AP Score Distributions

Pass rates and score breakdowns for 35 AP exams, based on the most recent College Board data. See how students score across the 35 AP exams that use standard multiple choice and free response scoring.

Last updated: · Updated for the 2026-2027 exam cycle

Quick Answer: The average AP pass rate across all exams is approximately 70%. The highest pass rate belongs to AP Spanish Language (85%), while the lowest is AP Statistics (60%). AP Calculus BC has the most students scoring a 5 at 44%, while AP English Language and AP Environmental Science have the fewest at just 13% each.
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Every year, College Board releases score distribution data showing how students performed on each AP exam. These distributions reveal which exams have the highest and lowest pass rates, which exams produce the most 5s, and how scores break down across the 1-5 scale. Whether you are choosing which AP courses to take, setting score goals, or just curious about how your exam compares to others, this page has the complete breakdown for all 35 AP exams we support with score calculators.

Overall AP Score Distributions

The table below shows the complete score distribution for all 35 AP exams, sorted by pass rate (percentage of students scoring 3 or higher). Each exam links to our free score calculator where you can predict your own AP score. Use the pass rate column to compare how students perform across different subjects.

Exam % Score 5 % Score 4 % Score 3 % Score 2 % Score 1 Pass Rate (3+)
AP Spanish Language 22%32%31%12%3% 85%
AP Precalculus 19%25%37%14%5% 81%
AP Calculus BC 44%22%13%15%6% 79%
AP Chemistry 18%29%31%16%6% 78%
AP English Language 13%28%33%16%10% 74%
AP English Literature 16%27%31%17%10% 74%
AP French Language 14%25%35%20%6% 74%
AP Physics C: Mechanics 22%24%28%16%11% 74%
AP US History 14%36%23%18%8% 73%
AP Physics C: E&M 25%24%24%18%9% 73%
AP Physics 2 22%29%22%20%7% 73%
AP US Government 24%25%23%18%10% 72%
AP Italian Language 18%25%29%18%10% 72%
AP African American Studies 14%24%34%19%9% 72%
AP Psychology 14%31%25%20%10% 70%
AP Biology 19%24%27%21%9% 70%
AP Environmental Science 13%28%29%15%16% 70%
AP Chinese Language 20%22%28%18%12% 70%
AP Microeconomics 22%24%23%20%12% 69%
AP Japanese Language 46%10%13%15%16% 69%
AP Physics 1 20%25%23%13%19% 68%
AP Computer Science A 26%22%20%11%22% 68%
AP German Language 16%22%30%20%12% 68%
AP Macroeconomics 20%23%24%21%11% 67%
AP Computer Science Principles 12%21%34%22%11% 67%
AP Art History 16%23%26%24%10% 65%
AP Human Geography 17%25%23%25%10% 65%
AP Comparative Government 18%23%24%21%14% 65%
AP Spanish Literature 8%22%35%24%11% 65%
AP World History 14%33%17%27%9% 64%
AP Calculus AB 20%29%15%23%13% 64%
AP European History 14%16%32%26%12% 62%
AP Music Theory 19%18%24%25%15% 61%
AP Statistics 17%21%22%16%24% 60%
AP Latin 12%18%29%25%16% 59%

Several patterns stand out in the data. AP Spanish Language sits at the top with an 85% pass rate, but this is heavily influenced by native and heritage speakers taking the exam. AP Calculus BC (79%) has the highest 5-rate at 44%, driven by a self-selected pool of advanced math students. At the bottom, AP Statistics (60%) and AP Music Theory (61%) have the lowest pass rates, where broader student populations and challenging exam formats contribute to lower scores.

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Highest Pass Rates

The following 10 AP exams have the highest percentage of students scoring 3 or higher. A high pass rate generally indicates that the exam is more accessible, though self-selection bias plays a significant role in several of these exams. Students who take these exams tend to be well-prepared or have natural advantages in the subject.

Rank Exam Pass Rate (3+) Key Detail
1 AP Spanish Language 85% Many native/heritage speakers take this exam
2 AP Calculus BC 79% Self-selected advanced math students; 44% score a 5
3 AP Chemistry 78% Strong students tend to take chemistry; 47% score 4 or 5
4 AP English Language 74% One of the most widely taken AP exams
5 AP English Literature 74% High pass rate, but only 16% earn a 5
6 AP French Language 74% Smaller test-taking population; some heritage speakers
7 AP Physics C: Mechanics 74% Calculus-based physics for advanced STEM students
8 AP US History 73% 36% score a 4, one of the highest score-4 rates
9 AP Physics C: E&M 73% 25% score a 5; highly self-selected population
10 AP Physics 2 73% Second-year physics course; strong student pool

The top of this list is dominated by exams with strong self-selection effects. AP Spanish Language, AP Calculus BC, and the AP Physics C exams attract students who are already strong in the subject. AP Chemistry's 78% pass rate is notable because it is widely considered a difficult course, but the students who take it tend to be well-prepared science students. AP English Language and AP English Literature have high pass rates partly because they are among the most popular AP exams, and many schools prepare students well for the writing-based format.

Lowest Pass Rates

These 10 AP exams have the lowest percentage of students scoring 3 or higher. A lower pass rate can indicate a more difficult exam, a broader and less self-selected test-taking population, or both. Students taking these exams should prepare thoroughly and set realistic score expectations.

Rank Exam Pass Rate (3+) Key Detail
1 AP Statistics 60% 24% score a 1 — highest 1-rate of any AP exam
2 AP Music Theory 61% Requires sight-singing and ear training skills
3 AP Calculus AB 64% Broad student population; 20% still score a 5
4 AP World History 64% Only 14% earn a 5; very broad content scope
5 AP Art History 65% Requires identifying 250 works across all cultures
6 AP Human Geography 65% Often a first AP course for underclassmen
7 AP Macroeconomics 67% Economic reasoning can be counterintuitive for students
8 AP Physics 1 68% 19% score a 1; conceptual reasoning challenges students
9 AP Computer Science A 68% 26% score a 5 but 22% score a 1 — very polarized
10 AP Microeconomics 69% Focused content scope; 22% earn a 5

AP Statistics has the lowest pass rate of any AP exam at just 60%, with 24% of students scoring a 1. This is partly because the exam requires extensive written explanation on the free response section, which many students underestimate. AP Music Theory (61%) demands specialized skills like ear training and sight-singing that are difficult to develop quickly. AP Computer Science A has one of the most polarized distributions — 26% score a 5 but 22% score a 1, reflecting a sharp divide between students with prior coding experience and those without.

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Highest Score-of-5 Rates

If your goal is to earn the top score, the 5-rate is the most important number to watch. Some exams pass many students but make a 5 very difficult to achieve, while others have a generous distribution at the top. Here are the 10 exams where the largest percentage of students earn a 5.

Rank Exam Score of 5 Rate Pass Rate (3+)
1 AP Calculus BC 44% 79%
2 AP Computer Science A 26% 68%
3 AP Physics C: E&M 25% 73%
4 AP US Government 24% 72%
5 AP Spanish Language 22% 85%
6 AP Physics C: Mechanics 22% 74%
7 AP Physics 2 22% 73%
8 AP Microeconomics 22% 69%
9 AP Calculus AB 20% 64%
10 AP Physics 1 20% 68%

AP Calculus BC dominates this list with 44% of test-takers earning a 5 — nearly one in two students. This makes sense given that BC students are a self-selected group of strong math students, and College Board sets relatively generous cutoffs to account for the advanced content. AP Computer Science A comes in second at 26%, reflecting the fact that many CSA students have prior programming experience. The AP Physics C exams (25% and 22% for E&M and Mechanics respectively) round out the top of the list, as these calculus-based physics courses attract highly capable STEM students.

How Score Distributions Are Determined

College Board determines AP score distributions each year by setting composite score cutoffs that map raw exam scores to the 1-5 scale. The process involves several steps that happen after every student has taken the exam.

First, trained AP readers score all free response questions using standardized rubrics. These raw FRQ scores are combined with multiple choice scores to create a composite score for each student. College Board then uses a process called equating to ensure that a score of 3 in one year represents the same level of achievement as a score of 3 in any other year, regardless of how difficult a particular exam form may have been.

The cutoff scores that determine whether a student earns a 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 are set by a combination of statistical analysis and expert judgment. College Board convenes panels of college faculty who review student work at each score level and confirm that the standards are consistent with expectations for introductory college courses. The goal is to ensure that a student who earns a 3 on an AP exam has demonstrated competence equivalent to a student who earns a C or better in the corresponding college course.

Because the cutoffs are adjusted each year to account for exam difficulty, the score distributions can shift slightly. However, the overall patterns tend to be relatively stable from year to year. College Board publishes the aggregate score distributions on their website after scores are released each July.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average AP pass rate?

Across all 35 AP exams tracked on this page, the average pass rate (percentage of students scoring a 3 or higher) is approximately 70%. However, pass rates vary widely by subject, ranging from 85% on AP Spanish Language to 60% on AP Statistics. Self-selection bias, exam difficulty, and curve generosity all contribute to these differences. College Board does not officially use the word "pass" — they refer to a score of 3 or higher as "qualified."

Which AP exam has the highest pass rate?

AP Spanish Language has the highest pass rate at 85%, followed by AP Calculus BC at 79% and AP Chemistry at 78%. However, AP Spanish Language's high pass rate is heavily influenced by self-selection — a significant portion of test-takers are native or heritage Spanish speakers. AP Calculus BC similarly benefits from a self-selected pool of mathematically advanced students who have already completed Calculus AB.

Which AP exam has the most 5s?

AP Calculus BC has the highest percentage of students scoring a 5, at approximately 44%. This is by far the highest 5-rate of any AP exam and is largely because BC attracts advanced math students who have already passed Calculus AB. Other exams with notably high 5-rates include AP Computer Science A (26%), AP Physics C: E&M (25%), and AP US Government (24%).

What percentage of students pass the AP exam?

On average, about 70% of AP test-takers earn a score of 3 or higher, which is generally considered a passing score by colleges. However, this varies significantly by subject. At the high end, 85% pass AP Spanish Language and 79% pass AP Calculus BC. At the low end, only 60% pass AP Statistics and 61% pass AP Music Theory. College Board does not officially use the term "pass" — they classify a score of 3 as "qualified," meaning the student has demonstrated sufficient competence for introductory college coursework.

Do AP score distributions change from year to year?

Yes, AP score distributions shift slightly each year based on exam difficulty, the student population taking the test, and adjustments College Board makes to scoring curves through equating. However, the overall patterns tend to be quite stable. Exams like AP Calculus BC and AP Spanish Language consistently have high pass rates, while AP Statistics and AP Music Theory consistently sit near the bottom. Major shifts are rare and usually result from significant changes to an exam's format or content, as happened when AP Physics B was replaced by AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2 in 2015.

Predict Your Score

Use our free AP score calculators to predict how you will perform on your exams. Enter your estimated multiple choice and free response performance to get a predicted AP score from 1 to 5.

Score distributions are based on publicly available College Board data. Figures are approximate and can vary from year to year. This page is not affiliated with or endorsed by College Board.

Sources

Data in this guide is compiled from the following sources:

Reviewed by the AP Score Calculator editorial team on . Not affiliated with or endorsed by College Board.