Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Exam Study Guide
The Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam, offered by the AAPC, is the industry-standard credential for physician-based (outpatient) medical coding. Knowing the exact structure of the test before you sit for it lets you build a realistic pacing plan.
Key exam facts
- Questions: 100 multiple-choice questions.
- Time limit: 240 minutes (4 hours).
- Passing score: 70%.
With 100 questions in 240 minutes, you have on average about 2.4 minutes per question. Because the CPC is an open-code-book exam, much of that time is spent looking up and verifying codes rather than recalling them, so building look-up speed is as important as memorizing content.
A 70% passing threshold means you can miss up to 30 questions and still pass. That margin lets you flag and skip the most time-consuming questions on a first pass, then return to them — a strategy worth practicing before test day.
The CPC rewards disciplined time management as much as coding knowledge. Because you have 240 minutes for 100 questions, a structured pacing plan keeps you from running out of time on the harder look-up questions.
A three-pass approach
- First pass: Answer every question you can resolve quickly, and flag any that require lengthy code-book searches. Aim to complete this pass well within the first two-thirds of your time.
- Second pass: Return to flagged questions and work through the code look-ups methodically.
- Final pass: Review flagged answers and confirm nothing was left blank — there is no penalty for guessing, so answer every question.
Since the passing score is 70%, your goal on the first pass is simply to bank the questions you know cold. Even if you misjudge a handful of the hardest items, clearing 70 correct answers out of 100 is enough to pass, so avoid burning disproportionate time on any single question.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the CPC exam and how long do I have?
The CPC exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, and you are given 240 minutes (4 hours) to complete it. That works out to roughly 2.4 minutes per question, so pacing matters — many candidates flag harder coding scenarios and return to them after a first pass through the exam.
What score do I need to pass the CPC exam?
You need a minimum passing score of 70% on the CPC exam. Because there are 100 questions, that translates to answering at least 70 questions correctly. Since there is no penalty for wrong answers, you should answer every question — even a guess on an unfinished question has a chance of counting toward your total.
How much does it cost to take the CPC exam?
The CPC exam fee is $425 for one attempt. Because this covers a single attempt, it's worth investing in adequate preparation before your test date so you don't incur the fee a second time. Budget for the exam fee separately from any study materials or membership costs.
How should I pace myself during the 4-hour CPC exam?
With 100 questions and 240 minutes, you have about 2.4 minutes per question on average. A practical strategy is to move quickly through questions you know, spending well under the average, so you bank extra time for the longer coding scenarios that require looking up codes. Aiming to finish a first pass with time to spare lets you revisit flagged questions and still comfortably clear the 70% threshold.