Score guide
What Is a Good CCAT Score? (Percentile Chart + Pass Cutoffs by Job)
The Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) gives you 50 questions in 15 minutes — about 18seconds per question — and most candidates don't finish every question in time. So “what's a good score?” isn't about answering all 50. It's about clearing the bar your specific employer set. Here's exactly what the numbers mean.
The short answer
- Average score: ~24 out of 50, which lands around the 32nd percentile.
- A “good” score for competitive roles: ~30 out of 50 and up.
- 31 ≈ the 80th percentile — better than 4 out of 5 test-takers.
- 36 or higher ≈ the top 8–10% of all candidates.
CCAT percentile chart
| Raw score (out of 50) | Approx. percentile | What it signals |
|---|---|---|
| ~24 | ~32nd | Average test-taker |
| ~30 | Strong | Common bar for competitive roles |
| 31 | ~80th | Top fifth of candidates |
| 36+ | Top ~8–10% | Elite range |
Percentiles are approximate and based on published CCAT norm data; your employer sets the final cutoff.
What score do I need to pass? (by job / employer)
Employers pick their own cutoff based on the role's cognitive demand:
Software engineer at Crossover: a hard cutoff of 35 out of 50
Crossover also allows two attempts— and if you fail the second, you're disqualified immediately, with your score valid for 6 months. This is one of the most stakes-heavy, one-shot CCAT gates out there, so candidates targeting Crossover should aim well clear of 35, not just at it.
Reading up on this one specifically? See our Crossover CCAT guide →
Most competitive roles: ~30+
A score in the low 30s clears the bar at most employers screening for competitive positions.
Higher-cognitive-load roles (engineering, analytics, leadership)
Expect cutoffs in the upper range. Aim comfortably above the bar rather than at it.
Note: Criteria Corp does not publish official per-employer cutoffs. Figures above are candidate-reported and cited from the sources at the foot of this page — treat them as estimates and confirm with your recruiter where you can.
Why finishing is the hard part
The test gets progressively harder toward Question 50, and the 15-minute clock means pacing matters as much as ability. The strategies below come straight from how the test is built:
Budget ~18 seconds per question, and mean it
50 questions in 15 minutes is roughly 18 seconds each. The test is designed so almost no one finishes — your job is not to answer all 50, it is to answer as many as you can correctly. Glance at a question; if you don't see a path within a few seconds, mark a best guess and move on.
Never leave a question blank
There is no penalty for wrong answers, so a blank is strictly worse than a guess. In the last 30 seconds, fill every remaining bubble. A random guess on a 4-option item is still a ~25% chance of a free point.
Triage by type, not by order
Verbal analogies and antonyms are usually fast; multi-step word problems and number series are slow. If a question is going to cost you 45 seconds, that's nearly three questions of time. Skip the time-sinks early and bank the easy points first.
Practice mental math without a calculator
No calculator is allowed. Drill percentages, fraction-to-decimal conversions, and ratio shortcuts until they're automatic. The questions aren't hard arithmetic — they're hard arithmetic under a stopwatch.
Want to know where you stand?
Take a free, full-length CCAT-style practice test (50 questions, 15 minutes) and get an instant percentile estimate — so you know your real score before test day.
Take the free practice testFrequently asked questions
Is 30 a good CCAT score?
Yes — ~30/50 is a strong score that clears the bar for most competitive roles and sits well above the ~24 average.
What's the highest realistic CCAT score?
Scores of 36+ put you in roughly the top 8–10%. Almost no one answers all 50 correctly in 15 minutes.
What score do I need for Crossover?
35 out of 50 for software engineer roles, with two attempts and a 6-month score validity window.
What if I run out of time?
Most candidates do. Unanswered questions count as incorrect, so pacing (~18s each, skip-and-return) usually beats perfectionism.
Sources
The figures on this page are cited from publicly available CCAT resources. Percentile and cutoff data can change when the publisher revises its norms — verify against the original source before relying on a specific number.
- https://prepccat.com/blog/ccat-score-percentiles — Percentile chart figures (avg ~24 ≈ 32nd pct; 31 ≈ 80th; 36+ top 8–10%).
- https://prepccat.com/blog/ccat-score-requirements — “Good score” requirements broken out by job / industry.
- https://www.jobtestprep.com/ccat-test-score — “Understanding Your Results” scoring explainer.
- https://www.12minprep.com/how-to-ace-the-crossover-ccat-test/ — Crossover specifics: 35/50 cutoff, two attempts, immediate DQ on second fail, 6-month validity.
- https://www.crossover.com/resources/ccat-guide — Crossover's own CCAT guide; confirms the CCAT gate.
- https://www.criteriacorp.com/candidates/ccat-prep — Official test publisher's candidate prep page.
- https://www.12minprep.com/knowledge-hub/free-criteria-cognitive-aptitude-test-practice/ — Confirms avg ~24, aim 30+, and rising difficulty toward Q50.
- https://psychometric-success.com/aptitude-tests/test-types/the-ccat-test — Evergreen CCAT explainer (format, example questions).