The BACB publishes a yearly summary of how many people tested for each credential and what share passed. This page collects the six most recent reports, 2020 through 2025, into one place. The figures are the BACB’s, copied as published. Where we add arithmetic, we say so.
Read these as population totals. They describe everyone who tested that year, not any one provider or program, and they do not say why a rate moved. Exam content changed during this period: the BCBA and BCaBA exams moved to the 6th edition test content outline with 2025 described by the BACB as the first year, and the RBT exam moved to the 3rd edition outline in 2026.
First-time pass rate
| Year | BCBA | BCaBA | RBT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 66% | 66% | 84% |
| 2021 | 60% | 61% | 83%* |
| 2022 | 55% | 49% | 77% |
| 2023 | 56% | 56% | 74% |
| 2024 | 54% | 54% | 73% |
| 2025 | 51% | 60% | 75% |
Retake pass rate
| Year | BCBA | BCaBA | RBT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 31% | 41% | 52% |
| 2021 | 28% | 32% | 53%* |
| 2022 | 24% | 25% | 44% |
| 2023 | 23% | 25% | 41% |
| 2024 | 25% | 22% | 36% |
| 2025 | 23% | 30% | 38% |
In every year and for every credential in these tables, the retake rate is lower than the first-time rate. A retake candidate has by definition not passed before, so that gap is expected. It is also the main reason to change how you study between attempts. See the retake rules and costs for the waiting periods and fees.
Candidates tested for the first time
| Year | BCBA | BCaBA | RBT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 6,583 | 1,042 | 28,794 |
| 2021 | 12,107 | 2,130 | 43,452* |
| 2022 | 7,179 | 1,190 | 58,322 |
| 2023 | 8,255 | 931 | 73,690 |
| 2024 | 9,911 | 1,011 | 90,741 |
| 2025 | 9,955 | 1,196 | 109,341 |
First-time RBT test takers grew from 28,794 in 2020 to 109,341 in 2025. Over the same period the RBT first-time pass rate went from 84% to 75%, with a low of 73% in 2024. BCBA first-time candidates were 9,955 in 2025 and the rate was 51%, down from 66% in 2020. The BACB’s 2021 BCBA figure (12,107 first-time candidates) is as published and is higher than neighboring years.
Retake candidates
| Year | BCBA | BCaBA | RBT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 6,166 | 667 | 6,636 |
| 2021 | 11,301 | 1,275 | 10,793* |
| 2022 | 8,575 | 949 | 20,362 |
| 2023 | 10,450 | 855 | 30,573 |
| 2024 | 11,780 | 1,040 | 46,988 |
| 2025 | 13,196 | 1,019 | 54,674 |
In 2025 the BACB counted 13,196 BCBA retakes and 54,674 RBT retakes. For the BCBA exam, retake candidates outnumbered first-time candidates in each year from 2022 to 2025 (our comparison of the two tables above).
Certificants at year end
| Year (end) | BCBA | BCaBA | RBT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 44,025 | 4,729 | 89,122 |
| 2021 | 54,223 | 5,623 | 112,317* |
| 2022 | 59,976 | 5,580 | 130,273 |
| 2023 | 66,339 | 5,414 | 160,041 |
| 2024 | 74,125 | 5,479 | 196,579 |
| 2025 | 81,566 | 5,171 | 246,109 |
These are the BACB’s counts of overall certificants at the end of each year. RBT certificants grew from 89,122 to 246,109 in that time.
* 2021 RBT figures: the BACB removed one geographic region’s testing data from the 2021 RBT column because of anomalous RBT-related activity there. For all regions it reports 52,309 first-time RBT test takers (79% pass rate) and 15,266 retakes (46% pass rate). The 2020 report carries a similar note: for all regions, 41,662 first-time RBT test takers at 80% and 15,241 retakes at 46%.
What to do with this
- Check the format and fees for your credential: RBT, BCaBA, BCBA.
- If you are choosing an RBT course, see the BACB’s pass rates by training provider and how to read them.
- Retrieval practice with spaced review is the study method we build on. Free sample: see below.
Study this with Behavior Celeration .CLICK!
The RBT track is $10, one time, lifetime access (43 tasks, 129 lesson frames). Try the free sample of 3 frames first. Lessons use programmed instruction with prompt fading, plus SAFMEDS fluency sprints charted on a Standard Celeration Chart. See how mastery works and how we measure it.
All sales final: no refunds. The lesson content is AI-assisted and machine-validated, and has not yet been independently reviewed by a BCBA (details). It is a study aid, not an exam guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
What was the BCBA first-time pass rate in 2025?
51%, per the BACB annual data report. Retake candidates passed at 23%. The BACB notes 2025 was the first year the BCBA exam was based on the 6th edition test content outline.
What was the RBT first-time pass rate in 2025?
75% for first-time candidates and 38% for retakes, per the BACB annual data report. The RBT exam moved to the 3rd edition test content outline in 2026, so these figures describe the earlier outline.
Why is the 2021 RBT data marked with an asterisk?
The BACB removed one geographic region's RBT testing data from its 2021 figures, citing anomalous RBT-related activity there. For all regions the BACB reports 52,309 first-time RBT test takers with a 79% pass rate, and 15,266 retakes with a 46% pass rate.
Do retakes pass at lower rates than first attempts?
In every year from 2020 to 2025 and for all three credentials, the BACB's retake pass rate is lower than its first-time pass rate. The data show that pattern but not why.