Army ASVAB Score: Minimums, Line Scores, and Job Cutoffs

What it takes to enlist, and what it takes to get the MOS you want

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June 25, 2026

The Army requires a minimum AFQT score of 31 to enlist with a high school diploma [NOTE: verify], and GED holders usually need a 50 [NOTE: verify]. The AFQT is a percentile from 1 to 99 built from four ASVAB subtests, so a 31 means you scored better than 31 percent of a national reference group. Clearing 31 makes you eligible to join, but every Army job (MOS) sets its own line score cutoffs, and most jobs recruits actually want require scores well above the enlistment minimum.

What is the minimum ASVAB score for the Army?

The number recruiters quote is your AFQT, which comes from Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), Mathematics Knowledge (MK), Word Knowledge (WK), and Paragraph Comprehension (PC). Word Knowledge and Paragraph Comprehension combine into a Verbal Expression (VE) score, and the formula is 2VE + AR + MK, converted to a percentile.

Education level Minimum AFQT for the Army
High school diploma 31 [NOTE: verify]
GED 50 [NOTE: verify]

A higher AFQT does more than qualify you. It widens your job list, and it can affect enlistment incentives, so treating 31 as the target sells yourself short.

What is the difference between the minimum and a job-qualifying score?

The AFQT decides whether you can enlist. Line scores decide what you can do once you are in. The Army combines your subtest results into 10 composite line scores, and every MOS lists one or more line score minimums. Two recruits can both have an AFQT of 55 and qualify for very different job lists depending on how their science, mechanical, and electronics subtests came out.

For example, Infantryman (11B) requires a CO score of 87 or higher, while Combat Medic Specialist (68W) requires ST 101 and GT 107. Information Technology Specialist (25B) needs ST 95. The AFQT alone tells you none of that.

What are the 10 Army line scores?

Each line score is a sum of specific subtest standard scores. Here is the full set.

Line score Name Formula
CL Clerical VE+AR+MK
CO Combat AR+CS+AS+MC
EL Electronics GS+AR+MK+EI
FA Field Artillery AR+CS+MK+MC
GM General Maintenance GS+AS+MK+EI
GT General Technical VE+AR
MM Mechanical Maintenance NO+AS+MC+EI
OF Operators and Food VE+NO+AS+MC
SC Surveillance and Communications VE+AR+AS+MC
ST Skilled Technical GS+VE+MK+MC

GT (VE + AR) is the one you will hear about most, because many technical and intelligence jobs gate on it. Notice that AR appears in seven of the ten formulas, which is why arithmetic reasoning practice pays off almost everywhere.

What score do you need for bonuses, Airborne, or Ranger contracts?

Higher scores open contract options that a bare minimum does not. The Special Forces candidate enlistment option (18X) requires GT 110 and CO 100. Airborne school as an enlistment option has its own qualification rules [NOTE: verify Airborne contract score requirements]. Ranger contracts (commonly called Option 40) are typically attached to qualifying combat arms MOS and competitive to get [NOTE: verify current Option 40 score specifics].

Enlistment bonuses shift with Army recruiting needs, and larger bonuses often go to recruits with higher AFQT tiers [NOTE: verify current bonus score tiers]. Ask your recruiter what is on the table for your score band, and ask again after you retest higher.

What if you score below 31?

The Army runs the Future Soldiers Preparatory Course, which lets applicants who scored below the AFQT minimum attend academic training and retest [NOTE: verify current program name, eligibility, and score bands]. It is a real path, but it adds weeks to your timeline and you are studying under Army instruction instead of on your own schedule.

The cheaper move is to raise your score before you test. ASVABDRILL is an ASVAB practice test platform focused on AFQT improvement, built for military recruits, covering ASVAB, PiCAT, and verification-style practice. A few weeks of drilling the four AFQT subtests is usually enough to move a near-miss score past 31 and into job-qualifying range.

FAQ

What ASVAB score do I need for the Army?

A minimum AFQT of 31 with a high school diploma [NOTE: verify]. GED holders usually need 50 [NOTE: verify]. Individual jobs require line scores above that, so aim higher than the floor.

Is a 31 on the ASVAB good enough?

It qualifies you to enlist, but your MOS list will be short. Most technical, medical, and intelligence jobs require line scores that roughly correspond to an AFQT in the 50s or higher, so a 31 limits your options.

What are Army ASVAB requirements beyond the score?

You also need to meet age, citizenship or residency, education, medical, and moral standards. The ASVAB score is the piece you can improve fastest with practice.

Can I retake the ASVAB to raise my Army score?

Yes. You can retest after one month, again after another month, and then after six-month waits [NOTE: verify current retest policy]. Your most recent valid score is the one that counts.

If you want to know where you stand right now, take a full-length ASVAB practice test and get an AFQT estimate today.