Statewide AP Credit Policies

The opportunity to earn college credit during high school is a key benefit for students who take AP courses and exams. Most public and nonprofit colleges and universities in the United States—as well as many institutions in more than 65 other countries—grant credit, advanced placement, or both for qualifying AP Exam scores. 

This means students can save time and money and get a head start on their education when they enter college with credit they deserve through AP. And research has shown that students who earn credit for AP Exam scores tend to earn more credits overall, when in college, particularly in the subject area in which they took the exam.

In 2025, over 2,100 colleges and universities awarded credit for AP scores in at least one subject. This includes a record 1,900 institutions granting credit for scores of 3 on at least one AP Exam—an increase of over 600 institutions since 2015.

As of fall 2025, 37 states have implemented statewide or systemwide AP credit policies, which typically require all public higher education institutions to award credit for AP Exam scores of 3 or higher. Both trends are largely attributable to state and system policies.