How many times do people fail the CPA?

Asked by: Ms. Bernadette Haley  |  Last update: July 23, 2023
Score: 4.6/5 (53 votes)

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%.

How many times can you fail CPA exam?

You may take any unpassed section of the Uniform CPA Exam year-round. Your only restriction is waiting to receive your score from a previous attempt of the same section. Additionally, there is no limit as to the amount of times you may repeat a failed section.

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.

What percent of people fail CPA?

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.

How many people fail CPA exam first time?

You've probably heard quite a bit of intimidating details about how hard it is — it's long, it requires hundreds of hours of study time, it's so difficult that the average CPA Exam passing rate for first-time candidates is only 50%.

Failed the CPA Exam 19 Times

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Is passing the CPA impressive?

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

Why is the CPA so hard to pass?

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 is the lowest CPA pass rate?

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 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.

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.”

Is the CPA Exam really that hard?

The overall CPA Exam pass rates hover slightly below 50%. This makes passing the CPA Exam a difficult, but achievable, goal. You'll need to study wisely, set a strategy for managing your time, and call on your support network, but with the right plan and good study materials, you will conquer it.

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.

What happens if I fail CPA?

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.

How long does it take the average person to pass the CPA Exam?

You must complete all the CPA exam sections within 18 months for successful licensure. An average CPA candidate requires 9-14 months to pass all the sections of the CPA Examination. However, this period may vary as per your familiarity with the material, acquired skills, and study time devoted.

How long does it take to pass a CPA Exam after failing?

If you failed an exam section, missed your NTS scheduling window or failed to pass all CPA exam sections within the 18-month window, you will need to reapply for the failed or expired sections. This can be quite expensive, but sometimes unavoidable, even with sufficient preparation and time scheduling.

What is the easiest CPA section to pass?

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

Is CPA math heavy?

Accounting isn't hard-core math. It's basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Possibly some light, entry-level algebra, but that's it. You don't have to understand calculus.

Which CPA is the easiest?

So, we know that BEC is widely considered to be the easiest CPA exam, but where are the other CPA exam sections in order of difficulty? After BEC, the next easiest CPA exam is Regulation (REG). At 60.7%, it has a similar pass rate to BEC (based on the most recent cumulative results).

Does a 75 pass 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.

Are less people getting their CPA?

The number of individuals entering the workforce with that credential is decreasing. The pandemic has played a part in the decline because it spurred short-term closings and various restrictions at CPA testing centers, according to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' (AICPA's) 2021 Trends Report.

Is a 75 on the CPA exam 75%?

Most CPA candidates know they need a “75” on each of the four exam sections to pass the CPA Exam, but “75” does not mean answering 75% of the questions right. Rather, 75 is the amount of points a candidate has earned for answering questions correctly, and different questions are worth different amounts of points.

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.

Does GPA matter for CPA?

Is There a GPA Requirement for CPA? No, there is no GPA requirement to take the CPA exam or get your CPA license—you just need to meet the education requirements and obtain a 4-year degree plus additional credit hours. However, if you have dreams of working for The Big 4, you'll want to maintain a 3.5 GPA or higher.

Can you get a 100 on CPA?

You can get a score that ranges from 0 to 99 in each of the four sections of the CPA exam. The scores are calculated using a weighted combination of scaled scores from each of the portions in the different sections of the exam.