What Is the GED High School Equivalency Test?

The GED high school equivalency test is a four-subject, computer-based exam that certifies you have high school-level academic skills, and it is accepted by nearly every U.S. college and employer in place of a traditional diploma. You can take it at a testing center or, if you’re 18 or older, online from home with a live remote proctor. In most states each subject costs about $30 to $40, so the full exam runs roughly $120 to $160; about ten states offer it for free.1GED. How Much Does Getting a GED Cost? Fees, Courses, and Materials2GED Testing Service. State Information Online Testing

Who Can Take It

The national floor is age 16 and not currently enrolled in an accredited high school. If you’re under 18, the state reviews your registration individually and you’ll need signed consent from a parent or guardian. States can add their own requirements on top, such as proof of residency, a mandatory prep course, or a minimum waiting period after you leave school.

Online testing has a stricter rule: you must be at least 18, regardless of your state’s in-person age policy.

You also can’t already hold a high school diploma from an accredited institution. The GED exists specifically for people who left school without graduating. Residency documents accepted at registration commonly include a driver’s license, utility bill, bank statement, or government-issued mail.

Does Your State Even Use the GED

Before you prepare, confirm which equivalency test your state offers. More than 30 states and territories use the HiSET, administered by ETS, as either a primary or alternative option. That list includes California, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.3HiSET. State Requirements Some states accept both; a few have moved exclusively to the HiSET. If your state only offers the HiSET, the GED-specific scoring, costs, and retake rules below won’t apply to you.

What the Test Covers

The GED has four separately timed modules. You don’t have to take them all on the same day, and many people spread them across weeks or months.

  • Reasoning Through Language Arts (150 minutes): reading comprehension, grammar, editing, and a 45-minute extended response essay analyzing two passages and arguing which makes the stronger case. The essay counts for roughly 20 percent of this module’s score. A 10-minute break falls between the second and third sections.4GED Testing Service. Reasoning Through Language Arts: What You Need to Know
  • Mathematical Reasoning (115 minutes): two parts covering basic math, geometry, and algebra. The first part restricts calculator use; the second gives you an on-screen TI-30XS, or you can bring your own TI-30XS to a test center. A short break separates the two parts.5GED Testing Service. Test Subjects
  • Science (90 minutes): life science, physical science, and Earth and space science. Questions test your ability to interpret experiments, data tables, and scientific reading passages rather than memorize terminology.6GED Testing Service. How Long Does It Take to Get Your GED
  • Social Studies (70 minutes): civics, U.S. history, economics, and geography. Like science, this section emphasizes reading and interpreting primary source documents and data rather than rote recall.6GED Testing Service. How Long Does It Take to Get Your GED

All four modules use a mix of multiple choice, drag-and-drop, fill-in-the-blank, and drop-down questions. The whole exam runs on a computer whether you test at a center or at home. All four subjects are also available in Spanish, with the same content and passing standards as the English version; online proctored Spanish testing is offered in some states but not all.7GED Testing Service. How to Take the GED in Spanish: Get Your High School Equivalency

How Scoring Works

Each module is scored from 100 to 200. You need at least a 145 on every module to earn the credential. There’s no averaging; fall short on one subject and you retake only that subject.8GED. About the GED Test Scores

Scores above the passing line unlock more:

  • 145 to 164 is the standard passing range. You earn the high school equivalency credential.
  • 165 to 174 is the College Ready range, equivalent to roughly the top 9 to 27 percent of graduating high school seniors. Many colleges waive developmental coursework and placement testing for subjects where you hit this range.9GED. College Readiness
  • 175 to 200 is College Ready + Credit, equivalent to roughly the top 1 to 8 percent of graduating seniors. You may qualify for up to 10 college credit hours through ACE Credit recommendations.9GED. College Readiness

Most module scores post within hours. The extended response essay takes longer, so expect a short delay on the Language Arts result. Once you pass all four modules, your credential never expires, and individual module scores from the current (post-2014) version remain valid indefinitely too, so passing two subjects this year and two the next still counts.

What It Costs

In most states, each module costs about $30 to $40, putting the full battery at roughly $120 to $160 if you pass everything on the first try.1GED. How Much Does Getting a GED Cost? Fees, Courses, and Materials Pricing varies significantly by state, and about ten states currently offer the GED at no cost, including New York, Texas, and Kentucky.2GED Testing Service. State Information Online Testing Check your state’s exact fees on GED.com before you budget.

The official GED Ready practice test runs about $6 to $7 per subject. All study materials on GED.com are free, and thousands of free prep classes run through adult education programs nationwide. The test itself is the only mandatory expense.

Registering and Choosing In-Person or Online

Everything runs through GED.com. You create a free account, enter your personal and educational information, and browse available test dates. That account becomes your permanent hub for scheduling, reviewing scores, and ordering transcripts.

You’ll need a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID — a driver’s license, state ID, or passport — showing your name, photo, and date of birth. Some states also collect a Social Security number or ITIN for transcript tracking.

You then pick a format. In-person testing at a center is available to candidates of any eligible age. Online proctored testing from home is available only to candidates 18 and older, and you need a computer with a working webcam, a reliable internet connection, and a private, quiet room. A live proctor monitors you throughout the exam.

One online requirement catches people off guard: for each subject you want to take online, you must score “green” (likely to pass) on the GED Ready practice test within the previous 60 days. The requirement doesn’t apply to in-person testing.10GED Testing Service. Take the GED Test Online11GED Testing Service. Online Proctored Test Online testing also allows fewer immediate retake attempts than in-person testing, which matters if you’re on the edge of passing.

Payment goes through the portal by credit card or by a prepaid testing voucher. Some employers and workforce programs supply vouchers that cover the full cost.

If You Don’t Pass a Module

You retake only the subject you missed, not the whole exam. The waiting rules depend on how you tested:

  • In person, you can attempt a module up to three times with no waiting period. After the third failed attempt, you wait 60 days before each subsequent try.12GED. Top FAQs
  • Online, after two failed attempts on the same subject you wait 60 days before retesting.12GED. Top FAQs

There’s a small financial break for in-person retakes: the GED Testing Service waives its portion of the fee for up to two retakes on a failed subject, as long as you retake within 12 months of the original full-price attempt. After using a discounted retake, the price resets to the regular rate, and you get one more discounted attempt if you still don’t pass.13GED. Test Retakes

How to Prepare

The most useful free resource is adult education classes. The GED Testing Service maintains a locator at GED.com with over 6,000 prep centers worldwide, and a free account gives you center contact information, study materials, and class schedules in your area.14GED Testing Service. Find In-Person GED Classes Near You Community colleges, libraries, and workforce development programs in nearly every state offer classes at no cost through federal adult education grants.

The GED Ready practice test is the single best predictor of whether you’ll pass. For $6 to $7 per subject, it mirrors the format and difficulty of the real exam and returns a color-coded score; green means you’re likely to pass and anything below that tells you where to focus. Remember that a green score is mandatory if you plan to test online.

Some employers cover the full cost of preparation and testing through the GEDWorks program, which includes study plans, a personal advisor, practice tests, exam vouchers, and one-on-one tutoring at no cost to the employee.15GED Testing Service. GEDWorks Ask your HR department whether they participate.

Accommodations for Disabilities

If you have a physical disability, learning disability, ADHD, chronic health condition, or psychological disorder, you can request accommodations such as extra time or additional breaks. Requests are decided case by case, and you apply through your GED.com account with supporting medical documentation or professional evaluations.16GED. Accommodations Under the ADAA If a request is denied, you can appeal, and the appeal is strongest when you add new documentation beyond the original submission.17GED Testing Service. GED Accommodation Appeal Form

Even without approved accommodations, every test-taker has access to built-in accessibility features including adjustable text size, on-screen color combinations, and text highlighting.

What the Credential Gets You

Nearly every U.S. college and university accepts the GED for admissions. The real advantage comes from scoring above the minimum. A College Ready score (165 or higher) can waive placement tests and developmental coursework that would otherwise add semesters to your degree. A College Ready + Credit score (175 or higher) can translate into actual college credits through ACE recommendations, potentially saving thousands in tuition.9GED. College Readiness

For employment, the GED satisfies the high school diploma requirement on virtually all job applications. Federal employers and most large private companies treat it identically to a diploma.

Military enlistment is the one path where the GED carries a real disadvantage. The Department of Defense classifies recruits into tiers: diploma holders are Tier 1, and GED holders fall into Tier 2. Each branch caps the percentage of Tier 2 recruits it accepts each year, and GED holders typically need to score at least 50 on the ASVAB, which is significantly higher than the minimum required of diploma holders. Enlisting with a GED is possible but harder, especially in competitive branches like the Air Force. Earning 15 or more college credit hours moves a GED holder from Tier 2 to Tier 1 and eliminates the disadvantage.