By Alex Stone7 min readLast fact-checked June 2026
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CLEP US History I and CLEP US History II are independent exams: each is 3 credits, $97, and 30 to 60 hours of prep, and passing one does not affect the other. Taking both gets you 6 credits for roughly 60 hours of total work; taking only one gets you 3 credits for 30 hours. The decision hinges on whether your degree program needs the full 6-credit US-history-survey sequence or just one half, and on which half matches the era you find more interesting.
For the deeper context on each exam, see the CLEP US History I pillar guide and the CLEP US History II pillar guide. For specific prep plans, the CLEP US History I 30-hour study plan and the CLEP US History II 30-hour study plan walk through hour-by-hour schedules for each.
How the two exams differ
| Feature | CLEP US History I | CLEP US History II |
|---|---|---|
| Era covered | Pre-Columbian to 1877 | 1865 to today |
| Heaviest content weight | 1790 to 1877 (about 70 percent) | 1915 to today (about two-thirds) |
| Question count | 120 multiple choice | 120 multiple choice |
| Time | 90 minutes | 90 minutes |
| Credit | 3 semester hours | 3 semester hours |
| Course equivalent | First-semester US history survey (HIS 113 / HIST 1301) | Second-semester US history survey (HIS 114 / HIST 1302) |
| Overlap period | Reconstruction (1865-1877) | Reconstruction (1865-1877) |
| Recommended study hours | 30 to 60 | 30 to 60 |
| Question style | Same: multiple choice, no essay, no short answer | Same |
| Most common student mistake | Over-prepping the colonial era | Over-prepping the late-19th century |
The overlap period (Reconstruction, 1865-1877) is tested in both exams but from different angles. US History I emphasizes the legal and constitutional changes (the Reconstruction Amendments); US History II emphasizes the political-economic transition into the Gilded Age.
When to take both
The 6-credit pair makes sense when:
- Your degree program requires the full lower-division US history sequence (typically 6 credits). Most Bachelor of Arts programs at four-year universities require 6 credits of US history or 6 credits of a single history sequence. CLEP US History I + II is the cleanest path.
- The credit gap matters for the degree-completion math. At schools that count CLEP credit toward general-education hours but cap each subject at the course-equivalent credit, taking only one CLEP leaves a 3-credit gap that must be filled with a classroom course or a different CLEP.
- Both eras genuinely interest you. If you find both the colonial-to-Civil-War and the post-Reconstruction-to-modern eras interesting, the second 30 hours of prep is enjoyable and the credit yield is high.
- You took AP US History within the last 5 years and want to maximize the credit return on the foundation already in your head. AP US History covers both eras in a single course; the prep overlap with both CLEP exams is substantial.
When to take only one
Taking just one of the two makes sense when:
- Your degree only requires 3 credits of US history, often filled by a single survey course at most schools. In this case, taking one CLEP returns the full degree requirement and the second exam is unnecessary.
- One era genuinely interests you more than the other. If you find pre-1877 history compelling and post-1877 history less so (or vice versa), focus on the one that returns the most enjoyment per study hour.
- You have a limited prep window and your higher priority is a different CLEP. US History I and II are both ACE-recommended for 3 credits. Other CLEPs (Spanish at potentially 12 credits, College Composition at 6 credits, Humanities at 6 credits) return more credit per single exam.
- Your transcript needs only one CLEP in a humanities/social-sciences slot. If the gen-ed structure can accept a US history credit OR a different CLEP credit but not both as multi-purpose, taking only one US History and a different CLEP gets you more total credit.
The "which one first" question
If you take both, the order matters less than people think. Most students take them chronologically (I before II) because the eras flow naturally, but the exams are independent. Two practical considerations:
Take CLEP US History I first if:
- Your prior coursework emphasized the pre-Civil War era
- You find the colonial and early-republic eras more familiar
- You'd rather use the chronological flow to anchor the post-Civil-War material when you reach US History II
Take CLEP US History II first if:
- The 20th century feels more familiar (lived experience for older returning students; recent coursework for younger students)
- You're more interested in the New Deal, civil rights, Cold War content than in the colonial era
- You want to bank the more-tested era first while motivation is high
A common compromise: take both within 3 to 6 months of each other, with about 4 to 6 weeks of break between them. The break lets the chronological flow consolidate before the second prep cycle begins.
The math: 6 credits for $194 + 60 hours
At a state university charging $350 per credit, US History I + II is roughly $2,100 in tuition-equivalent credit for $194 in fees plus 60 hours of prep time. At a private university charging $1,500 per credit, the math compresses to $9,000 in tuition-equivalent credit.
Other comparable credit returns from a single sitting:
- CLEP Spanish Language: up to 12 credits at $97 (for students with strong Spanish background)
- CLEP College Composition: 6 credits at $97
- CLEP Humanities: 6 credits at $97
- CLEP Social Sciences and History: 6 credits at $97
Spanish Language and College Composition both yield more credit per fee than the US History I + II pair, but they require different prep (Spanish requires proficiency; College Composition includes an essay component). The US History pair is the highest-return option for students whose strongest credit-by-exam topic is American history.
What about other CLEPs in the US history space?
The College Board offers one US-history-related CLEP outside of US History I and II:
- CLEP Social Sciences and History (SOS): a 6-credit broader exam that covers history, geography, political science, sociology, and economics together. ACE-recommended for 6 credits at most institutions. Some students take it instead of US History I + II for the broader credit slot; others take it in addition for more total credits.
DSST also offers focused US-history exams:
- DSST Civil War and Reconstruction: focused on 1850 to 1877; some overlap with US History I and II
- DSST History of the Vietnam War: focused on the Vietnam era; overlap with US History II
- DSST Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union: focused on the Cold War; overlap with US History II
These DSST exams can be taken in addition to the CLEPs at most receiving institutions, subject to the school's overall credit-by-exam cap. The DSST hub page covers how DSST credit transfers.
After passing both
If you take both and pass both, you have 6 ACE-recommended credits in lower-division US history. This fills:
- The full US history requirement at most BA programs
- A 6-credit humanities/social-sciences general-education slot at most universities
- The "history" line of the typical TESU, Excelsior, or Charter Oak credit-banking transcript
Natural next exams that build on the same skill set:
- CLEP American Government (3 credits): tests US government structure, civil liberties, political behavior; the American Government pillar covers the prep
- CLEP Western Civilization I and II (3 credits each, 6 combined): the European-history parallel; same multiple-choice format, similar prep style
- CLEP Humanities (6 credits): tests literature, music, art, and philosophy at a survey level
Frequently asked questions
Can I take CLEP US History I and II on the same day?
Yes, at most testing centers. Each exam is 90 minutes plus check-in and check-out time, so plan a 4-hour visit. Some students prefer to space them out by a week or two to avoid fatigue; others prefer the single trip to the testing center.
If I fail one, does that affect the other?
No. The exams are completely independent. A pass on US History I has no bearing on US History II, and vice versa. Each retake requires a 3-month wait from the prior attempt of the same exam.
Does AP US History credit substitute for either CLEP?
Often yes, at the same school. Most schools that accept AP US History for credit grant 3 to 8 credits depending on the AP score. The CLEP credits stack on top at some schools (subject to the school's overall credit-by-exam cap); at others, AP and CLEP credit count against the same cap, so taking both adds little.
What if my school caps total US history credit at 3?
Some schools cap by subject area. In that case, taking both CLEPs returns only 3 credits (the school caps the second exam's contribution). Verify with the registrar before sitting both. The pillar's "After passing" section discusses school-specific caps.
Should I take CLEP US History II if I never lived in the United States?
The exam tests historical content, not lived experience. Students who studied US history through coursework or self-directed reading pass at similar rates to students with lived familiarity. The audio is not a factor (the exam is entirely written multiple choice).
Can I use the same prep materials for both exams?
Partially. A single survey textbook covers both eras (read pre-1877 chapters for US History I, post-1865 chapters for US History II). Khan Academy's US History course covers both. Practice questions are exam-specific; the Flying Prep US History I question bank and US History II question bank are separate.
Is one exam harder than the other?
About the same difficulty for most students. The pillar guides for each exam both describe medium difficulty. The US History I exam is heavier on early-republic political dynamics; the US History II exam is heavier on 20th-century cause-and-effect chains. Pick the one whose era you find more interesting and start there.
Does CLEP US History count toward a history major?
Usually no. Most colleges accept CLEP credit as general-education or elective credit, not as a substitute for upper-division history major requirements. Check with your specific program.
Alex Stone founded Flying Prep after earning her bachelor's degree from Thomas Edison State University using 27 CLEP and DSST exams to test out of 99 credits. She built Flying Prep to help working adults and returning students take the same path.
Last fact-checked June 2026
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