Ask most anyone who has been there before and they’ll tell you that passing the BCBA® exam is notoriously tough. Often compared to the bar exam, the BCBA® exam has earned a reputation for being intimidating and difficult, with clinical language that can make it difficult to discriminate between answer options. If you’re on the path to certification, you probably have questions about the overall pass rate, how many tries it takes to pass, and how to improve your chances at becoming a BCBA®. Dive into the details of the BCBA® exam pass rates and what the data shows.
What Percentage of People Pass the BCBA® Exam?
In order to pass the BCBA® exam, candidates must score at least 76%. The BACB® uses the “modified Angoff” method, a “criterion-referenced” method to establish the passing score. With the modified Angoff method, BACB®-certified experts review the exam and determine the passing rate, which is then approved by the BACB Board of Directors. The BACB releases an annual report on pass rate data, breaking down how many people took the BCBA®, BCaBA®, and RBT® exams. In order to determine the percentage of people who pass the BCBA® exam, we have to break down the pass rates for first-time test takers and those who retook the exam.
Pass Rates for First-Time Test Takers
Overall, the data shows that first-time test takers perform better and have a higher pass rate than those retaking the BCBA® exam. In 2024, the BACB® reports a 54% pass rate for first-timers. However, that percentage has been on the decline for several years. Per the BACB®, the first-time pass rate has fallen year-over-year since its peak of 66% in 2020.
Pass Rates for Retakers
For retakers, the data is not as encouraging– though it is not all bad news. In 2024, the BACB® reports that those retaking the BCBA® exam had a 25% pass rate, which may seem low compared to the pass rate for first-timers. However, the odds for retakers have been steadily improving. Consider that in 2022, retakers had a 24% pass rate and in 2023, 23%. Overall, retakers have been on an upward trend, and it should continue as many candidates are retesting under the 6th Edition Test Content Outline. With the 6th edition changes, the exam itself has been more aligned to the BACB® requirements. Students should find the updates to better match their experience in their supervision and fieldwork.
Why Do Retakers Struggle to Pass?
So, why are retaker pass rates so much lower than first-timers? Unfortunately, that question doesn’t have a straightforward answer. There are many factors that may explain the difference in retaker pass rates, such as test-taker preparedness, test-taking anxiety, and the number of attempts. The BACB® doesn’t provide data on the number of attempts for retakers, so it’s difficult to determine if this plays a role in retaker pass rates and to what degree. When it comes to preparedness, one common mistake retakers make in their study strategy is only reviewing their lowest-scoring Domains. As PTB founder Dana Meller recommends, retakers should ignore the score report and study the Test Content Outline (TCO) in its entirety. All of the TCO Domains are connected, so only studying certain Domains can leave you unprepared for future attempts.
What Makes the BCBA® Exam So Hard?
By comparison to other professional certifications like state Bar exams, the BCBA® exam itself is a single day test, administered over a four-hour period. It’s a multiple-choice CBT (computer-based test) with 185 questions. As part of the exam’s scoring method, 10 of those are “pilot questions,” which means they are unscored and not included when scoring. Test takers are not told which 10 questions on the exam are the “pilot questions,” so candidates must respond to every one of them on the exam.
All exam questions follow the BACB® 6th Edition Test Content Outline. The BACB® handbook provides a breakdown of the 185 questions and their corresponding TCO Domains, both by number of questions in each domain and by the percentage of the exam. While visibility to the number of questions offers some guidance for test-takers, the exam is well-known for its degree of difficulty in the way the questions are structured. Candidates are advised to read with care and caution, as questions aren’t always straightforward and require absolute clarity.
Another contributing factor to the perceived difficulty of the exam is that ABA coursework alone often isn’t enough. Many students report feeling unprepared by their coursework, as the language of the BCBA® exam doesn’t reflect their day-to-day experiences. Between that and ineffective supervision, students often face knowledge gaps heading into the exam. As PTB founder Dana Meller recommends, it’s important to recognize these gaps left by inadequate coursework and work on building your foundation of ABA fundamentals.
How to Improve Your Odds
Whether you’re taking the BCBA® exam for the first time or you’re a retaker, the strategy for passing is the same. Simply put: study everything. It’s important to understand the complete TCO, from Domain A to Domain I– and every item in between. Plus the BACB® Ethics Code for Behavior Analysis, which is a problem area for many test takers. Beyond what you study, equally important is what you study with. High-quality exam prep can go a long way when it comes to feeling prepared and ready for the BCBA® exam. Look for resources and materials that come from BCBA®s, even better if they are peer-reviewed. Choosing BCBA® exam prep from a credentialed provider that you can trust will ensure that the information is accurate and relevant.
Ok, so you’ve committed to studying the entire Test Content Outline, you’ve secured high-quality prep tools… Now what? A study strategy. As the saying goes, “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.” It’s important to create a schedule for yourself, to stay on track and ensure you have enough time to study and review everything before your exam day. If you’re not sure where to start, the PTB Roadmap to Exam Day is a free resource that can help you plan your certification journey with a checklist of important milestones, starting 6 months out from your exam day.
No matter how you approach your BCBA® exam prep, it’s important to tailor your plan to your own needs and how you learn best. In general, there’s no right or wrong way to prepare for the exam, as long as you’re building fluency and studying the right concepts. However, there is one caveat: some students may want to “practice” by taking the actual BCBA® exam but as PTB founder Dana Meller cautions, the retaker data proves this to be a risky study strategy. Instead, opt for BCBA® mock exams over taking the real thing. In fact, you can go even further and rehearse the exam day experience to familiarize yourself with the test-taking process– all without paying for the real BCBA® exam and the examination fees.
BCBA® Exam Pass Rates: The Long and Short of It
To sum it all up, the Big takeaways for passing the BCBA® exam: First-time test takers have better odds, but you can still pass if you’re retaking the exam, and the BCBA® is difficult (though it’s more straightforward with the 6th Edition changes). No matter where you are in your certification journey, it is possible to Beat the Odds. With determination, the right exam prep, and a little confidence, you can earn those four letters after your name.