{"id":78,"date":"2025-11-24T12:33:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T12:33:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/?page_id=78"},"modified":"2025-11-24T12:33:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T12:33:11","slug":"cfa-passing-score-mps","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/cfa-passing-score-mps\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the passing scores for CFA exams?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/cfa-passing-score-mps\/#What_are_the_passing_scores_for_CFA_exams\" >What are the passing scores for CFA exams?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/cfa-passing-score-mps\/#What_is_the_Minimum_Passing_Score_MPS\" >What is the Minimum Passing Score (MPS)?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/cfa-passing-score-mps\/#Is_the_passing_score_70\" >Is the passing score 70%?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/cfa-passing-score-mps\/#Do_CFA_exams_use_negative_marking_or_scoring_penalties\" >Do CFA exams use negative marking or scoring penalties?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/cfa-passing-score-mps\/#Why_do_pass_rates_change_every_year\" >Why do pass rates change every year?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/cfa-passing-score-mps\/#Do_candidates_from_Pakistan_or_India_get_different_scoring_treatment\" >Do candidates from Pakistan or India get different scoring treatment?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/cfa-passing-score-mps\/#How_to_increase_your_chances_of_passing\" >How to increase your chances of passing<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/cfa-passing-score-mps\/#Final_reminder\" >Final reminder<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_passing_scores_for_CFA_exams\"><\/span>What are the passing scores for CFA exams?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> CFA Institute does not publicly release the exact passing score for any CFA exam level. Instead, each exam window has a <strong>Minimum Passing Score (MPS)<\/strong> based on difficulty. Your score is evaluated using this MPS.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_Minimum_Passing_Score_MPS\"><\/span>What is the Minimum Passing Score (MPS)?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Minimum Passing Score is the score you must meet or exceed to pass a specific exam window. It changes from one window to another depending on the difficulty of the exam questions.<\/p>\n<p>Important points about MPS:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The MPS is <strong>not fixed<\/strong> (it is not always 70%, 60%, etc.)<\/li>\n<li>It is determined using psychometric analysis (exam difficulty measurement)<\/li>\n<li>It is approved and validated by CFA charterholders serving as the standard-setting board<\/li>\n<li>The MPS is always set <strong>before<\/strong> candidate results are reviewed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This policy ensures fairness regardless of whether your exam window is slightly harder or easier than others.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_the_passing_score_70\"><\/span>Is the passing score 70%?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>No. 70% is not officially the passing score. Many candidates and trainers treat 70% as a benchmark for preparation, because it gives a reasonable margin above most historical passing thresholds. However, CFA Institute has never confirmed a fixed number.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Think of 70% as a target for exam preparation, not an official rule.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_CFA_exams_use_negative_marking_or_scoring_penalties\"><\/span>Do CFA exams use negative marking or scoring penalties?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>No. There is <strong>no negative marking<\/strong> in the CFA exam. You should attempt all questions, even if you are unsure. Leaving a question blank does not help you.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_pass_rates_change_every_year\"><\/span>Why do pass rates change every year?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Pass rates vary because:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Every exam window has different difficulty<\/li>\n<li>The MPS changes accordingly<\/li>\n<li>Candidates differ in preparation quality from one window to another<\/li>\n<li>CFA Institute does not set a fixed percentage of people who must pass<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Pass rates increase when candidates perform better and decrease when overall performance is weaker. This is <strong>not<\/strong> based on geography or nationality.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_candidates_from_Pakistan_or_India_get_different_scoring_treatment\"><\/span>Do candidates from Pakistan or India get different scoring treatment?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>No. All CFA candidates around the world are scored using the <strong>same global MPS standards.<\/strong> There is no country-based curve, quota, or limit for passing.<\/p>\n<p>The rumor that \u201cfewer Pakistanis\/Indians pass\u201d is incorrect. Candidates from all countries are evaluated equally based on the same exam score threshold.<\/p>\n<p>If you are preparing in Pakistan or India and want guidance on ID requirements, read: <a href=\"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/can-i-use-local-id-cnic-aadhaar-for-cfa-exam\">Can I use a local ID (CNIC\/Aadhaar) for the CFA exam?<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_increase_your_chances_of_passing\"><\/span>How to increase your chances of passing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Since the MPS is unknown, your best strategy is to aim comfortably above it. Practical tips:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Treat 70% as a realistic study target<\/li>\n<li>Use official curriculum end-of-chapter questions and mock exams<\/li>\n<li>Practice time management for both the morning and afternoon sessions<\/li>\n<li>Do not skip Ethics \u2014 it can influence your final result (\u201cethics adjustment\u201d)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Also try not to change your exam window unless necessary. Rescheduling has costs and reduces momentum. For more information, read: <a href=\"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/can-i-reschedule-or-defer-my-cfa-exam\">Can I reschedule or defer my CFA exam?<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_reminder\"><\/span>Final reminder<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This page summarizes the scoring policy in simple language. CFA Institute does not publish the passing score, and official exam policies may change over time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If any information here conflicts with the CFA Institute website, the official information always takes priority.<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>Disclaimer:<\/em> This guide is written to help candidates understand CFA Institute rules in simple language. It is not affiliated with, approved by, or endorsed by CFA Institute. Always rely on the official CFA Institute website for final and updated policies.<\/p>\n<p><em>CFA Institute, CFA\u00ae, and Chartered Financial Analyst\u00ae are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a9 <span id=\"year\"><\/span> Kamran Rashid. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n<p><script>\ndocument.getElementById(\"year\").innerText = new Date().getFullYear();\n<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What are the passing scores for CFA exams? Quick answer: CFA Institute does not publicly release the exact passing score for any CFA exam level. Instead, each exam window has a Minimum Passing Score (MPS) based on difficulty. Your score is evaluated using this MPS. What is the Minimum Passing Score (MPS)? The Minimum Passing &#8230; <a title=\"What are the passing scores for CFA exams?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/cfa-passing-score-mps\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about What are the passing scores for CFA exams?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-78","page","type-page","status-publish"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/78","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/78\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":79,"href":"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/78\/revisions\/79"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kamranrashid.com\/cfa-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}