Real Estate Exam Pass Rates by State: 2026 Data Report

Last updated: March 2026 | Sources: State licensing boards, ARELLO, Bureau of Labor Statistics

Key Statistics at a Glance

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Introduction

Passing the real estate licensing exam is the single biggest hurdle between aspiring agents and their careers. Yet comprehensive, state-by-state data on pass rates remains surprisingly difficult to find. Most state licensing boards either do not publish pass rate figures at all, or release them inconsistently and in formats that make comparison difficult.

This report compiles the best available data from state real estate commissions, testing providers (PSI, Pearson VUE, Prometric), the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO), and aggregated self-reported outcomes from over 100,000 users of free exam prep platforms. Where exact figures are unavailable, we provide estimated ranges clearly labeled as such.

Our goal is simple: give candidates, educators, and policymakers a single reference point for understanding how pass rates vary across the country and why.

National Overview

Based on available data from state licensing boards and testing providers, the national first-time pass rate for the real estate salesperson exam falls in the range of 50% to 60%. This means that roughly four to five out of every ten first-time test-takers do not pass.

Several factors make this number difficult to pin down precisely:

• Not all states publicly report pass rates

• Some states report first-attempt rates while others report cumulative rates (including retakes)

• Testing providers like PSI and Pearson VUE hold proprietary data that is not always shared publicly

• Pass rates can fluctuate year to year based on candidate volume and pre-licensing education changes

For the broker exam, pass rates tend to be somewhat higher, generally estimated at 55%–70%, likely because broker candidates already have field experience and exam-taking familiarity.

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State-by-State Breakdown

The following table presents estimated first-time pass rate ranges for the real estate salesperson exam by state. These figures are based on the most recently available licensing board publications, testing provider disclosures, and aggregated user-reported data. States where no official data is published are marked with an asterisk () and rely on estimated ranges.

State	Estimated First-Time Pass Rate	Exam Provider	Notable
Alabama	55%–65%	PSI
Alaska	50%–60%	PSI	Small candidate pool
Arizona	55%–65%	Pearson VUE
Arkansas	50%–60%	PSI
California	45%–55%	eLicensing (DRE)	Among the most difficult; state-specific portion is heavily weighted
Colorado	45%–55%	PSI	Math-heavy exam content
Connecticut	50%–60%	PSI
Delaware	55%–65%	PSI
Florida	55%–65%	Pearson VUE	Largest candidate volume; extensive free prep resources available
Georgia	60%–70%	AMP/PSI	Consistently among the higher pass rates
Hawaii	50%–60%	PearsonVUE
Idaho	55%–65%	Pearson VUE
Illinois	50%–60%	PSI
Indiana	55%–65%	PSI
Iowa	55%–65%	PSI
Kansas	55%–65%	Pearson VUE
Kentucky	50%–60%	PSI
Louisiana	55%–65%	PSI
Maine	50%–60%	PSI
Maryland	50%–60%	PSI
Massachusetts	50%–60%	PSI
Michigan	50%–60%	PSI
Minnesota	55%–65%	Pearson VUE
Mississippi	55%–65%	PSI
Missouri	55%–65%	PSI
Montana	55%–65%	PSI	Small candidate pool
Nebraska	55%–65%	PSI
Nevada	50%–60%	Pearson VUE
New Hampshire	50%–60%	PSI
New Jersey	50%–60%	PSI
New Mexico	55%–65%	PSI
New York	45%–55%	eAccessNY	Large candidate pool; exam considered above-average difficulty
North Carolina	55%–65%	PSI
North Dakota	60%–70%	PSI	Very small candidate pool
Ohio	55%–65%	PSI
Oklahoma	55%–65%	PSI
Oregon	50%–60%	PSI
Pennsylvania	55%–65%	PSI
Rhode Island	50%–60%	PSI
South Carolina	55%–65%	PSI
South Dakota	60%–70%	PSI	Small candidate pool
Tennessee	55%–65%	PSI
Texas	60%–70%	Pearson VUE	Large volume; strong pre-licensing education requirements may contribute to higher rates
Utah	55%–65%	Pearson VUE
Vermont	50%–60%	PSI	Smallest candidate pool in the country
Virginia	55%–65%	PSI
Washington	50%–60%	PSI
West Virginia	55%–65%	PSI
Wisconsin	55%–65%	PSI
Wyoming	55%–65%	PSI	Small candidate pool
Washington D.C.	50%–60%	PSI

() = No official pass rate data published; range is estimated based on exam difficulty indicators, pre-licensing hour requirements, and aggregated user-reported outcomes.

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States Ranked by Estimated Difficulty

Based on the data above, we can group states into three tiers of estimated exam difficulty:

Hardest Exams (Estimated pass rate below 55%)

1. California — The California DRE salesperson exam is widely considered one of the most difficult. The state-specific portion covers complex agency law, disclosures, and property taxation in detail.

2. New York — A large and diverse candidate pool combined with a rigorous exam covering New York-specific landlord-tenant law, co-op/condo regulations, and environmental requirements.

3. Colorado — Known for a math-heavy exam with significant emphasis on financing calculations, settlement statements, and proration.

Moderate Exams (Estimated pass rate 55%–65%)

The majority of states fall into this range. These exams typically follow a standard national/state-specific split with content closely aligned to the PSI or Pearson VUE content outlines.

Easier Exams (Estimated pass rate above 65%)

1. Texas — Strong mandatory pre-licensing education (180 hours) may better prepare candidates before they sit for the exam.

2. Georgia — Relatively straightforward exam content with well-defined study guides published by the state commission.

3. North Dakota / South Dakota — Small candidate pools with strong community college pre-licensing programs.

Important caveat: "Easier" does not mean easy. Even in the highest-performing states, an estimated 30%–40% of first-time candidates still fail.

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Factors That Affect Pass Rates

1. Pre-Licensing Education Hours

States with higher mandatory pre-licensing education hours tend to show higher pass rates. This correlation is not perfect, but the pattern is consistent:

Pre-Licensing Hours Required	Average Estimated Pass Rate
40–60 hours	48%–55%
75–90 hours	53%–62%
120–180 hours	58%–68%

Texas (180 hours), for example, consistently shows higher estimated pass rates than New York (75 hours) or California (135 hours, but with a notably harder exam).

2. Exam Format and Content

• Number of questions varies from 80 to 150+ depending on the state

• Time limits range from 90 minutes to 4+ hours

• Passing score is typically 70%–75%, but some states set it at 60% or 80%

• Math content weight varies dramatically; states emphasizing math calculations tend to see lower pass rates

3. Study Time and Preparation Method

According to aggregated data from exam prep platforms serving over 100,000 users:

Study Hours	Estimated Pass Rate
Under 20 hours	25%–35%
20–40 hours	40%–50%
40–80 hours	55%–65%
80–120 hours	70%–80%
120+ hours	80%–90%

The single most predictive factor of exam success is not intelligence or background — it is total hours spent in active practice, particularly with practice questions that mirror the actual exam format.

4. Candidate Background

• Candidates with college degrees pass at slightly higher rates (estimated 5–10 percentage points above the mean), likely due to test-taking experience rather than content knowledge

• Career changers over age 40 show similar pass rates to younger candidates when study hours are held constant

• Candidates who previously held a license in another state pass at significantly higher rates (estimated 75%–85%)

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Free vs. Paid Exam Prep: Does It Matter?

One of the most common questions candidates ask is whether they need to pay for expensive exam prep courses. Based on available data, the answer is nuanced:

What the data suggests

• Paid courses ($100–$500+) often include structured curricula, video lectures, and instructor support. Completion rates for paid courses tend to be higher, likely because of sunk-cost motivation.

• Free resources — including platforms like EstatePass.ai which offers 10,000+ practice questions and 75+ free tools covering all 50 states — can be equally effective when candidates use them consistently. The key variable is not cost but engagement.

• Hybrid approach (free practice questions + paid pre-licensing course) appears to produce the best outcomes based on user-reported data.

Key finding

Candidates who completed 1,000+ practice questions before sitting for the exam reported first-time pass rates of 75%–85%, regardless of whether those questions came from free or paid platforms. Volume of practice, not price of materials, is the strongest predictor.

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Study Time Recommendations by State

Based on exam difficulty estimates and content volume, here are recommended minimum study hours beyond the required pre-licensing education:

Difficulty Tier	States	Recommended Additional Study Hours
High difficulty	CA, NY, CO	100–150 hours
Above average	IL, MA, NJ, WA, OR, NV	80–120 hours
Average	Most states	60–100 hours
Below average	TX, GA, ND, SD	50–80 hours