Top 10 Hardest Exams in the US 2025

Marcel IfeanyichukwuNovember 15, 2024

0 18 9 minutes read

Have you ever wondered about the hardest exams in the US that truly test the limits of knowledge, resilience, critical thinking, time management, and determination? Discover the toughest tests that shape careers and challenge even the brightest minds. In the United States, some exams are renowned for their extreme difficulty, challenging even the most prepared candidates.

These exams often represent the pinnacle of achievement in their respective fields, whether for professional certification, academic progression, or career advancement. Speaking of academic difficulties, we are all aware that they are nothing new to American students and graduates. The range of difficulties is broad and varied, ranging from standardized examinations evaluating graduate school preparedness to medical license exams that have the power to mold whole careers.

However, what makes these tests challenging, and how can we compare them impartially? If you’re as interested as we are, we’ve compiled information on the hardest exams in the US based on prep time, exam length, pass rates, and annual candidates.

Table of Contents

Why Are Certain Exams So Difficult?

Exams are considered difficult due to a combination of factors that test not only a candidate’s knowledge but also their ability to perform under pressure. Here’s why certain exams are so challenging:

Comprehensive Content: These exams often cover a vast amount of material, requiring deep understanding across multiple topics or disciplines. Candidates need to master both theoretical knowledge and practical application.
Time Constraints: Strict time limits test an individual’s ability to think and respond quickly, adding an extra layer of difficulty.
Low Pass Rates: Many challenging exams have historically low pass rates, which raises the stakes and intensifies the competition.
High Stakes: These exams are often prerequisites for entry into prestigious careers or advanced educational opportunities, putting immense pressure on candidates to succeed.
Complex Question Formats: Difficult exams use intricate question patterns, such as case studies, adaptive testing, or scenario-based queries, which demand analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Career Importance: These exams determine access to professional licensure or prestigious academic programs, adding significant pressure to perform well.

The Top 10 Hardest Exams in the US (2025)

1. The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)

The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is the hardest exams in the US, requiring an average of 200 to 400 hours of preparation for each of its three components. The USMLE is a three-step process that medical graduates who want to practice in the US must complete.

The eight-hour Step 1 exam is typically administered at the conclusion of the second year of medical school and assesses fundamental scientific knowledge. In Step 2, fourth-year students take a 9-hour test that evaluates their clinical and medical expertise. Over the course of two days, or sixteen hours, Step 3 focuses on patient management in ambulatory settings.

Even though the pass percentages are quite high (over 90% for Step 1, Step 2, and approximately 85–95% for Step 3), candidates devote four years of their medical school and first year of residency to studying for the test. To say that would be an understatement.

2. Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE), one of the hardest exams in the US, presents a formidable obstacle to more than 350,000 applicants annually. This computer-adapted test, which lasts three hours and forty-five minutes, evaluates verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing abilities.

GRE scores range from 0 to 6 for writing and from 130 to 170 for verbal and quantitative parts, in contrast to pass/fail tests. The flexibility of the GRE is what sets it apart; the questions become more difficult as your performance improves.

What’s your aim? Display your performance in comparison to other test-takers to get a high percentile rank. This test provides access to graduate schools in a variety of subjects, such as psychology and business. Students who score highly on the GRE may even be eligible for financial incentives from certain universities.

There is good news for anyone taking the GRE: beginning on September 22, 2023, the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections will each have 27 questions, making them shorter. The test has been shortened to just one hour and fifty-eight minutes. Don’t be shocked if we soon drop this exam’s ranking.

3. The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Exam

Financial professionals take One of the hardest exams in the US to further their careers, and it is called the CFA Exam. Each level requires a significant amount of preparation, ranging from 300 to 400 hours. A single-day test with morning and afternoon sessions that run roughly three hours each makes up each level.

At a historical rate of about 41% and a recent rate of 37%, Level I is more challenging to pass. Because they require more information, Levels II and III are thought to be more difficult; nonetheless, greater pass rates, 44% for Level II and 47% for Level III in August 2023 are the results of better preparation.

Every year, on average, between 100,000 and 150,000 candidates take this test, and the entire program usually takes more than four years to finish. The typical base salary for a CFA charter holder is $126,000, with a total compensation package of approximately $177,000. This makes it a good investment if you’re interested in a career as a portfolio manager. In the end, all of that learning might be worthwhile.

4. United States Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)

Among the hardest exams in the US and Canada is the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) an integral part of the admissions process for medical schools. The test lasts for around 7.5 hours, including breaks, making it a marathon. It takes between thirty and five hundred hours for candidates to be sufficiently prepared. Each of the four main sections of the MCAT has a score between 118 and 132, giving a total score between 472 and 528.

The median score for a candidate is around 500, but if you want to get into a prestigious medical school like Harvard, Yale, Stanford, or Johns Hopkins, you will face severe competition, as admitted students often have median scores in the 520s. Those who were admitted into medical schools in the United States that grant MDs in 2023–2024 had an average total MCAT score of 511.7.

5. National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX)

Each year, approximately 190,000 applicants in the United States take the demanding National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), which includes the NCLEX-RN for registered nurses and the NCLEX-PN for practical/vocational nurses. Each exam has a minimum and maximum number of questions that must be answered, and it can run up to five hours.

Applicants must respond to 75–145 questions on the NCLEX-RN, whereas those taking the NCLEX-PN must respond to 85–205 questions. Because of its extensive content, emphasis on critical thinking, and computerized adaptive style, the NCLEX requires a significant amount of preparation between 100 and 200 hours, to be precise. With an 85% passing rate, success requires not only knowledge but also the ability to handle a variety of question types and make clinical decisions and one of the hardest exams in the US.

6. The Uniform Bar Examination (UBE)

The Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), which is necessary for prospective attorneys to practice in the US, is one the hardest exams in the US. Over the course of two days, the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) is a 12-hour legal test with a 60%–75% pass rate on average. In addition to the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), it tests applicants on the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) and two Multistate Performance Test (MPT) activities.

In the United States, 36 states or jurisdictions have embraced the UBE; however, some have their own variations. For example, in 2023, the California Bar Exam, which is infamously difficult, had a remarkably low pass rate (51.5%) when compared to other states.

7. The Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam

Taking the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam is regarded as one of the hardest exams in the US, which requires 300–400 hours of preparation, the ultimate hurdle in the financial industry. This computer-based test consists of four sections: regulation (REG), financial accounting and reporting (FAR), business environment and concepts (BEC), and auditing and attestation (AUD). It takes a total of 16 hours to complete.

Candidates must receive a minimum score of 75 in order to pass each of the four CPA Exam parts. The exam has a scoring range of 0 to 99. Because it routinely has the lowest pass percentages among the four parts, FAR is commonly known as the hardest. CPA, as some joke, means “Couldn’t Pass Again.”

8. Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE)

Every year, around 30,000 to 40,000 applicants take the essential two-hour to answer one of the hardest exams in the US, the 60-question multiple-choice Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE). While the criteria varied between Wisconsin and Puerto Rico, it is required for admission to the majority of bars in the United States. The NCBE developed this test to evaluate applicants’ professional responsibility and ethics.

The MPRE is a more straightforward, rule-based test than the bar exam, with greater room for justification and reasoning. Some people find it easier than the bar, while others find it tough because it is black and white, especially if they struggle with multiple-choice questions. The MPRE is a crucial milestone in the legal profession because it must be completed before or after passing your state’s bar exam.

9. Advanced Placement (AP) Exams

Advanced Placement examinations, or AP exams, are considered a rite of passage for 4 million high school students in the United States every year. People who have taken advanced coursework, frequently through AP classes, frequently choose to take these tests, which are administered by the College Board. AP Calculus, AP Biology, AP English Literature, AP U.S. History, and many other courses are among the 38 AP tests that are offered.

Each subject has a different amount of time, and the questions are both multiple-choice and free-response. You can receive college credit if you receive a score of three or above on a scale of one to five. With pass rates usually between 50% and 70%, AP exams are notoriously challenging. It’s also considered one of the hardest exams in the US.

10. Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)

Finally, there is the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) one of the hardest exams in the US, which is taken by an astounding 100,000 people every year, particularly those who are applying to graduate management programs such as the Master of Management Administration (MBA).

It requires a substantial time investment, with preparation times ranging from 100 to 200 hours. Four components make up this standardized test: verbal reasoning, numeric skills, reasoning, and analytical writing. The scoring structure of the GMAT, which ranges from 200 to 800, is what makes it unique.

Although the GMAT does not have a clear pass/fail rating like traditional tests do, a high score frequently grants admission to prestigious business schools. The average GMAT score is about 582, to put this into context. However, the competition is intense for those hoping to get into prestigious business schools like Stanford, Wharton, or MIT, since admitted MBA students in 2025 typically have scores in the high 700s.

Benefits of Conquering These Exams

Hardest Exams in the US

Despite the obvious goal of passing, there are other advantages to overcoming the hardest exams in the US. These examinations typically act as entry points to desired professions, higher education, and personal development. The following are the primary benefits:

Professional Credibility: By passing these assessments, you demonstrate that you can comprehend hard issues and are recognized as an authority in your profession. Your reputation and work opportunities are boosted by this.
Career Advancement: A lot of these tests are necessary for certification or licensure, which opens doors to high-paying employment, leadership positions, and specialized opportunities.
Higher Earning Potential: Because of their recorded expertise and credentials, experienced or licensed professionals sometimes command better income.
Personal Development: Studying for and passing these tests promotes self-control, discipline, and perseverance all of which are vital for personal growth.
Global Opportunities: If you pass internationally recognized tests, such as the CFA or USMLE, you may be entitled to work or study elsewhere.

In conclusion, the hardest exams in the US for 2025 exemplify the rigorous standards required to enter prestigious professions and academic programs. These tests are not just assessments of knowledge but also trials of perseverance, critical thinking, and time management. From the intricate questions of the MCAT and Bar Exam to the adaptive testing of the NCLEX and the demanding multi-level CFA, each exam poses unique challenges that push candidates to their limits.

Despite their difficulty, conquering these exams brings immense rewards. Passing grants access to fulfilling careers, professional credibility, and opportunities for personal and financial growth. More than a test of intelligence, these exams represent milestones of dedication, resilience, and ambition.

For those facing these daunting challenges, the key is preparation, consistency, and a focus on long-term goals. With the right strategy and determination, these exams can become stepping stones to success. The journey may be tough, but the rewards are undoubtedly worth the effort.