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CPA Exam · Pass rates

CPA Exam pass rates by section, quarter by quarter

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AUD (Core)49.38%FAR (Core)42.47%REG (Core)66.87%BAR (Discipline)45.62%ISC (Discipline)67.98%TCP (Discipline)79.75%

CPA Exam pass rates by section for 2026 Q2, the latest quarter AICPA has published — there is no single rate for the whole exam

Cohort: Per section attempt — 2026 Q2 (April–June), the latest published quarter

Period: Rates for 2025 Q1–2026 Q2; source page dated Jul 15, 2026

Last verified Oct 13, 2026 · Source: AICPA & CIMA, Learn more about CPA Exam scoring and pass rates, 2026 and 2025 pass-rate tables.

These are official group figures, copied by hand from the source shown and checked on the date shown. They describe past candidates, not your chances. Always confirm fees and rules with the official organization before you pay.

Every section, every published quarter

Candidates take the three Core sections and one Discipline section. Each number is the share of that section's attempts that passed in that period — not a share of candidates, and never an average across sections.

CPA Exam pass rates (% of section attempts passing)
Section2025 Q12025 Q22025 Q32025 Q42025 cumulative2026 Q12026 Q22026 cumulative (Q1–Q2)
Core sections
AUD — Auditing and Attestation44.30%49.05%50.03%48.78%48.21%47.80%49.38%48.65%
FAR — Financial Accounting and Reporting41.67%43.52%43.07%40.20%42.12%43.46%42.47%42.95%
REG — Taxation and Regulation62.03%63.58%66.05%60.73%63.12%66.65%66.87%66.78%
Discipline sections
BAR — Business Analysis and Reporting37.64%47.26%39.46%39.71%41.94%41.30%45.62%43.64%
ISC — Information Systems and Controls61.23%71.96%66.91%66.75%67.79%66.79%67.98%67.45%
TCP — Tax Compliance and Planning74.94%80.63%76.68%76.72%77.65%79.28%79.75%79.53%

Last verified Oct 13, 2026 · Source: AICPA & CIMA, Learn more about CPA Exam scoring and pass rates, 2026 and 2025 pass-rate tables.

The quarters at a glance — six sections, 2025 Q1 to 2026 Q2
CPA Exam pass rates by section, quarterly, percent of attempts passing: AUD ending at 49.38 percent in 2026 Q2, FAR ending at 42.47 percent in 2026 Q2, REG ending at 66.87 percent in 2026 Q2, BAR ending at 45.62 percent in 2026 Q2, ISC ending at 67.98 percent in 2026 Q2, TCP ending at 79.75 percent in 2026 Q20%25%50%75%100%2025’Q12025’Q22025’Q32025’Q42026’Q12026’Q2AUD 49.38%FAR 42.47%REG 66.87%BAR 45.62%ISC 67.98%TCP 79.75%AUDFARREGBARISCTCP

Same numbers as the table (quarterly columns). Each line's end label carries its section and 2026 Q2 value.

What the official body does not publish

  • A single overall CPA pass rate — the AICPA does not publish one, and this page does not compute one.
  • State-by-state pass rates.
  • A first-time vs repeat split on this page.

What changed

  • Jul 15, 2026

    Source page published with the 2026 Q1 and Q2 rates alongside 2025 Q1–Q4 and both cumulative columns. Verified by hand on Oct 13, 2026.

  • Nov 15, 2026

    We start checking monthly for the Q3 2026 release; the table updates when the source does.

How to read these numbers

A section pass rate counts attempts, not people: one candidate who sits FAR twice appears in FAR's numbers twice. The rate for the quarter you sit in describes that quarter's group, not your chances.

Scores are scaled. Passing is 75 on a 0–99 scale, so the percentages above are not “share of questions correct” either — they are the share of attempts that reached the scaled 75.

Because candidates are measured against a fixed standard, a rising rate means better-prepared candidates sat that window — not that the exam got easier. Plan your sections with the planner rather than trying to time the rates.

Questions

Is there an overall CPA Exam pass rate?
No, and there never was on the official page: the AICPA publishes one rate per section per quarter. A single blended figure would hide the differences between sections, so this page shows every section separately.
Is 75 a passing percentage — 75% correct?
No. 75 is a scaled passing score on a 0–99 scale, not a percentage of questions answered correctly.
Why do pass rates differ so much between sections?
Candidates are evaluated against an established standard, so a higher rate reflects better-prepared candidates, not an easier exam — that is the AICPA's own framing. Different sections attract different candidate mixes, which moves the group rate.
Which sections do I have to take?
Three Core sections (AUD, FAR, REG) plus one Discipline section you choose: BAR, ISC or TCP. Each rate above is per section attempt — your own path touches exactly four of the six rows.
When are the next rates published?
Quarterly. The source page is dated Jul 15, 2026 and covers up to 2026 Q2; we check for the Q3 2026 release from Nov 15, 2026 onward.
What does my state's pass rate look like?
That split is not published. Rates are national, per section attempt — no state-by-state or first-time-versus-repeat figures appear in the source.

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