Exam difficulty
How Hard Is the Real Estate Exam? Pass Rates by State (2026)
Most people pass on their first try somewhere around 55–60% of the time — but that headline number hides a lot. Here's what the numbers actually say, where they come from, and what makes an exam hard.
Last verified July 8, 2026.
The national picture
~55-60% first-attempt nationally (commonly cited); Colibri Real Estate's 2025 state-by-state analysis computes a 61.4% average first-time pass rate (SD 7.5%).
No federal or ARELLO-published national statistic exists; most states do not publish official pass rates. The 50-60% first-attempt range is the figure most widely cited by education providers and is consistent with regulator-published data in the biggest markets (TX 56% per TREC, FL 49% per DBPR, CA ~51-53% per DRE-derived reporting). Colibri's 61.4% average weights all states equally, so small high-pass-rate states pull it above the volume-weighted reality of ~52-57%.
Colibri 2025 analysis (opens in a new tab) · Reporting period: 2025 (analysis published Oct 2025, updated April 2026)
First-attempt pass rates (17 states with published or attributed data)
These are the only states where we could point to a specific, attributable pass-rate figure. If your state isn't here, we don't have one — regulators in most states simply don't publish exam statistics.
| State | First-attempt pass rate | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
ArizonaVerified | ~60% first-attempt (ADRE exam performance data) | Most recent ADRE reporting cited 2023-2025 | View source (opens in a new tab) |
CaliforniaVerified | ~51-53% salesperson (FY 2025, DRE data) | Fiscal year 2024-25 / FYTD December 2025 | View source (opens in a new tab) |
FloridaVerified | 49% first-attempt (July-Aug 2025); ~38-40% all attempts | July 2025 and August 2025 monthly summaries | View source (opens in a new tab) |
Idahoest. | ~71% first-attempt (industry estimate, 2025) | 2025 | View source (opens in a new tab) |
Indianaest. | ~74% first-attempt (industry estimate, 2025) | 2025 | View source (opens in a new tab) |
Louisianaest. | ~56% first-attempt (industry estimate, 2025) | 2025 | View source (opens in a new tab) |
Maineest. | ~73% first-attempt (industry estimate, 2025) | 2025 | View source (opens in a new tab) |
Michiganest. | ~53% first-attempt (provider-cited; not officially published) | 2025-2026 | View source (opens in a new tab) |
Minnesotaest. | ~78% first-attempt (industry estimate, 2025) | 2025 | View source (opens in a new tab) |
Nevadaest. | ~57% first-attempt (industry estimate, 2025) | 2025 | View source (opens in a new tab) |
New Yorkest. | ~63% first-attempt (industry estimate, 2025) | 2025 | View source (opens in a new tab) |
North CarolinaVerified | ~66-68% first-attempt (industry compilation); regulator publishes per-school rates | 2024-2025 | View source (opens in a new tab) |
Ohioest. | ~54% first-attempt (provider-cited average; not officially published) | 2025 | View source (opens in a new tab) |
PennsylvaniaVerified | 61% national portion / 46% state portion first-attempt (Pearson VUE data) | Most recent Pearson VUE reporting cited 2024-2025 | View source (opens in a new tab) |
South Carolinaest. | ~56% first-attempt (industry estimate, 2025) | 2025 | View source (opens in a new tab) |
TexasVerified | 56% first-attempt (two-year period 6/1/2023-5/31/2025) | June 2023 - May 2025 (rolling two-year window, reported as of 11/30/2025) | View source (opens in a new tab) |
Washingtonest. | ~75% first-attempt (industry estimate, 2025) | 2025 | View source (opens in a new tab) |
What makes a real estate exam hard
Five factors explain most of the state-to-state gap between the easiest and hardest jurisdictions.
1. How many pre-licensing hours you have to sit through first
Texas requires 180 hours — the most of any large state. Colorado's 168 hours is the heaviest overall. Florida crams into only 63 hours and still hands out the toughest exam in the country.
2. Whether the national and state portions are scored separately
Arizona and Pennsylvania both make you pass the national and state portions independently at 75%. That's why Pennsylvania candidates pass the national portion at 61% on their first try but the state portion at only 46%.
3. In-house or scaled scoring instead of a national vendor test
California writes its own 150-question DRE exam rather than using a national vendor test. Colorado uses a combined-score model that adds another layer between "did I answer enough questions right" and "did I pass."
4. Retake restrictions
Arizona enforces a 24-hour wait plus per-section retake fees. Florida makes you wait 21 days for a review request, and repeaters there pass at just 29–32%.
5. The easiest states, for contrast
Minnesota tops Colibri's 2025 ranking at roughly 78%, followed by Washington at ~75% and Indiana at ~74%.
Reminder: figures were last verified July 8, 2026. Pass rates shift each reporting cycle — always click through to the linked source before quoting a number.