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The Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test, abbreviated CCAT, is a pre-employment cognitive aptitude assessment from Criteria. Employers use it to estimate how quickly a candidate can learn, solve problems, and reason with words, numbers, and patterns under time pressure. It is a named assessment, not a generic label for every cognitive hiring test.
According to Criteria’s public product and candidate materials, the standard CCAT includes 50 questions and a 15-minute time limit. Many candidates do not finish every item. Criteria’s candidate guidance notes that finishing all 50 questions is uncommon and is not required to perform competitively. Employers control the benchmarks they use. There is no single public universal pass mark for every role. This page sits under the Cognitive Aptitude Tests hub.
Key Takeaway
CCAT is Criteria’s named speeded aptitude assessment. Raw score and percentile are different views of performance. Employer cutoffs are not universal Criteria pass marks.
What the CCAT Is
The CCAT measures cognitive aptitude for hiring and talent decisions: problem solving, learning from new information, and critical thinking. Public Criteria materials describe three question kinds: verbal, math and logic, and spatial reasoning. The assessment draws on a dynamic item bank. It is not job-knowledge testing, not a personality inventory, and not the same as a Criteria publisher overview page.
If your invitation names another Criteria product such as the Universal Cognitive Aptitude Test (UCAT) or a basic skills battery, use the matching guide instead of treating this page as a catch-all.
Quick Facts From Current Criteria Materials
| Feature | Current public summary |
|---|---|
| Full name | Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) |
| Provider | Criteria |
| Items and timing | 50 questions, 15 minutes |
| Content areas described | Verbal; math and logic; spatial reasoning |
| Calculator | Not allowed per Criteria candidate guidance |
| Score views described | Raw score (number correct out of 50) and percentile ranking |
| Completion expectation | Very few candidates finish all 50 items; average raw scores near the mid-20s appear in Criteria candidate materials |
| Hiring cutoffs | Employer-controlled; no universal public pass mark |
Sources: Criteria CCAT product page and Criteria CCAT candidate prep.
Speed, Skipping, and Guessing
Criteria candidate guidance states there is no penalty for wrong answers, so guessing and moving on can be better than spending too long on one item when the clock is running. Do not assume every session allows the same navigation rules. Follow the live instructions for skipping, reviewing, and tool restrictions.
Do not treat “answer every question” as a universal rule. The test is intentionally speeded. Maximizing correct answers under the time limit matters more than forcing every hard item.
Scoring: Raw Score Versus Percentile
A raw score is the number of questions answered correctly. A percentile compares that performance with a norm or comparison group. Percentile is not the same as percentage correct. Employers may also use role-specific suggested ranges in Criteria reporting tools. Those ranges are employer-configuration choices, not one public pass score for every job.
Candidate-facing result visibility varies. Some candidates see limited feedback; employers usually receive the score views they configured. Confirm what your invitation and portal show.
Retesting and Administration
Retest eligibility, waiting periods, remote or supervised delivery, and accommodations are controlled by the employer and administrator process, not by a single public universal CCAT rule on this site. Extended-time configurations may exist for documented needs; follow the official accommodations pathway named in your invitation.
CCAT Versus Related Assessments
CCAT is not Wonderlic, not the PI Cognitive Assessment, not a general numerical or verbal skill page, and not a school or academic admissions test. Correlation between cognitive products does not make their timing, items, or scoring identical.
Optional Third-Party Practice
After you confirm that your invitation names the Criteria CCAT and you understand the 50-question / 15-minute format, optional third-party timed practice can help some candidates build transferable speed and accuracy. Compare any commercial pack with Criteria’s candidate guidance and your invitation before you buy.
JobTestPrep Criteria CCAT preparation is a third-party option. JobTestPrep is not Criteria, the employer, or the official assessment administrator. Its materials do not reproduce the proprietary CCAT form or guarantee an employer-defined result.
For additional owned-network CCAT practice context, you can also use AptitudeTests.org CCAT practice. AptitudeTests.org is independent of Criteria.
How to Prepare for the CCAT
Confirm your invitation names the Criteria CCAT. Memorize the live format: 50 questions, 15 minutes, no calculator. Read Criteria’s candidate tips. Take an untimed diagnostic across verbal, numerical, logic, and spatial skills, then drill weak areas. Practise moving on when an item becomes a time trap. Use timed simulations only as unofficial practice. Confirm device, quiet space, and deadline. Follow only the instructions in your real session. Do not search for claimed leaked official items.
Official Criteria Resources
- Criteria CCAT product page
- Criteria CCAT candidate prep
- Criteria Candidate Resource Hub
- Criteria Candidate FAQs
- Criteria CCAT InfoBrief (PDF)
- Criteria CCAT Score Report Guide (PDF)
Related Guides
- Cognitive Aptitude Tests
- CCAT practice test
- Wonderlic practice test
- PI Cognitive Assessment
- Numerical reasoning
- Verbal reasoning
- Abstract reasoning
FAQ
What is the CCAT?
It is Criteria’s Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test: a 50-question, 15-minute cognitive aptitude assessment used in hiring, per current Criteria public materials.
Do you need to finish all 50 questions?
No. Criteria materials state that very few candidates finish all items. Focus on correct answers under time pressure.
Can you use a calculator?
Criteria candidate guidance says calculators are not allowed. Confirm any session-specific instructions.
What score do you need?
There is no universal public employer cutoff. Raw score and percentile are interpreted in the employer’s process.
Are these official Criteria questions?
No.
