Is it okay to fail CPA Exam?

Asked by: Nils Denesik  |  Last update: December 3, 2023
Score: 4.8/5 (32 votes)

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.

Is it normal to fail CPA Exam?

Is it normal to fail the CPA exam? Yes, stats show that around 80% of CPA candidates fail at least one section fo the CPA exam. The average pass rate for one section is around 45-55%. FAR being the lowest passed section and BEC being the highest.

What happens if you fail the CPA test?

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 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.

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 I Passed the CPA While Working Full-Time (FIRST TRY)

39 related questions found

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 lowest CPA pass rate?

Visit our BEC CPA exam guide for more information and tips! FAR: While we saw a slight increase from Q1'22 to Q2'22, that was short lived as the pass rate dropped below 45% on average for 2022. With a pass rate of 44.3% in Q3'22, FAR continues to have the lowest pass rate.

Is passing the CPA impressive?

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

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.

What happens if you don't pass all CPA exams in 18 months?

The second time limit: passing all 4 sections within 18 months. Once you have passed your first section of the CPA Exam, a new timer begins counting down. You have 18 months to pass the remaining three sections of the CPA Exam; if you do not pass them all, you'll lose credit for the first section you passed.

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.

Is CPA Exam getting harder?

Is the New CPA Exam Harder? I hate to be a downer, but yes it is. Candidates typically have more problems with the task-based simulation portion of the exam and now that portion is worth more and covers more topics. It will also require a different way of thinking.

Why do so many people fail CPA exams?

Studying Inefficiently (Or Studying the Wrong Material)

Candidates who have disciplined study plans are more likely to pass the exam the first time around! Another common mistake that candidates make is not researching what specific concepts will be tested on the exam.

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.

Does your CPA Exam score matter?

It is vital to note that employers only care if you passed the CPA exam. They are less interested in your final score or how you performed in each section. Therefore, it's important to keep in mind that you don't need to worry about whether your passing scores will play a role in employment or promotion.

What age do most people pass 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.

Is CPA Exam harder than 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.”

Has the CPA gotten easier?

People always wonder if the cpa exam is harder than it used to be. Don't worry about the cpa exam difficulty increasing over time. If you are already worried about this, then you are just preparing your excuse. If you look at the test scores over the years, test scores have been going up.

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 US 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).

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.

What state has the highest CPA pass rate?

In 2019, the jurisdictions with the highest pass rates were: Utah (66.0%), Wisconsin (63.4%) and Iowa (62.2%).

What is the average score on the CPA exam?

Furthermore, the average CPA exam score for FAR among all test takers is below passing: around 68.6.

How long should I study for the CPA?

How long does it take to study for each section of the CPA Exam? It takes the average candidate 350 to 450 hours to study for the CPA Exam. Historically, the rule was that once you passed your first test section , you'd have 18 months to pass the remaining three sections.