Enter your CLEP exam score, subject, and your college's minimum passing score to find out how many college credits you may earn. The calculator shows whether you passed, your credit equivalent, and how your scaled score (20–80) compares to the ACE-recommended threshold of 50.
Pass / Fail Status
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Credits Earned
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Score vs. ACE Recommendation (50)
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Score vs. Your College's Minimum
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Estimated Tuition Saved
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Net Savings After Exam Fee
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Your raw score is simply the number of questions you answered correctly — you gain one point per correct answer and lose nothing for wrong answers. That raw score is then converted to a scaled score ranging from 20 to 80 using a statistical equating process, and the scaled score is what appears on your official score report and is used for credit decisions.
The American Council on Education (ACE) recommends a score of 50 or higher for most CLEP exams. However, individual colleges set their own minimum passing scores, which can be higher or lower than 50. Always check your specific institution's CLEP credit policy before testing.
The number of credits varies by subject. Most CLEP exams are worth 3 credits (equivalent to one semester course), but some — like College Composition, Biology, College Mathematics, and Natural Sciences — are worth 6 credits. Language exams at Level 2 can be worth up to 9 credits. Credits are only awarded if you meet your college's minimum passing score.
No — those are all different points on the same 20–80 scale. Your scaled score is the final number on your score report (e.g., 72 out of 80). A 72 is well above the ACE-recommended passing score of 50. Some students confuse a raw score percentage with their scaled score, but you should always look at the scaled score on your official report.
Not every college participates in the CLEP program. Among those that do, policies vary widely — some accept nearly all CLEP exams, others accept only a few, and some impose limits on how many CLEP credits can count toward a degree. Always verify credit policies with your institution's registrar or admissions office.
The CLEP exam fee is $93 (plus any institutional administration fee). If passing earns you 3 credits and your college charges $600 per credit hour, you'd save about $1,800 in tuition while spending only $93 on the exam — a net saving of roughly $1,707. Use the savings fields in the calculator above to estimate your specific numbers.
Yes, but you must wait 3 months (90 days) before retesting on the same CLEP exam. After that waiting period, you can retake it as many times as needed. Each attempt requires paying the exam fee again.
No. You must request that your scores be sent to your institution. You can designate one free score recipient on the day of your exam. After that, there is a fee for each additional score report sent. Scores are kept on file for 20 years, so you can request them later if needed.