Marines ASVAB Score: Minimum AFQT and Composite Lines
The USMC minimum, GED rules, and what infantry versus technical jobs need
June 28, 2026
The minimum ASVAB score for the Marines is an AFQT of 31 for applicants with a high school diploma [NOTE: verify current minimum] and 50 for GED holders [NOTE: verify]. The AFQT is a percentile from 1 to 99, so a 31 means you beat 31 percent of a national reference group. That score makes you eligible to enlist, but the job you get is decided by composite scores like GT and MM, and most Marine Corps jobs set those bars at 90 or higher.
What is the minimum ASVAB score for the Marines?
The Marine Corps checks two things: your education credential and your AFQT. The AFQT comes from four subtests, Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), Mathematics Knowledge (MK), Word Knowledge (WK), and Paragraph Comprehension (PC). WK and PC combine into a Verbal Expression (VE) score, and the formula is 2VE + AR + MK, converted to a percentile.
| Education level | Minimum AFQT |
|---|---|
| High school diploma | 31 [NOTE: verify] |
| GED | 50 [NOTE: verify] |
The Marine Corps also limits how many GED holders it accepts each year, so a GED applicant with exactly a 50 is still a hard sell [NOTE: verify current GED policy].
What are the Marine Corps composite scores?
Beyond the AFQT, the Marines build composite scores (often called line scores) from your subtests. Each MOS, the Marine term for a job, lists a minimum in one of them.
| Composite | Formula | Typical MOS fields |
|---|---|---|
| GT (General Technical) | VE + AR | Infantry, intelligence, military police |
| CL (Clerical) | VE + AR + MK | Admin, supply, finance |
| EL (Electronics) | AR + MK + EI + GS | Communications, network, electrical |
| MM (Mechanical Maintenance) | AR + AS + MC + EI | Engineer equipment, motor transport, machinist |
| GM (General Maintenance) | AR + MC + AS + EI | Maintenance fields |
GT is the composite you will hear about most, because infantry and a long list of other jobs key off it.
What do infantry versus technical jobs require?
Infantry MOS like Rifleman (0311), Machine Gunner (0331), and Mortarman (0341) require GT of 90 or higher. Reconnaissance Marine (0321) raises that to GT of 105 or higher.
Technical and intelligence fields sit higher still. Intelligence Specialist (0231), Counterintelligence/HUMINT Specialist (0211), and Cyber Network Operator (0651) all require GT of 110 or higher. On the electronics side, Network Administrator (0631) and Transmissions Systems Operator (0621) require EL of 105 or higher, while mechanical fields like Combat Engineer (1371) ask for MM of 95 or higher. The full list is in our Marine Corps jobs and ASVAB scores table.
The practical takeaway: an AFQT of 31 will not produce a GT of 110. If you want a technical MOS, you are studying for the composite, not the enlistment minimum.
How do you raise your Marines ASVAB score?
Start with a full-length practice test to get a baseline. Since GT is VE plus AR, and the AFQT leans on the same subtests, drilling Arithmetic Reasoning, Word Knowledge, and Paragraph Comprehension raises your enlistment score and your most important job composite at the same time. Add Mathematics Knowledge for CL and EL, and the science and shop subtests if you want a mechanical MOS. ASVABDRILL is an ASVAB practice test platform focused on AFQT improvement, built for military recruits, covering ASVAB, PiCAT, and verification-style practice.
FAQ
What is the minimum ASVAB score for the Marines with a diploma?
An AFQT of 31 [NOTE: verify current minimum]. That is the same published floor as the Army, Navy, and Air Force, though the mix of jobs available at that score is thin.
What ASVAB score do the Marines require with a GED?
A 50 AFQT is the commonly cited requirement [NOTE: verify], and the Corps takes a limited number of GED applicants per year.
Is a 31 good enough to be a Marine infantryman?
Not by itself. Infantry MOS require a GT composite of 90 or higher, which is a separate check from the AFQT. Plenty of applicants clear 31 on the AFQT and still miss the GT line.
What is a good ASVAB score for the Marines?
An AFQT of 50 or higher keeps you competitive, and a GT of 100 or higher opens most non-technical MOS. For intelligence or cyber fields, target GT of 110 or higher.
Does the Marine Corps care which subtests I do well on?
Yes. Two applicants with the same AFQT can qualify for different jobs because their subtest mix produces different GT, CL, EL, and MM composites.
Related reading
- ASVAB scores explained, the hub for how scoring works across all branches
- Marine Corps jobs and ASVAB scores for MOS-by-MOS requirements
- ASVAB practice test for the Marines to start preparing
Get your baseline before you talk numbers with a recruiter. Take a full-length ASVAB practice test and see where your AFQT stands today.