In the US class of 2025, 37.0 percent of public high school graduates took at least one Advanced Placement (AP) Exam during high school, according to the College Board. That is about 1 in 2.7 graduates (our arithmetic).
Scores of 3 or higher
Among the same graduating class, 24.8 percent scored a 3 or higher on at least one AP Exam. That is about 1 in 4 graduates (our arithmetic).
| US public high school graduates, class of 2025 | Share | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Took at least 1 AP Exam | 37.0% | 1,307,781 |
| Scored 3 or higher on at least 1 | 24.8% | 875,778 |
Those shares are up from 34.3 percent taking an exam and 20.7 percent scoring a 3 or higher in the class of 2015. The class of 2025 took more than 4.8 million AP Exams in public high schools. About 497,799 traditionally underrepresented students (Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, and American Indian or Alaska Native) in that class took at least one AP Exam.
What the numbers do not say
The College Board class report tracks a graduating cohort across high school years. It is not the same as a single calendar year of exams or an average score across all sittings (our inference). A score of 3 or higher is the College Board’s usual threshold for college credit or placement, but colleges set their own policies (our inference).
The short version
About 37 percent of US public high school graduates in the class of 2025 took an AP Exam, and about 25 percent scored a 3 or higher on at least one.
Last checked: November 9, 2026, against the College Board (2025). This article was machine-checked against the sources above and has not been expert-reviewed. Spotted an error or a newer public figure? Please tell us on our contact page with the article link and we will review it.