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Wonderlic vs CCAT
The Wonderlic and the CCAT are two of the most common cognitive tests employers use in hiring. Both give you about 50 questions and very little time. They differ in timing, in how results are reported and in what each publisher says about scores.
Want your own number? The test is 25 visual puzzles, about 12 minutes, no sign-up.
Side by side
| Wonderlic Select | CCAT | |
|---|---|---|
| Publisher | Wonderlic | Criteria Corp |
| Cognitive questions | 50 | 50 |
| Time limit | 12 minutes (timed section) | 15 minutes |
| Question types | Cognitive section inside a three-section assessment | Verbal, math and logic, spatial reasoning |
| Whole assessment | About 35 minutes for most people (one timed, two untimed sections) | The 15-minute test |
| Calculator | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| How results are reported | No single numerical cognitive score; no universal good or average score | Raw score (number correct) and a percentile |
Sources: Wonderlic's candidate FAQ (Wonderlic: FAQ) and Criteria's CCAT preparation page (Criteria: CCAT prep). Formats can change; your invitation is the final word.
Speed is the point on both
Fifty questions in 12 or 15 minutes leaves well under 20 seconds per question. These tests measure how much reasoning you can do accurately under time pressure, not how far you can get with unlimited time. Criteria says fewer than 1% of candidates answer all 50 CCAT questions and the average test taker gets 24 right (Criteria: CCAT prep). A similar format appears elsewhere: the PI Cognitive Assessment is also 50 questions in 12 minutes (Predictive Index: Cognitive Assessment), and Criteria's UCAT has 40 questions in 20 minutes and is designed so most people do not finish (Criteria: UCAT).
Try one · Logical Reasoning
Which tile completes the second pair?
Tap the option you think is right, or show the answer.
Show the answer
The missing panel shows a large solid circle, with small solid shapes: a square at the bottom-right corner (option 2).
How to solve it
- Compare the first two panels and name exactly what changed.
- The main shape and the small shapes swap forms: the main shape takes the form of the small ones, and the small ones take the form of the main shape.
- Nothing else changes.
- Apply the same change to the third panel: a large solid square, with small solid shapes: a circle at the bottom-right corner.
- So the missing panel shows a large solid circle, with small solid shapes: a square at the bottom-right corner.
That was 1 puzzle. The full test has 25.
How results reach the employer
The CCAT gives employers a raw score, the number of questions you got right, and a percentile that compares you with other test takers (Criteria: CCAT prep). Wonderlic says its current Select test does not give a single numerical cognitive ability score and that there is no universal good or average score (Wonderlic: FAQ), so online lists of target Wonderlic scores may describe an older version of the test.
Why employers use them
General mental ability is one of the stronger predictors of job performance in the research literature: a review of 85 years of studies estimated a validity of 0.51 (Schmidt & Hunter, 1998). That is a group-level tendency, which is why employers combine these tests with interviews and other evidence.
How to prepare for either
- Learn the question types so nothing surprises you; retest gains average about a quarter of a standard deviation (Hausknecht et al., 2007).
- Practice skipping: a question you cannot crack in 20 seconds is better left behind.
- Use timed practice: our Wonderlic-style and CCAT-style practice tests time every question, and the number series puzzles train the fastest-to-improve item type.
Full guides: the Wonderlic, the CCAT and the PI Cognitive Assessment.
Sources
- Wonderlic. Frequently asked questions about Wonderlic assessments. wonderlic.com/blog/candidates/frequently-asked-questions-about-wonderlic-assessments/
- Criteria Corp. CCAT prep for candidates. www.criteriacorp.com/candidates/ccat-prep
- Criteria Corp help center. Universal Cognitive Aptitude Test (UCAT). criteriacorp.helpdocs.io/article/j1y2ae6axg-universal-cognitive-aptitude-test-ucat
- The Predictive Index. What is the PI Cognitive Assessment? docs.predictiveindex.com/en/articles/10579885-what-is-the-pi-cognitive-assessment
- Hausknecht, J. P., Halpert, J. A., Di Paolo, N. T., & Moriarty Gerrard, M. O. (2007). Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(2), 373-385. doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.92.2.373
- Schmidt, F. L., & Hunter, J. E. (1998). Psychological Bulletin, 124(2), 262-274. doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.124.2.262