The short answer
APUSH composite = MCQ correct ÷ 55 × 40 + Short Answer points ÷ 9 × 20 + Document-Based Question points ÷ 7 × 25 + Long Essay points ÷ 6 × 15. An estimated 5 needs about 67% of the weighted composite, a 4 about 54% and a 3 about 41% (single third-party estimate (RemNote score calculator, “based on previously released exams”; not published by College Board)). Example: 65% of multiple choice plus 60% of free-response credit = 62.0 → about a 4.How the APUSH score is calculated
The calculator adds up each part of the exam using College Board’s section weights:
composite % = MCQ correct ÷ 55 × 40 + Short Answer points ÷ 9 × 20 + Document-Based Question points ÷ 7 × 25 + Long Essay points ÷ 6 × 15
The composite (0–100) is then compared with estimated cutoffs for a 5, 4, 3 and 2. Worked example: with 65% of the multiple-choice questions right (about 36 of 55) and 60% of the free-response credit, your composite is 40 × 0.65 + 60 × 0.6 = 62.0, which maps to an estimated 4. SAQ 0–3, DBQ 0–7, LEQ 0–6 (College Board 2025 scoring statistics; College Board states the 2027 rubrics are unchanged).
APUSH exam format (May 2027)
The 2027 exam is fully digital (Bluebook). Section by section:
| Section | Questions | Minutes | Share of score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section I-A: Multiple Choice | 55 | 55 | 40% |
| Section I-B: Short Answer (SAQ) | 3 | 40 | 20% |
| Section II: Document-Based Question (DBQ) | 1 | 60 | 25% |
| Section II: Long Essay (LEQ) | 1 | 40 | 15% |
What changes for the 2027 exam
May 2027 update (AP US/European/World History): all 3 SAQs required and source-based (secondary text, primary text, non-text source); a single required LEQ with a broad prompt (no choice among prompts). MCQ unchanged; course content unchanged. The calculator is set up for the 2027 structure.
Free-response point breakdown
| Question | Points | Counts for |
|---|---|---|
| SAQ 1 | 0–3 | 6.7% of the score |
| SAQ 2 | 0–3 | 6.7% of the score |
| SAQ 3 | 0–3 | 6.7% of the score |
| DBQ | 0–7 | 25.0% of the score |
| LEQ | 0–6 | 15.0% of the score |
| Multiple choice correct (1 point each) | 0–55 | 40.0% of the score |
APUSH score distribution: 2026 and 2025
| AP score | 2026 (preliminary) | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 14% | 14.2% |
| 4 | 37% | 36.2% |
| 3 | 23% | 23.3% |
| 2 | 18% | 18.4% |
| 1 | 8% | 8% |
| 3 or higher | 74% | 73.7% |
2026 figures are College Board’s preliminary whole-number percentages. In 2025, 516,738 students took AP United States History; 14.2% earned a 5.
Estimated APUSH cutoffs
| Estimated AP score | Composite needed (of 100) |
|---|---|
| 5 | 67 or higher |
| 4 | 54 – 67 |
| 3 | 41 – 54 |
| 2 | 29 – 41 |
| 1 | below 29 |
Basis: single third-party estimate (RemNote score calculator, “based on previously released exams”; not published by College Board). College Board does not publish current cut scores, so treat every number in this table as an estimate with a margin of a few points.
What you need for a 3, 4 or 5 on APUSH
Free-response result needed at three multiple-choice levels, using the estimated cutoffs above (assumes the same % correct on every multiple-choice part):
| Multiple choice correct | For a 3 | For a 4 | For a 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50% (≈28 of 55) | 35% of FRQ credit | 57% of FRQ credit | 79% of FRQ credit |
| 65% (≈36 of 55) | 25% of FRQ credit | 47% of FRQ credit | 69% of FRQ credit |
| 80% (≈44 of 55) | 15% of FRQ credit | 37% of FRQ credit | 59% of FRQ credit |
Adjust the boxes in the calculator above to test your own mix; it also shows how many more questions or points you need for the next score.
APUSH exam date 2027
The AP United States History exam is on Friday, May 7, 2027 (Session 1, 8 a.m. local), per College Board’s 2027 AP exam schedule. Scores are usually released in early July; the 2027 release date has not been announced. See every exam on the AP Score Calculator hub.
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APUSH score distribution, 2019–2026
In 2025, 73.7% of 516,738 APUSH test takers scored 3 or higher and 14.2% earned a 5 (mean score 3.3). That compares with a 53.7% pass rate and 11.8% fives in 2019, a change of +20.0 percentage points. The 2020 and 2021 exams were shortened or moved online because of COVID-19, so compare those years with care.
| Year | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 or higher | Test takers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 14% | 37% | 23% | 18% | 8% | 74% | – |
| 2025 | 14.2% | 36.2% | 23.3% | 18.4% | 8% | 73.7% | 516,738 |
| 2024 | 12.8% | 33.3% | 26% | 19.4% | 8.4% | 72.2% | 488,688 |
| 2023 | 10.6% | 14.8% | 22.1% | 22.7% | 29.8% | 47.5% | 467,975 |
| 2022 | 10.8% | 15.6% | 21.9% | 23% | 28.8% | 48.2% | 456,520 |
| 2021 | 10.1% | 15.9% | 21.2% | 21.6% | 31.2% | 47.2% | 454,204 |
| 2020 | 13% | 19.2% | 26.6% | 20.4% | 21% | 58.7% | 472,697 |
| 2019 | 11.8% | 18.4% | 23.4% | 22% | 24.3% | 53.7% | 496,573 |
* Preliminary whole-number percentages as displayed by College Board; test-taker counts not yet published. Earlier years from College Board's annual Student Score Distributions PDFs. Compare every AP exam in our AP score distributions study.
Frequently asked questions
What score do you need to get a 5 on AP United States History?
What percentage of students get a 5 on APUSH?
Is a 3 a passing score on the APUSH exam?
When is the APUSH exam in 2027?
How is the APUSH score calculated?
Sources & method
- Exam format, section weights and 2027 changes: College Board AP Central — AP United States History exam.
- College Board source: https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/about-ap-scores/score-distributions/ap-united-states-history
- College Board source: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap-us-history-course-and-exam-description-clarifications-effective-fall-2026.pdf
- FRQ point values: College Board 2025 scoring statistics / scoring guidelines (apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/), 2027 values where the format changes.
- Cutoff estimate: single third-party estimate (RemNote score calculator, “based on previously released exams”; not published by College Board).
- Exam date: College Board 2027 AP exam schedule.
Data checked October 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us via the about page.