FAA Airman Knowledge Test (“Written”) Statistics
Updated February 15, 2026
Have you ever wondered which FAA Airman Knowledge Test (“written”) is the most difficult? We parsed recently-released 2025 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 200 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 2025, initial certifications (Sport and Private Pilot) written tests proved to be more difficult than advanced certificates and ratings, continuing a trend we’ve observed in previous years of FAA data. The more advanced the test, generally, the higher the pass rate and higher the average score.
“Difficult” is the term we’re using to describe a test with low pass rates and low average score. Obviously, tests for advanced certificates contain more complex material than those for initial/primary certificates. All tables in this article are sorted by average score.
Pilot Certificate and Rating Tests
As in recent years, in 2025, the Private Pilot Helicopter (81.57%) and Private Pilot Airplane (81.64%) tests had the lowest average score out of all of the common FAA pilot certificate and rating tests. The Private Pilot Glider test had the lowest pass rate (87.75%), followed by the Private Pilot Airplane test (89.56%).
In 2025, the Private Pilot Airplane and Private Pilot Glider tests both saw decreases (-1.25% and -2.93%, respectively) in average scores when compared to 2024. These two tests also saw decreases in pass rate (-2.34% and -2.07%, respectively).
Sport Pilot Airplane candidates did much better on their writtens in 2025 than in the previous year, improving their average score by 1.25% and pass rate by 5.21%.
The Instrument Rating (for both Airplane and Helicopter) is often said to be a challenging test, yet judging by both average score and pass rates, Instrument Rating tests are significantly less difficult then their Private Pilot counterparts.
Tests with a >99% pass rate in 2025 include the Commercial Pilot Airplane (99.05%) and ATP-Multi Airplane (99.82%). 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 | Average Score | Versus 2024 | Pass Rate | Versus 2024 | |
| Private Pilot Helicopter | 939 | 81.57% | -2.93% | 89.88% | -2.07% |
| Private Pilot Airplane | 44,657 | 81.64% | -1.25% | 89.56% | -2.34% |
| Private Pilot Glider | 253 | 84.37% | -0.64% | 87.75% | 0.37% |
| Instrument Rating Helicopter | 597 | 84.47% | -0.09% | 94.14% | 1.18% |
| Instrument Rating Airplane | 27,143 | 86.15% | 0.51% | 94.38% | 0.14% |
| Sport Pilot Airplane | 420 | 86.64% | 1.25% | 96.90% | 5.21% |
| Commercial Pilot Helicopter | 715 | 88.65% | -1.28% | 98.74% | -0.31% |
| Commercial Pilot Airplane | 20,530 | 91.25% | 0.23% | 99.17% | -0.10% |
| Military Competence Non-Category | 2,907 | 92.06% | 2.54% | 98.49% | 0.04% |
| Airline Transport Pilot Helicopter (135) | 303 | 92.97% | -1.02% | 98.35% | -1.65% |
| Airline Transport Pilot Multiengine Airplane | 9,972 | 94.79% | 1.09% | 99.82% | 0.08% |
Flight Instructor Tests
The Flight Instructor Airplane test is the most difficult of the common flight instructor tests (>200 administrations), with an average score of 88.89% and a pass rate of 95.35%.
Not shown is the Flight Instructor Sport Airplane test, notable for a 100% pass rate; yet just an 84.87% passing score. Only 17 Sport Pilot Airplane Instructor tests were administered in 2025, so the sample size is extremely small. Expect this number to increase dramatically in 2026 as MOSAIC’s adoption will encourage more people to seek CFI-Sport Pilot privileges.
As with the advanced pilot certificates mentioned above, one might again question if the Flight Instructor written tests, especially the (required at all levels) Fundamentals of Instructing and Flight Instructor Instrument (both Airplane and Helicopter) test, are providing a useful level of discrimination, as they are passed at extremely high rates (all >98.8%) with average scores well above 90%.
The failure rate on Flight Instructor practical tests is much higher than on the corresponding written tests. Many, if not most, failures on Flight Instructor practical exams are a result of a lack of knowledge and teaching skills, not a lack of flying aptitude. One could postulate that the various written tests are not effectively weeding out unqualified candidates prior to checkride.
| Volume | Average Score | Versus 2024 | Pass Rate | Versus 2024 | |
| Flight Instructor Airplane | 14,736 | 88.89% | 0.54% | 95.35% | 0.30% |
| Flight Instructor Helicopter | 520 | 90.01% | 0.47% | 98.27% | -0.13% |
| Flight Instructor Instrument Helicopter | 397 | 91.92% | 1.13% | 99.50% | 0.66% |
| Fundamentals of Instructing | 14,846 | 92.13% | 1.22% | 99.07% | -0.42% |
| Flight Instructor Instrument Airplane | 12,781 | 92.49% | 1.05% | 98.88% | 0.37% |
| Military Competence Instructor | 1,028 | 96.02% | 0.95% | 99.22% | -0.16% |
Ground Instructor Tests
In 2025, Ground Instructor tests returned to the pattern that predominated prior to 2024; lower scores and pass rates on the Ground Instructor (Basic) exam, and higher scores and pass rates for Ground Instructor (Advanced) and Ground Instructor Instrument.
We suspect that the Ground Instructor (Basic) and Ground Instructor (Advanced) question banks were modified heavily in 2024. 2024’s scores and pass rates were significantly lower than in 2023 and previous years.
The “bounceback” is seen in 2025’s data, especially when compared directly to data from 2024. Is this a result of the FAA revising the question banks yet again, or perhaps commercial test prep software has adapted to the new questions?
| Volume | Average Score | Versus 2024 | Pass Rate | Versus 2024 | |
| Ground Instructor (Basic) | 41 | 75.34% | 6.81% | 70.73% | 14.28% |
| Ground Instructor (Advanced) | 2,694 | 89.20% | 9.52% | 97.29% | 29.82% |
| Ground Instructor Instrument | 2,751 | 93.11% | 0.11% | 99.71% | 0.13% |
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 (sorry, no Helicopter) Airman Knowledge Tests, including Sport, Private, Instrument, Commercial, and CFI. We also speak Fundamentals of Instructing.
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 2025 FAA Airman Knowledge Test statistics and data from previous years here.
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