CFP Board Reports Record-Breaking Number of Candidates
The CFP Board announced the results of the March 2026 CFP Certification Exam, administered during a March 17 to 24 testing window.
The exam set a new all-time record, with 4,391 candidates sitting for the exam. The CFP Board also reports new records for racially and ethnically diverse candidates, at 908, and women candidates, at 1,240. The pass rate for the March 2026 exam was 67%.
Of the candidates registered for the CFP exam, 75% were under 40 years old, 47% were under age 30, and the number of candidates coming through CFP Board registered bachelor’s degree programs has more than tripled over the past decade.
“People are pursuing CFP certification earlier in their careers, recognizing it as the essential credential for financial planning,” said CFP Board CEO K. Dane Snowden. “That momentum reflects a stronger, more intentional pipeline into the profession.”
According to the March 2026 post-exam survey, the main reason exam candidates seek CFP certification is to demonstrate their expertise (41%), followed by distinguishing themselves as a fiduciary (32%). Just over two-thirds (68%) of March exam-takers say they received some level of financial support from their employers on their path to CFP certification.
The 10 states with the most CFP exam candidates were California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Ohio.
Amanda Umpierrez is the Managing Editor of 401(k) Specialist magazine. She is a financial services reporter with nearly a decade of experience and a passion for telling stories and reporting news.