Exam Data
Real Estate Exam Pass Rates by State: What the States Publish
There is no single national pass rate for the real estate licensing exam. Each state decides whether to publish results, and those that do count different things: some report first-time candidates only, some every attempt, some one exam portion at a time.
The figures below were read from the states' own reports, with the period each covers and what it measures. States not listed either do not publish a figure we could find or publish it in a form we could not read.
Published Figures, Read From the Source
Florida: in February 2025, 50% of first-time sales associate candidates passed (1,208 of 2,411). Candidates retaking the exam passed at 33%, and 42% of all attempts passed. Source: Pearson VUE's monthly exam performance summary for the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, filed with the Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board's April 2025 meeting documents.
California: in July 2026, 52% of salesperson examinations were passed. The figure counts every exam given, first attempts and retakes together. Source: the Department of Real Estate's monthly Comparative Production Statistics (RE 149).
Texas: from 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2025, 56.12% of sales agent candidates passed both the national and state portions on their first attempt (16,824 of 29,980). Source: the Texas Real Estate Commission's education provider exam passage rates, which also list every school's own rate.
New York: the Department of State reported that the salesperson examination was given to 19,558 people in 2024 with a 52% pass rate, and to 6,966 people from January to April 2025 with a 51% pass rate. Source: New York State Real Estate Board meeting summaries.
South Carolina and Alabama publish exam results by school rather than one statewide figure: South Carolina's Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation posts monthly school summaries, and the Alabama Real Estate Commission posts pass rates by school. North Carolina's Real Estate Commission publishes an exam pass-rate page and a provider performance report.
What These Numbers Do and Do Not Tell You
They are not comparable across states. Florida's 50% counts first-time candidates only, Texas counts only candidates who passed both portions at the first attempt, and California and New York count everyone who sat the exam. A state with more retakers in its figure will look harder than it is.
Florida's own numbers make one point clearly: candidates retaking the exam passed at 33%, well below first-time candidates. A retake is not a second chance on the same odds, so preparing properly the first time is worth more than planning on a retake.
The common reasons candidates fail are within their control: rushing from the pre-licensing course into the exam, reading and highlighting instead of answering practice questions, waiting so long after the course that the material fades, and skipping the math.
What Makes Some State Exams Harder Than Others
Length and structure: Florida's sales associate exam is 100 questions in three and a half hours, with Florida law tested throughout (DBPR candidate information booklet, January 2025). North Carolina's has 80 scored national items and 60 scored state items, each section with 5 unscored pretest items (NCREC licensing booklet, April 2026).
Passing score: North Carolina requires 75 on each section, scored separately. California requires 70 percent. Check your own state's candidate bulletin; the difference of a few points changes how many questions you can afford to miss.
State-specific content: the state portion is where state law is tested, and its length varies widely. North Carolina's state section is 60 scored items; many states' are 30 to 40.
How to Use This Data
Treat a published pass rate as a description of the people who sat the exam, not a forecast for you. It mixes candidates who prepared well with candidates who did not.
Focus on what you can control: take a diagnostic, identify your weak areas, work through practice questions until your scores are steady, and take at least two full-length timed practice tests before exam day.
Find Out Your Baseline Score
The diagnostic takes 15 minutes and shows you exactly where you stand compared to the passing threshold for your state.
Keep Studying Smarter
Use the pass-rate picture as motivation, then jump into the guide that matches your state and timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which state has the highest real estate exam pass rate?
The published figures cannot answer that fairly, because states count different things: first attempts only in some, every attempt in others. Compare a state's figure with its own earlier figures, not with another state's.
Which state has the hardest real estate exam?
There is no official ranking. Exams differ in length, passing score and how much state law they test, and published pass rates are not measured the same way. How well you prepare matters more than which state you test in.
Do pass rates include retakers?
It depends on the state. Florida reports first-time and repeat candidates separately. Texas counts only candidates who passed at their first attempt. California and New York report everyone who sat the exam.
Does a low pass rate mean I should study longer?
Not necessarily longer, but more effectively. Candidates who study passively, by reading, tend to struggle with scenario questions that candidates who practice actively handle. Study method matters as much as study time.
Can I take the exam in a different state if my state is harder?
No. You must pass the exam for the state where you intend to practice. Each state has its own exam with state-specific content. Some states have reciprocity agreements that allow you to transfer your license later, but you still need to pass the initial exam in your chosen state.