Is the CPA exam more difficult than the bar exam?
Asked by: Mayra Brown | Last update: December 15, 2025Score: 4.7/5 (9 votes)
The CPA Exam. You've heard the horror stories: It's derailed the careers of promising professionals. It's definitely harder than the BAR exam and maybe even some medical board exams. And it's nearly impossible to pass once you're a working professional.
Which is harder, CPA or bar exam?
The only reason why the CPA has a reputation for being harder than the BAR is because there are four sections of the exam to take (5 including Ethics.) The exam sections themselves don't really test at a high level but, like the BAR, there's a lot of information to know for each part.
Is it harder to become a lawyer or CPA?
Keep in mind, the Bar exam has much more difficult requirements to even sit for the exam—you need to go to law school, which is quite a commitment, both financially and in terms of time. While the CPA requires accounting experience and coursework, there's a lower bar for entry for this test.
Is the CPA Exam the hardest professional exam?
The CPA Exam is considered one of the hardest professional exams because of the amount of information it covers and how long it is (16 hours divided between 4 exam sections).
How many people pass all four CPA exams first try?
The overall pass rate of the CPA Exam hovers around 50%, but how many people manage to pass all four sections—including three core and one discipline—on the first try? About 20%. Around 1 in 2 people will pass a specific section of the exam, and about 1 in 5 people will pass each section on their first try.
How I Passed The CPA Exam & Is The CPA Worth It?
Is the CPA harder than the MCAT?
The CPA exam is widely regarded as the most challenging professional examination for a few reasons. Its length, number of topics, and technical details covered typically rank it harder than the BAR and MCAT.
How many times can I fail the CPA?
Unlimited Retakes: You can retake the CPA exam sections as many times as needed. However, you must pass all sections within 18 to 30 months after passing the first section.
Which is the 3 toughest exam in the world?
- Gaokao Exam in China.
- IIT JEE Advanced.
- Civil Services Exam (CSE)/UPSC.
- All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam.
- USMLE.
- Master Sommelier Diploma Exam.
- ICAI CA/ ICMAI Exams.
- CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert)
Has anyone gotten a 100 on the CPA Exam?
Any score of 75 or above on the scaled score of 0 to 99 is considered passing. Has anyone gotten a 100 on the CPA exam? It is highly unlikely for anyone to score a 100 on the CPA exam.
Which state has the easiest CPA Exam?
With no requirement to be a US Citizen, a resident of CO, or a certain age, it makes Colorado one of the easiest states to sit for the CPA exam and become licensed. Be sure to follow each caption below to ensure that you are qualified to sit for the exam.
How prestigious is a CPA?
A CPA license is considered very prestigious: The CPA license is the most widely recognized professional credential in the accounting industry.
What is the hardest CPA subject?
Among the three core sections, FAR has a reputation for being the hardest, and it typically has the lowest pass rate. AUD and REG tend to be middle of the road.
Is CPA harder than LSAT?
Some candidates claim that it's easier to study for the LSAT than the CPA Exam and that the LSAT requires fewer study hours to get a good score. The CPA Exam requires a lot of memorization, and most candidates need to take several practice exams before they can pass.
Do CPAs make more than lawyers?
Key Differences. Overall, lawyers can expect to earn a median salary of about $145,760, according to 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data. 5 Half earn more than that, and half earn less. Comparatively, accountants earn a median salary of just $79,880.
What's the hardest license to get?
The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) takes the top spot as the most challenging exam in the US, with an average preparation time ranging from 200 to 400 hours for each of its three steps.
What is the toughest exam for CPA?
Auditing and Attestation (AUD) Auditing and Attestation (AUD) contains more subjective material than any other section of the CPA Exam and is often considered one of the more difficult exams.
Is a 75% on the CPA Exam passing?
CPA Exam Scoring Process: The CPA exam is scored using a weighted combination of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and task-based simulations (TBSs). Minimum Passing Score: You need a scaled score of 75 to pass, which doesn't necessarily mean answering 75% of questions correctly.
What is the average age to pass the CPA Exam?
Benefits of taking the CPA Exam later in your career
While the average CPA Exam candidate is just 29 years old,3 there are no age limitations on who can become a CPA. In fact, if you're mature in your career, there are many benefits of earning your CPA license later in your career.
How many 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%.
Which is the no. 1 toughest exam?
1. UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) The most toughest exam in India is UPSC CSE, held annually by the Union Public Service Commission for recruiting candidates into civil services such as IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, and associated roles. The eligibility to appear for UPSC is a recognized university graduation.
What is the hardest accounting exam in the world?
CFA, also known as Chartered Financial Analyst, is also known to be one of the hardest exams in the world. It is a way of testing the financial knowledge of the aspiring finance professionals. It was reported that in 2023, 16,959 students sat for the level 1 exam.
What is the toughest American exam?
- American Mensa Admission Test. The American Mensa Admission Test is designed to be tough. ...
- California Bar Exam. One of the requirements to practice law in California is passing the California Bar Exam administered by the State Bar of California. ...
- Chartered Financial Analyst Exams.
Why is CPA so hard?
Each section has an incredible amount of material to cover when studying. That's one of the main reasons why the CPA Exam is so difficult—and there's no way to cut that down. It makes efficiency crucial when studying so you can get through all the material and truly understand it and be able to apply it later.
Do I have to pay again if I fail CPA Exam?
All re-examination candidates are required to pay the CPA Exam retake fees, which include both the re-application and examination fee.
What is the most failed CPA Exam?
Financial Accounting & Reporting (FAR)
Candidates we've surveyed say that FAR is the most difficult section of the CPA Exam. It consistently has the lowest passing rate likely due to the large volume of information in the section and the need to fully understand concepts rather than simply memorize them.