CCAT questions, answered with sources
Quick facts first: the CCAT has 50 questions in 15 minutes, about 18 seconds each. No calculator is allowed. Wrong answers carry no penalty. Retakes, score bars and proctoring are each employer's decision, not a Criteria rule. The answers below cover the questions candidates ask most, each with a link to its source.
Retakes, rules and scoring
Can I retake the CCAT?
It depends on the employer. Criteria publishes no general retake rule. If you already tested for a company, its link may be restricted, and Criteria says to contact the recruiting team. Employers can send a new invitation, and the new result is stored alongside the old one.
Source: Criteria help: Why can't I complete the assessment again?; Criteria help: Re-administering an assessment
How long do I have to wait between CCAT attempts?
Only employers set waiting periods. Crossover allows one attempt per email address every six months. Hack Reactor asks applicants below its range to wait three months. Gauntlet AI allows one attempt per cohort.
Source: Crossover support: CCAT FAQs; Hack Reactor: the CCAT, why we use it; Gauntlet AI: preparing for the CCAT
Can I use a calculator on the CCAT?
No. Criteria says calculators are not allowed and that none of the questions require one.
Can I use scratch paper on the CCAT?
Criteria's candidate pages don't say. Some prep sites say scrap paper is fine, but that is not a Criteria statement. If your employer turns on proctoring, a camera may show your workspace, so follow the instructions in your invitation.
Is the CCAT filmed or proctored?
Only if the employer turns it on. The CCAT can be taken remotely without supervision. When proctoring is on, the employer can use your camera, microphone and screen sharing, you are shown what is recorded, and only the hiring team reviews it. Criteria's AI Proctoring also samples screens for open AI tools.
Source: Criteria CCAT InfoBrief (PDF); Criteria candidate help: About proctoring; Criteria: AI Proctoring
Can I get extra time or other accommodations?
Criteria says some accessibility options are available and to contact Criteria to learn more. It publishes no standard extended time. For proctoring arrangements for disability, cultural or religious reasons, it says to contact your prospective employer.
Source: Criteria help center: CCAT; Criteria candidate help: About proctoring
How is the CCAT scored?
Your raw score is the number of correct answers out of 50; there is no penalty for wrong answers. Employers also get your percentile against Criteria's global norm group and sub-scores for Verbal, Math & Logic and Spatial Reasoning.
Source: Criteria help center: CCAT; Criteria: What to Expect on the CCAT; Criteria CCAT Score Report Guide (PDF)
What is a good CCAT score?
The norm-group median is 24 out of 50. There is no pass mark: employers set their own bar. BloomTech asks for 23 and Gauntlet AI for 40.
Source: Criteria CCAT InfoBrief (PDF); BloomTech: how to ace the CCAT; Gauntlet AI: preparing for the CCAT
How much time do I get per question?
15 minutes for 50 questions is 18 seconds per question on average. The instructions before the clock are untimed. Criteria advises not to spend too long on any one question and, past a minute, to guess and move on.
Do I get to see my CCAT results?
Usually not. Criteria emails results directly to the employer, and its support team cannot see them.
Source: Criteria candidate FAQs
Can I take the CCAT on my phone?
Yes. Criteria says the CCAT works on a phone, tablet, laptop or desktop, unless your test's instructions say otherwise. You need a stable connection and a browser with cookies and JavaScript enabled.
Still deciding how to prepare?
Read what the CCAT is, follow the 7-day prep plan, or check a number on the CCAT score page. The fastest way to learn the pace is to try it.
Last updated November 10, 2026.