Air Force ASVAB Scores

If you are planning on taking, or have recently taken, the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) with an eye toward joining the Air Force, here’s what you need to know:

The Air Force has specific requirements regarding the score you receive on the ASVAB. We’ll take a look at those requirements in just a moment, but first let’s look at how the Air Force uses the ASVAB.

The Air Force basically has two uses for the test:

1. To determine your eligibility to join the Air Force
2. To determine what jobs you are qualified to perform

Also, your performance on the ASVAB may make you eligible for various bonus enlistment incentives – which means doing your best on this test is important.

If you haven’t taken the ASVAB yet it is a series of timed aptitude tests that are used to classify selected candidates into appropriate job roles as well as ultimately decide the eligibility of candidates for US military service. The test covers the following areas: General Science; Arithmetic Reasoning; Word Knowledge; Paragraph Comprehension; Mathematics Knowledge; Electronics Information; Auto & Shop Information; Mechanical Comprehension; and Assembling Objects.

ASVAB Results

After taking the ASVAB, you will receive a report detailing your scores.

The scores listed in the report are all percentages between 1 and 99 percent. These ASVAB scores do not refer to the percentage of questions you answered correctly. Instead, your scores indicate how you did compared to others who took the test. So please keep that in mind as you look at your results.

Among the scores listed in the report will be your Armed Forces Qualification Test score. This score, which is compiled from your scores in the Arithmetic Reasoning, Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension and Mathematics Knowledge areas of the ASVAB will determine if you are eligible for service in the Air Force.

The Air Force requires a minimum AFQT score of 36. However, some exceptions are made for a small number of high school graduates who can score as low as 31. Most of those accepted into the Air Force score a 50 or above.

ASVAB and Air Force Jobs

As for its second use of the ASVAB, the Air Force creates four composite score areas from the individual ASVAB subtests and uses those as the qualifications for various jobs.  Jobs in the Air Force are referred to as “AFSC’s” (Air Force Specialty Code). To determine what jobs you qualify for, the Air Force breaks down your ASVAB subtest scores into groups known as “qualification areas.” The ASVAB subtests are: General Science (GS); Arithmetic Reasoning (AR); Word Knowledge (WK); Paragraph Comprehension (PC); Auto and Shop Information (AS); Mathematics Knowledge (MK); Mechanical Comprehension (MC); Electronics Information (EI); and Sum of Word Knowledge and Paragraph Comprehension (VE).

The four composite areas, which the Air Force refers to as MAGE, are:

• Mechanical Aptitude Score – General Science (GS), Mechanical Comprehension (MC), and Auto/Shop (AS).
• Administrative Aptitude Score – Verbal Expression (VE).
• General Aptitude Score – Arithmetic Reasoning (AR) and Verbal Expression (VE).
• Electronics Aptitude Score – General Science (GS), Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), Mathematics Knowledge (MK), and Electronics Information (EI).

According to statistics, approximately 40 percent of Air Force recruits enlist with a guaranteed job. The other 60 percent of recruits enlist in one of the four aptitude areas described above and then are assigned a job within that area.

If you did not score well in the aptitude area that you wanted, you may be able to retake the ASVAB. The Air Force allows recruits to retake the ASVAB to improve their enlistment options. To qualify for the retest, you will need to be interviewed by telephone or in person by a recruiting flight chief who will then approve or disapprove the retake.

The four qualification areas are:

General AFSC’s

* These jobs require a Physical Assessment Stamina Test and are open to Males Only
** These jobs require an audition

Mechanical AFSC’s

Administrative AFSC’s

Electrical AFSC’s