AP pass rates 2025: Physics, Calculus, Statistics and Computer Science
An AP score of 3 or higher is usually called a pass. Here are College Board's official pass rates for the maths, physics and computer science exams from 2023 to 2025, the share of students who scored a 5, and what changed.
On this page
- Pass rates at a glance
- The full 2025 score distributions
- What "pass" means on an AP exam
- AP Physics 1: the biggest change
- AP Physics 2 and AP Physics C
- AP Calculus AB and BC
- AP Statistics and AP Computer Science A
- How to improve your chance of passing
- What pass rates do not tell you
- Frequently asked questions
- Key takeaways
Pass rates at a glance
| Exam | 2023: 3 or higher | 2024: 3 or higher | 2025: 3 or higher | 2025: scored a 5 | 2025: mean score | 2025: students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Physics 1 | 45.6% | 47.3% | 67.3% | 19.7% | 3.12 | 174,992 |
| AP Physics 2 | 69.8% | 70.5% | 72.6% | 21.7% | 3.38 | 24,322 |
| AP Physics C: Mechanics | 73.5% | 76.3% | 73.1% | 21.7% | 3.3 | 66,267 |
| AP Physics C: E&M | 70.2% | 71.6% | 72.8% | 25.1% | 3.37 | 29,910 |
| AP Calculus AB | 58.0% | 64.4% | 64.2% | 20.3% | 3.21 | 286,722 |
| AP Calculus BC | 78.5% | 80.9% | 78.6% | 43.9% | 3.82 | 160,954 |
| AP Statistics | 60.0% | 61.8% | 60.3% | 17.0% | 2.92 | 267,690 |
| AP Computer Science A | 68.0% | 67.2% | 67.0% | 25.5% | 3.18 | 93,906 |
All figures are College Board's global student score distributions for the May exams, rounded to one decimal place.
The full 2025 score distributions
| Exam | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Physics 1 | 19.7% | 24.7% | 22.9% | 13.4% | 19.3% |
| AP Physics 2 | 21.7% | 28.8% | 22.1% | 20.2% | 7.2% |
| AP Physics C: Mechanics | 21.7% | 24.0% | 27.5% | 16.0% | 10.9% |
| AP Physics C: E&M | 25.1% | 23.6% | 24.1% | 17.9% | 9.4% |
| AP Calculus AB | 20.3% | 28.9% | 15.0% | 22.8% | 13.0% |
| AP Calculus BC | 43.9% | 21.8% | 12.8% | 15.2% | 6.2% |
| AP Statistics | 17.0% | 21.4% | 21.8% | 15.9% | 23.8% |
| AP Computer Science A | 25.5% | 21.8% | 19.8% | 10.9% | 22.1% |
The share of 5s is often more useful than the pass rate if you are aiming for a selective college: in 2025 it ranged from 17.0% in AP Statistics to 43.9% in AP Calculus BC.
What "pass" means on an AP exam
AP exams are scored from 1 to 5. College Board describes a 3 as "qualified", and many colleges give credit or placement for a 3 or higher, which is why a 3 is usually called a pass. Selective colleges often want a 4 or 5 for credit, and some give none at all, so check the policy of each college you are interested in. College Board's AP credit policy search lists them.
AP Physics 1: the biggest change
The AP Physics 1 pass rate jumped from 47.3% in 2024 to 67.3% in 2025, and the share of 5s nearly doubled, from 10.2% to 19.7%. 2025 was the first exam of the revised course, with the new exam format and fluids moved in from AP Physics 2. Before that, AP Physics 1 had one of the lowest pass rates of any AP exam: 45.6% in 2023.
It is too early to say whether 2025 is the new normal. What has not changed is where students lose points: explaining their reasoning in words, and the lab question. Our AP Physics 1 free-response guide covers both with the 2025 question-by-question results, and the AP Physics 1 study guide reviews every unit.
AP Physics 2 and AP Physics C
AP Physics 2 and both AP Physics C exams pass at around 70 to 76%. Their students are usually second-year physics students, which helps. In 2025 the share of 5s fell on both Physics C exams (Mechanics from 28.5% to 21.7%, E&M from 35.2% to 25.1%), the first year of their revised exams, while the pass rates stayed similar.
AP Calculus AB and BC
AP Calculus BC has one of the highest pass rates and the highest share of 5s here: 78.6% passed in 2025 and 43.9% scored a 5. BC students have usually done well in earlier maths courses, so this reflects who takes it more than an easier exam. AP Calculus AB passes at about 64%, up from 58.0% in 2023.
Calculus AB has a large share of 2s: 22.8% in 2025. A few more points on the free-response questions is often the difference between a 2 and a 3. See our AB score calculator to see how close you are.
AP Statistics and AP Computer Science A
AP Statistics passes at about 60%, and 23.8% of students scored a 1 in 2025. The exam changes in May 2027, with a new five-unit course and four free-response questions worth 10 points each. AP Computer Science A has been steady at about 67% for three years.
How to improve your chance of passing
- Find out where you stand early. Sit a timed practice test by February and put it into a score calculator. The gap to a 3, 4 or 5 tells you how much work is needed.
- Practise the free-response section with the official scoring guidelines. Free response is half the score, and most lost points are about communication: justifying, naming principles, showing set-up.
- Answer every multiple-choice question. There is no penalty for a wrong answer.
- Practise to the 2027 timings. Physics, Calculus and Statistics all change their question counts or timings in May 2027.
What pass rates do not tell you
- Who takes the exam matters. A high pass rate can mean a strong group of students as much as an easier exam.
- Your own score depends on your preparation, not on the average. Use a practice test and a score calculator to see where you stand.
- Cut-offs change each year. College Board sets the composite score needed for each AP score so that a 3 means the same from year to year.
Score calculators: Physics 1, Physics 2, Physics C: Mechanics, Physics C: E&M, Calculus AB, Calculus BC and Statistics.
Frequently asked questions
What is the AP Physics 1 pass rate?
67.3% of students scored 3 or higher in May 2025, up from 47.3% in 2024. 19.7% scored a 5.
Which of these AP exams has the highest pass rate?
AP Calculus BC: 78.6% scored 3 or higher in 2025, and 43.9% scored a 5.
Is a 3 a passing score on an AP exam?
College Board calls a 3 "qualified", and many colleges give credit for it, so it is usually called a pass. Some colleges require a 4 or 5.
When are 2026 and 2027 score distributions published?
College Board publishes each year's score distributions on AP Central after scores are released in July.
Key takeaways
- AP Physics 1 jumped to a 67.3% pass rate in 2025, from 47.3%.
- Calculus BC: 78.6% passed and 43.9% scored a 5 in 2025.
- A 3 is usually a pass; selective colleges often want a 4 or 5.
Sources: College Board, AP student score distributions for May 2023, 2024 and 2025 (AP Central). Checked 21 October 2026.