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. Why 50 is average, and how recruits compare →
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. The ASVAB score chart shows the full conversion from subtest scores to each percentile.
| 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. The summary below is drawn from official recruiting pages and regulations checked on 2026-09-17; the minimum ASVAB score page quotes every source sentence, records where sources disagree, and lists the official retest waiting periods.
| Branch | Diploma | GED / alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Army | 31 | not split by credential |
| Navy | 35 | 50 |
| Marine Corps | 31 | 50 |
| Air Force | 31 | 50 |
| Space Force | 36 | 50 |
| Coast Guard | 32 | 47 |
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. See every branch's source and the retest rules →
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 147 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 54 jobs: the lowest requirement is 94P Multiple Launch Rocket System Repairer (EL ≥ 93 or (EL ≥ 88 and ST ≥ 85)), the median is 12T Technical Engineer (ST ≥ 101), and the highest is 35T Military Intelligence (MI) Systems Maintainer/Integrator (ST ≥ 112).
GT (General Technical), used by 42 jobs: the lowest requirement is 89B Ammunition Specialist (ST ≥ 91 or (ST ≥ 86 and GT ≥ 85)), the median is 12Y Geospatial Engineer (ST ≥ 100 and GT ≥ 100), and the highest is 79T Recruiting and Retention NCO (GT ≥ 110). 12 of the 42 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". The GT score page computes GT from AR and VE and checks all 42 at once.
Across all 147 jobs, the most used line score is ST (Skilled Technical), which appears in 54 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 | 54 | 85 | 112 |
| GT General Technical | 42 | 85 | 110 |
| EL Electronics | 26 | 88 | 110 |
| MM Mechanical Maintenance | 26 | 82 | 104 |
| GM General Maintenance | 17 | 78 | 105 |
| CO Combat | 12 | 77 | 100 |
| CL Clerical | 10 | 86 | 105 |
| OF Operators and Food | 6 | 85 | 95 |
| SC Surveillance and Communications | 4 | 95 | 105 |
| 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 147 verified Army MOS on this site, 42 involve a GT condition. The lowest is 85 (89B), the median is 100, and the highest is 110 (79T); 12 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 54 of 147. For job selection, line scores are the deciding factor.