Did you know the CPA Exam pass rate for first-time test takers is around 50%? Notably, from 2021 to 2023, there has been a steady increase in pass rates across all sections of the CPA Exam, maintaining the cumulative pass rate around this mark.
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CPA Exam Pass Rates Key Takeaways
- The average CPA exam pass rate is around 50%.
- 2023 pass rates for the four sections of the CPA Exam range between 43-59%.
- BEC has the highest pass rate and FAR has the lowest pass rate.
- Note that BEC is no longer a section on the CPA Exam as of 2024.
- 9 out of 10 students who use UWorld CPA Review Courses pass all 4 sections of their CPA Exam.
TOP TOPICS OF THIS PAGE
- 2023 CPA Exam Pass Rates
- CPA Exam Pass Rates by Age
- How Is the CPA Exam Scored?
- Past CPA Exam Pass Rates
2023 CPA Exam Pass Rates
The most recent 2023 pass rates are available through Q3.
CPA Pass Rates 2023:
| Section | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUD | 47.01% | 48.24% | 45.64% | 46.92% |
| BEC (Retired Section) | 56.98% | 59.16% | 54.90% | 56.52% |
| FAR | 41.82% | 42.78% | 44.08% | 42.94% |
| REG | 58.63% | 59.71% | 59.13% | 59.19% |
As of 2024, the BEC exam section has been retired. At the end of 2023, there was a rush of candidates trying to pass BEC before the CPA Evolution changes took effect. This cramming approach led to a small drop in the cumulative 2023 BEC scores compared to previous years.
CPA Exam Pass Rates for 2021 and 2022
It takes a lot of study and practice to pass the CPA Exam, but you can do it! Below we break down pass rates by section, year, and quarter so you can get an idea of how you might perform. Please note that the CPA Exam has recently changed due to the 2024 CPA Evolution, and the below statistics reflect the old exam structure.
Overall, nearly 50% of candidates passed all sections in 2021 and 2022, with some sections having much higher pass rates closer to 60%.
In 2021 and 2022, the CPA rates show that more candidates passed the BEC section than any other, with FAR having the lowest CPA Exam pass rates across the board. Thus, you may conclude that FAR is the hardest section to pass and BEC was the easiest.
Students are often better at studying and test taking after completing other sections. Keep that in mind as you schedule your exam and decide whether to tackle the hardest or easiest CPA Exam section first, and consider building a personal schedule that takes into account that the FAR section has the most study content.
2022 Pass Rates
| Section | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUD | 47.35% | 49.13% | 48.67% | 47.21% | 47.90% |
| BEC | 57.33% | 61.53% | 59.91% | 60.30% | 59.85% |
| FAR | 45.95% | 45.66% | 44.30% | 40.67% | 43.76% |
| REG | 60.03% | 61.25% | 61.78% | 56.41% | 59.85% |
2021 Pass Rates:
| Section | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUD | 48.56% | 50.49% | 47.21% | 45.04% | 47.98% |
| BEC | 62.16% | 63.31% | 61.73% | 60.27% | 61.94% |
| FAR | 46.64% | 42.63% | 47.33% | 40.70% | 44.54% |
| REG | 59.29% | 58.81% | 63.12% | 57.78% | 59.88% |
CPA Exam Rates – Breaking Down Each Section
In 2023, the pass rate across all four sections ranged from 43-59% The 2024 CPA Evolution now introduces the discipline-core section model, eliminating BEC and incorporating the option to select between:
- Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR)
- Information Systems and Controls (ISC)
- Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP)
The three core sections that all candidates must take remain:
- Auditing and Attestation (AUD)
- Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR)
- Regulation (REG)
Let’s look at specific pass rates of each core section to understand how they relate to the CPA Exam overall.
AUD CPA Exam Pass Rates
In 2023, the cumulative pass rate for the AUD CPA Exam section through Q3 was 46.92%, making it the second lowest pass rate among all three core sections of the exam. Many candidates say that AUD includes confusing or challenging questions—particularly questions with multiple possible correct answers.
FAR CPA Exam Pass Rates
Through Q3 of 2023, the average cumulative pass rate for the FAR CPA Exam section was 42.94%.That gives FAR the lowest pass rate out of all three core sections of the CPA Exam. This follows typical trends as FAR has consistently had the lowest pass rate and is considered to be the hardest section of the exam. FAR contains a lot of dense information that can prove difficult for candidates to remember and apply on exam day.
REG CPA Exam Pass Rates
The REG CPA Exam section had a 59.19% average cumulative pass rate in 2023 through Q3. This section includes non-accounting topics including tax and business law, challenging candidates to understand the broader implications of accounting.
What Percentage Pass the CPA Exam the First Time?
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.
Learn more about the CPA Exam structure..
CPA Exam Pass Rates by Age
CPA Exam pass rates vary by age, with younger people (recent graduates) faring better than older candidates—sometimes by as much as 20%.
This is likely because older candidates have been out of school longer and have not been in the mindset to study and take tests in quite some time. But, if you have been out of school for a while, fear not! Older candidates who study with UWorld CPA Review do just fine on the exams, it may just take a little extra studying and practice time.
Here’s a breakdown of three years of pass rates based on the age of the candidates so you can see where you might fit in.
How Is the CPA Exam Scored?
It’s important to understand how the exam is scored so you can plan your CPA Exam prep for each section
For each section of the exam, your score will be between 0 to 99. To pass a section, you need a minimum score of 75.
Note that your CPA Exam score is not a percentage, and it should not be interpreted as such. CPA scores are also not curved.
Additionally, your scores for the AUD, FAR, and REG sections are a weighted combination of scores from the multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and task-based simulations (TBSs).
| Score Weighting | ||
|---|---|---|
| Section | Multiple-Choice Questions(MCQs) | Tasked Based Simulations (TBS) |
| AUD- Core | 50% | 50% |
| FAR-Core | 50% | 50% |
| REG – Core | 50% | 50% |
| ISC – Discipline | 60% | 40% |
| TCP- Discipline | 50% | 50% |
Some key takeaways on how the CPA Exam is scored:
- Scaled scores on the MCQ and TBS portions of the exam are calculated using formulas that take into account factors such as whether the question was answered correctly and the relative difficulty of each question.
- Scoring is fully automated for all exam components except written communication tasks. Most written communication responses on the retired BEC exam were scored by a computer grading program, which was calibrated using human scorers.
- Pretest questions are included in every exam (they may be multiple-choice questions or task-based simulations) only for the purpose of collecting data.
- Multiple-Choice (MC) Testlets are classified as either medium or difficult based on the average difficulty of the pre-selected panel of questions within that testlet. The first MC testlet is of medium difficulty, and the second testlet may be the same or more difficult depending on the performance in the first testlet. Only the first testlet is adaptive, and all testlets have questions ranging in difficulty.
- According to the AICPA, the CPA Exam passing score is determined by their Board of Examiners (BOE), who consider many factors and input from others like NASBA, consultant psychometricians, the academic community, and licensed CPAs, when making decisions.
For more information read theCPA Exam Frequently Asked Questions..
Past CPA Exam Pass Rates and Trends for 2020 and 2019
For more insights into how candidates have done historically on the CPA Exam, check out the charts below for data from 2020 and 2019.
2020 CPA Exam Pass Rate
| Section | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUD | 47.97% | 65.29% | 56.89% | 47.50% | 52.84% |
| BEC | 61.76% | 76.92% | 69.89% | 60.77% | 65.56% |
| FAR | 46.37% | 62.86% | 55.67% | 43.53% | 49.98% |
| REG | 55.42% | 74.97% | 66.12% | 58.00% | 62.29% |
2019 CPA Exam Pass Rates
For 2019, BEC is consistently again the section with the highest pass rate, with the second quarter also performing well overall. It should be noted that for all sections, the second and third quarter had higher pass rates than their first and fourth counterparts.
| Section | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Cumulative |
| AUD | 48.56% | 55.11% | 51.94% | 47.88% | 51.01% |
| BEC | 58.00% | 59.74% | 63.04% | 58.61% | 59.98% |
| FAR | 44.43% | 49.37% | 50.29% | 40.57% | 46.31% |
| REG | 50.23% | 58.66% | 58.41% | 55.89% | 56.34% |
CPA Exam Pass Rates Past Trends
While scores can vary from year to year and quarter to quarter, it can be helpful to see the overall picture of CPA Exam pass rates by looking at trends. This can give you a more accurate view of what your chances are of passing.
Overall, from 2017 to 2023, AUD and REG pass rates increased slightly each year, while the BEC and FAR sections had larger jumps between 2017 and 2018. They leveled off and then increased again in 2020 (likely due to factors caused by the COVID-19 pandemic like fewer candidates taking the exam).
CPA Exam Score Release
Awaiting your score can be a tense time, but you can find the target release date for scores based on test date by visiting the CPA Exam Score Release Dates page.
CPA Pass Rates by University
The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) reports information on the top universities with large accounting programs and the highest CPA pass rates. Those CPA pass rates by school are:
- University of Texas at Austin — 89.5% pass rate
- Brigham Young University — 89.4% pass rate
- Wake Forest University — 88.8% pass rate
- Boston College — 88.3% pass rate
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor — 88.2% pass rate
- University of Florida — 86.4% pass rate
- University of Virginia — 84.8% pass rate
- Texas A&M University — 82.9% pass rate
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — 82.9% pass rate
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CPA Exam Pass Rates – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about CPA Exam pass rates.
- The CPA pass rate is around 50%.
- Around 50,000 people pass the CPA Exam each year.
- If you fail the CPA Exam, you can retake it as many times you need until you pass. You just have to pass all four sections of the exam within an 18 to 30-month period depending on your state jurisdiction.
- Around 20% of people pass all four parts of the CPA Exam on their first try.
- The CPA Exam has a low pass rate because there is a lot of material covered in the exam and much of it is complex. Studying with a trusted review provider can dramatically increase your chances of passing.
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