Which State Has the Hardest Real Estate Exam?
All 50 states ranked by exam difficulty using real pass rate data. See how your state compares and plan your study time accordingly.
47%
Lowest Pass Rate
55%
Nat'l Average
63%
Highest Pass Rate
All 50 States Ranked by Difficulty
Click any column header to sort. Filter by difficulty tier or find your state.
| State | Difficulty | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Florida | 47% | 100 | 75% | 210 min | Hard | Practice |
| #2 | New Jersey | 48% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Hard | Practice |
| #3 | Hawaii | 48% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Hard | Practice |
| #4 | Georgia | 50% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #5 | California | 51% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | 52% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #7 | Arizona | 52% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #8 | Louisiana | 52% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #9 | Michigan | 53% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #10 | Maryland | 53% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #11 | Nevada | 53% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #12 | Ohio | 54% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #13 | Massachusetts | 54% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #14 | Connecticut | 54% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #15 | Mississippi | 54% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #16 | Rhode Island | 54% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #17 | Utah | 54% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #18 | Illinois | 55% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #19 | Virginia | 55% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #20 | Missouri | 55% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #21 | Delaware | 55% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #22 | Kentucky | 55% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #23 | New Hampshire | 55% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #24 | Oregon | 55% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #25 | South Carolina | 55% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #26 | Wisconsin | 55% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #27 | North Carolina | 56% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #28 | Colorado | 56% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #29 | Alabama | 56% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #30 | Minnesota | 56% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #31 | New Mexico | 56% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #32 | West Virginia | 56% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #33 | Washington | 57% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #34 | Indiana | 57% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #35 | Nebraska | 57% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #36 | Oklahoma | 57% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #37 | Texas | 58% | 125 | 70% | 150 min | Medium | Practice |
| #38 | Tennessee | 58% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #39 | Arkansas | 58% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #40 | Idaho | 58% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #41 | Maine | 58% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #42 | Vermont | 58% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #43 | Kansas | 59% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #44 | Iowa | 60% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #45 | Montana | 60% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #46 | South Dakota | 60% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #47 | Wyoming | 61% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #48 | Alaska | 62% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #49 | North Dakota | 62% | 150 | 70% | 195 min | Medium | Practice |
| #50 | New York | 63% | 75 | 70% | 90 min | Medium | Practice |
Pass Rate
47%
Questions
100
Pass Score
75%
Time
210 min
Pass Rate
48%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
48%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
50%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
51%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
52%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
52%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
52%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
53%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
53%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
53%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
54%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
54%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
54%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
54%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
54%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
54%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
55%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
55%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
55%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
55%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
55%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
55%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
55%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
55%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
55%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
56%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
56%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
56%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
56%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
56%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
56%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
57%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
57%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
57%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
57%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
58%
Questions
125
Pass Score
70%
Time
150 min
Pass Rate
58%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
58%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
58%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
58%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
58%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
59%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
60%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
60%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
60%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
61%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
62%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
62%
Questions
150
Pass Score
70%
Time
195 min
Pass Rate
63%
Questions
75
Pass Score
70%
Time
90 min
Top 5 Hardest States
These states have the lowest first-time pass rates
Florida
47% pass rate100 questions in 210 minutes (2.1 min/question). Requires 75% to pass.
New Jersey
48% pass rate150 questions in 195 minutes (1.3 min/question). Requires 70% to pass.
Hawaii
48% pass rate150 questions in 195 minutes (1.3 min/question). Requires 70% to pass.
Georgia
50% pass rate150 questions in 195 minutes (1.3 min/question). Requires 70% to pass.
California
51% pass rate150 questions in 195 minutes (1.3 min/question). Requires 70% to pass.
Top 5 Easiest States
These states have the highest first-time pass rates
New York
63% pass rate75 questions in 90 minutes (1.2 min/question). Requires 70% to pass.
North Dakota
62% pass rate150 questions in 195 minutes (1.3 min/question). Requires 70% to pass.
Alaska
62% pass rate150 questions in 195 minutes (1.3 min/question). Requires 70% to pass.
Wyoming
61% pass rate150 questions in 195 minutes (1.3 min/question). Requires 70% to pass.
South Dakota
60% pass rate150 questions in 195 minutes (1.3 min/question). Requires 70% to pass.
What Makes a Real Estate Exam Hard?
Four key factors that determine exam difficulty
More questions mean more opportunities to get tripped up. Some states have 75 questions, others have 150+. Higher counts generally correlate with lower pass rates.
The ratio of time to questions matters. States that allow only 1 minute per question create significantly more pressure than those allowing 1.5-2 minutes.
States with complex real estate laws (like California and New York) have more nuanced state-specific sections that require deeper study beyond national content.
Most states require 70-75% to pass, but even a 5% difference significantly impacts difficulty. A 75% requirement means you can miss far fewer questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on first-time pass rates, Florida has the hardest real estate exam with an average pass rate of approximately 47%. Other challenging states include New Jersey (48%) and Hawaii (48%). These states combine lower pass rates with demanding question formats.
New York has one of the highest pass rates at approximately 63%, making it among the easier states. Other states with higher pass rates include North Dakota (62%) and Alaska (62%). However, "easier" is relative — all exams require thorough preparation.
Several factors contribute to exam difficulty: (1) More questions on the exam, (2) Higher passing score requirement, (3) Less time per question, (4) Complex state-specific laws and regulations, (5) Heavy emphasis on math and calculations. States with lower pass rates typically combine multiple challenging factors.
No. Once you pass and receive your license, it carries the same professional standing regardless of which state you tested in. Employers care about your license being valid, not the difficulty of the exam you passed. Some argue that harder exams produce more knowledgeable agents.
Real estate licenses are state-specific. You must be licensed in the state where you plan to practice. Taking the exam in an "easier" state won't help unless you intend to work there. Some states have reciprocity agreements that allow you to waive the national portion if you hold a license elsewhere.
Pass rates are based on reported first-attempt data from state real estate commissions and exam providers. Actual rates may vary slightly year to year. These numbers represent approximations based on the most recent available data and serve as a general guide to relative difficulty.
Generally yes. For states with lower pass rates, we recommend 4-6 weeks of dedicated study with 1-2 hours daily. For states with higher pass rates, 2-4 weeks may be sufficient. Regardless of state, completing at least 1,000 practice questions is strongly recommended.
The national average first-attempt pass rate for real estate licensing exams is approximately 50-60%. This means roughly half of first-time test-takers don't pass. Using a structured exam prep platform like EstatePass significantly improves your odds — our users report a 94% pass rate.
Practice for Your State's Exam
Whether your state is ranked #1 hardest or #50 easiest, proper preparation is key. Start with state-specific practice questions tailored to your exam format.