ARE 5.0 data
ARE 5.0 Pass Rates by Division (2020–2025)
NCARB's official numbers for every division. In 2025, 55% of all ARE attempts passed — unchanged from 2024.
Checked against official sources on September 24, 2026 · Sources
2025 pass rate by division
Project Management 63%
Construction & Evaluation 61%
Programming & Analysis 59%
Project Development & Documentation 54%
Practice Management 51%
Project Planning & Design 48%
By attempt number, 2025
First attempt 60%
Second attempt 51%
Fifth or later 32%
All attempts 55%
Every year since 2020
Pass rates move a few points a year but the ranking barely changes: Project Planning & Design is always hardest, and Project Management and Construction & Evaluation are always near the top.
| Division | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 6-yr avg | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practice Management | 51% | 53% | 50% | 53% | 48% | 51% | 51% | |
| Project Management | 63% | 63% | 63% | 67% | 60% | 63% | 63% | |
| Programming & Analysis | 50% | 52% | 55% | 60% | 61% | 59% | 56% | |
| Project Planning & Design | 45% | 47% | 47% | 50% | 47% | 48% | 47% | |
| Project Development & Documentation | 57% | 53% | 53% | 55% | 55% | 54% | 55% | |
| Construction & Evaluation | 66% | 62% | 65% | 65% | 61% | 61% | 63% | |
| Candidates testing | 12,512 | 14,288 | 13,896 | 13,816 | 17,497 | 17,747 |
What the numbers mean for you
- Expect to fail at least one. Candidates who finished in 2025 averaged 9 attempts for six divisions. About 30% passed all six on the first try.
- Plan extra time for Project Planning & Design. It has the lowest pass rate and averages 1.78 attempts per finisher, against 1.29 for Project Management.
- Your first attempt is your best shot. Pass rates fall with each retake, so it can pay to wait until you're ready rather than using the first attempt as a practice run.
- Use the free practice exams. Candidates who took NCARB's practice exam before a division were 15 points more likely to pass it.
Budgeting for retakes? The ARE cost calculator uses these numbers.
Common questions
Which ARE division has the lowest pass rate?
Project Planning & Design, at 48% in 2025. It has been the lowest every year since 2020, and it also has the most attempts per candidate (1.78 on average among 2025 finishers).
Which ARE division has the highest pass rate?
In 2025 it was Project Management at 63%, followed by Construction & Evaluation at 61%. Project Management also had the fewest attempts per candidate (1.29).
Do these pass rates include retakes?
Yes. NCARB’s division pass rates count all attempts — first-time and repeat. First attempts do better on their own: 60% of first attempts passed in 2025, compared with 51% of second attempts.
Does NCARB publish pass rates by school?
Yes, NCARB also publishes ARE 5.0 pass rates by school of architecture on its website.
Sources
All figures on this page were checked against these sources on September 24, 2026. Found something out of date? Tell us.