Beep Test Scores by Age: Norms and Normative Data
What counts as a good beep test score changes a lot with age and sex. The normative data tables are below, plus what moves your number and how to raise it.
Run the Beep Test Free →What's an average beep test score?
For most adults in their 20s and 30s, an average score sits around level 7 to 10 for men and level 6 to 8 for women. Averages drop by roughly one to two levels per decade after that. A "good" score is relative: level 10 is unremarkable for a fit 25-year-old but well above average for someone in their 50s. Use the age-banded tables below rather than one flat number.
Adult male scores by age
Scores are shown as level.shuttle. For example, 8.6 means level 8, 6th shuttle.
| Age | Poor | Below Average | Average | Good | Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18–25 | below 7.1 | 7.2–8.5 | 8.6–10.1 | 10.2–13.10 | above 13.10 |
| 26–35 | below 6.5 | 6.6–7.9 | 7.10–8.9 | 8.10–12.9 | above 12.9 |
| 36–45 | below 5.3 | 5.4–6.4 | 6.5–7.7 | 7.8–11.3 | above 11.3 |
| 46–55 | below 4.6 | 4.7–5.5 | 5.6–6.6 | 6.7–9.5 | above 9.5 |
| 56–65 | below 3.6 | 3.7–4.8 | 4.9–5.6 | 5.7–8.4 | above 8.4 |
Source: Topend Sports beep test norms. Bands merged from their seven-tier rating scale into a five-tier one for readability. Use as a general guide, not a clinical benchmark.
Adult female scores by age
Same format: level.shuttle, poor through excellent, by age band.
| Age | Poor | Below Average | Average | Good | Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18–25 | below 5.7 | 5.8–7.2 | 7.3–8.6 | 8.7–12.7 | above 12.7 |
| 26–35 | below 5.2 | 5.3–6.5 | 6.6–7.7 | 7.8–11.5 | above 11.5 |
| 36–45 | below 3.7 | 3.8–5.3 | 5.4–6.2 | 6.3–9.5 | above 9.5 |
| 46–55 | below 3.5 | 3.6–4.4 | 4.5–5.3 | 5.4–8.1 | above 8.1 |
| 56–65 | below 2.6 | 2.7–3.5 | 3.6–4.4 | 4.5–7.2 | above 7.2 |
Source: Topend Sports beep test norms. Bands merged from their seven-tier rating scale into a five-tier one for readability. Use as a general guide, not a clinical benchmark.
School and youth scores (PACER)
Students taking the beep test at school are usually running the PACER test as part of FitnessGram, and schools don't grade it against a single "good score" the way an adult norm table does. Instead, FitnessGram uses a Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ), a minimum lap count tied to good health outcomes and set separately for each age and sex. Falling short of it isn't a fail; it's a training target for the next assessment.
We've put the full HFZ lap-count table, the 15-meter equivalents and typical scores from research on PACER test scores by age rather than repeat it here. The PACER test guide has the laps-to-level converter.
What moves your score
Age. Maximum heart rate and the body's ceiling for using oxygen both decline gradually from your mid-20s onward, which is why the norm tables step down every ten years even for people who keep training.
Sex. On average, men post higher levels than women at every age band. The main physiological reasons are larger heart and lung volume and a higher concentration of oxygen-carrying red blood cells, not a difference in effort or training.
Sport background. People who train an aerobic sport (distance running, cycling, football, rowing) tend to land in the "good" or "excellent" band regardless of age, because the beep test is really just measuring the same aerobic engine those sports build.
How to improve your score
The fastest lever is interval training (repeated hard efforts with short recovery) done two to three times a week, layered on top of general aerobic running. See the training guide for a structured plan and pacing tips.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good beep test score for my age?
It depends on both age and sex. A score that counts as excellent at 50 is only average for a fit 20-year-old. Check the tables on this page for your age band, or use the general guide: level 7–10 for men and level 6–8 for women in their 20s and 30s is a typical, non-elite result.
What is the average beep test score?
For adults in their 20s and 30s, the average beep test score is roughly level 7 to 10 (males) and level 6 to 8 (females). Averages fall by about one to two levels per decade after that, mainly because the body's aerobic ceiling narrows with age.
Do men and women score differently on the beep test?
Yes, on average. Men typically post higher levels than women at every age band, mainly because of differences in heart size, blood oxygen-carrying capacity, and muscle mass. It's a population-level pattern, not a rule for any one person: plenty of women outscore most men.
How can I improve my beep test score?
Regular interval training (repeated hard efforts with short recovery, done two to three times a week) raises your beep test level faster than steady jogging alone. See the training guide for a structured plan.
By Tim · Last updated July 17, 2026