TOEIC score explained: conversion table and CEFR levels (2026)

A TOEIC Listening and Reading score is the sum of two scaled sections — Listening and Reading, each rated 5 to 495 — for a total between 10 and 990. It is computed from your raw number of correct answers, with no penalty for guessing. 785 marks CEFR B2, the threshold French engineering schools require; 945 marks C1.

How does TOEIC scoring work?

Each of the two sections contains 100 questions. Your raw score is simply the number of correct answers — one point each, nothing deducted for mistakes. ETS Global then converts this raw score into a scaled score from 5 to 495 per section through statistical equating, a process that compensates for small difficulty differences between test forms. Your total is the sum of the two scaled sections: 10 to 990 (the scale starts at 10, so a '0-990' TOEIC scale does not exist).

Three properties follow from this system:

• There is no pass or fail. Each school or employer sets its own threshold.
• Answer everything. With no negative marking, a blank question is a wasted 25-33% chance of a free point.
• Scores are comparable across sessions. The L&R format has been stable since June 2018, and equating guarantees that a 785 obtained in 2026 means the same as a 785 from 2019.

How do raw answers convert to a scaled TOEIC score?

ETS does not publish an official conversion table, because equating adjusts the mapping slightly for every test form. The ranges below, compiled from official preparation materials, are accurate to within roughly 5-15 points — use them to grade a mock test:

Correct answers (out of 100)	Listening score (approx.)	Reading score (approx.)
100	495	485-495
95	490-495	455-475
90	470-495	425-455
85	445-470	405-425
80	420-450	380-405
75	400-425	355-380
70	375-400	330-355
65	350-375	305-330
60	325-350	280-305
55	300-325	250-280
50	275-300	225-250
40	225-260	170-205
30	170-210	115-150
20	105-145	60-95
10	35-70	10-40

Two patterns worth noticing:

• Listening pays better than Reading. The same raw score yields roughly 20 to 40 more scaled points in Listening. This asymmetry explains why most candidates score higher in Listening, and why Reading time management is the usual bottleneck.
• A perfect scaled score does not always require a perfect raw score: depending on the form, a couple of mistakes in Listening can still equate to 495.

To convert your own result answer by answer, use the interactive conversion table.

What CEFR level does your TOEIC score correspond to?

The total-score conventions used by French institutions:

CEFR level	Minimum TOEIC total
A1	120
A2	225
B1	550
B2	785
C1	945

There is no C2 equivalence — the TOEIC scale stops at C1. ETS additionally defines per-section minima, which some institutions verify instead of (or on top of) the total:

CEFR level	Listening minimum	Reading minimum
B2	400	385
C1	490	455

The nuance matters: a candidate scoring 460 in Listening and 330 in Reading totals 790 — above the conventional 785 — yet misses the ETS Reading minimum for B2 (385). If your certificate must prove B2, aim for balanced sections; the full analysis is in the B2 TOEIC score guide.

What do the ETS proficiency levels mean?

ETS groups total scores into six proficiency bands, which recruiters often quote directly:

Score band	ETS proficiency level	In practice
905-990	International Professional Proficiency	Communicates effectively in any professional context, including negotiation and nuance
785-900	Working Proficiency Plus	Handles most work situations; occasional imprecision under pressure
605-780	Limited Working Proficiency	Manages routine exchanges; struggles with fast or complex interactions
405-600	Elementary Plus	Maintains simple conversations on familiar topics
255-400	Elementary	Survival English: basic needs, memorised expressions
10-250	Basic	Isolated words and set phrases

What TOEIC score do employers and schools expect?

Who is asking	Expected score
CTI (French engineering degree requirement)	785 (B2)
Selective engineering schools	800-870
Client-facing international roles	905+ (International Professional Proficiency band)
French national average, for reference	705 (2022)

How to read this table: 785 is the structural threshold in France because the CTI made a certified B2 mandatory for the engineering diploma — details and school-by-school targets are in the 785 score guide and on the engineering schools requirements page. On a CV, anything above the 705 national average already differentiates you; above 900, English becomes a genuine argument for international positions.

How long is a TOEIC score valid?

Two years from the test date. The digital score report is free; the paper certificate with photo costs 16 EUR. If your score will expire before an application deadline, plan a retake early: public sessions (179 EUR standard in 2026, 162 EUR for students, job seekers and military, 159 EUR via the digiSchool partnership) run mostly on Saturday mornings, with online registration open until about 10 days before the date.

How can you raise your TOEIC score quickly?

• Locate your level first. A 25-question estimation test gives a reliable score bracket in about 15 minutes — no point drilling B1 material if you already sit at 750.
• Fix Reading timing before anything else. Part 7 alone contains 54 questions; budget 55 minutes for it, which leaves 20 minutes for Parts 5 and 6 combined.
• Exploit Part 2 in Listening: 25 questions with only three answer options each — the highest-yield part for quick gains.
• Grade every mock with the conversion table above and track the scaled score, not the raw score: 5 additional correct Reading answers around the middle of the scale are worth roughly 25-30 scaled points.

To reach 785, you need approximately 75 correct answers in Listening and 80 in Reading — about 155 of the 200 questions — depending on the form's equating.

Put it into practice

Turn theory into a number: take the free full-length TOEIC practice test — 200 questions under official timing — then grade it with the conversion table above and check your CEFR bracket. One timed mock per week is the single most predictive preparation habit before a real session.