Record-Breaking Number of Candidates Sit for the CFP® Exam

CFP Board today announced the results of the March 2026 CFP® Certification Exam, administered during a March 17-24 testing window. The exam set a new all-time record, with 4,391 candidates sitting for the exam, the largest exam administration in CFP Board history. The exam also achieved new records for racially and ethnically diverse candidates (908) and women candidates (1,240). The pass rate for the March 2026 exam was 67%.

Trend Toward Younger Candidates is Strengthening Professional Pipeline

Of the candidates registered for the CFP® exam, 75% were under 40 years old, 47% were under age 30 and the number of candidates coming through CFP Board registered bachelor's degree programs has more than tripled over the past decade.

"People are pursuing CFP® certification earlier in their careers, recognizing it as the essential credential for financial planning," said CFP Board CEO K. Dane Snowden. "That momentum reflects a stronger, more intentional pipeline into the profession. It shows the impact of our efforts, alongside educators and firms, to bring more professionals into the field to meet growing demand among Americans for competent, ethical financial planning."

According to the March 2026 post-exam survey, the main reason exam candidates seek CFP® certification is to demonstrate their expertise (41%), followed by distinguishing themselves as a fiduciary (32%). Just over two-thirds (68%) of March exam-takers say they received some level of financial support from their employers on their path to CFP® certification.

The 10 states with the most CFP® exam candidates were California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Ohio and exam candidates from those states made up 53% (2,335 individuals) of the total March 2026 candidate cohort.

Statistics from previous exams, including those from the March 2026 exam, are available on CFP Board's exam statistics webpage.

July 2026 Exam

The CFP® exam is offered three times annually, in March, July and November. Registration for the July 2026 CFP® Certification Exam is now open. This exam will be administered from July 14-21, 2026. The registration deadline is June 30, and the Education Verification Deadline is June 23. Testing appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. We therefore encourage individuals to register for the exam at least 60 days in advance for the best date and site availability.

To begin the path to certification, CFP® certification candidates should create accounts on CFP.net. Here, they can access resources for all stages of their certification journey.