Six Sigma Green Belt

The Certified Six Sigma Green Belt (CSSGB) credential is awarded by the American Society for Quality (ASQ), a global membership organization for quality professionals. It validates that you understand the Six Sigma tools and methods in the CSSGB Body of Knowledge and can apply them to solve problems within the DMAIC model, and it is recognized by employers in manufacturing, healthcare, finance, technology, government, and service industries.

Exam Pattern

The computer-based exam contains 110 multiple-choice questions, each with four options and one correct answer. 100 questions are scored and 10 are unscored pretest items that ASQ is evaluating for future exams; they are mixed in with the scored items and look exactly like them, so treat every question as if it counts. Candidates have 4 hours and 18 minutes to answer the questions, and the total appointment, including the tutorial and survey, is about four and a half hours. That is about 2 minutes 20 seconds per question.

The exam is open book: you may bring reference materials permitted by ASQ's reference-materials policy, such as textbooks and your own organized notes. Questions range from recalling definitions to applying tools and performing calculations, so a calculator and a well-tabbed formula reference are essential. The computer-based exam is delivered in English at Prometric test centers, and remote proctoring is also available. A paper-based version (100 questions, four hours) is offered at certain ASQ-sponsored events, including in Mandarin at some locations.

The CSSGB Body of Knowledge

The exam follows the CSSGB Body of Knowledge (BoK), which ASQ organizes into six sections: an overview of Six Sigma and the organization, followed by the five DMAIC phases. The content review in this guide uses the same six sections, in the same order.

BoKSection	MainTopics
I Overview: Six Sigma and the .	SixSigmaandorganizationalgoals·Leanprinciples·DesignforSixSigmamethodologies
Organization	andFMEA
II DefinePhase .	Projectidentification·Voiceofthecustomer·Projectmanagementbasics·Managementand
	planningtools·Businessresultsforprojects·Teamdynamicsandperformance
III MeasurePhase .	Processanalysisanddocumentation·Probabilityandstatistics·Statisticaldistributions·
	Collectingandsummarizingdata·Measurementsystemanalysis·Processandperformance
	capability
IV AnalyzePhase .	Exploratory data analysis · Hypothesis testing · Additional analysis methods (gap analysis ,
	rootcauseanalysis)
V ImprovePhase .	Designofexperiments·Implementationplanning·Leantools
VI ControlPhase .	Statisticalprocesscontrol·Sustainimprovements·Leantoolsforprocesscontrol

Scoring and Results

ASQ reports results on a scale on which 550 out of a possible 750 is required to pass. Scoring is criterion-referenced: the passing standard is set by subject matter experts, so your performance is compared with that standard, not with other candidates. Only the 100 scored questions count, and there is no penalty for a wrong answer, so answer every question. For the computer-based exam, official results are emailed by ASQ within about seven days, and candidates who do not pass receive a breakdown of their performance by BoK section.

Exam at a Glance

ExamAspect	Details
Administeredby	AmericanSocietyforQuality(ASQ)
Questions	Computer-based: 110 multiple-choice questions (100 scored 10 unscored); paper-based: 100 ,
	questions
Time	Computer-based: 4 hours 18 minutes (about 4 .5 hours total appointment); paper-based: 4 hours
Format	Open book; computer-delivered at Prometric test centers or by remote proctoring; English
Passingscore	550onascaleto750
Examfee	US$483;ASQmemberssave$100ontheinitialexamfee
Retakes	ReducedretakefeeofUS$283whenyoureapplywithintwoyearsofthepreviousattempt
Recertification	Nonerequired:theCSSGBisalifetimecertification

Eligibility

ASQ requires three years of on-the-job experience in one or more of the areas of the CSSGB Body of Knowledge, earned in a full-time, paid role. Experience is documented with the application. ASQ membership is not required, although members pay a lower fee. Testing accommodations are available for candidates with qualifying needs and are requested through the application process.

Other Green Belt Credentials

Several organizations offer Green Belt credentials with different rules. The International Association for Six Sigma Certification (IASSC), for example, offers a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt exam with 100 scored questions in 3 hours, closed book, a 70% passing standard, no experience prerequisite, and recertification every three years. The tools and concepts in this guide apply to every Green Belt body of knowledge, but always confirm the format and policies of the credential you are pursuing.