Florida leads the country in the percentage of high school graduates taking Advanced Placement exams.

However, the percentage that score a 3 or higher - the level considered sufficient to receive college credit - is lower.

An annual report released by the College Board Wednesday says 47 percent of Florida seniors took an AP exam in high school.

About 24 percent of Florida graduates earned a 3 or higher on an Advanced Placement test, placing the state sixth nationwide.

The percentage of Hispanic and African-American students passing the exam both increased, though a considerable gap remains between the two. Twenty-eight percent of Hispanic students in Florida scored a 3 or higher on the exam, compared to about 7 percent of African-Americans.