2025 FAA Written Test Pass Rates
Updated May 20, 2025
Have you ever wondered which FAA Airman Knowledge Test (“written test”) is the most difficult? We parsed recently-released 2024 FAA data to find out the latest trends.
For ease of reading, we’ve separated the data into Pilot Certificate and Rating Tests, Flight Instructor Tests, and Ground Instructor Tests. Note that these pass rates and average scores do not differentiate between initial takes and retakes. We’ve also focused on the most common tests; where more than 250 of each test was administered. If you’re interested in other test results (e.g., Commercial Gyroplane), visit the link at in the “Further Reading” section.
In 2024, initial certifications (Sport and Private Pilot) written tests proved to be more difficult than advanced certificates and ratings, continuing a trend we observed in previous years of FAA data. The more advanced the test, generally, the higher the pass rate and higher the average score.
Pilot Certificate and Rating tests
As in recent years, the Private Pilot Airplane test had the lowest average score (82.89%) out of all of the common FAA pilot certificate and rating tests. The Sport Pilot Airplane test had the lowest pass rate (91.69%), followed closely by Private Pilot Airplane with a pass rate of 91.90%.
Private Pilot Helicopter tests produced pass rates and scores similar to Private Pilot Airplane tests. Not shown in the table, but notable nonetheless, is the Private Pilot Glider test (214 tests administered) – with a 85.01% average score (similar to Airplane and Helicopter), yet just an 87.38% pass rate (nearly 4 points lower than the Airplane and Helicopter tests).
The Instrument Rating (for both Airplane and Helicopter) is often said to be a challenging test, yet judging by both pass rates and average scores, Instrument Rating tests are significantly less difficult then their Private Pilot counterparts.
Tests with a >99% pass rate include the Commercial Pilot Helicopter (99.05%), ATP-Single Airplane (99.13%, not shown), Commercial Pilot Airplane (99.27%), ATP-Multi Airplane (99.74%), and ATP-Helicopter (100%, not shown). One might wonder what purpose these tests serve if they are being passed by more than 99 out of every 100 test-takers; with average scores in the 90% or greater range.
| Volume | Pass Rate | Average Score | |
| Private Pilot Airplane | 46,132 | 91.90% | 82.89% |
| Private Pilot Helicopter | 1,019 | 91.95% | 84.50% |
| Instrument Rating Helicopter | 625 | 92.96% | 84.56% |
| Sport Pilot Airplane | 397 | 91.69% | 85.39% |
| Instrument Rating Airplane | 25,647 | 94.24% | 85.64% |
| Military Competence Non-Category | 2,263 | 98.45% | 89.52% |
| Commercial Pilot Helicopter | 740 | 99.05% | 89.93% |
| Commercial Pilot Airplane | 18,840 | 99.27% | 91.02% |
| Airline Transport Pilot Multiengine Airplane | 9,797 | 99.74% | 93.70% |
Flight Instructor Tests
The Flight Instructor Airplane test is the most difficult of the common flight instructor tests (>250 administrations), with a pass rate of 95.05% and an average score of 88.35%. Similarly, the Flight Instructor Helicopter test is the most difficult for rotorcraft pilots.
Not shown is the Sport Pilot Airplane test, notable for a 100% pass rate; yet just an 85.41% passing score. Only 22 Sport Pilot Airplane Instructor tests were administered in 2024, so the sample size is extremely small.
As with the advanced pilot certificates mentioned above, one might again question if the Flight Instructor written tests, especially the Flight Instructor Instrument, are providing a useful level of discrimination. The failure rate on Flight Instructor practical tests is much higher than on the corresponding written tests (pass rates of ~75%). Many, if not most, failures on Flight Instructor practical exams are a result of a lack of knowledge, not a lack of flying aptitude. It would appear that these written tests are not effectively weeding out unqualified candidates.
| Volume | Pass Rate | Average Score | |
| Flight Instructor Airplane | 13,682 | 95.05% | 88.35% |
| Flight Instructor Helicopter | 501 | 98.40% | 89.54% |
| Fundamentals of Instructing | 13,995 | 98.84% | 90.79% |
| Flight Instructor Instrument Helicopter | 394 | 99.49% | 90.91% |
| Flight Instructor Instrument Airplane | 12,093 | 98.51% | 91.44% |
| Military Competence Instructor | 641 | 99.38% | 95.07% |
Ground Instructor Tests
In 2024, both the Ground Instructor (Basic) and Ground Instructor (Advanced) tests had extremely low pass rates (56.45% and 67.47%, respectively) and low average scores(68.53% and 79.68%, respectively).
However, the Ground Instructor (Instrument) test did not pose much trouble for test-takers in 2024.
| Volume | Pass Rate | Average Score | |
| Ground Instructor (Basic) | 62 | 56.45% | 68.53% |
| Ground Instructor (Advanced) | 2,490 | 67.47% | 79.68% |
| Ground Instructor Instrument | 2,391 | 99.58% | 93.00% |
The comparison of 2024’s data (above) versus the 2023 results (below) shows a marked year-over-year decline in the Ground Instructor (Advanced) pass rate and average score on a similar volume of tests. This suggests a substantial change in test content for the Ground Instructor (Advanced) test.
The Basic and Instrument results did not change substantially between 2023 and 2024, nor over any of the five previous years of data we reviewed.
| Volume | Pass Rate | Average Score | |
| Ground Instructor (Basic) | 89 | 60.67% | 72.16% |
| Ground Instructor (Advanced) | 2,289 | 96.81% | 88.33% |
| Ground Instructor Instrument | 2,088 | 99.66% | 92.44% |
Need help preparing for your FAA written test?
Yes, we do that! We offer one-on-one tutoring and written test preparation via Zoom call.
We can help with Airplane Airman Knowledge Tests, including Sport, Private, Instrument, and Commercial. Sorry, no Helicopter.
To schedule, select “Hourly Ground Instruction” after clicking the button below. Please make sure to include a few notes about what you’d like to cover in our session.
And, of course, if you’ve passed your written and are in checkride prep mode, we’d be happy to help with a comprehensive mock checkride.
Further reading
If you’re getting ready for your checkride, or just curious as to whether the same patterns show up in FAA Practical Tests (hint: they don’t!), visit our exploration of FAA Practical Test pass rates.
Interested in why people fail practical tests? Here are some of the Common Deficiencies we see in mock oral exams for applicants preparing for their practicals. These same topics also show up frequently on Airman Knowledge Test score reports that we review prior to mock checkrides.
View the 2024 FAA Airman Knowledge Test statistics in their original form here.