What score do you need to pass the CPA Exam?

Asked by: Estel Cremin  |  Last update: October 3, 2023
Score: 4.1/5 (55 votes)

CPA exam scores are evaluated on a scale of 0 to 99 and to pass you must get a minimum of 75 points in every exam section.

What is the passing score for the CPA Exam?

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.

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.

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 pass the CPA Exam on the first try?

The overall pass rate for each section of the CPA exam hovers around 50%, but how many people manage to pass all four sections 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.

CPA Exam Scoring System (Explained in Layman Terms)

23 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.”

Which part of CPA exam is hardest?

Often considered the most difficult exam, Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) has had the lowest passing scores of the four exams. The amount of material CPA Exam candidates have to learn for the exam, coupled with the combination of memorization and application, makes this exam more difficult.

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 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.

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%.

How many people never pass CPA Exam?

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 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.

Is passing the CPA impressive?

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

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.

How long should you study for CPA Exam?

For the average candidate, you should plan to commit a total of 300-400 hours to your study and review period across all 4 sections in total. The goal of 300+ hours of studying gives you 80 to 100 hours for each section of the test.

What is the highest CPA score?

The maximum score possible is a 99. In the accounting world, aspiring CPAs strive for a 75, the minimum passing score of the challenging assessment. “And Dr. [Ronald] Guidry would always say, if you score much higher than that, you're doing too much,” Hartley said.

Who is the youngest CPA?

Her name is Belicia Cespedes and she was just 17 years old when she passed her CPA Exam. You read that right, 17. Which pretty much makes Belicia the world's youngest CPA.

Can you get a 74 on the CPA exam?

Your 74 on the CPA Exam does not mean you were one point away from passing. Instead, your 74 means once they determined you failed, they compared your score with other people that failed and determine you performed better than them but still failed.

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.

Why do so many people fail the CPA?

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.

How many hours to study for CPA retake?

You only need 2-6 weeks to study for this retake assuming you can put in around 15-20 hours per week of CPA exam study time. The less time you give yourself and the higher intensity you study the better. This will help you avoid burnout.

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.

What's the easiest CPA exam?

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).

What state has the easiest CPA requirements?

Colorado's (CO) CPA exam requirements are possibly the most advantageous of all the states. It does not require 150 hours to sit. 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.

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.