Data hub · Updated June 2026
LEED Green Associate exam: pass rates, costs & key statistics (2026)
Every number on this page traces to a published source, linked inline and listed at the bottom. Where a figure is not officially published — most notably the pass rate — we say so instead of inventing one.
Summary: the numbers at a glance
| Statistic | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Standard exam fee | $250 USD | USGBC |
| USGBC-member fee | $200 | USGBC |
| Student fee | $100 | USGBC |
| Questions | 100 multiple-choice (85 scored on v5) | USGBC handbook |
| Duration | 120 minutes | USGBC handbook |
| Scoring scale | 125–200, pass = 170 | USGBC handbook |
| Official pass rate | Not published by GBCI/USGBC | — |
| v5 beta testing window | Apr 28 – Jun 30, 2026 | USGBC |
| LEED credential holders worldwide | 205,000 | USGBC 2024 Impact Report |
| LEED projects worldwide | 195,000+ in 186 countries | USGBC 2024 Impact Report |
| LEED-certified space | 29 billion sq ft | USGBC 2024 Impact Report |
| Avg. salary, LEED GA roles | $86,212/yr (Nov 2025) | ZipRecruiter |
What is the LEED Green Associate pass rate?
GBCI and USGBC do not publish an official pass rate for the LEED Green Associate exam. Any site quoting a specific industry-wide percentage is quoting an unsourced number. What does exist: prep providers publish self-reported pass rates for their own customers. GBES advertises a 95% pass rate among students who complete its program, and Projectific advertises 99%. Treat both as marketing claims about self-selected cohorts who bought prep — not as the odds facing a random candidate.
One structural reason a true pass rate is hard to pin down right now: the v5 exam launched as a beta in April 2026, and USGBC uses beta-cohort performance data to set the final cut score. Until that calibration finishes, even GBCI is still establishing what "passing performance" means on v5.
How much does the LEED Green Associate exam cost?
Per USGBC's official exam page:
- $250 — standard registration
- $200 — employees of USGBC member organizations
- $100 — full- or part-time students with valid ID (USGBC student pricing)
- 30% off — beta-period discount on registration for candidates who opted into the v5 beta (USGBC v5 exam information)
The fee buys exactly one attempt. Fail, and the full fee is due again for each retake — which is the real argument for over-preparing. A $27–$37 prep budget against a $250 retake risk is the cheapest insurance in this process.
How many questions, and how long is the exam?
The exam is 100 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes, closed-book, delivered at Prometric centers or via remote proctoring. On the v5 exam, 85 of the 100 items are scored; the remainder are unscored pretest items you can't identify during the test. Per the USGBC LEED v5 Green Associate Candidate Handbook, the 85 scored items break down across 8 domains:
| Domain | Scored questions |
|---|---|
| LEED Process | 15 |
| Energy and Atmosphere | 15 |
| Materials and Resources | 11 |
| Indoor Environmental Quality | 11 |
| Water Efficiency | 10 |
| Location and Transportation | 9 |
| Sustainable Sites | 8 |
| Integrative Process, Planning & Assessments | 6 |
That's 72 minutes per 60 questions of pace — comfortable if you've drilled timed practice, brutal if your first timed run is exam day.
What score do you need to pass?
Scores are reported on a scaled range of 125 to 200, with 170 or higher passing. This is a scaled score, not a raw 85% — the conversion from raw correct answers to the 125–200 scale is calibrated by USGBC from candidate performance data. For the v5 beta specifically, USGBC states that beta-phase data is used to establish the passing score, which is why beta scores are delayed (tentatively October 2026 for the Green Associate) rather than instant. Practical target: hold 75%+ on full-length timed practice exams before you book.
When did the v5 exam launch — key transition dates
- April 21, 2026 — last day to register for the v4 Green Associate
- April 26, 2026 — last day to sit the v4 Green Associate
- April 28 – June 30, 2026 — v5 Green Associate beta testing window (registration mid-February through June 25)
- June 30 – August 31, 2026 — v5 LEED AP with Specialty beta testing window
- October 2026 — v5 Green Associate beta scores tentatively released
- December 2026 — v5 AP beta scores tentatively released
All dates from USGBC's LEED v5 exam information page. After the beta closes, the finalized v5 exam returns instant score delivery.
Studying for v5?
Exam Relay's $27 LEED v5 Green Associate deck has 551 source-cited flashcards built directly from the v5 documentation, with practice exams mirroring the 8-domain handbook weights above.
See the v5 deck →How big is the LEED credential — market statistics
From USGBC's 2024 Impact Report:
- 205,000 LEED credential holders worldwide
- 195,000+ LEED projects spanning 186 countries
- 29 billion square feet of LEED-certified space
- 547,000+ residential units meeting green standards
- 330+ LEED-certified cities and communities
- 5,300 USGBC member organizations
- Typical LEED buildings: 25% less energy consumption, 34% lower carbon emissions, 11% less water use
What do LEED-credentialed professionals earn?
Honest framing first: the Green Associate is an entry credential held alongside a job, not a job title — so "LEED salary" data describes roles where the credential appears in postings, not a premium the certificate causes by itself. With that caveat:
- ZipRecruiter lists the national average for LEED Green Associate roles at $86,212/year ($34.92/hour) as of November 2025.
- Glassdoor reports an average of $70,096/year for LEED certification associate roles.
- For the adjacent management track: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $106,980 for construction managers (May 2024), with employment projected to grow 9% from 2024 to 2034 — much faster than average.
How long do people study?
Prep providers converge on 2–6 weeks: roughly 2–3 weeks for people already in green building, 3–4 weeks for construction/real-estate/facilities professionals, and 4–6 weeks for students and career-changers (Projectific v5 exam guide). The v5 transition pushes most people toward the longer end — memorized v4 credit checklists don't transfer.
Sources
- USGBC — LEED v5 exam information (beta windows, transition dates, 30% beta discount, score timing)
- USGBC — About the LEED Green Associate exam (fees, format, retake policy)
- USGBC — Discounted student pricing
- Green Building Law Update — USGBC 2024 Impact Report figures (credential holders, projects, square footage)
- Projectific — LEED Green Associate v5 exam guide (question count, duration, scoring, domain weights, study durations)
- ZipRecruiter — LEED Green Associate salary · Glassdoor — LEED certification associate salary
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Construction Managers
- GBES and Projectific (provider-claimed student pass rates)
Ready to study?
551 source-cited v5 flashcards for $27, or the $37 bundle with three full-length 100-question timed practice exams matched to the official domain weights. Try the free 10-question quiz first — no email required to play.
LEED v5 Green Associate deck →LEED® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Green Building Council. Exam Relay is an independent study resource, not affiliated with or endorsed by USGBC or GBCI. Figures verified June 2026; exam fees and dates can change — confirm on usgbc.org before registering.