College Level Examination Program (CLEP®)

The College Board’s College Level Examination Program (CLEP®) is a nationally recognized credit-by-examination program that provides high school students an opportunity to demonstrate their mastery of college-level materials in introductory subjects and earn college credit. 

Developed by the College Board, CLEP® has been the most widely trusted credit-by-examination program for over 40 years. It’s accepted by 2,900 colleges and universities and administered in over 1,800 test centers. A passing score on a particular test allows students to earn between 3 and 12 college-level credits before leaving high school, depending on the guidelines of the specific postsecondary institutions.

CLEP® exams are developed by committees of college faculty who design questions based on what is typically covered in lower-level college courses. They also set passing standards for the exams (scores are no longer based on studies of student performance in college courses). 

With the new computer-based tests, new questions are constantly being added, especially in rapidly-changing fields such as Computer Science. CLEP® exam scores range on a scale of 20-80, with a typical passing score of 50 or above.

CLEP® offers exams in five subject areas. There are approximately 174 test centers located on the campuses of high school and postsecondary institutions across Louisiana. The current price of CLEP® exams is $87 per exam. However, after July 1, 2019, the price will increase to $89 per exam.