EA Exam Pass Rate 2026: Latest Stats by Part & Is the EA Exam Hard?

Written and reviewed by Vicky Sarin, CA (INSEAD), Founder of Eduyush. Last updated June 2026.

Source: pass rates are compiled from Prometric score-report data by major review providers such as Becker and iPassEAExam — the IRS does not publish official SEE pass rates directly. For official exam information (format, scoring, dates), see the IRS Enrolled Agents FAQ. This page is refreshed as each PSI testing cycle's data is released — the next update is expected after the 2026–27 window.

Latest EA Exam Pass Rates by Part (2024–2025)

The IRS's testing contractor records pass rates by part each cycle, which review providers then publish. Here are the most recent figures, with the previous cycle for context.

Part 1 remains the hardest part to clear. Part 2 (71%) has statistically tied with Part 3 (70%) in the latest cycle — not a meaningful reversal, but the long-running gap, where Representation usually led, has effectively closed. Before reading too much into which part looks "easiest," though, there's a catch most guides skip.

Historical Pass-Rate Trend (2021–2025)

Looking across recent cycles shows how stable the exam really is — and puts the latest Part 1 dip in perspective.

The headline pattern over recent cycles: overall rates have hovered in the low-to-mid 60s, Part 1 has consistently been the lowest, and Part 3 the most forgiving — though that Part 3 lead has narrowed recently. None of the year-to-year shifts are large enough to change how you should prepare.

Why Part 1 Has the Lowest Pass Rate

Part 1 (Individuals) consistently posts the lowest pass rate. Three things explain it:

• It's where most people start. Part 1 attracts the largest, least-experienced pool — many sit it first, before they've found their study rhythm.
• The breadth is deceptive. Individual taxation looks approachable but spans filing status, income types, dozens of deductions and credits, AMT, basis, and retirement rules — a lot of moving parts to keep straight.
• Tax-law churn. Frequent updates to individual provisions catch out candidates using older materials.

The takeaway: don't underestimate Part 1, and don't assume you must sit it first. Many candidates try Part 1 sample questions early to gauge the gap. See our 100-hour blueprints for Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Is the Enrolled Agent Exam Hard?

Honest answer: the EA exam is moderately difficult — challenging but very passable. An overall pass rate around 66% means most prepared candidates clear it; the third who don't are usually those who under-studied or used outdated materials. The difficulty isn't conceptual complexity — it's the breadth of U.S. tax law and applying it quickly across 100 questions in 3.5 hours.

How the EA Compares to the CPA, CMA & CIA

The EA is noticeably more passable than the other major U.S. finance credentials — largely because it's tax-specific rather than covering broad accounting, audit, and management topics.

How hard you find it depends mostly on your starting point:

Figures are indicative. Becker estimates roughly 210–270 hours total across all three parts for a typical candidate (it doesn't vary the figure by background), and iPassEAExam cites about 210–280 hours total — useful benchmarks if your background sits between the rows above.

Worried you're not a "natural" test-taker? You don't need to be — read whether average students can pass the EA exam, and the full EA exam syllabus so you know exactly what's tested.

Why Smart Candidates Ignore the Pass Rate

It's worth being clear about what a pass rate actually tells you — and what it doesn't.

• It reflects preparation, not intelligence. The number measures how well a population studied, not how clever they were.
• It isn't your personal probability. A 66% cohort rate says nothing about your odds once you've done the work — a well-prepared candidate's effective pass rate is far higher.
• It isn't a pure difficulty score. As above, different populations sit each part, so the percentages blend difficulty with who showed up.
• It's a lagging indicator. By the time a cycle's rate is published, the tax law and even the testing vendor may have changed.

What Successful Candidates Do Differently

The candidates in the passing 66% tend to do the same handful of things; the ones who retake usually skip them.

This is where an adaptive platform earns its keep. Surgent's ReadySCORE predicts your exam-day score so you don't sit before you're ready, and its engine concentrates your time on weak areas — the single biggest lever on a breadth-heavy part like Part 1. Pair it with our study-plan strategies and an AI-assisted self-study approach.

What Score Do You Need to Pass?

Under the PSI testing system, the SEE is scored on a scale of 200 to 800, with 500 as the passing score for each part — this replaced the old 40–130 scale on which 105 was the pass mark. You either see a "pass" on screen, or, if you fail, a scaled score plus a diagnostic report. For the full breakdown, see our guide to how EA exam scoring works.

What Happens If You Fail a Part?

Failing a part isn't the end — it's a data point. Here's the process:

• You see a fail result on screen and receive a scaled score plus a diagnostic report grading each topic area as strong, marginal, or weak.
• You can retake the same part up to four times per testing window, waiting at least 24 hours between attempts.
• Each retake is a fresh $317 SEE fee, so it pays to be ready before you book.
• Passed parts stay valid for three years, so a single failure doesn't reset your progress.

The diagnostic report is your most valuable tool — rebuild around the weak areas rather than re-studying everything. Our guide on how to recover after a failed part walks through a focused retake plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

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