How Do Your FAA Written Test Scores Stack Up?

The FAA recently released its 2024 written testing statistics, and the results offer a look at how pilots are performing across the country. Whether you’re studying for your Private, Instrument, or Commercial, these numbers can help you benchmark your own performance.

2024 Knowledge Test Averages

• Private Pilot (Airplane): 83%. More than 46,000 tests were taken in 2024 with a first-time pass rate of 92%. This represents a 2% increase in testing volume from 2023. The average test score is up from 82% in 2023.
• Instrument Rating (Airplane): 86%. Nearly 26,000 instrument tests were taken in 2024 with a first-time pass rate of 94%. This represents a 10% increase in testing volume from 2023. The average test score in 2023 remained at 86%.
• Commercial Pilot (Airplane): 91%. Nearly 19,000 Commercial airplane tests were taken in 2024 with a first-time pass rate of 99%—an 8% increase in volume from 2023. The average test score in 2023 was 89%.

Frequently Missed Topics

According to the FAA’s quarterly report on “Frequently Missed Knowledge Test ACS Codes,” certain subjects consistently stump test takers. While the codes themselves (like PA.III.A.K3) may not be familiar, they correspond to specific task elements in the ACS.

• PA.VI.A.K1 – Pilotage and Dead Reckoning: A top miss on the Private Pilot test. Pilots often struggle with enroute calculations. Tip: practice with real POH data and cross-check multiple conditions.
• CA.I.H.K1g – Human Factors (Stress): Missed frequently on the Commercial test—understanding the symptoms, causes and effects of stress as it relates to the safety of flight.

The FAA now publishes these frequently missed codes on a quarterly basis, offering valuable insight for students and instructors alike. You can view the full list on the FAA website. And remember you can get instant FAA Knowledge Test ACS Code Analysis–free from Sporty’s (learn more).

What’s New in the Test Format?

Buried in the FAA’s April 2025 Airman Testing Community Advisory are a few small but meaningful changes to the written test question format:

• No more negative phrasing. Questions like “Which of the following is NOT…?” are being phased out.
• Third-person phrasing. Instead of “you,” questions now refer to “the pilot”.
• Clearer answer formatting. Test takers will no longer see options like “both A and B” or “neither.”
• Airport names updated. Sectional chart references now match chart formatting exactly (e.g. SIOUX GATEWAY/COL DAY instead of Sioux Gateway).

While these changes may seem subtle, they reflect a larger FAA effort to make test questions more clear, consistent, and representative of real-world aviation decision-making.

Final Thoughts

If you’re preparing for a knowledge test this year, aim high—and use these national averages to track your progress as you enjoy an unlimited number of practice tests in Sporty’s online courses.

As always, Sporty’s and Flight Training Central offers study tips, test prep tools, and expert guidance to help you succeed. Good luck!

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Eric Radtke

It was his first airplane trip at age seven that made Eric decide to become a pilot. "While boarding the airplane, a flight attendant noticed my interest in the flight deck and urged me to go talk to the pilot. I give a lot of credit to that pilot for my career choice." Eric earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and went on to an airline career. He learned to fly at Sporty’s as part of the University of Cincinnati’s Professional Pilot Program, an initiative he later directed.Eric now manages Sporty’s media network including FlightTrainingCentral.com. In addition, Eric serves as a Captain in a Cincinnati-based corporate flight department.

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