CLEP (College-Level Examination Program) is a set of standardized exams that let you earn college credit by demonstrating what you already know, rather than sitting through an entire semester-long course. Run by the College Board, the program offers 34 exams across five subject areas, each costing $97 plus a testing center fee. A passing score can earn you anywhere from 3 to 12 credit hours per exam, potentially saving thousands of dollars in tuition.
How CLEP Works
Each CLEP exam is a standardized test covering material equivalent to an introductory or survey-level college course. Most exams are 90 minutes long and primarily multiple choice, though some composition exams include essay sections. You take the test at an approved testing center or through remote proctoring, and your scores are available almost immediately.
The American Council on Education (ACE) recommends a passing score of 50 on each exam, which corresponds roughly to earning a C in the equivalent college course. Scores are reported on a scale of 20 to 80. Individual colleges can set their own minimum score requirements, and some require higher than 50 to grant credit. Before you register, check your school’s CLEP policy to confirm which exams they accept and what score they require.
Available Subjects
The 34 CLEP exams span five categories, mostly covering the kinds of introductory courses students take during their first two years of college.
- History and Social Sciences (12 exams): American Government, U.S. History I and II, Western Civilization I and II, Introductory Psychology, Introductory Sociology, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Human Growth and Development, Introduction to Educational Psychology, and Social Sciences and History.
- Composition and Literature (6 exams): College Composition, College Composition Modular, American Literature, English Literature, Analyzing and Interpreting Literature, and Humanities.
- Science and Mathematics (7 exams): Biology, Chemistry, College Algebra, College Mathematics, Precalculus, Calculus, and Natural Sciences.
- Business (5 exams): Financial Accounting, Information Systems, Introductory Business Law, Principles of Management, and Principles of Marketing.
- World Languages (4 exams): French, German, Spanish, and Spanish with Writing. Each covers both first-year and second-year content in a single test, with different score thresholds for Level 1 and Level 2 credit.
How Many Credits You Can Earn
The number of semester hours awarded per exam depends on the subject. Business exams typically grant 3 credits each. History, social sciences, composition, literature, science, and math exams generally award 3 to 6 credits. World language exams can be the most valuable, offering 6 to 12 credits from a single test since they cover two years of coursework.
To put that in dollar terms: if your school charges $500 per credit hour and you pass a 6-credit CLEP exam, you’ve effectively replaced $3,000 worth of coursework with a $97 test. Students who pass several exams can potentially skip an entire semester or more.
What It Costs
Every CLEP exam has a base fee of $97, paid to the College Board when you register. On top of that, your testing center charges its own administration fee, which varies by location. Remote proctoring carries a similar additional charge. Budget roughly $120 to $140 total per exam, though the exact amount depends on where you test.
There is a way to take CLEP exams for free. Modern States Education Alliance, a nonprofit, offers free online prep courses for every CLEP subject. After you complete the relevant Modern States course, you receive a voucher code that covers the $97 exam fee. If your testing center charges an administration fee, Modern States will reimburse that too. The only catch is that you need to finish the full prep course in the subject before you get the voucher.
Who CLEP Is Best For
CLEP is designed for people who already have knowledge in a subject and want credit for it. That includes high school students looking to enter college with credits already on their transcript, adults returning to school who have years of work experience in business or other fields, military service members (the Department of Defense funds CLEP exams for active-duty personnel), and current college students who want to accelerate their degree timeline.
The exams are particularly useful for knocking out general education requirements. If you’re strong in a subject like psychology, U.S. history, or algebra, a few weeks of review and a 90-minute test can replace a full semester in the classroom.
Credit Acceptance Varies by School
Not every college treats CLEP credit the same way, and this is the most important detail to research before you register. Some schools accept a wide range of CLEP exams and apply them toward general education or even major requirements. Others cap the total number of CLEP credits you can use toward a degree. Some will let a passing score exempt you from a prerequisite course without actually awarding credit hours, meaning you skip the class but still need to make up those credits elsewhere.
A handful of schools don’t accept CLEP credit at all. Among the most selective institutions, acceptance is less common. And even at schools that do participate, individual departments may not count CLEP credit toward major-specific requirements. A biology department, for example, might require its own lab-based course regardless of your CLEP Biology score.
Before signing up for any exam, look up your school’s CLEP policy directly. The College Board maintains a searchable database of participating institutions, but always confirm the details with your registrar’s office, especially which specific exams your school accepts, what score you need, and whether the credits count toward your degree requirements or only as electives.
How to Prepare and Register
Registration happens through the College Board’s CLEP website. You create an account, select your exam, pay the fee (or apply a Modern States voucher), and then schedule a date at a testing center or through remote proctoring.
For preparation, each exam has an official description on the College Board site outlining exactly what topics are covered and how the test is structured. The Modern States courses are free and align directly with each exam. You can also find CLEP prep books from major test-prep publishers, and the College Board offers sample questions for each subject. Many test-takers report that 2 to 4 weeks of focused study is enough for subjects they already know reasonably well, though more challenging exams like Calculus or Chemistry may require longer preparation if your knowledge is rusty.
Your score report is sent to the college you designate during registration. If you pass, your school processes the credit according to its own policy. The credit typically appears on your transcript as transfer or exam-based credit, usually without a letter grade, so it won’t affect your GPA.