ASVAB Exam information
What it is, what's tested, and how it's scored.
ASVAB exam details
The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is the test the U.S. military uses to decide who can enlist and which jobs they qualify for. It has ten subtests, four of which make up the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT). The AFQT is not a separate test: it is a score built from those four subtests, and it decides whether you are eligible to enlist in any branch.
The four subtests that make up the AFQT are:
- Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)
- Word Knowledge (WK)
- Paragraph Comprehension (PC)
- Mathematics Knowledge (MK)
Most applicants take the computerized adaptive version, the CAT-ASVAB, which is given at every Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) and most Military Entrance Test (MET) sites. Only a handful of MET sites still give the paper-and-pencil version.
Our ASVAB course covers all ten subtests of the CAT-ASVAB, from the four that make up the AFQT to the technical subtests that decide which jobs you qualify for.
The ASVAB exam is hosted by ASVAB Enlistment Testing Program and charges no registration fee.
Time
3 hours 17 minutes for the scored questions (CAT-ASVAB)
2 hours 29 minutes (paper-and-pencil)
2 hours 29 minutes (paper-and-pencil)
Format
135 scored questions (CAT-ASVAB)
225 questions (paper-and-pencil)
Exam fee
None
Passing score
Depend on military branch and professional field
On the CAT-ASVAB, 2 to 4 of your subtests also include tryout questions: new questions being tested for future exams, which don't count toward your score. A subtest with tryout questions allows extra time, so your sitting can run longer than the time limits above.
The AFQT is computed from your standard scores on the four AFQT subtests and reported as a percentile from 1 to 99:
AFQT = 2 × VE + AR + MK
VE (Verbal Expression) is a weighted composite of the Word Knowledge and Paragraph Comprehension standard scores, not simply their sum.
The percentile compares you with a nationally representative group of young adults who took the ASVAB in 1997; it is not the percentage of questions you answered correctly. For example, a score of 40 means you scored as well as or better than 40% of that group. Scores are also divided into these categories:
Category I: 93-99
Category II: 65-92
Category IIIA: 50-64
Category IIIB: 31-49
Category IVA: 21-30
Category IVB: 16-20
Category IVC: 10-15
Category V: 1-9
There is no pass or fail. Each branch sets its own minimum AFQT score to enlist. The minimums each branch publishes for high school graduates are:
Army: 31
Marine Corps: 31 (50 with a GED or nontraditional diploma)
Air Force: 31 (50 with a GED)
Space Force: 36 (50 with a GED)
Coast Guard: 32
Navy: no published minimum on navy.com; ask a recruiter
The Space Force figure is from the Department of the Air Force's recruiting manual (DAFMAN 36-2032), which covers both services. It sets 36 for high school graduates and lets each of its components (the active Air Force, the Space Force, the Reserve and the Air National Guard) accept 31, which is the figure the Air Force publishes. Minimums change, and many jobs require higher scores: a recruiter can give you the current minimum for your branch.
The remaining ASVAB subtests are more specialized and used to determine a candidate's suitability for different career areas within the military. Each branch combines your subtest scores into its own line scores, which decide the jobs you qualify for, and the AFQT subtests count toward many of those too.
ASVAB exam summary
General Science (GS)
15 questions
12 minutes on the CAT-ASVAB; 25 questions in 11 minutes on paper
Knowledge of physical and biological sciences.
Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)
15 questions
55 minutes on the CAT-ASVAB; 30 questions in 36 minutes on paper
Ability to solve arithmetic word problems. Counts toward the AFQT.
Word Knowledge (WK)
15 questions
9 minutes on the CAT-ASVAB; 35 questions in 11 minutes on paper
Ability to select the correct meaning of words presented in context and to identify the best synonym for a given word. Counts toward the AFQT.
Paragraph Comprehension (PC)
10 questions
27 minutes on the CAT-ASVAB; 15 questions in 13 minutes on paper
Ability to obtain information from written passages. Counts toward the AFQT.
Mathematics Knowledge (MK)
15 questions
31 minutes on the CAT-ASVAB; 25 questions in 24 minutes on paper
Knowledge of high school mathematics principles. Counts toward the AFQT.
Electronics Information (EI)
15 questions
10 minutes on the CAT-ASVAB; 20 questions in 9 minutes on paper
Knowledge of electricity and electronics.
Auto Information (AI)
10 questions
7 minutes on the CAT-ASVAB; combined with Shop Information on paper
Knowledge of automobile technology.
Shop Information (SI)
10 questions
6 minutes on the CAT-ASVAB; combined with Auto Information on paper
Knowledge of tools and shop terminology and practices.
Mechanical Comprehension (MC)
15 questions
22 minutes on the CAT-ASVAB; 25 questions in 19 minutes on paper
Knowledge of mechanical and physical principles.
Assembling Objects (AO)
15 questions
18 minutes on the CAT-ASVAB; 25 questions in 15 minutes on paper
Ability to determine how an object will look when its parts are put together.
Achievable ASVAB content outline
1
Word Knowledge
Builds vocabulary through prefixes, roots, and suffixes, with a reference list of words to study, so you can work out meanings in context and pick the best synonym.
2
Mathematics Knowledge
Works from basic operations, fractions, and pre-algebra through Algebra I and II, geometry, and coordinate geometry, with strategies for solving math problems quickly by hand.
3
Paragraph Comprehension
Focuses on reading passages, identifying main ideas, drawing conclusions, and understanding written information.
4
Arithmetic Reasoning
Covers a strategy for word problems, then percents, money, and rates, and ratios, measurement, and probability.
5
General Science
Reviews life science, chemistry, and environmental science.
6
Mechanical Comprehension
Covers forces and motion, work, energy, and power, and simple and compound machines.
7
Electronics Information
Covers electricity basics, circuits, electrical power, electromagnetism, and semiconductors.
8
Shop Information
Covers measuring, striking, turning, cutting, and finishing tools, and how each is used.
9
Auto Information
Covers a vehicle's engine, cooling system, chassis, and electronics.
10
Assembling Objects
Practices the two question types, connection items and puzzle items, that test how parts fit together.
ASVAB exam: quick answers
- What is on the ASVAB exam?
- The ASVAB exam has 135 scored questions (CAT-ASVAB) or 225 questions (paper-and-pencil), and candidates have 3 hours 17 minutes on the CAT-ASVAB or 2 hours 29 minutes on paper to complete it. The content outline on this page lists every tested topic with the number of questions.
- How long is the ASVAB exam?
- Candidates have 3 hours 17 minutes on the CAT-ASVAB or 2 hours 29 minutes on paper for the ASVAB exam, covering 135 scored questions (CAT-ASVAB) or 225 questions (paper-and-pencil).
- Who administers the ASVAB exam?
- The ASVAB exam is administered by ASVAB Enlistment Testing Program, which sets the official content outline and scoring.
More questions about the exam and how to prepare for it? ASVAB FAQ
Ace the ASVAB.
Achievable is the best online ASVAB prep course: effective, personalized, and convenient. With Achievable, you'll spend less time studying and walk into the test ready for all ten subtests.