CPA Exam Performance

Performance on the CPA by the undergraduate and MSA students are shown below. The undergraduate performance is compared to both the national results as well as all schools in Wisconsin. The MSA are only compared to Wisconsin results as national results are not yet provided.

Undergraduate CPA pass rates

  Large school ranking
(100+ candidates)
Marquette University
pass rate
State of Wisconsin pass rate National pass rate AACSB Schools with accounting accreditation* AACSB schools without accounting accreditation*
2019 not ranked 73.9% 66.4% 58.6% 57.1% 66.2%
2018 not ranked 50.0% 66.2% 57.5% 56.9% 64.4%
2017 not ranked 64.3% 63.2% 52.9% 60.6% 52.4%
2016 not ranked 61.4% 66.7% 54.4% 61.9% 53.5%
2015 33rd 70.5% 65.5% 48.4% 63.2% 54%
2014 26th 73.8% 58.8% 55%    
2013 18th 73.5% 64.1% 54.6%    
2012 not ranked 67.6% 62.6% 54.3%    
2011 17th 71% 54.5% 50%    

Pass rates shown above are for all four parts of the CPA exam
*Data was not presented by AACSB and non-AACSB schools prior to 2015

Graduate CPA pass rates

    Marquette University
pass rate
State of Wisconsin
pass rate
2019   68.8% 74.0%
2018   63.3% 74.4%
2017   76% 67.5%
2016   56.8% 66.5%
2015   52% 67.90%
2014   45.50% 73.30%
2013   64.7% 68.70%
2012   58.8% 65%
2011   47% 56%