GED Test: What It Covers, Cost, Passing Scores and How to Prepare

The GED test is the most widely used way for adults who did not finish high school to earn a high school equivalency credential. It has four subjects, takes a little over seven hours in total, and can be taken one subject at a time, at a test center or, in some areas, online at home. A score of 145 passes each subject. This guide explains what is on the GED test, what it costs, how scoring and retakes work, who can take it and how to prepare.

What is the GED test?

The GED is a set of four exams that, once passed, earns a state-issued high school equivalency credential. GED Testing Service says more than 30 million adults in the United States do not have a high school diploma, and that the GED has helped over 21 million graduates since 1942. You do not have to take all four subjects on one day; most people schedule them separately.

What is on the GED test?

The four subjects, according to GED.com:

The math test covers basic math, geometry, basic algebra, and graphs and functions. The language arts test covers reading for meaning, identifying and creating arguments, and grammar and language.

That adds up to 425 minutes, or about seven hours, spread over four separate tests. Besides multiple choice, questions include drag and drop, fill in the blank, select an area and drop-down formats.

How much does the GED cost?

Each state sets its own price. GED.com says the cost is about $30 to $40 per subject in most states, and that most people spend about $120 to $200 in total. Two examples:

• Texas: $36.25 per subject at a test center and $42.25 per subject online. A retest at a test center costs $16.25.
• Georgia: $46 per subject or $184 for all four, the same in person or online. Georgia offers free testing to eligible residents.

Classes through local adult education programs are free, according to GED.com, and some employers cover preparation and testing through a program called GEDWorks. The official practice test, GED Ready, costs $7.99 per subject or $25.99 for all four.

GED scores: what you need to pass

Scores run from 100 to 200 for each subject. GED.com’s score guide sets three levels:

You must pass all four subjects to earn the credential.

Retaking a GED subject

If you do not pass a subject, you can retake it. At a test center, GED.com says you can take two retests with no waiting period; after failing a third or later retest, you must wait 60 days. The first retake of a failed subject is at a reduced price, and states may add their own rules. In Texas, for example, the online test requires a 60-day wait after the first two attempts.

Can you take the GED test online at home?

Yes, in many areas. GED Testing Service offers an online proctored test with these requirements:

• A “green” score on the GED Ready practice test in the last 60 days for each subject you want to take online.
• A computer with a webcam and reliable internet.
• A room with four walls, a closed door and no distractions.
• A government-issued ID, checked at the start.

Not every area offers the online test; your state’s page on GED.com says whether it does. GED Testing Service says the option is available only through GED Testing Service, so any other website offering an “online GED” is not the real test.

Who can take the GED?

Age and other requirements vary by area. Rules for people under 18 differ most. In Georgia, 16- and 17-year-olds must enroll in a state-approved adult education program and receive approval to test. Federally funded adult education is open to people 16 or older who are not enrolled or required to be enrolled in high school and who lack a high school diploma or its equivalent, need basic skills, or are learning English.

GED or HiSET?

Some states also offer, or use instead, a second high school equivalency exam, the HiSET. Its publisher lists 27 states and five territories where it is available, including California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Georgia recognizes both. Texas and Florida are not on the HiSET list. Check your state’s adult education office to see which tests it accepts.

How to prepare for the GED test

1. Create an account at GED.com and check your state’s prices and rules.
2. Find a free class. Local adult education programs, funded through the federal Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, offer GED preparation in most communities.
3. Take the GED Ready practice test. It is half the length of the real test, timed, and scores you as Likely to Pass (145–200), Too Close to Call (134–144) or Not Likely to Pass (100–133).
4. Take one subject at a time. Each subject is a separate test, so you can schedule them as you become ready.
5. Practice the essay for the language arts test, and the calculator you will use for math.
6. Schedule each test when you score Likely to Pass on its practice test.

Is a GED worth it?

A GED meets the high school credential requirement for many jobs, colleges and the military. The Army requires enlisted recruits to have a high school diploma or equivalent, and the Navy lists a high school diploma or GED equivalent, along with a minimum score on its placement exam. GED.com says 98 percent of colleges accept applicants with a GED.

The earnings picture shows why a credential matters. In 2025, full-time workers 25 and older without a high school diploma earned a median of $770 a week, compared with $966 for those with a high school diploma, and their unemployment rate was 6.1 percent, against 4.3 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. The BLS table does not say whether GED holders are counted as diploma holders. Research is also mixed: a 2010 study by economist James Heckman and colleagues found the GED had minimal value in the job market on its own, though it predates the current version of the test. The credential tends to matter most as a step to further training or college.

How to avoid fake GED diplomas

A real GED is issued by a state. GED Testing Service warns that “You should never be able to buy a GED certificate without taking the test.” Be wary of websites that promise a diploma online, call themselves “fully accredited online high schools” or offer a GED without a proctored test. Fake certificates have no value, and using one can cost someone a job or a college place.

For adult educators and school leaders

• Point students to free local adult education classes before they pay for prep.
• Use GED Ready scores to decide when a student is ready to schedule each subject.
• Check your state’s age rules for students under 18, and the process for withdrawing from high school.
• Warn learners about diploma mills, and show them how to register at GED.com.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the GED test? About seven hours in total, across four separate subject tests: math 115 minutes, language arts 150 minutes, social studies 70 minutes and science 90 minutes.

What is the passing score for the GED? 145 on each of the four subjects, on a scale of 100 to 200.

How much does the GED cost? It depends on the state, usually about $30 to $40 per subject, or $120 to $200 in total.

Can I take the GED online? In many areas, yes, at home with a webcam, after scoring “green” on the GED Ready practice test within 60 days.

Can I take one GED subject at a time? Yes. Each subject is a separate test.

Where can I get free GED classes? Through local adult education programs; your state adult education office or GED.com can point you to one.

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