How many questions are on the CPA Exam?

Asked by: Felipe Powlowski  |  Last update: August 15, 2023
Score: 4.2/5 (33 votes)

CPA Exam Structure
The CPA exam has 276 multiple-choice questions, 28 task-based simulations, and three writing portions. These are divided into four main sections: Auditing and Attestation (AUD)

How many questions do you need to pass the CPA?

What is passing score for CPA exam? There are four sections to the CPA exam, and you must score a minimum of 75 (on a scale of 0 to 99) to pass in each.

Is 75 passing on the CPA Exam?

To pass a CPA Exam section, you must score a minimum of 75. Have you ever wondered how the AICPA calculates your CPA Exam section scores? Scores are reported on a scale that ranges from 0 to 99.

How many questions are on each part of the CPA Exam?

Number and Types of Questions on the CPA Exam. The total number of questions for all of the exam sections is 307, with an average of 77 questions per section. In the CPA Exam blueprints, the AICPA breaks down the content of the four exam sections into areas, groups, and topics.

What is the pass rate for the 4 CPA exams?

The Uniform CPA Examination pass rate percentages are released by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and historically average around 45%-55%, varying by quarter and section.

CPA Exam Scoring System (Explained in Layman Terms)

41 related questions found

Which is harder CPA or bar?

Just look at the pass rates for first time exam takers. You passed the bar, but the CPA Exam will be much more difficult,” came the advice from my CPA friends. My attorney colleagues had this to say, “Well, after studying for and taking the Bar Exam, the CPA Exam will be a piece of cake for you.”

How many people pass CPA on first try?

About half of the individuals who take the CPA Exam don't pass on their first attempt. According to the AICPA, the national average pass rate is 45-55%. Cumulative pass rates reported by the AICPA for the calendar year 2021 show that FAR had the lowest pass rate at 44.54% and BEC had the highest pass rate at 61.94%.

What is the easiest CPA Exam to take first?

What is the easiest part of the CPA exam? BEC has the highest pass rate and is considered the easiest CPA exam section.

Is the CPA Exam very hard?

The CPA exam is notoriously difficult for a number of reasons. Overall, it covers an extensive amount of information—everything newly licensed CPAs will need to know to perform their jobs well. And each section of the exam has its own unique challenges.

What score passes the CPA Exam?

How is the CPA Exam graded? The minimum CPA Exam passing score is 75 points, but that doesn't necessarily mean you need to answer 75% of questions correctly in order to pass.

Is it common to fail the CPA Exam?

Just know that you're not alone—the CPA Exam is hard. The CPA Exam has a pass rate of around 50%. So, though millions of candidates have passed the CPA Exam, many first faced failure along the way. Remember, not passing the CPA Exam doesn't mean you can't do this.

How many times can you retake CPA Exam?

How many times can I retake the CPA exam? You can retake it as many times as you want, but you can only take each section once per testing window.

What is the average age to pass the CPA Exam?

CPA Exam Rate by Age

As per the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), the average age of qualified candidates in 2016 was 28.9 years at one of the examinations. In 2015, a NASBA report observed that the mean age of successful candidates was 29, with the median age being 25 years.

What is the hardest to easiest CPA Exam?

FAR had the lowest pass rates, while BEC had the highest. AUD had the second-lowest pass rate, and REG had the second-highest pass rate. Therefore, the pass rates tell us that the hardest section of the CPA Exam is FAR, and the easiest section of the CPA Exam is BEC.

Is passing the CPA impressive?

A CPA designation is commonly recognized as difficult to achieve, making the certification even more impressive when earned.

Is passing the CPA Exam a big deal?

CPAs Get Better Opportunities

It doesn't matter whether you are working as a public accountant or an internal accountant at a company. Once you pass your exam, doors will open for you. Public firms will allow you to advance up the hierarchy into senior positions that could even lead to becoming a partner one day.

What is the hardest subject in CPA?

Here are the major topics that make up the structure of each of the CPA Exam sections.
  • Auditing & Attestation. ...
  • Financial Accounting & Reporting. ...
  • Business Environment & Concepts. ...
  • Regulation. ...
  • CPA Exam sections—hardest to easiest.
  • Among the four sections, FAR has a reputation for being the hardest. ...
  • Scoring weights.

What is the hardest topic on the CPA exam?

In many ways, the BEC section of the CPA Exam is the hardest section for candidates. While many exam students have education and experience in the areas of financial accounting, audit and tax, BEC covers content that some students may not have much exposure.

Is CPA hardest exam in the world?

The short answer is that the CPA exam is difficult. It is perhaps not the most difficult professional exam (most claim that the CFA exam is harder), but it's definitely not easy. Prepare to spend 300+ hours studying in total.

Is the CPA Exam open book?

All tests are open-book. You have three opportunities to take the exam within one year from date of purchase. After submitting your answers, you will receive your score immediately.

What is the shortest CPA Exam to study for?

There are several reasons why the BEC section is considered the easiest section of the four. In addition to the fact that it covers the least material and is of the shortest of the four exam sections, BEC also does not have any simulation questions; however, it does contain 3 written communication questions.

How long should I study for one CPA Exam?

Studying for the CPA Exam

We recommend that you spend approximately 150 hours studying for the Financial section, 120 hours studying for the Regulation section, 90 hours studying for the Auditing section and 90 hours studying for the Business section.

What happens if you fail one of the CPA exams?

If you did not pass a section of the CPA Exam, you have to wait until the next testing window to retake that section. There are four testing windows each year. The testing window is the first two months of each quarter and the first 10 days of the third month of each quarter.

Is CPA Exam multiple choice?

CPA Exam Structure

The CPA exam has 276 multiple-choice questions, 28 task-based simulations, and three writing portions. These are divided into four main sections: Auditing and Attestation (AUD) Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR)

Can you take all 4 parts of the CPA Exam at the same time?

You are not required to take all four parts of the CPA Exam at the same time. However, you can schedule multiple sections of the exam at any time and even take multiple parts of the exam on the same day. Gleim recommends you take one exam section at a time to help you focus on passing each section.