Which board exam is the hardest to pass? We ranked every licensure exam the PRC has given at least five times, using the official national passing rate of each sitting from 2010 to 2026. That covers 67 exams and just over 6 million examinees, of whom 45.4% passed.
Two rules of thumb before the lists: a low passing rate does not only mean hard questions. It also reflects who takes the exam, how many are repeaters, and how well schools prepare them. And rates move: several exams that were once among the hardest have passed far more examinees in the last two years.
How we ranked them
- Average rate is the mean of the national passing rates of every sitting, so a large and a small sitting count the same. It is the same measure used on the Insights page.
- Last 3 sittings is the same average over the three most recent sittings, to show where each exam is heading.
- The two main lists only include exams still given, with a sitting since 2024. Exams the PRC no longer gives, such as the old maritime exams, are in the full table at the end.
- Each exam name links to its full report: every sitting, the top schools and the top-notchers.
The 15 hardest board exams still given
| # | Exam | Sittings | Average rate | Last 3 sittings | Lowest–highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | X-Ray Technologist | 12 | 25.9% | 27.9% | 19%–38% |
| 2 | Certified Public Accountant | 22 | 34.7% | 32.7% | 14%–48% |
| 3 | Teacher - Elementary | 29 | 37.6% | 51.3% | 10%–56% |
| 4 | Agriculturist | 14 | 38.2% | 51.3% | 30%–69% |
| 5 | Civil Engineer | 25 | 39.2% | 34.2% | 29%–49% |
| 6 | Criminologist | 20 | 40.0% | 58.3% | 22%–66% |
| 7 | Electronics Engineer | 22 | 40.9% | 50.6% | 22%–62% |
| 8 | Veterinarian | 11 | 42.4% | 53.4% | 31%–77% |
| 9 | Teacher - Secondary | 28 | 42.8% | 69.3% | 23%–73% |
| 10 | Master Plumber | 21 | 43.4% | 66.1% | 29%–79% |
| 11 | Geodetic Engineer | 13 | 45.5% | 53.7% | 34%–57% |
| 12 | Customs Broker | 10 | 45.8% | 54.4% | 37%–73% |
| 13 | Agricultural and Biosystems Engineer | 9 | 46.1% | 52.6% | 38%–59% |
| 14 | Naval Architect | 12 | 46.8% | 40.3% | 30%–57% |
| 15 | Librarian | 13 | 47.8% | 64.1% | 27%–75% |
X-Ray Technologist: hardest, but small
The X-Ray Technologist exam has the lowest average of any exam, 25.9%, and only one sitting in 16 years passed more than 28% of examinees. It is also small: fewer than 2,000 people have taken it since 2011, usually under 250 per sitting.
CPA: the hardest exam that many people take
Among large exams, the CPA board exam stands out. Nearly 200,000 examinees have sat it since 2010, and no sitting has passed more than 48.4%. The three most recent sittings averaged 32.7%, lower than its long-run average.
It is also hard for everyone. First-time takers passed at 32.2% and repeaters at 28.2%, the smallest gap of any large exam. In most other exams, first-timers do far better.
Where you study still matters. The map shows every school with at least 8 CPA sittings, shaded by how far above or below the national rate its examinees landed.
Civil Engineering is getting harder
The Civil Engineer exam is the other large exam whose recent sittings are below its average: 34.2% over the last three, against 39.2% since 2010. The Nov 2025 sitting passed 30.4% of 14,043 examinees.
Exams that got much easier recently
Several exams, including some of the hardest by long-run average, have passed far more examinees lately. Their averages still carry the harder years.
| Exam | Average since 2010 | Last 3 sittings |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher - Secondary | 42.8% | 69.3% |
| Master Plumber | 43.4% | 66.1% |
| Criminologist | 40.0% | 58.3% |
| Nurse | 52.8% | 70.3% |
| Dentist | 54.0% | 84.9% |
| Psychometrician | 60.2% | 82.8% |
The teacher's exam (LET) is the largest exam in the country, with over 3 million examinees across both levels. The secondary level has passed between 62% and 73% in each of its last three sittings, compared with 42.8% on average since 2010.
Going the other way, Mechanical Engineer averaged 57.3% since 2010 but only 43.2% across its last three sittings.
The 10 easiest board exams still given
| # | Exam | Sittings | Average rate | Last 3 sittings | Lowest–highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Speech-Language Pathologist | 6 | 91.2% | 84.2% | 71%–100% |
| 2 | Optometrist | 12 | 85.8% | 92.9% | 63%–95% |
| 3 | Chemical Technician | 5 | 83.0% | 82.9% | 78%–87% |
| 4 | Dental Hygienist | 7 | 75.1% | 82.6% | 58%–99% |
| 5 | Medical Technologist | 22 | 74.4% | 76.6% | 59%–84% |
| 6 | Electronics Technician | 20 | 71.8% | 75.0% | 41%–85% |
| 7 | Mining Engineer | 13 | 71.8% | 69.9% | 27%–85% |
| 8 | Psychologist | 7 | 70.8% | 85.8% | 47%–88% |
| 9 | Respiratory Therapist | 8 | 67.5% | 76.6% | 41%–78% |
| 10 | Nutritionist-Dietitian | 11 | 67.0% | 67.9% | 64%–72% |
Most of these are smaller exams in health and allied fields. The exception is Medical Technologist: over 83,000 examinees since 2010 and an average of 74.4%, with no sitting below 58.9%.
"Easiest" here only means the highest share of examinees passed. Many of these programs filter students well before graduation, so the people who reach the board exam are already a selected group.
First-timers vs. repeaters
In almost every exam, first-time takers pass far more often than repeaters. The widest gaps among exams still given:
| Exam | First-timers | Repeaters |
|---|---|---|
| Nutritionist-Dietitian | 77.5% | 21.9% |
| Nurse | 84.3% | 31.4% |
| Librarian | 73.5% | 25.6% |
| Medical Technologist | 84.4% | 37.2% |
| Teacher - Secondary | 67.6% | 21.2% |
| Midwife | 72.0% | 25.6% |
So part of why an exam's overall rate looks low is how many repeaters take it. For a first-time taker, the Teacher - Secondary exam has passed about two in three since 2010, not the 42.8% its average suggests.
The exams where repeaters do almost as well as first-timers are Interior Designer (61.5% vs 59.8%), CPA (32.2% vs 28.2%) and Electronics Engineer (42.9% vs 37.6%).
Every exam, ranked
All 67 exams with five or more sittings, including those no longer given. First-timer and repeater rates cover the sittings where the PRC reported them.
| # | Exam | Years | Sittings | Examinees | Average rate | First-timers | Repeaters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | X-Ray Technologist | 2011–2025 | 12 | 1,925 | 25.9% | 36.3% | 12.1% |
| 2 | Fisheries Technologist | 2011–2019 | 5 | 5,208 | 31.5% | 38.9% | 23.4% |
| 3 | Certified Public Accountant | 2010–2026 | 22 | 196,109 | 34.7% | 32.2% | 28.2% |
| 4 | Teacher - Elementary | 2009–2026 | 29 | 1,316,862 | 37.6% | 63.2% | 19.4% |
| 5 | Agriculturist | 2010–2025 | 14 | 91,516 | 38.2% | 44.3% | 28.5% |
| 6 | Civil Engineer | 2010–2026 | 25 | 244,260 | 39.2% | 51.2% | 22.1% |
| 7 | Criminologist | 2010–2026 | 20 | 462,727 | 40.0% | 58.2% | 20.6% |
| 8 | Electronics Engineer | 2010–2026 | 22 | 75,172 | 40.9% | 42.9% | 37.6% |
| 9 | Veterinarian | 2010–2025 | 11 | 9,490 | 42.4% | 64.9% | 33.6% |
| 10 | Teacher - Secondary | 2010–2026 | 28 | 1,753,482 | 42.8% | 67.6% | 21.2% |
| 11 | Dentist - Written Phase | 2013–2019 | 9 | 7,633 | 43.0% | 59.0% | 22.0% |
| 12 | Master Plumber | 2010–2026 | 21 | 41,320 | 43.4% | 55.3% | 38.5% |
| 13 | Geodetic Engineer | 2010–2026 | 13 | 10,818 | 45.5% | 66.2% | 24.1% |
| 14 | Customs Broker | 2011–2025 | 10 | 19,652 | 45.8% | 54.7% | 30.0% |
| 15 | Agricultural and Biosystems Engineer | 2010–2025 | 9 | 12,083 | 46.1% | 56.6% | 32.2% |
| 16 | Naval Architect | 2010–2026 | 12 | 1,210 | 46.8% | 47.0% | 27.6% |
| 17 | Librarian | 2010–2026 | 13 | 10,123 | 47.8% | 73.5% | 25.6% |
| 18 | Chief Mate | 2011–2014 | 9 | 3,957 | 47.9% | 50.8% | 38.8% |
| 19 | Midwife | 2010–2026 | 24 | 69,598 | 48.4% | 72.0% | 25.6% |
| 20 | Marine Deck Officer | 2010–2011 | 5 | 13,292 | 49.0% | – | – |
| 21 | Radiologic Technologist | 2011–2025 | 12 | 31,123 | 50.2% | 64.2% | 22.4% |
| 22 | Forester | 2010–2026 | 12 | 14,486 | 50.3% | 68.9% | 31.4% |
| 23 | Aeronautical Engineer | 2010–2025 | 10 | 4,605 | 50.9% | 59.5% | 34.2% |
| 24 | Occupational Therapist | 2012–2026 | 16 | 3,490 | 51.6% | 72.8% | 36.9% |
| 25 | Master Mariner | 2011–2014 | 9 | 781 | 51.9% | 45.2% | 57.1% |
| 26 | Nurse | 2010–2026 | 23 | 820,166 | 52.8% | 84.3% | 31.4% |
| 27 | Certified Plant Mechanic | 2012–2026 | 16 | 1,248 | 53.6% | 61.8% | 44.7% |
| 28 | Dentist | 2010–2026 | 22 | 19,260 | 54.0% | 80.9% | 57.2% |
| 29 | Registered Electrical Engineer | 2014–2026 | 17 | 64,069 | 54.1% | 69.9% | 29.1% |
| 30 | OIC - Navigational Watch | 2012–2014 | 8 | 12,081 | 55.2% | 60.7% | 36.4% |
| 31 | Chemist | 2010–2026 | 12 | 10,192 | 55.3% | 67.7% | 30.3% |
| 32 | Registered Master Electrician | 2014–2026 | 17 | 41,741 | 56.1% | 63.2% | 37.8% |
| 33 | Geologist | 2010–2025 | 11 | 2,782 | 56.7% | 66.5% | 21.8% |
| 34 | Marine Engineer Officer | 2010–2012 | 7 | 11,554 | 56.9% | – | – |
| 35 | Real Estate Appraiser | 2011–2026 | 13 | 19,338 | 57.2% | 61.1% | 23.6% |
| 36 | Mechanical Engineer | 2010–2026 | 20 | 62,214 | 57.3% | 64.5% | 27.9% |
| 37 | Interior Designer | 2010–2026 | 10 | 3,343 | 58.6% | 61.5% | 59.8% |
| 38 | Sanitary Engineer | 2010–2026 | 14 | 2,242 | 58.7% | 70.2% | 33.9% |
| 39 | Guidance Counselor | 2010–2026 | 11 | 5,098 | 58.8% | 71.0% | 43.0% |
| 40 | Architect | 2010–2026 | 20 | 43,182 | 59.4% | 76.7% | 39.0% |
| 41 | Chemical Engineer | 2010–2026 | 23 | 15,577 | 59.5% | 73.1% | 37.8% |
| 42 | Psychometrician | 2014–2026 | 8 | 66,176 | 60.2% | 76.5% | 50.6% |
| 43 | OIC - Engineering Watch | 2012–2014 | 7 | 3,312 | 60.2% | 63.2% | 34.6% |
| 44 | Dental Technologist | 2012–2025 | 8 | 409 | 60.3% | 76.6% | 53.8% |
| 45 | Second Marine Engineer Officer | 2012–2014 | 7 | 1,841 | 60.4% | 65.9% | 39.8% |
| 46 | Physical Therapist | 2012–2026 | 16 | 16,008 | 60.5% | 74.6% | 38.3% |
| 47 | Pharmacist | 2010–2026 | 23 | 59,890 | 60.6% | 75.6% | 33.4% |
| 48 | Social Worker | 2010–2026 | 12 | 55,704 | 62.2% | 75.6% | 35.7% |
| 49 | Environmental Planner | 2010–2026 | 11 | 8,263 | 62.4% | 56.7% | 37.0% |
| 50 | Metallurgical Engineer | 2010–2025 | 16 | 651 | 62.5% | 81.1% | 38.7% |
| 51 | Real Estate Broker | 2011–2026 | 11 | 32,623 | 63.6% | 64.2% | 34.6% |
| 52 | Chief Marine Engineer Officer | 2012–2014 | 7 | 253 | 63.7% | 57.9% | 84.6% |
| 53 | Landscape Architect | 2010–2026 | 9 | 583 | 65.9% | 78.8% | 66.7% |
| 54 | Physician | 2010–2026 | 25 | 68,711 | 66.4% | 82.8% | 42.0% |
| 55 | Real Estate Consultant | 2011–2026 | 11 | 291 | 66.8% | 81.7% | 34.3% |
| 56 | Nutritionist-Dietitian | 2010–2025 | 11 | 11,603 | 67.0% | 77.5% | 21.9% |
| 57 | Respiratory Therapist | 2013–2026 | 8 | 7,579 | 67.5% | 81.2% | 41.4% |
| 58 | Special Certification | 2011–2024 | 8 | 98 | 70.6% | – | – |
| 59 | Psychologist | 2014–2026 | 7 | 2,083 | 70.8% | 86.2% | 49.3% |
| 60 | Mining Engineer | 2010–2025 | 13 | 2,356 | 71.8% | 82.8% | 37.9% |
| 61 | Electronics Technician | 2011–2026 | 20 | 36,005 | 71.8% | 78.1% | 51.7% |
| 62 | Medical Technologist | 2010–2026 | 22 | 83,502 | 74.4% | 84.4% | 37.2% |
| 63 | Dental Hygienist | 2013–2026 | 7 | 368 | 75.1% | 77.7% | 56.5% |
| 64 | Chemical Technician | 2019–2026 | 5 | 14,641 | 83.0% | 86.5% | 48.5% |
| 65 | Optometrist | 2010–2026 | 12 | 2,677 | 85.8% | 93.1% | 37.6% |
| 66 | Speech-Language Pathologist | 2023–2026 | 6 | 890 | 91.2% | 94.9% | 47.4% |
| 67 | Dentist - Practical Phase | 2013–2019 | 9 | 3,573 | 92.4% | 94.6% | 78.3% |
The Bar exam is not in this list: it is given by the Supreme Court, not the PRC, and PRCStats has one sitting so far. See the Bar exam report.
What this means if you are taking a board exam
- Look at first-timer rates, not just the headline rate. For most exams, first-timers pass far more often than the overall rate suggests.
- Check the trend. An exam's long-run average can hide a big change in the last few sittings. Each exam report shows every sitting.
- Compare your school. National rates hide wide differences between schools. Find yours in the schools directory.
Figures as of October 21, 2026. They will change as new results come out.