GED Candidates, Graduates and Parents

Current GED Passing Test Scores

To qualify for a New Jersey State-issued high school diploma, the minimum GED Test score requirements must be met. Passing test scores are kept as part of a candidate’s permanent GED testing record and all scores are confidential.

• There are two requirements for passing the GED Tests: (1) earn the minimum passing score on each of the tests; and (2) earn a total score of 2250.
  
  
• Earning the required minimum scores on each of the tests does not total 2250 points. You must exceed the minimum scores on one or more tests to achieve 2250 points or better. A diploma is awarded only to the candidate who meets both requirements. If, for example, a candidate earns 2880 points but scores only 400 points on the Writing Skills Test, the diploma will not be awarded.
  
  
• The minimum passing scores on the five individual GED tests (4-1-2005-Present) are:

Content Areas	Minimum
1. Language Arts:  Writing	410
2. Social Studies	410
3. Science	410
4. Language Arts: Reading	410
5. Mathematics	410

Candidates testing on the Spanish and French editions of the GED Tests are also required to demonstrate fluency in English by passing the GED English Proficiency Test 6 with a minimum score of 41. If you have taken the previous test of English fluency, the Maculaitis Assessment Test (MAC), the passing score of 133 will be counted toward the requirements for a diploma.

The GED 2002 Test Series

The 2002 series of the GED tests started January 1, 2002 and is still in effect.  Because this was a completely new test, the GED Testing Service will not permit previous scores to be counted or combined with scores earned on the 2002 series. Beginning January 1, 2002, candidates who have not yet passed the five GED tests must take the entire battery of the 2002 GED Tests.

Any candidate who successfully passed the entire GED test battery by December 31, 2001 was issued a New Jersey State-endorsed high school diploma. All persons who already possess a state-endorsed high school diploma by December 31, 2001 will not be affected by the new GED 2002 requirements.

Past GED Passing Scores

• The minimum passing scores on the five individual GED tests (1-1-02 – 3-31-05) were:

	Minimum
1. Writing Skills		420
2. Social Studies		410
3. Science		410
4. Interpreting Literature and the Arts		410
5. Mathematics		450

• The minimum passing scores on the five individual GED tests (11-1-1988 – 12-31-2001) were:

	Minimum
1. Writing Skills	42
2. Social Studies	40
3. Science	40
4. Interpreting Literature and the Arts	40
5. Mathematics	45

• The minimum passing scores on the five individual GED tests (10-1-1986 – 10-31-1988) were:

	Minimum
1. Writing Skills	40
2. Social Studies	40
3. Science	40
4. Interpreting Literature and the Arts	44
5. Mathematics	43

• The minimum passing scores on the five individual GED tests (10-1-1982 – 9-30-1986) were:

	Minimum
1. Writing Skills	40
2. Social Studies	40
3. Science	40
4. Interpreting Literature and the Arts	40
5. Mathematics	40

• The minimum passing scores on the five individual GED tests (1942 – 10-1-1982) were:

	Minimum
1. Writing Skills	35
2. Social Studies	35
3. Science	35
4. Interpreting Literature and the Arts	35
5. Mathematics	35

• The minimum Total Passing Score on all GED Tests from its inception until December 31, 2001 was 225.