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Admissions & Academic Testing

Admissions & Academic Testing

There are 12 admissions & academic testing credentials in the TestPrepPilot directory: 12 national certifications awarded by a single body, and 0 licences issued by individual state boards across 0 states.

College and graduate admissions, AP, CLEP, high-school equivalency, English proficiency and placement tests.

Credentials: 12
Specialisms: 5
National: 12

How do the main admissions & academic testing credentials compare?

Verified figures for 10 of the national admissions & academic testing credentials, drawn from each awarding body's published material. Fees change — confirm with the body before you book.

Credential	Awarded by	Exam fee	Length	Pass mark
AP Biology	College Board	$99 (US) / $129 (intl)	3 hours	3 (1-5 scale)
AP Calculus AB	College Board	$99 (US) / $129 (intl)	3 hours 10 minutes	3 (1-5 scale)
AP Psychology	College Board	$99 (US) / $129 (intl)	2 hours 40 minutes	3 (1-5 scale)
AP Statistics	College Board	$99 (US) / $129 (intl)	3 hours	3 (1-5 scale)
GMAT Focus Edition	Graduate Management Admission Council	$275-$350	2 hr 15 min	No pass mark; total 205 to 805
GRE General Test	ETS	$220	1 hr 58 min	No pass mark; programs set their own expectations
Medical College Admission Test	Association of American Medical Colleges	$355 (US); plus $130 international	7.5 hours total (about 6h15m testing)	No pass mark; schools set expectations
ACT	ACT, Inc.	~$68-$93	2 hr 55 min	No pass mark; 1 to 36 Composite and sections
SAT	College Board	$69	2 hr 14 min	No pass mark; 400 to 1600 total
IELTS Academic	British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge University Press and Assessment	~$245-$270	~2 hr 45 min + speaking	No pass mark; bands 0 to 9

Which admissions & academic testing credentials lead to the highest published pay?

Ranked by the median annual wage published for the occupation each credential unlocks — the most recent figure per occupation, quoted from the source named in the guide (usually the BLS occupational series). A credential is the entry ticket to an occupation, not a pay guarantee: these are occupation medians, not starting salaries.

Medical College Admission Test

≥$239,200 median for physicians and surgeons (BLS OOH, May 2024) — the end-state salary the MCAT gates.

The MCAT has no pass rate — it is scored 118-132 per section (472-528 total) and read by percentile; the AAMC reports a mean total score near 500.5, MD applicants in 2024-25 averaged 506.1, and enrolling students averaged 511.8.

Verified 2026-08
GMAT Focus Edition

The GMAT gates MBA access: master’s-degree median weekly earnings were $1,732 in 2024 (BLS)

The GMAT Focus has no pass/fail line; totals run 205-805 and targets are set by each program’s admitted-class profile

Verified 2026-08
GRE General Test

The GRE gates graduate access: master’s-degree median weekly earnings were $1,732 in 2024 (BLS)

The GRE has no pass/fail line; Verbal and Quantitative run 130-170 each and targets are set by each program

Verified 2026-08
ACT

The ACT gates college access: bachelor-degree median weekly earnings were $1,543 in 2024, versus $998 with a high-school diploma (BLS)

The ACT has no pass/fail line; composites run 1-36 and targets are set by each college’s admitted-student profile

Verified 2026-08
IELTS Academic

IELTS Academic is an access gate for study and skilled migration: bachelor-degree median weekly earnings were $1,543 in 2024 (BLS)

IELTS has no pass/fail line; institutions set band requirements, typically 6.0-7.5 on the 9-band scale

Verified 2026-08
SAT

The SAT gates college access, and degree-level earnings dominate the data: bachelor-degree median weekly earnings were $1,543 in 2024 (BLS)

The SAT has no pass/fail line; scores run 400-1600, and "good" is defined by each college’s admitted-student profile

Verified 2026-08

Advanced Placement 4 credentials

Graduate & Professional Admissions 3 credentials

College Admissions 2 credentials

English Proficiency 2 credentials

High School Equivalency 1 credential

GED Test The GED is the most widely accepted US high-school equivalency credential: four computer-based subtests scored 100 to 200, passing at 145 each. Exam

Frequently asked questions about admissions & academic testing credentials

How many admissions & academic testing credentials are there?

How much do admissions & academic testing exams cost?

Across the 10 national admissions & academic testing credentials we have verified fee data for, exam fees run from $68–$355. Renewal, membership and study-material costs are additional and vary by awarding body — each guide breaks out its own full cost table.

Do you need a certification to work in admissions & academic testing?

None of the 12 credentials in this field is a state-issued licence — all 12 are national certifications awarded by a professional body. That usually means the certification is not legally mandatory, but employers, insurers or clients may require it as a condition of the work.

Which admissions & academic testing credential should you start with?

Start with the one your target employer or state board names. The most widely recognised national options in this field are AP Biology, AP Calculus AB, AP Psychology — each has a full guide with eligibility rules, fees and a week-by-week study plan.

How often do admissions & academic testing requirements change?

Fees are revised most years and eligibility rules change whenever a state legislature or awarding body acts. Every guide on TestPrepPilot links to the primary regulatory source it was verified against, and the "Sources" section is the authoritative place to confirm current figures before you book.