The average ASVAB score is 50. The main score reported from the ASVAB, called the AFQT (Armed Forces Qualification Test) score, is a percentile ranging from 1 to 99. A score of 50 means you performed as well as or better than 50% of test takers in the national reference group. Because it’s a percentile, 50 is the statistical middle by design.
How the AFQT Score Works
The ASVAB is a multi-section test, but the number most people mean when they say “ASVAB score” is the AFQT score. This score is derived from four of the test’s subtests: Arithmetic Reasoning, Mathematics Knowledge, Word Knowledge, and Paragraph Comprehension. Your raw performance on those four sections gets converted into a percentile between 1 and 99.
That percentile is based on a reference group of 18- to 23-year-olds who took the ASVAB during a national norming study conducted in 1997. So when you score a 60, it means you did as well as or better than 60% of that representative sample. The reference group doesn’t change with each test cycle, which keeps scores comparable over time.
What the Military Considers a Good Score
The military uses AFQT categories to sort scores into tiers. These categories determine whether you’re eligible to enlist and how competitive your application looks to recruiters.
- Category I (93 to 99): Top performers. Every branch wants these applicants.
- Category II (65 to 92): Above average. Qualifies for a wide range of jobs.
- Category IIIA (50 to 64): Average. Meets requirements comfortably.
- Category IIIB (31 to 49): Below average but still eligible for most branches.
- Category IV (10 to 30): Below the minimum for most branches under normal recruiting conditions. Limited acceptance, often requiring waivers.
- Category V (1 to 9): Ineligible for military enlistment by law.
Most enlisted service members score in Categories II and III. Scoring above 50 puts you in the top half, but aiming for 60 or higher opens up significantly more job options within every branch.
Minimum Scores by Branch
Each branch sets its own minimum AFQT score for enlistment. The Army requires a minimum of 31, which falls at the bottom of Category IIIB. The other branches generally set their minimums higher. The Air Force and Space Force typically require scores in the low-to-mid 30s or above, while the Coast Guard tends to have one of the higher minimums among all branches.
These minimums can shift depending on recruiting needs. When a branch is meeting its recruiting goals easily, it may raise standards. When recruitment is more challenging, some branches accept a limited number of Category IV applicants (scores of 10 to 30), sometimes with additional requirements like extra screening or preparatory courses. Category V applicants, those scoring below 10, are barred from enlisting under federal law regardless of recruiting conditions.
Why the Average Matters Less Than Your Line Scores
The AFQT score determines whether you can enlist, but it doesn’t determine which jobs you qualify for. That’s where line scores come in. Each branch combines different ASVAB subtests into composite scores (often called line scores) that map to specific military occupations. For example, a technical job in electronics might require high scores on the General Science and Electronics Information subtests, while a clerical role might weight Arithmetic Reasoning and Paragraph Comprehension more heavily.
This means two people with the same AFQT score of 55 could qualify for very different jobs depending on which subtests they performed well on. If you’re aiming for a specific military occupation, look up the composite score requirements for that role in your target branch. A strong overall score helps, but the subtest breakdown is what actually unlocks the career fields you want.
What Score You Should Aim For
If you just want to be eligible to enlist, scoring above 31 clears the bar for most branches. But “eligible” and “competitive” are different things. A score of 50 is technically average, yet scoring in the 60s or higher puts you in Category II, which gives you priority in job selection and makes you a more attractive candidate to recruiters. Scoring above 65 generally qualifies you for enlistment bonuses and a broader menu of military occupational specialties.
For the most in-demand technical and intelligence roles, you’ll typically need line scores that correspond to AFQT scores well into the 70s or 80s. If you take the ASVAB and score lower than you’d like, you can retake it after a waiting period, which varies by branch but is commonly 30 days for a first retest and six months for subsequent retakes. Preparation matters: focused study on the four AFQT subtests (math and verbal) is the most direct way to raise your overall score.