California CPA Exam Pass Rates: Latest Statistics
CALIFORNIA CPA EXAM PASS RATES
What is the California CPA exam pass rate?
The California CPA pass rate is 48.0% in the 2024 jurisdiction dataset used in this guide. It measures exam sections passed, not candidates who completed all four sections.
Data disclaimer: This page uses 2024 NASBA data, the latest dataset currently included in this guide. Figures for 2025 and 2026 are not included here. NASBA has released its 2025 report; this site will be updated as newer California data is obtained and verified.
See our CPA exam pass rate by jurisdiction comparison.
This guide keeps California CPA exam pass rates simple: compare public, private nonprofit, and for-profit/proprietary schools as separate categories. The university results below describe specific school cohorts; they are separate from California’s jurisdiction rate.
Jump to: School comparison · First attempts and retakes · Five-school appendices · How to apply · Sources and data year
California CPA Exam Pass Rates by School Type
The two tables show the five highest listed rates in each group from this guide’s 2024 bachelor’s first-time dataset. Every row uses the same year, degree category, and attempt type. These are individual school results, not public-versus-private sector averages.
For-profit / proprietary schools
No for-profit/proprietary school results were identified in the tables used for this guide.
This category remains separate. Missing results do not mean a 0% pass rate or that no such schools exist in California.
Read the sample size: A rate based on 10 section attempts can change sharply with just one result. These selected rows do not rank every California program or predict an individual candidate’s performance.
Looking for another school? Browse our CPA Exam Pass Rates by University page for searchable historical results. Check its reporting year before comparing.
First-Time Attempts, Retakes, and Degrees—Simply Explained
- First-time attempt: A candidate’s first try at an individual exam section.
- Retake: Another attempt at a section after an unsuccessful attempt.
- All attempts: First-time attempts plus retakes. This is not a retake-only pass rate.
- Degree: Bachelor’s and advanced-degree cohorts are reported separately. Compare like with like.
One candidate can contribute several section attempts. For example, a 60% pass rate means 60 of 100 section attempts were passed. The tables do not provide a separately verified retake-only rate.
California CPA Exam Pass Rates: Five-School Appendices
Each appendix below keeps only its first five school rows, with three useful columns: school, pass rate, and section attempts. Open a panel for the degree and attempt type you want. All figures are for 2024.
Comparison note: Small cohorts can produce unusually high or low rates. Keep each appendix separate; differences between source-table counts mean these excerpts should not be combined to calculate retake rates.
Applying for the CPA Exam in California
Ready to apply? Start with the California Board of Accountancy (CBA), which handles California CPA Exam applications. These official resources explain the process:
- California Board of Accountancy: CPA Exam application guide — Review application instructions, transcript requirements, and the link to apply.
- NASBA’s California CPA Exam page — Find guidance on the CPA Portal, exam payment coupons, and your Notice to Schedule (NTS) after the CBA approves your eligibility.
Sources and the Latest Data Included
Data year: 2024. Last reviewed: September 29, 2026. The university figures are excerpts from the 2024 NASBA tables reproduced in this guide. NASBA released its 2024 Candidate Performance Report in 2025.
Data availability disclaimer: The 2024 figures are the latest NASBA California data currently included on this page; 2025 and 2026 figures are not included here. NASBA’s 2025 Edition was released in August 2026, but its California tables have not yet been incorporated. This site will be updated as newer California data is obtained and verified.
School categories distinguish public control, private nonprofit status, and for-profit/proprietary ownership. Classification references include the WSCUC institution directory. Pacific States University, which appears in the longer source tables, identifies itself as private nonprofit and is not placed in the proprietary category.
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