How to Get Your GED: Subjects, Costs, and Passing Scores

To get your GED, you confirm you meet your state’s eligibility rules, create a MyGED account at ged.com, and pass four subject tests — Reasoning Through Language Arts, Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies — each scored 145 or higher on a 100 to 200 scale. You can take the tests one at a time or in a single sitting, in person at a testing center or online from home in most states, and your credential is issued electronically through your account once all four subjects are passed.

Who Can Take the GED

Three baseline rules apply almost everywhere. You cannot currently be enrolled in high school. You cannot already hold a high school diploma or another equivalency credential. And in most states, you need to be at least 18 to register without extra paperwork.

If you are 16 or 17, expect additional hurdles. Younger test-takers typically need proof of formal withdrawal from their last school and a notarized consent letter from a parent or guardian. Some states also require participation in an adult education program before a minor can register. The exact combination varies, so check your state’s policy page on ged.com before gathering documents.

Many states also require residency in the state where you plan to test, and some ask for proof such as a utility bill or lease. U.S. citizenship is not required. Non-citizens can test under the same rules as everyone else, and a foreign-issued passport, foreign government ID, or foreign driver’s license qualifies as valid photo identification in many states. What matters is holding an unexpired, government-issued photo ID whose name matches the name on your GED account.

Register Through MyGED

All registration happens through ged.com, where you create an account called MyGED. Enter your legal name exactly as it appears on the photo ID you plan to bring. The account also collects your date of birth, contact information, and educational background, including the last date you attended high school.

Accepted identification includes a driver’s license, state ID card, passport, or military ID, as long as it is government-issued and shows your name, photo, and date of birth. If your state has a residency requirement, bring a document that proves your address. A Social Security number is not universally required; rules vary by state, and many accept alternative identification.

Once your profile is complete, you can browse test dates and locations, schedule individual subject tests, and pay online. MyGED is also where you later view scores, order transcripts, and manage any retakes.

The Four Subject Tests

Each subject is scored and taken independently, so you can space them out and only retake the ones you don’t pass.

  • Reasoning Through Language Arts runs 150 minutes with a 10-minute break, and includes a 45-minute extended-response essay based on source texts.1GED. Reasoning Through Language Arts: What You Need to Know
  • Mathematical Reasoning runs 115 minutes and covers quantitative and algebraic problem-solving, with an on-screen calculator available for part of the test.2GED. About the GED Test Subjects
  • Science runs 90 minutes with no breaks and covers life science, physical science, and earth and space science. No outside scientific knowledge is expected beyond what the passages provide.3GED. GED Science: What You Need to Know
  • Social Studies runs 70 minutes and covers civics and government, U.S. history, economics, and geography.2GED. About the GED Test Subjects

Question formats across the four tests include multiple-choice, drag-and-drop, select-an-area, drop-down, hot spot, and fill-in-the-blank.

Cost and Where You Can Take It

Each subject test costs roughly $30 to $40, so the full battery runs about $120 to $160 if you pass everything on the first try.4GED. How Much Does Getting a GED Cost? Fees, Courses, and Materials Exact prices depend on your state.

You can test at a physical testing center or, in most states, online from home. Eight states and territories do not offer online testing at all: Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, New York, West Virginia, and Wyoming.5GED. State Information Online Testing Several others offer it only on a limited basis.

At a testing center, staff proctor the room and you use a computer they provide. Bring your valid photo ID and arrive early; showing up late or without proper identification forfeits your test fee.

Online testing has stricter conditions. You test from a private room with a remote proctor watching through your webcam. No other people can be present, and phones, tablets, watches, smart speakers, headphones, and any device with recording features must be out of the room. Your computer needs a working webcam, microphone, speaker, and a stable internet connection, with only one display screen in use.6Pearson VUE. OnVUE Online Testing Information If the proctor spots a violation, your test can be voided on the spot.

Prepare Before You Pay

Free preview tests for each subject are available at ged.com. They run about 25% the length of the real exam, use the same question types, and include answer explanations.7GED. Test Previews Free tutorials, a math formula sheet, and a calculator reference are also posted there, in English and Spanish.

For a sharper read on your readiness, the official GED Ready practice test costs $7.99 per subject and is designed to predict how you will perform on the real exam.8GED. GED Ready If you plan to test online, this is not optional: you must score “Green” (likely to pass) on GED Ready within the previous 60 days before you can schedule an online subject test.5GED. State Information Online Testing Even for in-person testing, spending about $32 on all four practice tests before committing $120 or more to the real exams is a reasonable investment.

Passing Scores and What Higher Scores Unlock

Each subject is scored on a scale of 100 to 200. You need at least 145 on every subject to pass and earn the credential.9GED Testing Service. GED Test Scores Two tiers above passing can save you time and money in college:

Each designation applies subject by subject. A 170 on Social Studies and a 150 on Math gives you the College Ready benefit for Social Studies and a standard pass for Math. Scores from the current computer-based GED do not expire, so you can take one subject at a time without worrying about earlier passing scores going stale.

If You Don’t Pass a Subject

You get two retakes with no waiting period between attempts. After a third failed attempt on the same subject, you must wait 60 days before trying again.11GED. Test Retakes State-level rules may add more.

At in-person testing centers, GED Testing Service waives its portion of the retake fee for failed subjects, and some states and centers waive their portion too. You get two discounted retakes within 12 months of the original full-price attempt. The discount only applies to subjects you failed; if you passed a subject and want to retest for a higher score, you pay full price. For online retakes, pricing varies by state, so check the “Test Retake Policies” tab on your state’s page at ged.com.

Testing With a Disability

If a disability affects your ability to take a timed, computer-based test under standard conditions, you can request accommodations through the GED Accommodations Request System. Common approvals include extra time (25%, 50%, or double), scheduled breaks, a separate testing room, and a reader or recorder. Assistive technology such as ZoomText screen magnification and JAWS screen readers is also available with approval.12GED Testing Service. All About Accommodations for Testing

During MyGED setup, indicate that you want to test with accommodations. You then register separately in the Accommodations Request System, choose the accommodation, explain why it is necessary, and upload supporting documentation.13GED. How to Apply for Accommodations Review can take up to 30 days, so apply well before your preferred test date. Questions go to accommodations@ged.com. Requests that would fundamentally change what the test measures, such as waiving a section or testing from home outside the online proctored format, will be denied.

Getting Your Diploma and Transcript

Scores typically appear in your MyGED account within a few hours of finishing a subject. Once you pass all four, the testing service issues an official electronic transcript and diploma through your account. If you need physical copies or additional official transcripts for an employer or college, order them through your state’s education agency; fees for duplicates generally run $5 to $20 depending on the state.

Most colleges and employers treat the GED the same as a traditional high school diploma. If any of your subject scores landed in the College Ready or College Ready + Credit range, flag that for your college’s admissions office, since those designations can waive placement tests or earn course credit at participating schools.