How Is the TOEIC Score Calculated? Raw to Scaled (10-990)

The two-step scoring system (raw score vs scaled score)

Your TOEIC® Listening and Reading score is calculated in two steps. First, your number of correct answers (your raw score, out of 100 per section) is counted. That raw score is then converted into a scaled score from 5 to 495 per section, for a total of 10 to 990, using a statistical process called equating that adjusts for the difficulty of each test version.

This is why your scaled score is not simply your number of correct answers, and why two people with the same raw score on different test dates can end up with slightly different scaled scores. Equating is also what makes scores comparable across sessions, so a 750 from one sitting means the same level of English as a 750 from another. According to ETS, the body that creates and administers the test, every official TOEIC® score is produced this way.

How the TOEIC® score is calculated, step by step

Here is how your answers turn into a final 10 to 990 score:

1. Count your number of correct answers in each section (your raw score, out of 100).
2. Run that raw score through the equating table for your specific test version.
3. Read off the scaled section score, between 5 and 495.
4. Add the Listening and Reading scaled scores together for your total (10 to 990).

Worked example: if you get 89 out of 100 correct on Listening, that does not mean 89 x 5 = 445. Your raw score of 89 is run through that session's equating table and typically lands around 450 to 460 scaled. The exact figure shifts slightly from one test version to another, which is exactly what equating is designed to do.

Why TOEIC® scores move in 5-point increments

Scaled section scores run from 5 to 495 in 5-point steps, so a total TOEIC® Listening and Reading score is always a multiple of 5 (for example 720, 725 or 730, never 722). Each step on the equating table maps a band of raw scores onto the next 5-point value, which is why a single extra correct answer sometimes moves your score and sometimes does not. Note that the TOEIC® Speaking and Writing test uses a different scale: 0 to 200 in 10-point steps.

Is there a penalty for wrong answers?

No. There is no penalty for wrong answers on the TOEIC®. Only correct answers count toward your raw score, and a blank answer scores exactly the same as a wrong one. Because guessing can only help you, you should always fill in an answer for every question, even when you are unsure.

A quick look at raw to scaled

As a rough illustration, getting 90 to 100 correct in a section lands you around 455 to 495 scaled, while 60 to 69 correct lands around 260 to 329. These are approximations: the exact figure depends on your test version's equating table. For the complete breakdown, see the full raw-to-scaled conversion grid.

How many wrong answers can you afford?

Because wrong answers simply do not count, a target score is really an error budget. Here is a practical guide to the maximum number of wrong answers per section for common targets:

These are guidelines, since equating shifts the exact thresholds for each test version. For the precise raw-to-scaled mapping, check the full conversion grid.

Is a perfect 990 possible?

Yes, a perfect 990 is achievable. Because each section's scale caps at 495 and equating is forgiving near the top, you can usually miss a few items and still reach the maximum. In practice, a small handful of wrong answers across the 100 questions in a section can still convert to 495, so 990 does not strictly require a flawless 200 out of 200. It does demand near-perfect accuracy, but the cap-and-equate mechanic is why a perfect 990 is realistic for very strong test-takers.

From your score to your English level

Your scaled TOEIC® score also maps to a CEFR band and a proficiency level. For the full mapping, see our TOEIC to CEFR conversion and the TOEIC® score levels and bands hub, or jump straight to what score equals B2 and what score equals C1.

How companies read your TOEIC® score

Employers use the score as a benchmark for the English level a role requires:

• International positions: 800-900+
• Customer-facing roles: 700-800
• Internal communication: 600-700
• Entry-level positions: 500-600

To assess your current level, try our free TOEIC® practice test and learn how to effectively prepare for the TOEIC®.

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