CLEP Exam List (Subjects & Credit Policies)
CLEP lets you demonstrate college-level knowledge through exams and may earn undergraduate credit, but credit is never automatic. The college where you plan to use it decides which exams it accepts, the score you need, how many credits it awards, and whether those credits fit your degree. Check those rules before you register, then confirm the credit appears on your degree audit.
If you are trying to lower college costs or finish a degree sooner, CLEP can be a useful option. It can also lead to wasted study time and exam fees if the credit does not count toward your program. The key is to plan from your degree requirements backward, not to take exams simply because a subject feels familiar.
I compare CLEP policies by looking at the exact degree, institution, exam, score, and credit use. Below is a guide to the exam subjects and the checks that help you decide whether a test is worth taking.
CLEP exams by subject area
CLEP exams test knowledge in five broad subject areas: business, composition and literature, history and social sciences, science and mathematics, and world languages. The list below reflects the exam menu identified in College Board materials, but exam offerings can change. Check the current catalog before choosing or scheduling a test.
| Subject area | Exams |
|---|---|
| Business | Financial Accounting; Information Systems; Introductory Business Law; Principles of Management; Principles of Marketing |
| Composition and literature | American Literature; Analyzing and Interpreting Literature; College Composition; College Composition Modular; English Literature; Humanities |
| History and social sciences | American Government; History of the United States I; History of the United States II; Human Growth and Development; Introductory Educational Psychology; Introductory Psychology; Introductory Sociology; Principles of Macroeconomics; Principles of Microeconomics; Social Sciences and History; Western Civilization I; Western Civilization II |
| Science and mathematics | Biology; Calculus; Chemistry; College Algebra; College Mathematics; Natural Sciences; Precalculus |
| World languages | French Language; German Language; Spanish Language |
An exam title does not tell you exactly how a college will apply the credit. For instance, a college might award general elective credit for an exam, while another may match it to a named course. Some may not award credit for it at all.
Use this list as a starting point, then verify that the exam is currently offered and accepted by your target institution. The college’s own policy determines the value of the score for your degree.
How CLEP credit policies work
A credit policy explains what a college will award for a particular exam and score. The institution decides whether it accepts the exam, the minimum score, the number and type of credits, and how those credits apply to a program. A score of 50 is a common benchmark, not a guarantee of credit.
The College Board sets and reports CLEP scores. The receiving college sets its own credit rules. Two schools can treat the same score differently, and one college may have different rules across programs or degree levels.
Before paying for an exam, look for these details in the current policy:
- Minimum score: The score required to earn credit. Do not assume 50 is enough at your school.
- Credit amount: How many credits the college awards for the exam.
- Course match: Whether the credit replaces a specific course or counts as an elective.
- Degree use: Whether it fulfills a major, general education, prerequisite, or other requirement.
- Limits and restrictions: Any overall exam-credit limit, residency rule, or rule about taking exams after enrollment.
- Language score bands: Some language policies award different credit amounts for different score ranges.
A college may accept an exam but still not let it advance your degree. That distinction matters. If you need a particular course for your major and receive only elective credit, you may still have to take the required course.
Ask the registrar, admissions office, or academic adviser for the current policy. Save a copy or request written confirmation that names your program, exam, required score, credit amount, and course match.
Match exams to your degree requirements
A degree audit is a record of the courses and requirements you still need to complete a degree. Use it to identify possible CLEP matches before testing. This helps you focus on exams that may remove a real requirement, rather than earning credits that your program cannot use.
Start with the institution where you plan to finish your degree. If you are comparing schools, ask each one for its CLEP policy and program requirements. A policy from one college does not establish what another college will accept.
Use this sequence:
- Choose the target degree and major. Credit has value only in relation to a particular program.
- Get the degree plan or audit. Mark courses that might match CLEP exams, including general education and electives.
- Check the school’s exam policy. Confirm exam name, score, credit amount, and course equivalency.
- Ask about restrictions. Check transfer rules, residency requirements, credit limits, and whether exams taken after enrollment are treated differently.
- Confirm in writing when possible. Keep the response or policy page for reference.
- Recheck before registering. Policies, fees, test arrangements, and exam availability can change.
Also confirm that the college is institutionally accredited if accreditation is relevant to your plans. The U.S. Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) provide ways to check accreditation information. Accreditation alone does not mean a school accepts CLEP, so verify the exam policy separately.
Plan preparation, testing, and score delivery
Preparation should follow the official exam description and your school’s credit rules. Studying for an exam before confirming its degree value can cost time and money without moving you closer to graduation. Check current testing arrangements, fees, and score-delivery steps before you schedule.
The College Board publishes exam information and preparation materials. Use the description to review the subject scope and question format, then compare your knowledge with the topics listed. A familiar subject is not automatically an easy exam; plan study time based on the material you need to learn or review.
Before scheduling, confirm:
- The current College Board exam fee and any test-center or proctoring charges.
- Where and how the exam is offered, including available dates.
- The current retest waiting period if you do not reach your goal score.
- How to send an official score to the college that will award credit.
- The college’s deadline for receiving scores and applying credit.
After the exam, check that the official score reached the correct institution. Then ask when the credit will appear on your transcript and degree audit. If it is missing or listed as the wrong kind of credit, contact the registrar before enrolling in a course that may duplicate it.
Degree-planning scenarios: when an exam may help
These examples are planning scenarios, not reports of actual students or promises of results. They show how the same exam can have different value depending on the college’s rules and a student’s remaining degree requirements. I use this kind of comparison to test whether an exam has a clear purpose.
| Scenario | What to verify | Possible decision |
|---|---|---|
| A student needs a general education course and sees a possible CLEP match | Required score, course equivalency, and whether the requirement accepts exam credit | Consider testing if the school confirms the match |
| A student has already met general education requirements | Whether the exam counts toward a needed elective or any remaining requirement | Skip it if it adds no degree-applicable credit |
| A student is choosing between two colleges | Each college’s score, credit, and transfer rules for the same exam | Compare the degree audit at both schools before scheduling |
| A student wants to use a language exam | Score bands and the amount of credit at the target institution | Check the exact score-to-credit scale first |
The useful measure is not simply “credits earned.” It is how many required credits the exam replaces, and whether it changes your remaining course plan. Ask the school to show the credit on your audit or explain in writing how it will apply.
Frequently asked questions
These answers cover common questions about CLEP subjects and college credit. Because policies differ by institution and program, treat general guidance as a starting point. For a final decision, check the current College Board catalog and the policy of the college where you intend to use the score.
Does a CLEP score of 50 guarantee college credit?
No. A score of 50 is a common credit benchmark, but each institution sets its own minimum and award rules.
How many CLEP exams are available?
The exam menu spans business, composition and literature, history and social sciences, science and mathematics, and world languages. Check College Board’s current catalog because offerings can change.
Can every college award the same credit for a CLEP exam?
No. Colleges decide which exams they accept, the required score, the credit amount, and how credit applies to a degree.
Can CLEP satisfy a major requirement?
Sometimes, if the college’s policy maps the exam to a required course or requirement. Confirm the match with your department or registrar.
Can an accepted exam count only as elective credit?
Yes. A college may accept the score but award elective credit that does not replace a specific course or fulfill a remaining requirement.
Do French, German, and Spanish exams have one fixed credit amount?
Not necessarily. Some institutions use score bands to determine the amount of language credit, so check the school’s scale.
Should I take CLEP exams before choosing a college?
It is safer to identify target colleges first. The same exam may earn different credit, or no credit, at different institutions.
Does college accreditation mean it accepts CLEP?
No. Accreditation and CLEP acceptance are separate questions. Verify accreditation through an authoritative database, then check the institution’s exam policy.
How do I know whether credit has been applied to my degree?
Check your transcript and degree audit after the official score is received. Contact the registrar if the credit is missing or appears in the wrong category.
Can CLEP replace a degree or professional license?
No. CLEP is a way to demonstrate subject knowledge for possible undergraduate credit. It is not a degree, graduate credit, or professional license.
The safest approach is simple: identify a requirement, confirm the exam and score policy with the college, then test and verify the credit on your degree audit. That order helps you avoid paying for an exam that does not count toward your goal.
(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Andrew Kensington. Visit our Meet the Team page.)
