The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, or ASVAB, tests your knowledge of basic concepts and skills and produces two types of scores. One determines what branch in the military you are eligible for (the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT), and the other the specific jobs are qualified for (lines scores).
The AVAB provides you with several scores shown as percentiles:
- AFQT score
- Standardized Scores (Subtest Scores)
- Composite Scores (Line Scores)
So, what do all these scores mean? This article will answer that and how the scores are calculated.
AFQT: What’s a Good Score?
Each military branch has its own minimum AFQT score to qualify for enlistment. They also may have different minimum scores if you earned a GED instead of a high school diploma.
Here are ASVAB score requirements by military branch:
Branch | Minimum ASVAB Score | Minimum ASVAB Score with a GED |
|---|---|---|
Army | 31 | 50 |
Air Force | 31 | 50 |
Navy | 35 | 50 |
Marine Corps | 31 | 50 |
Coast Guard | 40 | 50 |
Meeting the minimum score does not mean that it’s a good score. Let’s first look at the AFQT score a bit closer.
Your AFQT score comes from answers to questions in four sections:
- Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)
- Word Knowledge (WK)
- Paragraph Comprehension (PC)
- Mathematics Knowledge (MK)
Note: PC and WK are combined to determine a scaled Verbal Expression (VE) score.
Your score is obtained from these sections and is shown as a percentile from 1 to 99, comparing you with other test-takers. So, if you received an AFQT score of 50, it means you did better than half of the people who took the ASVAB.
In general, a good AFQT score is between 50 and 64. This demonstrates a solid understanding of the ASVAB sections. If you scored 65 and above, it is considered an excellent score and it will open up many more job opportunities, especially in specialized, technical programs.
ASVAB Standard Scores
Standard scores are given for each of the nine sections of the ASVAB. Here are the sections and their commonly referred to abbreviations:
- General science (GS)
- Arithmetic reasoning (AR)
- Word knowledge (WK)
- Paragraph comprehension (PC)
- Mathematics knowledge (MK)
- Electronics information (EI)
- Auto and shop information (AS)
- Mechanical comprehension (MC)
- Assembling objects (AO)
Your score is based on a scale where 50 is the national average and your score represents how above or below the average you are. In other words, it is how many questions you answered correctly in comparison to others who have taken the test.
Your standard scores alone don’t determine anything specific, but they are used to calculate your composite scores, which determine your eligibility for jobs in each branch of the military.
Composite Scores
Composite scores, also called line scores, help determine which military job is right for you, and some composite scores are required for certain jobs and branches. This is part of the classification process, which matches new recruits to specific jobs and branches they may perform well in. According to the official ASVAB website, “Each service develops and validates its own set of composites based on the combination of subtests that are most highly correlated with on-the-job performance for clusters of occupations.”
Understanding how your ASVAB scores are calculated will help you be strategic when studying, so you can focus on specific areas you want to do well in, and feel especially ready to attack the AFQT sections. Overall, knowing how your ASVAB scores apply to your potential enlistment, position and rank will make the testing process much less confusing and more productive.
For example, if you are looking to join the Air Force and want a career as a Cyber Systems Operations Specialist, you will need a minimum line score in two categories, Electronics (60) and Mechanical (45).
Electronics (E) is a score based on a composite of the following subsets:
- Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)
- Electronics Information (EI)
- General Science (GS)
- Mathematics Knowledge (MK)
Mechanical (M) is based on these subsets:
- Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)
- Auto & Shop Information (AS)
- Mechanical Comprehension (MC)
- Paragraph Comprehension (PC)
- Word Knowledge (WK)
Want more help preparing for the ASVAB?
Check out How to Study for the ASVAB Test
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FAQ
Q: What is the difference between an AFQT score and a line score?
Your AFQT score determines whether you are eligible to enlist in the military. Your composite scores (line scores) look at specific combinations of your subtest results to determine which job fields you qualify for within your chosen branch.
Q: What is considered a good ASVAB score?
In general, an AFQT score between 50 and 64 is considered a good score, demonstrating a solid understanding of the core concepts. Scoring 65 or higher is considered excellent and will open up many more specialized, high-tech career opportunities.
Q: How are my standard subtest scores calculated?
Standard scores are based on a scale where 50 is the national average. Your score tells you how far above or below that average you performed based on how many questions you answered correctly compared to other test-takers.
Q: Can I join the military if I have a GED instead of a high school diploma?
Yes, but the qualification requirements are higher. While a high school graduate needs a minimum score between 31 and 40 (depending on the branch) to enlist, a candidate with a GED must score at least a 50 across all branches.
