AFOQT minimum scores (Table A2.1)
| Standard | Composite and minimum percentile |
|---|---|
| Commissioning (all line officers) | Verbal 15, Quantitative 10 |
| Pilot, including remotely piloted aircraft | Pilot 25 |
| Combat Systems Officer | Combat Systems Officer 25 |
| Air Battle Manager | Air Battle Manager 25 |
The Verbal and Quantitative minimums are "required for commissioning of all line officers by all accession sources," so a pilot, combat systems officer or air battle manager applicant needs them as well as the 25th percentile on that field's own composite. On the other two rated composites the table sets no minimum.
Source: DAFMAN 36-2664, paragraphs 3.8.1.1 and 3.8.1.2 and Table A2.1 (17 January 2025, incorporating Change 1, certified current 15 July 2025).
How the scores work
The AFOQT has 12 subtests, and the subtests are combined into composites. Each composite is reported as a percentile from 1 to 99. The manual's own example: "an AFOQT verbal composite score of 56 places the examinee equal to or higher than 56 percent" of other examinees.
Superscoring. "Superscoring will be used across all composites": your best composite score on any attempt is the score of record, so a lower result on a retest does not replace a higher one.
Scores do not expire. The manual says valid AFOQT scores "do not have an expiration date."
Test length. Test offices are told to "allow about 4.75 hours" and to give all 12 subtests to every examinee, even one who is not applying for a flying field. An examinee who skips subtests is not given another administration to finish them.
Retest rules
- 90 days. No retest "until at least 90 days have passed" from the previous test. Testing sooner takes an exception to policy.
- Three administrations. Three are authorized, and the third "requires a waiver from the applicant's Wing/CC or equivalent." The waiver authority checks what you have done since the last test: a relevant college course, significant flying experience or the study preparation course.
- A different form. A retest is given on the alternate form and version from the previous one.
- Group study stops after the first test. Applicants who have never taken the AFOQT may study together. Those who have taken it at least once "may not group study with anyone."
Source: DAFMAN 36-2664, Attachment 2, paragraphs A2.6 and A2.7.
The 12 subtests
Air Force ROTC describes the test as "approximately five hours" and "550 questions divided into 12 subtests." The Air Force's pamphlet for the current form (Form T) gives the items and the testing time of each one, and the composites it counts in:
| Subtest | Items | Minutes | Counts in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Analogies | 25 | 8 | ABM, Academic Aptitude, Verbal |
| Arithmetic Reasoning | 25 | 29 | Academic Aptitude, Quantitative |
| Word Knowledge | 25 | 5 | CSO, Academic Aptitude, Verbal |
| Math Knowledge | 25 | 22 | Pilot, CSO, ABM, Academic Aptitude, Quantitative |
| Reading Comprehension | 25 | 38 | Academic Aptitude, Verbal |
| Situational Judgment | 50 | 35 | Situational Judgment |
| Self-description Inventory | 240 | 45 | No composite |
| Physical Science | 20 | 10 | No composite |
| Table Reading | 40 | 7 | Pilot, CSO, ABM |
| Instrument Comprehension | 25 | 5 | Pilot, ABM |
| Block Counting | 30 | 4.5 | CSO, ABM |
| Aviation Information | 20 | 8 | Pilot, ABM |
That is 3 hours, 36.5 minutes of testing; with instructions and breaks the pamphlet's schedule runs 4 hours, 47.5 minutes. Try the Air Force's own sample questions on the AFOQT practice test.
Older study material describes a different test. The information pamphlet still posted on airforce.com lists General Science, Rotated Blocks and Hidden Figures, which are not on the list above, and has no Reading Comprehension, Situational Judgment or Physical Science. Air Force ROTC gives the same warning: "some subtests have changed and commercial study guides may be based on previous versions of the test."
Items, minutes and composites: AFOQT Information Pamphlet, Updated August 1, 2015 (Form T), Tables 1 and 2, linked from HQ AFPC's AFOQT Prep Materials page.
Source: Air Force ROTC, Academic Standards, read November 10, 2026.
Pilot applicants: TBAS and the PCSM score
Pilot and remotely piloted aircraft candidates also take the Test of Basic Aviation Skills (TBAS), a computer test using a keypad, joysticks and foot pedals that takes about 90 minutes. TBAS results are combined with the AFOQT Pilot composite and logged flying hours into the Pilot Candidate Selection Method (PCSM) score, a percentile from 1 to 99. Flight hours count "to a maximum of 41." Air Force ROTC gives the PCSM score 40% of the weight in its Pilot Order of Merit.
Source: DAFMAN 36-2664, paragraph 3.8.2 and Attachment 3.
Enlisting instead of commissioning? The enlisted test is the ASVAB: try the ASVAB practice test. Officer pay by grade is on the Air Force rank chart.