TOEIC score

Your possible TOEIC score will depend on which of the tests you are taking. The more common Reading & Listening TOEIC is graded on a scale of 10 to 990 with equal weight given to each of the two halves of the test. If you took the Speaking & Writing TOEIC, that test is graded on a scale of 10 to 400, again with each half equally weighted. You can expect to wait 7 to 15 days to receive your TOEIC score after your test date.

Score benchmarks

If you took the TOEIC in order to apply for a job, as many people do, you will have to decide once you have your results whether or not your TOEIC score will make your CV stronger. If you put a low TOEIC score on your CV that will make your application weaker, so it would be better to put no TOEIC score in that case.

So what counts as a “high” TOEIC score? It very much depends on the country in which you are applying for a job and the job requirements. Most people take the Listening & Reading TOEIC for professional purposes. A TOEIC score of 900 or more is a high score in almost all cases and for almost all jobs. As a rule of thumb, you should include a TOEIC of 900 points or more on your CV. A TOEIC of 900 or more is qualified by the TOEIC test makers as the highest proficiency level in professional English.

Other cases

If you are applying for job which does not require English, any TOEIC score above 785 is worth listing on your CV. It shows that you can use English in the workplace, and will make your application stand out. However, if the job listing requires fluent English, do not list a score for the TOEIC below 900. It is better in this case not to include your TOEIC score at all, as a score between 785 and 900 will weaken your application. If your TOEIC score is below 785, do not include it on your CV.

It is less common to take the TOEIC Speaking & Writing test for professional reasons, but if you do, a TOEIC score of 360 or higher on this test puts you in the highest proficiency band. Any score above 360 should definitely be included on your CV, but make sure to specify that it is on the Speaking and Writing TOEIC, not on the Reading and Listening version because 360 would be a low score on that version of the TOEIC.