How the ASVAB (AFQT) Score Is Computed

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB test--also known as the AFQT (Armed Forces Qualification Test). This is the score used by the recruiter to determine a potential recruit’s enlistment eligibility, assign a recruit to a military jobs, and aid students in career exploration. The AFQT is actually a subset of the ASVAB - only with scores of four of the ten test sections calculated.

The AFQT  is made up of the following test sections:

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

Scores on the AFQT are used to determine your eligibility for enlistment in the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps. The other six test scores on the ASVAB tests are used to determine the best job for you in the military as your grades will demonstrate knowledge, skill, and interest in certain subjects and tasks. 

Two Types of ASVAB (Pen and Paper, Computerized)

These are sections, or sub-tests, in the ASVAB:  Word Knowledge (WK), Paragraph Comprehension (PC), Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), Mathematics Knowledge (MK), General Science (GS), Mechanical Comprehension (MC), Electronics Information (EI), and Assembling Objects (AO), Auto & Shop Information (AS):  * AI and SI are administered as separate tests in the CAT-ASVAB (computerized version), but combined into one single score (labeled AS).

AI and SI are combined into one test (AS) in the P&P-ASVAB (Pen & Paper) version. Scores on the combined test (AS) are reported for both the CAT-ASVAB and P&P-ASVAB. 

The full ASVAB test has nine sections in the pen and paper test and ten sections in the computer version (CAT-ASVAB) due to the above Auto Information (AI) and Shop Information (SI) being combined on the computerized version.

According to the ASVAB website, scores are now calculated as follows:

AFQT scores are reported as percentiles between 1-99. An AFQT percentile score indicates the percentage of examinees in a reference group that scored at or below that particular score. For current AFQT scores, the reference group is a sample of 18 to 23 year old youth who took the ASVAB as part of a national study conducted in 1997. Thus, an AFQT score of 95 indicates that the examinee scored as well as or better than 95% of the nationally-representative sample of 18 to 23 year olds. An AFQT score of 60 indicates that the examinee scored as well as or better than 60% of the nationally-representative sample.

AFQT scores are divided into categories, as shown in the table below.

More Category Groupings of Scores

To determine the AFQT "raw score," first you have to compute your Verbal Expression (VE) score:

VE (Verbal Expression) = Scaled Score of WK+PC. To get the VE scaled score, add your Word Knowledge (WK) & Paragraph Comprehension (PC) score together, then use the below chart:

The AFQT Equation (AFQT = 2VE + AR +MK)

The Overall ASVAB Score (AFQT Score) is a "percentile score."

To compute your AFQT score, the military takes your Verbal Expression score (VE) and doubles it. They then add it to your Mathematics Knowledge (MK) and Arithmetic Reasoning (AR) raw scores. The AFQT Raw Score is computed with the formula AFQT = 2VE + AR + MK.

You can't use the AR and MK score shown on your ASVAB Score Sheet. The Score Sheet shows "number correct" for your AR and MK Scores, because "number correct" is what is used for job qualifications. However, the military does not use this same score when computing the AFQT. They use the "weighted scores" of the ASVAB sub-tests for AR and MK. Harder questions in these areas get more points than easier questions. The "weighted scores" for AR and WK are not listed on the ASVAB score sheet given to you after the test.

The "raw score" is then compared to the below chart to determine overall score.

* Highest Score is the best scores in the nation.