ASVAB Line Scores for Marine Communications and Cyber MOS (06, 17)

For Marine communications and cyber fields, the best ASVAB score profile usually means a stronger GT and EL combination. These are not the fields to approach with a “just pass and see what opens” mindset.

Communications and cyber MOS jobs are among the most technically demanding in the Marine Corps. The ASVAB requirements reflect that. A bare minimum score might qualify you on paper, but the Marines in these fields who get the best assignments and have the most options going in are the ones who built real margin into their line scores before they ever talked to a recruiter.

MOS scores by field: 06 Communications and 17 Information Maneuver

The table below pulls verified composite requirements from the published MOS profiles for the roles in this article. These are the public minimums listed in current sources, not recruiter estimates.

Key notes from the table:

• OccFld 06 roles accept either CL 100/105 or EL 100/105. Meeting either composite qualifies you. EL is the stronger signal for technical work, so building EL first gives you the most flexibility across the field.
• 0631 Network Administrator is the only OccFld 06 MOS in the table with a 105 floor. It is one of the more IT-focused jobs in the field.
• OccFld 17 roles are primarily GT-driven. The 1721 Cyberspace Warfare Operator has the highest published requirement in the group at GT 110.
• 1732 Civil Affairs Specialist is a reserve-component-only path. The GT 100 floor applies, but the access route is different from a standard accession.
• 1751 Influence Specialist requires a formal screening and assessment beyond the score threshold. GT 100 gets you to the gate; the four-day screening determines whether you pass it.

The most competitive applicants in these fields typically score above the published minimums. If your goal is a specific MOS rather than a field-wide accession, aim for at least 10 to 15 points above the published floor to give yourself room when scores are adjusted or when a MOS seat is tight.

Security clearance requirements in OccFld 17

Every MOS in the OccFld 17 table requires security clearance eligibility. For 1721 Cyberspace Warfare Operator, the public guidance goes further and lists a specific SCI prescreen requirement with HQMC SSO. That means the clearance investigation is its own qualification gate, separate from the ASVAB score.

ASVAB score gets you through the recruiting door. The clearance investigation runs in parallel and can close an otherwise eligible MOS if your background does not clear. If you are targeting 1721 or any other OccFld 17 role, confirm the clearance baseline with your recruiter early. Waiting until after you enlist to discover a disqualifying background issue wastes time for everyone.

OccFld 06 roles also require Secret clearance eligibility, but the public guidance on 06 roles frames it as a standard prerequisite rather than a special SCI-level review. Read Marine Jobs That Require a Security Clearance for a broader picture across the Corps.

What EL measures and why it is the harder composite to move

The EL composite is often the one that surprises applicants. Most people focus on AFQT or GT without realizing EL uses four different subtests, two of which are domain-specific in ways that require deliberate study.

EL formula: GS + AR + MK + EI

That is General Science, Arithmetic Reasoning, Mathematics Knowledge, and Electronics Information.

Each subtest pulls from a different part of your knowledge:

GS (General Science). This section covers biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science at a high school level. Most applicants underestimate it because it sounds generic. The questions are specific. You need to know how circuits work, what voltage and resistance mean, how waves behave, and basic physics concepts like force and motion. These are all relevant to the electronics work in OccFld 06.

AR (Arithmetic Reasoning). Word problems using fractions, ratios, percentages, and basic algebra. AR appears in both EL and GT, so improving it moves two composites at once. It is one of the best single subtests to study for applicants targeting communications and cyber fields.

MK (Mathematics Knowledge). Pure algebra and geometry, no word problems. Exponents, equations, geometric formulas, and some basic trigonometry concepts. This is the section most applicants with weak math backgrounds struggle with most. The gaps tend to come from algebra rules that were covered briefly in school and then forgotten.

EI (Electronics Information). This section covers circuits, Ohm’s Law, components like resistors and capacitors, electrical safety, and basic electronics principles. It is the domain-specific test most directly tied to what communications Marines actually work with. Applicants without a background in electronics usually need dedicated study time here.

Why EL prep is different from GT prep:

The GT composite is VE + AR + MC (Verbal Expression, Arithmetic Reasoning, and Mechanical Comprehension). GT prep leans on vocabulary, reading comprehension, and general reasoning. Most test-prep resources default to GT prep because it overlaps with the overall AFQT.

EL prep requires a separate track. GS and EI are content-specific. You cannot reason your way through an electronics circuit question without knowing how circuits work. You cannot guess the right answer to an MK algebra problem without knowing the algebraic rule being tested. That is why applicants who assume AFQT prep will carry them into a strong EL score are often disappointed.

The good news: both GS and EI respond well to focused study. They are content areas, not innate aptitude tests. If you put in the time, you can move them.

Score planning for EL-heavy fields

If your goal is an OccFld 06 or 17 MOS, your study plan should prioritize the subtests that feed EL and GT. Here is a four-week structure that targets both.

Week 1: Diagnostic and baseline. Take a full timed practice test before you start studying. Do not skip this step. You need to know where each subtest score actually sits before you decide where to focus. Most applicants discover that MK and EI are the weakest, but do not assume that without data. Score each subtest separately and note which ones are pulling your EL and GT composites down.

Weeks 2 and 3: GS, EI, and MK fundamentals. These are the three subtests that most applicants cannot improve without deliberate content study. Work through basic electronics concepts for EI (circuits, Ohm’s Law, voltage, current, resistance). For GS, review physical science, chemistry, and earth science at a survey level. For MK, work through algebra systematically: solving equations, working with exponents, factoring, and geometric formulas.

AR fits here too. Work through word problems daily during Weeks 2 and 3. AR is the subtest that feeds both EL and GT, so the return on study time is higher here than almost anywhere else.

Week 4: Timed practice and full tests. Return to full timed tests in Week 4. Compare your subtest scores against Week 1. Calculate your projected EL and GT scores to confirm you are on track. Use the remaining time to close remaining gaps in MK and EI specifically.

What to prioritize if you have less time:

If you have two weeks instead of four, drop the Week 4 buffer and compress Weeks 2 and 3 into the first week. Spend the second week on timed practice. Prioritize MK and EI because they are the subtests most likely to have a large gap and the most likely to respond to short-term study.

AR is always worth time because it moves two composites. VE (Word Knowledge + Paragraph Comprehension) also matters for GT, so squeeze in vocabulary work in any spare time you have.

Score targets to aim for:

The published minimums for OccFld 06 are EL 100 and CL 100, or EL/CL 105 for 0631. For OccFld 17, GT 110 for 1721 is the published floor. Build for margin above those numbers. An EL score of 110 or 115 gives you more MOS options and a better signal to the recruiter that you are a serious candidate for technical work.

Study order for communications and cyber applicants

Based on the composite formulas and the field requirements above, here is the recommended study priority:

1. Arithmetic Reasoning (AR). Feeds both EL and GT. Best return per study hour.
2. Mathematics Knowledge (MK). The algebra-heavy subtest that pulls EL down for most applicants.
3. Electronics Information (EI). Content-specific. Study circuits, components, and basic electrical theory.
4. General Science (GS). Content-specific. Focus on physical science and basic chemistry.
5. Word Knowledge and Paragraph Comprehension. Feeds VE, which feeds GT. Squeeze vocabulary in daily.
6. Mechanical Comprehension (MC). Feeds GT. Useful for applicants targeting both comms and a GT-heavy backup MOS.

That order gives you better return for communications and cyber work than a CL-first or MM-first plan. CL matters less in these fields. MM is the composite for mechanical maintenance work, which is a different field entirely.

Why score weakness closes these fields early

Technical communications and cyber paths narrow faster than broad-support fields. If your math, electronics, or reading basics are weak, the available MOS options shrink before you ever get to the more specific parts of the pipeline.

OccFld 17 illustrates this clearly. The MOS with the highest technical ceiling, 1721 Cyberspace Warfare Operator, requires GT 110 and a separate SCI screening process. Marines who barely qualify on ASVAB have almost no path to that MOS. Marines who score GT 115 or above and have a clean background have a real shot at the screening, assuming everything else lines up.

The same logic applies to 0631 Network Administrator in OccFld 06. The floor is EL 105 or CL 105. That five-point gap above the rest of the 06 field is not huge, but it matters at the margin when seats are limited. A score of 108 or 110 is more competitive than a score of 105 for that MOS.

The best target is to qualify with margin. Build room above the minimum, and the recruiter conversation becomes a MOS selection conversation instead of a score-clearing conversation. Build margin, and the recruiter conversation becomes a MOS selection conversation instead of a score-clearing conversation.

For more on how scores connect to specific fields, read ASVAB Scores for Marine Intelligence and Cyber MOS.

The full ASVAB guide covers the Marine score system from the beginning, including how EL and GT are calculated and what each subtest actually tests. Start there if you are still early in the process.