ASVAB Practice Test for Air Force: MAGE Scores and Practice [2024]

The Air Force ASVAB is the same ASVAB test that applicants for other military branches must take to enlist.

The ASVAB is a multiple-choice aptitude test that measures your knowledge and skills in various subjects. And contrary to some beliefs, it’s not an IQ test and doesn’t measure your overall intelligence.

The ASVAB is a great tool to identify Air Force career paths that may be suitable for you. And the higher you score on it, the more opportunities in the Air Force will be opened for you.

Now, you can take the Air Force ASVAB test in three different versions:

• CAT-ASVAB: This is the computerized version of the ASVAB that can be taken only at MEPs (Military Entrance Processing Stations). This version is adaptive, which means that the difficulty of the questions changes according to your answers, from very easy to very hard. If you get a question right, the next one will be harder, and vice versa.
  
  On this version, the harder the question is, the higher your score will be. So, if you feel the questions are getting harder and harder, it means you’re on the right track!
• Paper-and-Pencil ASVAB: Only about 30% of the military applicants take this ASVAB version. This is a traditional test, in which everyone takes the same set of questions at the same pace (as opposed to the computerized version). While on the CAT-ASVAB there’s a penalty for guessing; on the P&P version, there is no such penalty. So, if you see you’re running out of time, it’s better to fill in random guesses for the remaining questions.
• PiCAT: The PiCAT test is a computerized ASVAB version that is identical to the CAT-ASVAB, with two exceptions: It’s untimed and not proctored. You can take the PiCAT from the comfort of your own home and at your own pace. The only limitation is that from the moment you’ve logged in to take the test, you must finish it within 48 hours.
  
  If you want your PiCAT scores to be validated as official ASVAB scores, you must take a short verification test first. This 20-minute test will include a fraction of the questions you were asked in your PiCAT. And its main purpose is to check your consistency and that you didn’t cheat (so don’t cheat on the full PiCAT!).

The decision which Air Force ASVAB version to take is in your hands. Once you’ve made up your mind, talk with your AF recruiter, and he’ll book a testing date for you, or set you up with a PiCAT access code.

The ASVAB subtests measure your abilities in four main domains: Verbal, Math, Science, and Technical. The time limits and number of questions on each of the nine categories differ between the CAT-ASVAB and the P&P version.

Here’s a complete breakdown of the ASVAB categories:

Take this short ASVAB diagnostic test to determine your level of readiness and how much prep you need. Full solutions and a score report are waiting for you at the end.

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Your ASVAB scores are divided into two main groups: AFQT and Line Scores.

AFQT is a score you need to get to be invited to sign a contract to join the Air Force.

According to the official Air Force site, the minimum ASVAB AFQT score for the Air Force is 31 for high school diploma holders, and 50 for GED holders.

An AFQT score is calculated by combining the scores you got in these four ASVAB categories: Word Knowledge (WK), Paragraph Comprehension (PC), Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), and Mathematics Knowledge (MK).

Or in short: The math and English sections.

The Line Scores determine which job opportunities you qualify for in the military.

In the Air Force, these line scores are referred to as MAGE (Mechanical, Administrative, General Aptitude, and Electronics). The Air Force MAGE scores are calculated as percentiles, ranging from 0 to 99.

Here’s a breakdown of the MAGE scores and which ASVAB subtests scores are used to calculate them:

*Verbal Expression (VE) = Word Knowledge (WK) + Paragraph Comprehension (PC)

The higher your MAGE scores are, the more job opportunities you’ll be offered. The Air Force refers to these jobs as Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSC). There are about 120 AFSCs for recruits, with the mechanical area being the largest aptitude area in terms of the number of open AFSCs.

If you’d like to know what Air Force jobs (AFSC) you qualify for with your ASVAB score, check out the table on this page.

As I’ve mentioned before, to get into the most interesting and desirable enlisted Air Force jobs, you MUST score high on the ASVAB.

From our experience with thousands of applicants, few are the people who take the ASVAB without any prep and get a 90+ score.

The ASVAB is a long test, and there are numerous subjects you need to dominate (depending on your desired AFSC, of course).

To help you ace it so you’ll get as many AFSC opportunities as possible, out test experts created a proven 3-step practice formula to nail the test.

Here’s how it goes:

• Step #1: Start prepping with an online diagnostic test that instantly shows you which subjects to zero in on to quickly improve you score.
• Step #2: Following your diagnostic test, you get targeted ASVAB drills that focus on your weaker subjects, ensuring you practice only what you need to save on prep time. Each of the practice questions come with step-by-step explanations, showing you how to solve any question.
• Step #3: You finish up with full Air Force ASVAB practice tests that hone your skills and help you adapt to working under time pressure. If, after completing the full practice tests, there are still areas that need improvement, you’ll continue practicing with targeted drills until your final score is excellent.
• Bonus Step: If you feel your math and arithmetic skills are rusty, you’ll love this one: ‘Back to Basics’ math study guides that teach you everything you need for the ASVAB from scratch (even if you skipped half of your math classes).

Only applicants who wish to join the Air Force as officers must take the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT). Passing this test is mandatory to enlist, and the score you get will have a huge impact on your future career as a USAF officer.

Applicants for USAF officer jobs don’t need to take the ASVAB whatsoever.

Some applicants for tech and engineering roles are required to pass another test: the Electronic Data Processing Test (EDPT). If that's where you are headed, get started with our EDPT practice test.