- Why No Official CLEA Pass Rate Exists
- How Passing Is Actually Determined
- Who Actually Sits the Exam
- Where Candidates Are Most Likely to Fall Short
- How the Format Shapes Outcomes
- How to Evaluate Pass Rate Claims
- Preparing Against the Real Standard
- Retakes, Costs, and the Cost of Failing
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The International Association of Crime Analysts does not publicly disclose a CLEA pass rate, so any specific percentage you see is unverified.
- You need at least 70% in each of the 19 skill sets and 70% overall to pass.
- Each skill set contributes exactly 10 of 190 questions, so no domain can be skipped.
- Eligibility screening filters candidates before the exam, which shapes who actually sits for it.
Why No Official CLEA Pass Rate Exists
If you searched for the Certified Law Enforcement Analyst pass rate hoping for a clean percentage, here is the honest answer: the International Association of Crime Analysts (IACA) does not publicly disclose one. There is no annual report listing how many candidates sat the exam and how many passed. Any site that quotes a precise figure is either guessing, recycling another credential's numbers, or inventing a statistic.
That matters because "CLEA" is an acronym shared by several unrelated credentials, and pass-rate claims floating around the internet frequently get attached to the wrong one. This article is only about the Certified Law Enforcement Analyst credential administered by IACA. Nothing here borrows from any other program that happens to share the abbreviation.
How Passing Is Actually Determined
Even without a published pass rate, the passing mechanics are well documented, and they are demanding in a specific way. The exam is 190 questions, with 10 drawn from each of 19 skill sets. The standard is a minimum of 70% in each skill set and 70% overall. That dual requirement is the single most important structural fact for understanding who passes and who does not.
The per-skill-set floor
Most professional exams let strength in one area offset weakness in another. The CLEA does not work that way by default. Because each skill set has only 10 questions, a 70% floor means you need at least 7 correct in every one of the 19 areas. Miss four questions in a single skill set and you have failed that section regardless of how well you did elsewhere.
Committee discretion is not a safety net
The published program outline indicates that the committee may exercise discretion for one failed section when a candidate has at least 80% overall. Treat that as a possibility, not a plan. It is not automatic, and you cannot study to it. For a full breakdown of the scoring rules, read CLEA Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
| Scoring Element | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Total questions | 190 |
| Questions per skill set | 10 (across 19 skill sets) |
| Minimum per skill set | 70% |
| Minimum overall | 70% |
| Discretion for one failed section | Possible with at least 80% overall; not automatic |
| Time limit | 4 hours |
Who Actually Sits the Exam
Pass rates for open-enrollment exams are shaped by who walks in the door. The CLEA is different: it is gated. To sit for it you need current IACA membership, three years of full-time qualifying analytical experience, 100 eligibility points, and employment documentation. There is no single mandatory degree and no universal training-hour total; eligibility is assessed through the points system and documented experience.
This self-selection is one reason a raw pass-rate figure, even if one existed, would be hard to interpret. Candidates are working analysts who have already cleared an application review. They are not a general population taking a gamble. For details on qualifying, see CLEA Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Where Candidates Are Most Likely to Fall Short
IACA does not publish skill-set-level failure data, so we cannot say which domain has the lowest scores. What we can do is reason from the structure. Because every skill set carries an identical 10/190 share (the 5.2632% figure is a calculated, rounded value rather than a printed official percentage), there is no "largest domain" to prioritize. The risk comes from the mismatch between your daily work and the full breadth of the blueprint.
Areas where job experience tends to leave gaps
The following are inferences about where a working analyst's daily routine may not cover the exam's expectations, not reported failure statistics.
Domain 9: Advanced Statistical Concepts
Many analysts operate comfortably with counts, rates, and trend lines but seldom apply inferential methods in routine work.
- Be ready for concepts beyond summary statistics
- Pair this with Domain 8: Descriptive Statistics, since the two build on each other
- Practice interpreting results, not just computing them
Domain 7: Applied Research Methods
Designing and evaluating analysis the way a researcher would is different from producing a weekly bulletin.
- Understand study design and the logic of drawing conclusions
- Connect methods to how you would evaluate an intervention or pattern
Domain 19: Organized Crime
Analysts in patrol-support or property-crime roles may rarely encounter organized crime concepts at work.
- Study the terminology and structures specific to this skill set
- Do not assume exposure on the job covers it
Domain 2: Law Enforcement Models
Familiarity with how policing strategies are framed, as opposed to how you apply them daily, is what gets tested.
- Know the models by name and understand how analysis supports each
For the full list and what each area covers, see CLEA Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 19 Content Areas.
How the Format Shapes Outcomes
The CLEA is a committee-administered browser exam delivered on Moodle, taken with an approved in-person proctor rather than through remote proctoring. The format mixes multiple-choice, true/false, fill-in, and short-answer questions. That mix changes how preparation should look.
Why fill-in and short-answer questions raise the bar
On a pure multiple-choice exam, recognition can carry you. Fill-in and short-answer items require recall and the ability to produce the answer yourself. Skill sets like Spreadsheet Operations (Domain 11), Descriptive Statistics (Domain 8), and Effective Analytical Writing (Domain 16) lend themselves to this kind of questioning, where you may need to compute, name, or explain rather than simply select.
Closed book, with directed exceptions
The exam is closed book. Scratch paper, a spreadsheet or calculator, and internet access are permitted only as directed by the exam instructions. Do not assume you will have any tool available unless the instructions say so. Confirm the specifics with your proctor and the current program materials before test day.
How to Evaluate Pass Rate Claims
You will see pass-rate numbers for "CLEA" on forums, aggregator sites, and in marketing copy. Before trusting one, run it through a few checks.
- Who is the source? A real pass rate would come from IACA. If it does not trace back to the certifying body, it is a guess.
- Which CLEA is it about? Several credentials share the acronym. A figure for a different program says nothing about the Certified Law Enforcement Analyst.
- What is the sample? A handful of forum anecdotes is not a pass rate.
- What year and version? The materials we can verify are the January 2024 Program Outline and May 2021 study resources. We cannot confirm a new, separately published 2026 version, so be cautious with anything claiming 2026-specific exam changes.
Key Takeaway
When a number cannot be traced to IACA and cannot be tied specifically to the Certified Law Enforcement Analyst credential, discard it. Prepare to the published standard (70% in every skill set) instead of to a rumor.
Preparing Against the Real Standard
Because the standard is 70% in each of 19 skill sets, the winning strategy is breadth with a floor, not depth in a favorite area. The best use of a limited generic-methods section is simply this: sequence your study so your weakest skill sets get the most calendar time early, leaving the final stretch for mixed review.
Quantitative core
- Descriptive Statistics (Domain 8) and Advanced Statistical Concepts (Domain 9)
- Applied Research Methods (Domain 7) and Spreadsheet Operations (Domain 11)
Data and spatial skills
- Crime Analysis Data and Data Management (Domain 6)
- GIS and Crime Mapping (Domain 14) and Spatial Analysis and Forecasting (Domain 15)
- Temporal Analysis (Domain 12)
Concepts, intelligence, and communication
- Intelligence Analysis and Intelligence Charting (Domain 13) and Organized Crime (Domain 19)
- Applied Crime Series Analysis (Domain 18), Criminal Behavior (Domain 3), Qualitative Analysis (Domain 10)
- Effective Analytical Writing (Domain 16) and Analytical Products (Domain 17)
Terminology and sources, then timed review
- Crime Analysis Terms, Concepts and Processes (Domain 1), Law Enforcement Models (Domain 2)
- Law Enforcement Data and Crime Analysis Data Sources (Domain 4), Internet Resources (Domain 5)
- Full timed practice and gap repair
The logic: quantitative skill sets take the longest to build and punish shaky foundations, so they come first. The terminology-heavy areas are quicker to refresh and benefit from being fresh near exam day. For a fuller plan, see CLEA Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt, and keep the CLEA Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts handy for last-week review.
Measure against the floor, not the average
When you take practice sets, do not look only at your total score. Track your score per skill set. A 78% overall that hides a 50% in one skill set is a failing profile under the actual rule. Run realistic practice on the CLEA practice test site and break your results down by domain so you can see where your floor really is.
Retakes, Costs, and the Cost of Failing
The exam fee is $175, with a published developing-country rate of $75. Current IACA membership is required, and there is no separate non-member exam tier. A retake costs $75, and volunteer waivers may be available subject to approval.
The retake fee is modest, but it understates the real cost of a miss. You lose study momentum, you may need to coordinate another proctored session, and you have to re-prepare against the same 19-skill-set standard. The cheapest path is passing the first time by finding your weak skill sets before exam day. See CLEA Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown for the full fee picture.
After you pass
Certification runs on a five-year renewal cycle. Renewal involves maintaining membership, completing three qualifying activities, and paying a $25 fee; 40 training hours is one of the activity options. Note that official materials give conflicting wording on lapse handling (a 90-day grace period versus a one-year/$50 reinstatement), so confirm current policy directly with IACA if you ever approach a lapse. To judge whether the credential is worth the effort, read Is the CLEA Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
IACA does not publicly disclose a pass rate for the Certified Law Enforcement Analyst exam. Any specific percentage you encounter is unverified. The documented standard is a minimum of 70% in each of the 19 skill sets and 70% overall.
Not reliably. The standard requires 70% in every skill set. The committee may exercise discretion for one failed section when overall performance is at least 80%, but that is not automatic and should not be part of your plan.
It is a browser-based exam on Moodle, taken with an approved in-person proctor. It is not remote proctored. Confirm proctor logistics and any permitted tools with IACA before your session.
A retake costs $75, with volunteer waivers possible subject to approval. The initial exam fee is $175, with a published $75 developing-country rate, and current IACA membership is required.
No. All 19 skill sets have equal shares of 10 out of 190 questions. The 5.2632% figure is a calculated and rounded value, not a percentage printed in official materials, and there is no largest domain to prioritize.
The takeaway on pass rates is simple: since no official figure exists, your best predictor of success is how your own per-skill-set practice scores compare to the 70% floor. Build your plan around that, use the practice tests to find your weakest areas, and read the CLEA Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling guide to plan your timeline.