The Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) Explained – Part 3

BogiDope fans, we are wrapping up this three part series with this final article.  In theory, you have learned about, studied and taken the AFOQT.  Now you are patiently waiting to receive your scores and understand where you fall in the order of merit of AFOQT scores. This article will help you understand where you can find your AFOQT scores, give you a rough gauge of your competitiveness based on your scores and explain the process for taking the test a second time.  Let jump right in.

When Can I Get My AFOQT Scores?

AFOQT answer sheets are graded at AFPC headquarters at Randolph AFB (San Antonio, TX). The answer sheets are delivered via traditional mail, so the turnaround time is largely influenced by the geographical distance from your testing center to San Antonio, TX. Most applicants report waiting anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks to receive scores.

Once your scores are processed, you can view them on this AFPC webpage. You will need to enter your social security number and last name, and select your testing center from the list. This page will provide you with your Pilot, Navigator, Academic Aptitude, Verbal, and Quantitative subscores. To access your ABM subscore, you will need to visit this page on the AFPC PCSM website and enter your first name, initials, and the last 4 digits of your social security number. This page also retrieves a CSO subscore, but this is identical to the Navigator subscore available on the previously mentioned site. If you are working with a Line Officer Recruiter or you are an Air Force Academy or Air Force ROTC cadet, your recruiter or your cadre will be sent a copy of your scores when they are processed. If you are applying with a Guard or Reserve unit, you’ll likely need to retrieve the scores yourself and include copies of the score printout sheets in your application.

Minimum AFOQT Scores

The Air Force has established sets of minimum AFOQT score requirements which must be achieved in order to apply for a commission. These requirements differ depending on the position being sought and are listed below.

Pilot and RPA Operator AFOQT Score Minimums
Pilot: 25*
Navigator/CSO: (no minimum)*
ABM: (no minimum)
Academic Aptitude: (no minimum)
Verbal: 15
Quantitative: 10
*Previously, Pilot/RPA applicants were also required to have a minimum Navigator/CSO score of 10 and a combined Pilot and Navigator/CSO subscore total of 50. These requirements have been removed according to the latest version of AFI 36-2605. However, many Guard and Reserve units still utilize these requirements.

CSO AFOQT Score Minimums
Pilot: (no minimum)*
Navigator/CSO: 25*
ABM: (no minimum)
Academic Aptitude: (no minimum)
Verbal: 15
Quantitative: 10
*Previously, Navigator/CSO applicants were also required to have a minimum Pilot score of 10 and a combined Navigator/CSO and Pilot subscore total of 50. These requirements have been removed according to the latest version of AFI 36-2605. However, many Guard and Reserve units still utilize these requirements.

ABM AFOQT Score Minimums
Pilot: (no minimum)*
Navigator/CSO: (no minimum)*
ABM: 25
Academic Aptitude: (no minimum)
Verbal: 15
Quantitative: 10
*Previously, ABM applicants were also required to have a minimum Pilot score of 10, a minimum Navigator/CSO score of 10, and a combined Pilot and Navigator/CSO subscore total of 50. These requirements have been removed according to the latest version of AFI 36-2605.

General Commissioning (Non-Rated) AFOQT Score Minimums
Pilot: (no minimum)
Navigator/CSO: (no minimum)
ABM: (no minimum)
Academic Aptitude: (no minimum)
Verbal: 15
Quantitative: 10

Competitive AFOQT Scores

There’s no magic set of AFOQT score thresholds that will guarantee you will be selected with a Pilot slot. Applicants at the upper end of the spectrum are sometimes not selected, just as applicants with unimpressive scores sometimes snag slots. The rest of your application is obviously very important. That said, it’s always a good idea to do everything within your control to maximize your odds, so you might as well study hard and do the best you possibly can.

We're often asked, “What AFOQT scores do I need to be competitive?”  I call this the “how do I compare” statistic. The following AFOQT score figures are based on a fairly small sample size of 46 Pilot selectees from some of the Officer Training School selection boards for fiscal years 2013 through 2017.  In this example we averaged the scores (in each category) for the individuals who were selected to pilot training. It's important to note that these statistics don't actually represent one individual person.  Instead it is simply an average. So here is what we found (keep in mind this is a small sample size and it always depends).