A "good" ASVAB score depends on the question you are trying to answer. The same number can be strong for one purpose and insufficient for another: an AFQT of 45 clears every branch's published diploma-holder minimum, yet the line scores behind it may fall short of the job you want. Start by identifying which score your report shows, then judge it against the right benchmark.
Compares your result with the 1997 reference population. The 65th percentile means scoring higher than 65 percent of that group; it is not 65 percent correct. AFQT is a lookup on AR + MK + 2 × VE and determines general enlistment eligibility.
Weighted sums of subtest standard scores, rescaled to a mean of 100. Each Army MOS uses one or more line scores (GT, ST, CO, CL, EL, MM and others). A job threshold must be checked against the matching score type.
Counts your answers on an exercise. Useful for finding study topics, but it is not an official AFQT or line score estimate and never converts into one.
The Department of Defense groups AFQT percentiles into categories. Recruiting regulations use these bands to describe who may enlist; the categories themselves are the same across branches.
| Category | AFQT percentile | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Category I | 93–99 | Top tier — qualifies for enlistment in all branches. |
| Category II | 65–92 | Above average — qualifies for enlistment in all branches. |
| Category IIIA | 50–64 | Average — qualifies for enlistment in all branches. |
| Category IIIB | 31–49 | Below average — may qualify, but some branches and jobs have higher minimums. |
| Category IV | 10–30 | Generally not eligible for enlistment. Waivers are rare and branch-dependent. |
| Category V | 1–9 | Ineligible for military enlistment by federal law (10 U.S.C. § 520). |
Each branch publishes its own enlistment minimum, and most set a higher bar for GED or other alternative credentials. Every row below quotes the official recruiting page or regulation it came from, with the date it was checked. Where a regulation and a recruiting site disagree, the note says so.
| Branch | Minimum AFQT | Credential | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army | 31 | All applicants (recruiting site does not split by credential) | Entrance Test (ASVAB), goarmy.comQuote and noteyour Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) score determines your eligibility to join and requires a score of at least 31 to enlist. The same page adds that applicants with a score of at least 21 may enter the academic track of the Future Soldier Preparatory Course to raise their score. AR 601-210 (20 March 2026) defines the test score categories (IIIB is AFQT 31–49; IVA 16–30; IVB not currently accepted) but does not print a separate GED minimum. | 2026-09-17 |
| Navy | 35 | Tier 1 (high school diploma) | COMNAVCRUITCOMINST 1130.8K, Navy Recruiting Manual–Enlisted (July 2016), para 020602Quote and noteAFQT SCORE. Acceptable AFQT score for enlistment of non-prior service (NPS) applicants is 35. NPS applicants with AFQT scores less than 50 must be Tier 1. This is a superseded 2016 edition hosted on a .mil site. The current edition (1130.8Q, January 2025) and navy.com could not be retrieved on the check date, so treat this figure as official but possibly out of date and confirm with a Navy recruiter. | 2026-09-17 |
| Navy | 50 | Tier 2 (GED or other alternative credential) | COMNAVCRUITCOMINST 1130.8K, Navy Recruiting Manual–Enlisted (July 2016), para 020403Quote and noteAll Tier 2 applicants must have ASVAB AFQT scores of 50 or higher, spend a minimum of 90 calendar days in DEP and complete DEP PQS prior to shipping to RTC. Same superseded 2016 edition as the Tier 1 row; confirm the current figure with a Navy recruiter. | 2026-09-17 |
| Marine Corps | 31 | High school diploma | Enlistment Requirements, marines.comQuote and noteTo meet these requirements and qualify, aspiring Marines must achieve a minimum ASVAB score of 31 or higher—or 50+ if holding a GED or nontraditional diploma. The page says "ASVAB score" rather than "AFQT"; it is the overall enlistment minimum. | 2026-09-17 |
| Marine Corps | 50 | GED or nontraditional diploma | Enlistment Requirements, marines.comQuoteTo meet these requirements and qualify, aspiring Marines must achieve a minimum ASVAB score of 31 or higher—or 50+ if holding a GED or nontraditional diploma. | 2026-09-17 |
| Air Force | 31 | High school senior or graduate | ASVAB, airforce.comQuote and noteHigh school seniors or graduates must achieve a minimum 31 AFQT overall score. DAFMAN 36-2032 (16 January 2025, Change 1 9 December 2025), para 3.6.8.2.2.1, sets the Tier One standard at 36 and lets each component accept 31 for applicants who otherwise meet all qualifications; airforce.com publishes the 31 figure. | 2026-09-17 |
| Air Force | 50 | GED | ASVAB, airforce.comQuoteGED holders must achieve a minimum 50 AFQT score. | 2026-09-17 |
| Space Force | 36 | Tier One (high school or equivalent diploma) | DAFMAN 36-2032, Military Recruiting and Accessions (16 January 2025, Change 1 9 December 2025), para 3.6.8.2.2.1Quote and noteApplicants must obtain an AFQT score of 36 or higher on the ASVAB. (T-1) As determined by each component, applicants who otherwise meet all qualifications including DAFECD specified requirements, may enlist with an Armed Forces Qualification Test of 31 or higher (T-1) The manual states it applies to the Regular Air Force, United States Space Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard. spaceforce.com does not publish a number; it says only that a qualifying ASVAB score is required. | 2026-09-17 |
| Space Force | 50 | Tier Two (GED or other test-based credential) | DAFMAN 36-2032, Military Recruiting and Accessions (16 January 2025, Change 1 9 December 2025), para 3.6.8.2.2.2Quote and noteApplicants who are alternate credential holders, to include a certificate of GED or other test-based credential obtained solely by testing, must obtain an AFQT score of 50 or higher on the ASVAB. (T-1) Para 3.6.8.2.2.3 sets Tier Three (non-high-school graduates) at 65 or higher. | 2026-09-17 |
| Coast Guard | 32 | Tier I (high school graduate) | Get Started, gocoastguard.comQuote and noteThe minimum ASVAB AFQT score for enlisting in the U.S. Coast Guard is 32. COMDTINST 1100.2I (June 2025), Chapter 4 Section B.7, agrees: "Most Tier I (High School Graduate) prospects qualify to apply for enlistment when their AFQT score is 32 or more." | 2026-09-17 |
| Coast Guard | 47 | Tier II (alternative credential) | COMDTINST 1100.2I, Coast Guard Recruiting (June 2025), Chapter 4, Section B.7Quote and noteTier II (Alternative Credential Holder) prospects qualify to apply when their AFQT score is 47 or more. The regulation says 47, not the 50 often repeated on unofficial sites. | 2026-09-17 |
Two patterns are worth noticing. First, the diploma-holder minimums across the 6 branches listed sit between 31 and 36, all inside or just above Category IIIB, so an AFQT in the 30s opens some doors but few of them. Second, an alternative credential raises the bar to 47 or higher in every branch that publishes a figure. Meeting the minimum AFQT allows enlistment but does not determine which jobs are available; that takes line scores.
A line score is good when it meets or exceeds the threshold for the job you want. There is no single target, because thresholds are set per MOS and per line score. The examples below are drawn from the 119 verified Army MOS on this site and are the actual lowest, median, and highest recorded requirements for two of the most used line scores.
ST (Skilled Technical), used by 46 jobs: the lowest requirement is 94P Multiple Launch Rocket System Repairer (EL ≥ 93 or (EL ≥ 88 and ST ≥ 85)), the median is 74D CBRN Specialist (ST ≥ 100), and the highest is 35N Signals Intelligence Analyst (ST ≥ 112).
GT (General Technical), used by 30 jobs: the lowest requirement is 89B Ammunition Specialist (ST ≥ 91 or (ST ≥ 86 and GT ≥ 85)), the median is 14H Air Defense Enhanced Early Warning Operator (MM ≥ 91 and GT ≥ 90), and the highest is 31D Criminal Investigation Special Agent (GT ≥ 110). 3 of the 30 GT jobs ask for 110 or more, which is why a GT of 110 is often quoted as the line between "most jobs" and "the technical and intelligence fields".
Across all 119 jobs, the most used line score is ST (Skilled Technical), which appears in 46 rules with thresholds from 85 to 112. The Army score guide explains what each line score measures and lists the lowest, typical and highest requirement for every one; the full picture by score range is on the jobs by score page; each MOS page shows its own rule, source and check date.
| Line score | Jobs using it | Lowest threshold | Highest threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| ST Skilled Technical | 46 | 85 | 112 |
| GT General Technical | 30 | 85 | 110 |
| MM Mechanical Maintenance | 22 | 82 | 104 |
| EL Electronics | 19 | 88 | 107 |
| GM General Maintenance | 14 | 78 | 105 |
| CL Clerical | 10 | 86 | 105 |
| CO Combat | 6 | 77 | 82 |
| OF Operators and Food | 6 | 85 | 95 |
| SC Surveillance and Communications | 2 | 95 | 102 |
| ET ET | 1 | 85 | 85 |
AFQT uses only AR, MK and VE. A line score such as MM (Mechanical Maintenance) puts its largest weight on Auto and Shop Information, and EL (Electronics) leans on Electronics Information and General Science. Someone with strong math and reading and little exposure to tools can post an AFQT in the 80s and an MM near 90. The reverse happens too. That is why recruiters talk about AFQT for enlistment and line scores for jobs, and why this site keeps the two separate.
If your report shows subtest standard scores, the score calculator will compute your AFQT and all ten Army line scores from them using the Department of Defense formulas, then compare the result against every verified job at once.
The ASVAB can be retaken after waiting periods set by each branch. Focus your preparation on the subtests that feed your target line score:
Use the score checker to see exactly which thresholds you are missing and by how much, then go to the study guide for the subtests behind that gap.
Each branch sets its own minimum, and most set a higher one for GED holders. On the official recruiting sites and regulations checked on 2026-09-17, the published minimums run from 31 to 50 depending on branch and credential; the Army lists 31. The table on this page quotes each source. Minimums change, so confirm the current figure with a recruiter.
Yes, in a statistical sense. The 50th percentile means you scored higher than 50 percent of the 1997 reference population. It does not mean you answered half the questions correctly. Whether 50 is "good enough" depends on the branch and job you are targeting: it clears every published enlistment minimum, including the GED tiers, but says nothing about line scores.
Among the 119 verified Army MOS on this site, 30 involve a GT condition. The lowest is 85 (89B), the median is 90, and the highest is 110 (31D); 3 jobs ask for GT of 110 or more. A GT that meets your target job's threshold is good; a GT above 110 meets every GT condition currently recorded here.
Yes. The ASVAB can be retaken after waiting periods set by your branch. Focused preparation on the subtests that feed your target line score improves that line score directly, and because AR, MK and VE also make up the AFQT, the same work usually lifts your percentile.
They answer different questions. AFQT decides whether you can enlist. Line scores decide which jobs you qualify for: the most used line score among the verified Army MOS here is ST (Skilled Technical), required by 46 of 119. For job selection, line scores are the deciding factor.