Minimum ASVAB Scores for Every Military Job (By Branch)

How Military Job Score Requirements Work

There's a common misconception that hitting the AFQT minimum for your branch is all you need to access any job. It's not. Every military job — every Army MOS, every Navy rating, every Air Force AFSC, every Marine MOS — has its own minimum score requirements based on the specific line score composites that predict aptitude for that type of work.

These composite requirements are separate from and in addition to the AFQT minimum. A recruit must meet both: the AFQT minimum to enlist, and the relevant composite minimum(s) to qualify for a specific job.

See our full guide on how ASVAB scores affect job options for a deep explanation of how line scores are calculated. This article focuses on the actual minimum numbers for popular and in-demand jobs across each branch.

Army MOS Score Requirements

The Army uses a set of composite scores — GT, ST, EL, MM, CL, CO, and others — to determine MOS eligibility. Here are minimum requirements for some of the most sought-after Army jobs:

What These Numbers Mean in Practice

Notice that some of the Army's most competitive and high-paying career fields — Special Forces (18X), Cyber Operations (17C), and Cryptologic Linguist (35P) — require GT scores of 110 or higher. The Army's GT composite is Arithmetic Reasoning + Verbal Expression. A GT of 110 requires strong performance in both math and verbal subtests.

By contrast, Infantry (11B) requires only a CO score of 87. The CO composite includes Combat Score = AR + CS + AS + MC. This is still a real requirement, but the threshold is lower and reflects the different aptitude profile needed for the role.

Navy Rating Score Requirements

The Navy uses rating-specific composite scores derived from ASVAB subtests. Here are minimum requirements for popular Navy ratings:

The Navy Nuclear Field stands out as the most demanding from a composite perspective. The requirement of VE+AR+MK+MC ≥ 252 filters out most recruits — and for good reason. Nuclear propulsion training is intensive, and the program comes with significant bonus incentives for those who qualify. If nuclear is your goal, math preparation is non-negotiable.

Air Force AFSC Score Requirements

The Air Force uses MAGE (Mechanical, Administrative, General, Electrical) composites. Minimum scores for selected AFSCs:

Marine Corps MOS Score Requirements

The Marine Corps uses composites similar to the Army's but with Marine-specific designations. Selected examples:

What to Do If Your Score Doesn't Qualify

If you've taken the ASVAB and your scores don't qualify for the job you want, you have real options — this isn't a dead end.

Option 1: Retake the ASVAB

The most direct solution is to improve your score. Wait times apply (one month after the first attempt, then six months for subsequent retakes), but if your target job has a specific composite requirement and your scores are close, focused study on the right subtests can get you there. See our guide on retaking the ASVAB for the full process.

When preparing to retake, identify specifically which subtests are holding your composite below the threshold. If your GT is 104 and you need 107, focus on Arithmetic Reasoning and Verbal Expression. If your EL composite is the problem, focus on General Science, Math Knowledge, Arithmetic Reasoning, and Electronics Information.

Option 2: Choose a Qualifying Job and Reclassify Later

Some service members enlist in a job that their current scores qualify for, perform well, and then pursue reclassification into their preferred MOS once they've had time to retest and improve their composite. This path requires patience and isn't guaranteed, but it's a real route for candidates who want specific jobs but aren't quite there on scores yet.

Option 3: Choose a Related Job with a Lower Threshold

Many career fields have multiple MOSs or ratings at different complexity levels with different score requirements. If your target composite is slightly out of reach, look for a related role in the same family that has a lower threshold — get your foot in the door, gain experience, and position yourself for future reclassification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Military job score requirements are more nuanced than most recruits realize going in. The AFQT minimum is just the starting point — the composite scores are where the real qualification decisions happen, and they vary significantly from one job to the next.

The best approach: identify your target job early, find out exactly which composites it requires and how they're calculated, and then study the underlying subtests strategically. Don't just prepare for a passing AFQT score when you know your target job needs a GT of 110 or an ST of 101.

Use our free ASVAB practice tool to identify your current subtest performance, our 30-Day Study Schedule to build your improvement plan, and our military jobs guide to research the best opportunities in each branch.