Napa Valley Wine Academy publishes its own pass rates, together with the method used to calculate them. All figures below cover the 2024–2025 WSET academic year (1 August 2024 to 31 July 2025), count candidates awarded the qualification, and are measured on first attempts only.
Napa Valley Wine Academy pass rates, 2024–2025
| Qualification | Candidates | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| All WSET Level 1 qualifications Wines, Spirits, Beer and Sake |
1,269 | 96.5% |
| All WSET Level 2 qualifications Wines, Spirits, Beer and Sake |
1,106 | 95.1% |
| All WSET Level 3 qualifications Wines and Spirits |
859 | 73.8% |
| WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines | 558 | 77.6% |
| All levels | 3,792 | 88.2% |
2024–2025 WSET academic year, 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2025. 3,343 of 3,792 candidates were awarded the qualification at the first attempt. Last updated August 2026.
How we calculate these pass rates
Most published pass rates give a number and nothing else. Here is what ours count.
- One full academic year. Every figure covers 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2025, so the levels can be read alongside one another.
- First attempts only. A candidate who did not pass at the first attempt is counted as not passing, even where they went on to pass at a resit. This is a stricter measure than counting eventual outcomes, and it means our published figures are lower than the proportion of our students who ultimately hold the qualification.
- Candidates, not exam entries. Each candidate counts once per qualification.
- The qualification as a whole. Where a qualification is assessed in more than one part — as WSET Level 3 Award in Wines is, with a theory paper and a blind tasting — a candidate counts as passing only if the qualification was awarded. We do not report individual parts separately.
- Grouped by level. Each row combines the qualifications named beneath it. Level 1 and Level 2 cover Wines, Spirits, Beer, and Sake; Level 3 covers Wines and Spirits.
We publish the previous complete academic year rather than the current one, because results for the year just ended are still being returned. Figures are updated once each year's results are final.
Why there is no industry benchmark to compare against
WSET reports how many candidates take its qualifications each year, but it does not publish pass rate data. There is no official figure against which any provider's results can be compared, and we make no comparative claim about ours.
You may find apparent “global” or “industry average” pass rates quoted elsewhere online. We have not been able to trace any of them to WSET or to a primary source, and we would treat them with caution. It is also worth checking what any published figure actually counts — whether it covers a full year, the whole qualification rather than one component, and first attempts or eventual outcomes. Those choices move a pass rate considerably.
WSET Level 1 Award in Wines
The qualification is assessed by a closed-book examination of 30 multiple-choice questions, completed in 45 minutes. The pass mark is 70%. It is graded pass or fail, with no Merit or Distinction. We deliver it online and in person.
Online, instructor-led · Online, on demand · In person
WSET Level 2 Award in Wines
The qualification is assessed by a closed-book examination of 50 multiple-choice questions, completed in 60 minutes. The pass mark is 55%. A mark of 70% to 84% is a pass with Merit, and 85% or above a pass with Distinction. We deliver it online, on demand, and in person.
Online, instructor-led · Online, on demand · In person
WSET Level 3 Award in Wines
Level 3 is assessed in two parts, both of which must be passed independently. The theory examination is 50 multiple-choice questions and four short written-answer questions, completed in two hours. The tasting examination is a 30-minute blind tasting of two wines. The pass mark is 55% in each part, so a candidate who performs well overall can still miss the qualification if one part falls short. Examinations are taken in person. WSET specifies 84 hours of total qualification time.
This is where our pass rate steps down, from the mid-nineties at Levels 1 and 2 to the mid-seventies. It is the single most useful thing to know before you enroll.
Online, instructor-led · In person
WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines
The Diploma comprises six units, five assessed by examination and one by a 3,000-word research assignment. Candidates have three years from registration to complete all six. Instruction is delivered online through live sessions; examinations are taken in person at our Napa campus. Entry requires the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines or the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines and Spirits.
Program details, fees, and dates
Where candidates most often fall short
Across the qualifications assessed by both a written paper and a tasting, our candidates are consistently more likely to fall short on the written papers than on the tasting.
This surprises most students, because the blind tasting is the part they worry about. But tasting is a trainable skill with an explicit method — the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting — and candidates practice it deliberately, precisely because it intimidates them. Written papers reward structured argument across a large syllabus, and reading is a poor substitute for writing to time.
The practical implication: when you plan your study, protect time for written practice under exam conditions. Our mock exams are built for exactly that.
Level 3 Full Mock Exam · Diploma D3 Mock Exam
What happens if you do not pass
You may resit. At WSET Level 1 and Level 2, you resit the whole examination. At WSET Level 3, because each part must be passed independently, you resit the part you did not pass. At Diploma level, unit passes remain valid for your three-year registration period, so a unit you did not pass does not affect units you have already completed.
Resit fees vary by qualification and are confirmed before you book. Contact our team for the current fee for your qualification.
Course fees and what they include
Our course fees include tuition, study materials, WSET digital textbook access, and your examination entry. For online courses, wine samples are available as an optional add-on, and a recommended purchase list is provided for candidates who prefer to source their own. Full pricing is shown on each course page.