ASVAB Scores and Army Jobs

To enlist in the military, you must take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test and get a good score. In the Army, career roles are represented by Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) or MOS’s. The ASVAB tests your knowledge of basic concepts and skills and produces two main types of scores. One determines what branch in the military you are eligible for (the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT), and the other determines the specific jobs you are qualified for, through line scores.

The ASVAB provides you with several scores shown as percentiles:

• AFQT score
• Standardized Scores (Subtest Scores)
• Composite Scores (Line Scores)

So, what do all these scores mean? This article will answer that by explaining how your ASVAB scores are calculated and what Army jobs you are qualified to hold.

How Army ASVAB scores work

Each military branch has a minimum AFQT score to enlist. For enlistment into the Army, you must get a minimum ASVAB score of 31. If you hold a GED or nontraditional diploma, you need a score of 50 +.

AFQT

Your AFQT score comes from answers to questions in four sections:

• Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)
• Word Knowledge (WK)
• Paragraph Comprehension (PC)
• Mathematics Knowledge (MK)

Note: PC and WK are combined to determine a scaled Verbal Expression (VE) score.

ASVAB Standard Scores

Standard scores are given for each of the nine sections of the ASVAB. Here are the sections and their commonly referred to abbreviations:

Your score is based on a scale where 50 is the national average and your score represents how far above or below the average you are. In other words, it is a standardized score compared with other test takers. Your standard scores alone don’t determine anything specific, but they are used to calculate your composite scores or line scores, which determine your eligibility for Army jobs.

Composite Scores (Line Scores)

Composite scores, also called line scores, help determine which military job is right for you, and some composite scores are required for certain jobs and branches. This is part of the classification process, which matches new recruits to specific jobs and branches they may perform well in.

Understanding how your ASVAB scores are calculated will help you be strategic when studying, so you can focus on specific areas you want to do well in, and feel especially ready to attack the AFQT sections. Overall, knowing how your ASVAB scores apply to your potential enlistment, position, and rank will make the testing process much less confusing and more productive.

AFQT vs Line Scores

Your AFQT determines enlistment eligibility in the Army, while your line scores are a key factor in determining MOS qualification.

Your AFQT score is obtained from the four core sections (AR, WK, PC, and MK) and is shown as a percentile from 1 to 99, comparing you with other test-takers. So, if you received an AFQT score of 50, it means you did better than half of the people who took the ASVAB.

In general, a good AFQT score is between 50 and 64. This demonstrates a solid understanding of the ASVAB sections. If you scored 65 and above, it is considered an excellent score and it will open up many more job opportunities, especially in specialized, technical programs. A high AFQT score, along with some college credits, may also result in entering the Army with a higher rank.

Army Line Scores

After you take the ASVAB, the Army translates your results from the nine subtests into 10 calculations known as “Army line scores.” The line scores help the Army know which MOS you qualify for.

Army MOS by Career Category

Now that you know what line scores are required for each career category, let’s break out each of them by MOS so you can determine what line scores are required for each Army career.

Note: Line scores are adjusted by the Army based on recruiting needs and force structure changes.

Combat Arms Jobs

Intelligence, Signal and Cyber Jobs

Aviation Jobs

Medical Jobs

Engineering and Construction Jobs

Transportation, Maintenance, and Logistics

Administrative, Support, and Quartermaster

Highest-Paying Army Careers

If you want to join the Army and are looking for the highest-paying enlisted careers, explore the technical, cyber, and healthcare fields. Even though all Army enlisted personnel earn the same military pay and have the same benefits and entitlements, the Army is offering incentives for highly critical and hard-to-fill specialties. These incentives include substantial enlistment bonuses, and language proficiency pay. If you are a qualified active-duty recruit, you are eligible for a combination of bonuses totaling up to up to $50,000.

Enlistment Bonuses

Current Army Bonus Programs

2027 Army Recruiting Priorities

To support the Army’s transition to an information-dominant force, they are targeting recruits for the following fields, and will likely provide similar enlistment bonuses to fill the demand.

• Cyber & Electronic Warfare (17-Series)
• Intelligence (35-Series)
• Aviation (15-Series)
• Space Operations (40-Series). This is a new enlisted MOS to handle space-based capabilities and will launch October 1, 2026.
• Air & Missile Defense (14-Series)

FAQ

Q: What are ASVAB line scores?

Line scores are created by combining specific ASVAB subtests. The Army uses ten line score categories (CL, CO, EL, FA, GM, GT, MM, OF, SC, ST) to determine which MOS you qualify for.

Q: What is considered a good AFQT score?

A score between 50 and 64 is considered good. A score of 65 or higher is excellent and opens more specialized and technical job opportunities.

Q: Do ASVAB line score requirements change?

Yes. The Army adjusts MOS line score requirements based on recruiting needs and force structure changes. Always confirm current requirements with a recruiter.

Q: What ASVAB score do I need to enlist in the Army?

The minimum AFQT score to enlist in the Army is 31. If you have a GED or nontraditional diploma, you need a score of 50 or higher.