The appropriate selection of failure criterion for solder joint studies is necessary to correctly estimate reliability life. The objective of this study is to compare the effect of different failure criteria on the reliability life estimation. The four failure criteria in this study are a 20% resistance increase defined in the IPC-9701A standard, a resistance beyond 500 Ω, an infinite resistance (hard open), and a failure criterion based on X-bar and R control charts. Accelerated thermal cycling conditions of a low-silver BGA study included 0°C to 100 °C with ten minute dwell times and -40°C to 125°C with ten minute dwell times. The results show that the life estimation based on X-bar and R failure criterion is very similar to the life estimation when a 20% resistance increase defined in the IPC-9701A failure criterion is used. The results also show that the reliability life would be overestimated if the failure criterion of a resistance threshold of 500 Ω or an infinite resistance (hard open) is used.