CCAT Score Percentile Chart: What Your Score Means

After taking the Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT), you receive two numbers: a raw score and a percentile rank. Understanding what these numbers mean — and where common employer cutoffs fall — is essential for knowing whether your score is competitive for the role you are pursuing.

How CCAT Scoring Works

The CCAT uses a straightforward scoring system:

Raw score: The total number of questions you answered correctly out of 50. There is no deduction for wrong answers or unanswered questions.
Percentile rank: A comparison of your raw score against the general population of CCAT test-takers. A percentile of 75 means you scored higher than 75% of all people who have taken the test.

The percentile is what employers primarily look at when making hiring decisions, because it provides a standardized benchmark regardless of which version of the test was administered.

Complete CCAT Score to Percentile Table

The following table shows the approximate percentile for each raw score on the CCAT. These values are based on published CCAT norming data and may vary slightly over time as the norming population changes.

Raw Score	Percentile	Interpretation
10	1st	Bottom 1%
12	2nd	Very low
14	4th	Well below average
15	5th	Well below average
16	7th	Well below average
17	10th	Below average
18	14th	Below average
19	18th	Below average
20	24th	Below average
21	29th	Below average
22	35th	Slightly below average
23	42nd	Slightly below average
24	50th	Average
25	55th	Slightly above average
26	60th	Above average
27	66th	Above average
28	70th	Above average
29	75th	Strong
30	78th	Strong
31	82nd	Very strong
32	85th	Very strong
33	88th	Excellent
34	90th	Excellent
35	92nd	Excellent
36	94th	Exceptional
37	95th	Exceptional
38	96th	Exceptional
39	97th	Top 3%
40	97th	Top 3%
42	98th	Top 2%
44	99th	Top 1%
46+	99th+	Top 1%

Important: These percentiles are approximate and based on published CCAT norming data. Criteria Corp periodically updates the norming population, so exact percentiles may shift slightly over time. Treat this as a reference guide, not an exact conversion.

What the Percentile Ranges Mean

Below 25th Percentile (Score Below 20)

Scores in this range indicate significant difficulty with the test. This may be due to unfamiliarity with the question types, poor time management, or test anxiety. With focused practice on each question category and timed test-taking, most candidates can improve substantially from this range.

25th to 50th Percentile (Score 20-24)

This is the below-average to average range. A score of 24 is the median. Candidates in this range typically have a solid foundation but lose time on harder questions or struggle with one particular category. Targeted improvement in your weakest category can yield significant percentile gains.

50th to 75th Percentile (Score 24-29)

This is the above-average range and is often sufficient for many entry-level and mid-level positions. Candidates here demonstrate competent problem-solving across all categories. The key to moving higher is improving speed — answering more questions correctly within the time limit.

75th to 90th Percentile (Score 29-34)

This is the strong-to-excellent range. Scores here qualify candidates for most positions, including competitive roles in technology, consulting, and finance. Candidates at this level typically have strong performance across all three categories.

Above 90th Percentile (Score 34+)

Exceptional performance. Fewer than 10% of all CCAT test-takers achieve this level. Scores in this range demonstrate outstanding cognitive aptitude and will exceed the cutoff for virtually any role.

Typical Employer Cutoffs by Role Type

While every employer sets their own threshold, here are typical cutoff ranges observed across industries:

Role Type	Typical Cutoff	Percentile Range
Administrative / Support	22-24	35th-50th
Sales / Customer Success	24-26	50th-60th
Marketing / Operations	26-28	60th-70th
Engineering / Technology	28-32	70th-85th
Data Science / Analytics	30-34	78th-90th
Management Consulting	30-34	78th-90th
Executive / Senior Leadership	32-36	85th-94th

Why Small Score Improvements Matter Disproportionately

One of the most important things to understand about the CCAT is that the percentile distribution is heavily concentrated around the average. This means that small raw score improvements near the median produce large percentile jumps:

Going from 22 to 26 (4 more correct answers) jumps you from the 35th to 60th percentile — a 25-percentile-point improvement.
Going from 24 to 28 (4 more correct answers) moves you from the 50th to 70th percentile — a 20-percentile-point gain.
Going from 26 to 30 (4 more correct answers) advances you from the 60th to 78th percentile — an 18-percentile-point gain.

This is why even a small amount of preparation can have an outsized impact on your result. Learning to manage the timer effectively and practising the question types you find hardest can easily yield 3-5 additional correct answers — enough to cross critical employer thresholds.

How to Improve Your CCAT Score

If your score is not where you need it to be — or if you want to maximize your chances before taking the real test — here are the most impactful preparation strategies:

Practice under timed conditions — The timer is the biggest challenge. Practise with full 50-question, 15-minute tests to build realistic pacing.
Identify your weak category — Are you losing points on verbal, math, or spatial? Focus your practice on the area with the most room for improvement.
Learn when to skip — Not every question is worth the same time investment. Skip hard questions and come back if time allows.
Never leave questions blank — There is no penalty for guessing. If time is running out, quickly select answers for all remaining questions.
Review explanations — Understanding why the correct answer is correct builds transferable problem-solving skills.

Read our complete CCAT preparation guide for detailed strategies across all three question categories.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average CCAT score?

The average CCAT score is approximately 24 out of 50, which corresponds to the 50th percentile. This means the typical test-taker answers fewer than half of the 50 questions correctly. The test is designed to be difficult, and most candidates cannot finish all questions in the allotted time.

What CCAT score do I need to pass?

There is no universal passing score. Each employer sets their own cutoff based on the role. Common thresholds range from 24 (50th percentile) for entry-level roles to 32+ (85th percentile) for competitive technical or leadership positions.

What CCAT score is 80th percentile?

A raw score of approximately 31 out of 50 corresponds to the 80th percentile. This means you scored higher than roughly 80% of all CCAT test-takers.

How is the CCAT percentile calculated?

Your CCAT percentile is calculated by comparing your raw score against the scores of all other CCAT test-takers in the norming population. Criteria Corp maintains a large norming dataset from millions of test administrations. Your percentile indicates the proportion of test-takers you scored higher than.

Can my CCAT score improve with practice?

Yes. While the CCAT measures cognitive aptitude (which is relatively stable), your performance on the test can absolutely improve with practice. Familiarity with question types, improved time management, and better strategic decisions about when to skip all contribute to higher scores. Most candidates who practise with realistic timed tests improve by several points.