USMC MOS List & ASVAB Line Scores
Updated July 2026 · AFQT · 6 min read
Every Marine Corps job is a 4-digit MOS (Military Occupational Specialty). The first two digits identify the occupational field — 03 is infantry, 06 is communications, 35 is motor transport — and the last two identify the specific job. To qualify, you first pass the AFQT (minimum 32 with a HS diploma), then meet the ASVAB line score the MOS requires, most commonly GT, MM, EL, or CL.
Every Marine Corps job is identified by a 4-digit MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) code. The first two digits name the occupational field — 03 is infantry, 06 is communications, 35 is motor transport — and the last two digits name the specific job within that field, so 0311 is Rifleman and 0331 is Machine Gunner. To land the MOS you want, you clear two gates: the AFQT minimum of 32 (with a high-school diploma) to enlist at all, and then the ASVAB line score your target field requires. This page maps the MOS structure and the composites that gate each field.
How the USMC MOS System Works
Unlike the Army’s number-letter codes (like 11B), the Marine Corps uses a pure numeric system. The structure is consistent:
- First two digits = occupational field (OccFld). These group related jobs — everything starting with 03 is infantry, everything starting with 28 is electronics maintenance.
- Last two digits = specific specialty. Within the 03 field, 0311 is Rifleman, 0341 is Mortarman, 0365 is Infantry Squad Leader.
- Entry-level vs. skill-progression MOS. Recruits contract into entry-level jobs; other codes are earned later through training and rank.
Most new Marines actually contract into a program enlistment option that guarantees an occupational field rather than one exact MOS — the Corps assigns the specific job within that field based on its needs and your scores. That makes your line scores doubly important: they decide which fields you can even contract for.
The Four Line Scores That Gate Marine Jobs
The Marine Corps builds composites (line scores) from your ASVAB subtests, and each MOS field lists a minimum for one or more of them:
- GT (General Technical) — verbal expression plus arithmetic reasoning (the Marine version also draws on mechanical comprehension). Gates infantry, intelligence, and most leadership-track fields.
- MM (Mechanical Maintenance) — built from math, auto & shop, mechanical comprehension, and electronics subtests. Gates mechanic, motor transport, and engineer equipment fields.
- EL (Electronics) — built from math, electronics, and science subtests. Gates communications, radar, and avionics fields.
- CL (Clerical) — built from verbal and math subtests. Gates administrative, supply, and logistics fields.
Because each composite blends several subtests, one strong subtest can lift multiple line scores at once. See Marine Corps ASVAB scores for exactly how each composite is assembled, and estimate your own numbers with the ASVAB line score calculator.
USMC Occupational Fields and Typical Line Score Requirements
The table below shows representative occupational fields, an example MOS in each, and the line score that commonly gates the field. Exact cutoffs vary by MOS and change with manning needs — treat these as planning targets, not guarantees.
| OccFld | Field name | Example MOS | Typical gate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Personnel & Administration | 0111 Administrative Specialist | CL, commonly around 100 |
| 02 | Intelligence | 0231 Intelligence Specialist | GT, commonly 100–110 |
| 03 | Infantry | 0311 Rifleman | GT, commonly around 80 |
| 06 | Communications | 0621 Radio Operator | EL, commonly around 100+ |
| 08 | Field Artillery | 0811 Field Artillery Cannoneer | GT, commonly around 90 |
| 13 | Engineer & Utilities | 1345 Engineer Equipment Operator | MM, commonly around 95 |
| 28 | Electronics Maintenance | 2841 Ground Radio Repairer | EL, commonly around 115 |
| 31 | Distribution Management | 3112 Distribution Specialist | CL, commonly around 100 |
| 35 | Motor Transport | 3521 Automotive Maintenance Technician | MM, commonly around 95 |
| 58 | Military Police | 5811 Military Police | GT, commonly around 100 |
| 60/63 | Aircraft Maintenance / Avionics | 6042 / 6312-series | MM or EL, commonly 105–115 |
A clear pattern: electronics and avionics fields set the highest bars, mechanical fields cluster in the mid-90s on MM, and combat arms fields are the most accessible on GT. If your dream job sits in a high-cutoff field, build your study plan around the subtests inside that composite.
How to Qualify for the MOS You Want
Work backward from the field, not forward from the test:
- Pick your target field and find its composite. An aviation electronics hopeful needs EL; a motor transport hopeful needs MM.
- Clear the enlistment gate first. The AFQT (minimum 32, GED holders 50) comes from AR, MK, WK, and PC only. Benchmark yourself with the free Marines ASVAB practice test.
- Then drill the composite’s subtests. For MM, that means auto & shop, mechanical comprehension, and math. For EL, add electronics information and general science. These subtests don’t touch your AFQT, but they decide your career field.
- Aim above the cutoff. Meeting a minimum makes you eligible; beating it makes you competitive when slots in a program are limited.
Remember that no calculator is allowed on the ASVAB, and math feeds GT, MM, EL, and CL alike — making arithmetic practice the single highest-leverage prep you can do.
Requirements Change — Verify Before You Sign
Line-score minimums are set by Marine Corps policy and adjusted as the needs of each field change. Some MOS also add requirements beyond the ASVAB: security clearances for intelligence and cyber fields, vision standards for aviation fields, and physical standards for combat arms. Use this list to shortlist fields and set a study target, then confirm current cutoffs with a Marine recruiter before you sign a contract. Your scores stay valid for 2 years, so a strong test result gives you a long window to negotiate the field you actually want.
