Solurana InsightsWhat score do you actually need to pass CFA Level I?
There is no published passing line. This note covers what is known, what is only estimated, and the number to aim for.
What is actually known
A few things are well established. First, your result is pass or fail, accompanied by a per-topic summary showing whether you scored above, in line with, or below the passing standard on each topic, never a numeric total. Second, the MPS is set by a standard-setting process: a panel of charterholders reviews the questions and judges how a just-qualified candidate would perform, so the line floats with each exam's difficulty rather than being a fixed cut. Third, recent pass rates have run in the low-to-mid 40s (see the pass-rate tracker).
What is only estimated — and why to be careful
Because the MPS is never released, any specific "passing score" is an estimate, not a fact. Figures in the high-60s circulate widely, but they are unconfirmed. The implication is straightforward: do not study to hit a rumored number. Study to be clearly, comfortably ready. Chasing a precise threshold that no one can see is how candidates talk themselves into stopping just short.
The Ethics adjustment
For candidates right at the line, CFA Institute has long said that Ethics performance can tip the result — its guidance is that the Ethics score matters most for borderline candidates. Strong Ethics is the best protection against landing on the wrong side of an invisible line. It is the single highest-weighted topic and the tiebreaker, which is why it earns an overweight in any sensible study-time allocation.
The number to actually aim for
The practical proxy is a consistent 70%+ on full-length mocks built from fresh questions in the final weeks. It is a margin-of-safety target, not the official line: it puts you clearly above the plausible MPS range and absorbs an exam-day off-day. Two cautions apply. The proxy is a heuristic, not a guarantee, and mock difficulty varies, so do not reuse questions you have already seen (a memorized mock inflates the score and hides the gap).
The bottom line
There is no number to chase. There is a line you cannot see, set after the fact, that you clear by being demonstrably ready: scoring well above the plausible threshold on honest mocks, and not leaving Ethics to chance.
See where you stand — free diagnostic See the pass-rate data →