949	February	5B	7M	1943
x	1950	January	5B	7M	1943
x	1950	November	5B	8M	1943
x	1951	September	5B	10M	1943
x	1952	May	5B	12M	1943
x	1953	May	6A	12M	1943
x	1954	July	6A	18M	1943
x	1955	June	6A	18M	1943	HCJV1
x	1956	April	6A	20M	1943
x	1957	April	6A	20M	1943
x	1958	January	6B	30M	1958
x	1958	November	6B	20M	1958	HCJV1
x	1959	November	6B	20M	1958
x	1960	May	6B	20M	1958	HCJV2
x	1961	January	6B	25M	1958	HCJV2
x	1962	January	6B	25M	1958	HCJV2
x	1962	December	6B	28M	1958	HCJV2
x	1963	December	6B	30M	1958	HCK
x	1964	July	6B	35M	1958	HCK
x	1965	July	6B	35M	1958	HCK
x	1966	August	7A	30M	1958
x	1967	June	7A	35M	1958	HCL
x	1968	June	7A	35M	1958	HCL
x	1969	April	7A	40M	1958	HCL
x	1970	March	7A	42M	1958	HCL
	1971	March	7	25M
x	1971	August	7B	40M	1971	HCM
x	1972	July	7B	38M	1971	HCSV1
x	1973	September	8A-1	35M	1971	HCT
x	1974	April	8A-1	20M	1971
x	1975	June	8A-2	20M	1971
x	1976	March	8A-2	30M	1971
x	1977	March	8A-2	28M	1971
x	1978	May	8A-2	24M	1971
x	1979	August	9A	24M	1971
x	1980	July	9A	22M	1971
x	1981	June	9A	25M	1971
x	1982	May	9A	25M	1971
x	1983	July	9A	20M	1971
x	1984	March	9A	26M	1971
x	1985	February	9A	25M	1971
x	1986	March	9B	25M	1986
x	1986	November	9B	30M	1986
x	1987	November	9B	25M	1986
x	1988	August	9B	25M	1986
x	1989	April	9B	30M	1986
x	1990	January	9B	30M	1986
c	1990	March	9B	2M	1986
x	1991	June	9B	30M	1986
x	1992	August	9B	30M	1986
x	1993	May	9B	30M	1986
x	1994	October	9B	28M	1986
x	1995	August	9B	28M	1986
x	1996	August	9B	30M	1986
	1997	not made
x	1998		9C-1		1997		front shows only © 1997-revised 1997-back of book date states mb list current thru january 1, 1998
c	1999		9		1997
x	1999		9C-2				2nd printing
	2000	not made
	2001	not made
	2002	not made
x	2003		9C-2
	2004	not made
	2005	not made
x	2006		9D
x	2007		9D
x	2008		10A
x	2009		10B
x	2010		10C
	2011	not made
	2012	not made
x	2013		10C
x	2014		10C
x	2015		10C
	2016	not made
x	2017		10C
	2018	not made
x	2019		10D
x	2020		10D
x	2021		10D
x	2022		10D
x	2023		10D
	2024	not made
	2025	not made

Earned and rank by year

Year	Earned	Rank	Of
1927	8,317	18	68
1928	4,539	31	88
1929	3,863	33	89
1930	3,599	35	92
1931	4,097	36	96
1932	4,835	32	98
1933	22,413	7	101
1934	21,427	6	101
1935	25,610	7	101
1936	23,396	6	101
1937	25,641	6	102
1938	31,510	5	105
1939	35,403	3	106
1940	35,750	3	106
1941	31,751	4	106
1942	31,736	4	110
1943	34,732	3	112
1944	41,603	3	111
1945	40,116	4	111
1946	30,807	4	111
1947	26,992	4	111
1948	25,360	5	111
1949	29,179	6	111
1950	33,037	6	111
1951	36,380	6	111
1952	36,369	5	120
1953	28,449	7	105
1954	33,855	8	103
1955	36,947	9	100
1956	37,332	10	100
1957	37,912	9	100
1958	39,136	10	101
1959	39,228	10	101
1960	43,126	12	100
1961	46,386	12	101
1962	45,513	12	101
1963	47,331	12	102
1964	54,053	10	107
1965	53,432	9	109
1966	52,928	9	110
1967	55,189	9	112
1968	53,117	11	112
1969	54,723	11	113
1970	52,427	11	113
1971	50,527	11	113
1972	48,270	11	124
1973	46,062	12	122
1974	45,389	16	121
1975	50,380	13	128
1976	46,412	14	130
1977	42,862	13	130
1978	37,282	13	131
1979	35,581	11	132
1980	28,406	10	132
1981	42,240	10	134
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993	64,097	6	123
1994
1995
1996	56,311	10	134
1997
1998
1999
2000	8,099	56	128
2001	5,451	69	129
2002	5,030	75	129
2003	4,936	78	130
2004	4,637	85	121
2005	4,040	88	121
2006	4,123	87	121
2007	3,605	90	121
2008	3,661	92	121
2009	4,304	91	122
2010	4,088	92	125
2011	4,128	89	129
2012	3,824	86	132
2013	4,349	64	129
2014	3,778	101	136
2015	3,937	98	138
2016	4,267	93	138
2017	3,280	105	139
2018	3,322	107	139
2019	3,208	105	139
2020	6,305	50	137
2021		104	137
2022		103	138
2023		108	138
2024		109	138
2025		114	141