Pack 529 resumes regular meetings on Mon. 8/17/26!

RANKS & ADVANCEMENTS

About Ranks and Advancements

Cub Scouts are grouped by grade level into Dens. Cub Scouts may join between Kindergarten and 5th grade. Cub Scouts will work on required and elective adventures under the leadership of their Den Leader. As they progress through the Scouting program, Cub Scouts learn new skills and abilities, and are awarded with loops, pins, or patches to show their achievements. On the advancement trail, a Cub Scout progresses in their rank based on their grade level in school. Cub Scouts do not need to have earned the previous rank in order to earn the next; they begin at their appropriate level at the time they join Cub Scouts. Each of the ranks in Cub Scouting has its own requirements that are age appropriate, so earning a rank below a Cub Scout’s current grade is not permitted. As a Cub Scout advances through the ranks, the requirements get more challenging, to match the new skills and abilities they have learned.

The Advancement Trail

Cub Scouts has six ranks, each corresponding to a youth's grade level:

Lion – Kindergarten
Tiger – 1st Grade
Wolf – 2nd Grade
Bear – 3rd Grade
Webelos – 4th Grade (Fun fact: "Webelos" stands for "We'll Be Loyal Scouts.")
Arrow of Light – 5th Grade

Each rank includes age-appropriate requirements designed to support a Scout's learning, growth, and development.

Youth may join Cub Scouts at any time. They are not required to earn previous ranks before working toward the rank that matches their current grade level.

For an overview of the Cub Scout ranks and their advancement requirements, view the image on the right. You can also click the image to open a PDF version of the same chart.

To learn more about the advancement requirements for each rank, expand the sections below.