ETS maps the TOEIC Listening & Reading total to CEFR levels like this: 120–224 = A1, 225–549 = A2, 550–784 = B1, 785–944 = B2, and 945–990 = C1. So a 600 is B1, an 800 is B2, and you need 945 for C1. The TOEIC does not map to C2.
B2 (from 785) is the level ETS says is "frequently required by higher education institutions and companies" — which is why so many score targets cluster right around there. Below is what each level actually means, plus the four-skills picture.
What's in this guide
What the CEFR is — and why TOEIC uses it
The CEFR — the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages — is a six-level scale (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2) that describes what a language user can actually do, from "a few basic phrases" at A1 to "fluent and precise" at C1. Employers, universities and visa offices increasingly speak in CEFR levels because a level travels across languages and tests, while a raw TOEIC number does not.
To bridge the two, ETS ran a formal standard-setting study (Tannenbaum & Wylie, 2006) that maps TOEIC scores onto CEFR bands. That mapping is published in ETS's official "Mapping the TOEIC Tests on the CEFR" reference and the 4-skills mapping table — and it's the source for every number in this guide.
ETS singles out the TOEIC total of 785 — the bottom of B2 — as the score "frequently required by higher education institutions and companies." That's why job listings and graduation cut-offs so often sit at 700–800: they're aiming you at the B2 threshold.
The official TOEIC → CEFR chart
Here is the mapping for the TOEIC Listening & Reading total (the familiar 10–990 score). Each CEFR band has a minimum total; everything up to the next band's minimum stays in that level.
| CEFR level | TOEIC L&R total | In one line |
|---|---|---|
| C1 — Advanced | 945–990 | Fluent, precise, handles nuance and implied meaning. |
| B2 — Upper intermediate | 785–944 | Confident in meetings, arguments and detailed texts. The employer sweet spot. |
| B1 — Intermediate | 550–784 | Copes with familiar work and travel; main ideas, some detail. |
| A2 — Elementary | 225–549 | Routine exchanges, simple everyday language. |
| A1 — Beginner | 120–224 | Basic phrases, very slow and clear speech. |
A useful detail for anyone targeting B2: ETS reports the section minimums at 785 as roughly Listening 400 and Reading 385. Reading tends to be the heavier lift — which is why so much score-raising work happens in the Reading section, and in Part 7 especially.
TOEIC scores are statistically equated and carry a standard error of measurement of roughly 25 scaled points per section. A 780 and an 800 are effectively the same ability sitting either side of the B2 line — don't treat a single point as destiny.
Where common score targets land
Most people don't ask "what's B2?" — they ask "what CEFR is my target?" Here's where the numbers people actually chase fall on the scale.
| TOEIC total | CEFR level | Who aims here |
|---|---|---|
| 600 | B1 | A common screening bar for new graduates and general roles. |
| 730 | B1 (upper) | Competitive roles; just below the B2 line, so a natural stepping stone. |
| 785 | B2 | The B2 threshold ETS ties to higher education and companies. |
| 800 | B2 | A popular "clearly professional" milestone — comfortably inside B2. |
| 900 | B2 | Strong upper-B2; impressive, but still one band below C1. |
| 945 | C1 | The C1 threshold — advanced, near-native operating range. |
Two things surprise people here. First, 900 is still B2, not C1 — the C1 door doesn't open until 945. Second, the jump from B1 to B2 (roughly 730 → 785) is small on paper but large in practice: it's the difference between "gets the gist" and "handles the meeting." If you're near it, that's the highest-value band to push through. Our guide to getting a TOEIC 800 walks through exactly that climb.
Find your CEFR level in 2 hours
Take a free, full-length TOEIC Listening & Reading mock in the official format. You'll get a 10–990 score and see instantly which CEFR band you're in.
Take a free mock test →What each level can actually do
A number is abstract; the CEFR describes behaviour. Here's the plain-English version of each band you can reach on the TOEIC.
- A1 (120–224) — Beginner. Recognises basic words and very simple sentences when spoken slowly and clearly. Enough for survival phrases, not for work.
- A2 (225–549) — Elementary. Handles routine, predictable exchanges — simple emails, prices, schedules — using common everyday language.
- B1 (550–784) — Intermediate. Copes with most familiar work and travel situations. Understands the main points of clear standard input and can describe experiences and plans. This is where a great many working professionals sit.
- B2 (785–944) — Upper intermediate. Understands the main ideas of complex texts, follows and joins arguments, and interacts with fluency and spontaneity in meetings. The level most companies and universities treat as "professionally capable."
- C1 (945–990) — Advanced. Uses English flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes; grasps implied meaning and nuance; produces clear, well-structured, detailed writing on complex subjects.
The CEFR has a sixth level, C2 (mastery), but ETS maps the TOEIC Listening & Reading test only up to C1. If a job asks for "C2 / TOEIC," that's a mismatch — the TOEIC ceiling for mapping purposes is C1, from 945.
The four-skills picture: Speaking, Writing & TOEIC Link
"TOEIC score" usually means the Listening & Reading total above. But the TOEIC program has more scales, and each maps to the same CEFR ladder.
TOEIC Speaking & Writing is a separate test, with each section scored 0–200 and reported on the same CEFR framework — useful when a role cares about output (calls, emails, presentations) rather than just comprehension.
TOEIC Link, ETS's newer fully-online adaptive test, is the cleanest CEFR story of all: it scores each of the four skills 0–25 and maps them directly to CEFR bands that are identical across Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing:
| TOEIC Link (per skill) | CEFR level |
|---|---|
| 22–25 | C1 |
| 18–21 | B2 |
| 13–17 | B1 |
| 8–12 | A2 |
| 0–7 | A1 |
If your goal is a single, CEFR-native four-skills number, TOEIC Link is built for exactly that. You can see how TOEIC Link works or try the adaptive format free.
Where you stand: percentiles & country averages
A CEFR level tells you what you can do; percentiles and national averages tell you how you compare. ETS publishes percentile ranks by section (not for the total). For example, a Reading score of 400 sits around the 83rd percentile, and Listening 400 around the 63rd — Reading points are simply rarer, which is another reason the Reading section moves your standing so much.
Context helps set a realistic target: with Japan's national average around 564 (B1) and South Korea's around 682 (upper B1), reaching B2 already puts you comfortably above the typical test-taker in the two largest TOEIC markets. Note these are averages of everyone who tests, not a pass mark — your own target should follow the job or programme you're aiming at.
Turn "what level am I?" into "how do I level up?"
Our AI coach scores your mock on the 10–990 scale, tells you your CEFR band, and builds a plan to push you into the next one — ranked by the parts worth the most points.
See the AI coach →Frequently asked questions
What CEFR level is a TOEIC 800?
What TOEIC score is B2?
Is 900 a C1 on the TOEIC?
Does the TOEIC go up to C2?
How does the new TOEIC Link map to CEFR?
How accurate is the TOEIC–CEFR mapping?
Sources
- ETS, Mapping the TOEIC Tests on the CEFR. The A1–C1 score ranges and the B2 = 785 benchmark.
- ETS, TOEIC Listening & Reading Examinee Handbook. The 5–495 section / 10–990 total scale and section detail.
- ETS, TOEIC L&R Score Descriptors. What each score level can do.
- ETS Global, TOEIC Link score descriptors & CEFR mapping. The 0–25 per-skill bands (A1 0–7 … C1 22–25).
- IIBC, TOEIC Program DATA & ANALYSIS 2025. National averages and percentile context.