The Short Answer
A score of 50 or above is average. A score of 65 or above is good and opens most jobs across all branches. A score of 80+ is excellent and qualifies you for virtually every enlisted position. But "good" really depends on what you're trying to do.
Minimum AFQT Scores to Enlist
The AFQT score is the one that determines basic enlistment eligibility. It's a percentile calculated from four ASVAB sections: Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), Word Knowledge (WK), Paragraph Comprehension (PC), and Mathematics Knowledge (MK).
Minimums by branch:
- Army: 31 (high school diploma) / 50 (GED)
- Navy: 35 (high school diploma) / 50 (GED)
- Marines: 32 (high school diploma) / 50 (GED)
- Air Force: 36 (high school diploma) / 65 (GED)
- Coast Guard: 40 (high school diploma) / 50 (GED)
These are the absolute minimums. In practice, recruiters often work with higher cutoffs depending on current enlistment demand. The Air Force in particular routinely requires 50+ even for basic enlistment when recruitment targets are being met.
What the Score Actually Means
The AFQT is a percentile, not a raw score. A 50 means you scored higher than 50% of the 18–23-year-olds who took the test when it was last normed (2004). This is why you can't simply "study to get 50 questions right" — your score is relative to that reference population.
AFQT score categories:
- Category I (93–99): Exceptional — qualifies for any job, may be eligible for enlistment bonuses
- Category II (65–92): Above average — opens nearly all jobs
- Category IIIA (50–64): Average — good job selection in all branches
- Category IIIB (31–49): Below average — meets minimums for Army/Navy/Marines, limited job options
- Category IVA–C (10–30): Poor — only Army/Marines accept with waivers, very few jobs available
- Category V (1–9): Not eligible for enlistment
What Score Do You Need for the Best Jobs?
The most competitive military jobs require high line scores, not just a high AFQT. Here are some examples:
- Army Cyber Operations Specialist (17C): GT 110, ST 112
- Army Intelligence Analyst (35F): ST 101
- Army Special Forces (18X): GT 110, CO 100
- Navy Nuclear Field (NF): AFQT 60+, AR+MK+EI+GS ≥ 252
- Navy Cryptologic Technician Intelligence (CTI): AFQT 72, VE+MK+GS 162
- Air Force Cyber Systems (1B4X1): General 64, Electronic 70
- Air Force Intelligence (1N0X1): General 72
You can browse the full requirements for every job on our Military Job Explorer.
Average ASVAB Scores
The ASVAB is normed so that 50 is the median. In reality, among people who actually take it at MEPS:
- The average score for Army enlistees is around 58–62
- The average for Air Force enlistees is closer to 65–70 (the Air Force is more selective)
- Navy and Marines average around 55–60
Can You Raise Your Score?
Yes — significantly. Most people underperform on their first attempt because they walk in unprepared. Studies and anecdotal reports from recruiters consistently show that prepared test-takers score 10–20 points higher than unprepared ones.
The biggest gains come from drilling AR and MK (algebra, word problems) and building vocabulary for WK. Four weeks of focused practice is enough to move most people from Category IIIB into Category II.
See our full ASVAB study guide for a detailed plan.
Bottom Line
Don't aim for the minimum. Every 10 points above the minimum translates into more job options, more leverage with your recruiter, and potentially better enlistment bonuses. Aim for 65+ to give yourself a real choice of career field.