Your target at a glance
There is no single "pass" mark, only the score your employer or school asks for. Find the goal closest to yours, then aim one band above it for a comfortable margin.
Enough to clear many graduation requirements and first-round application screens. A realistic first target if you are starting from around the average.
Comfortable for most domestic and general office positions, and a common benchmark that large employers accept without a second look.
The competitive range for trading houses, finance, IT and foreign-affiliated firms, where English is used more often on the job.
Strong for global, customer-facing and managerial roles. At this level you can handle meetings, email and reports in English.
For the most competitive positions and standout résumés. You almost never need a perfect 990, this range already impresses.
These are widely used general benchmarks, not official cutoffs. Requirements vary by company, so always confirm the exact number in the job posting.
TOEIC scores for jobs in Japan (就活)
In Japan a TOEIC score often sits right on the résumé and is used as an early screen. What counts as competitive depends heavily on the industry, and one myth is worth dropping right away: you do not need 満点 (a perfect 990) for 就活.
A common baseline that many large firms use to screen new-graduate (新卒) applications. Clearing it keeps your résumé in the pile.
Comfortable for general office and domestic roles where English is occasional rather than daily.
The expected range for trading houses (商社), finance and IT, where you will actually use English at work.
Foreign-affiliated (外資) and global roles lean higher. A score in the 800s signals you can operate in English day to day.
Some large employers tie promotion (昇進) to a TOEIC threshold, often somewhere in this range. Check your company's internal rule.
TOEIC scores for jobs in Korea
Korean hiring often lists a specific number, and increasingly a Speaking level alongside it. Treat these as ballpark ranges and confirm each posting.
The common range large Korean conglomerates (대기업) look for, higher for the most competitive tracks.
Public enterprises (공기업) often set a floor around here, and use it as a hard cutline (커트라인) that competitive applicants clear comfortably.
Global and customer-facing roles want more, since you will be working in English regularly.
Many employers now ask for a Speaking score too. Prepare it early, it is where applicants most often fall short. See our Speaking guide and free Speaking mocks.
Visa, immigration and university
This is where people are most often misled, so here is the honest picture.
Major English-speaking countries use tests such as IELTS for immigration, not TOEIC. Confirm which test your specific program accepts.
Many universities in Japan and Korea set a TOEIC requirement in this range to graduate.
Transfer admission (편입) in Korea sometimes accepts TOEIC and sometimes wants another test. Check each university.
Studying in an English-speaking country almost always requires IELTS or TOEFL rather than TOEIC.
What each TOEIC band actually means
Scores map to CEFR levels, which is how you turn a number into real-world ability. B2 (around 785 and up) is the level many employers treat as workplace-ready.
Handles complex, nuanced communication with ease. More than enough for any English-required role.
Communicates effectively in most work situations. This is the bar most employers and universities look for.
Manages familiar, routine tasks with some limits when things get complex. A solid base to push toward B2.
Understands basic, high-frequency English. A good milestone for beginners building up.
Want your exact band? Use the free TOEIC score converter to turn a score or a correct-answer count into a CEFR level.
Not sure where you stand? Find out free
Take a full, timed TOEIC practice test, get an estimated 10 to 990 score with AI feedback, and see exactly how far you are from your target. It's free to start, with no account needed; sign in with an emailed code to see and keep your result.
Take a free mock test →TOEIC score by industry and role
The same job title can carry very different English demands depending on the field. These are our rough estimates from general hiring patterns, not published requirements. Read the entry column as the score that usually keeps your application in the running, and the competitive column as what standout and global-facing candidates bring.
| Field or role | Typical entry range | Competitive / global range |
|---|---|---|
| General office & admin | 600–730 | 730–800 |
| IT, software & technology | 650–780 | 820–950 |
| Finance & banking | 700–800 | 850–950 |
| Trading, import & export (商社) | 730–860 | 860–950 |
| Manufacturing & engineering | 650–750 | 780–900 |
| Aviation & hospitality | 650–780 | 780–900 |
| Healthcare & pharmaceutical | 700–800 | 820–900 |
| Sales & customer-facing | 700–800 | 800–900 |
Ranges reflect general hiring patterns across employers, not a single company's rule. Cabin crew and client-facing global roles tend to sit at the top of each range. Always confirm the number in the posting.
TOEIC score by country
Where you are applying matters as much as the role. TOEIC carries the most weight for jobs and study in East Asia. Most English-speaking countries use IELTS or TOEFL instead, especially for visas and immigration.
| Country or region | What TOEIC is mainly used for | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | Hiring screens, promotion (昇進), graduation | 600 entry, 730–860 global, 800+ promotion |
| South Korea | New-hire programs, public-sector cutlines, often with Speaking | 700–850 (대기업), 700–750 (공기업) |
| Taiwan | Hiring and university graduation | 550–750, higher for global roles |
| China (mainland) | Some multinationals and foreign-facing roles; local tests dominate | 600+ for English-using roles |
| Thailand | Airline, central bank and energy-company hiring; universities set their own tests | 550–650 most roles, up to 800 specialist |
| Indonesia | Some ministries (CPNS), banks and energy firms; many use TOEFL instead | 440–700 |
| Vietnam & other Southeast Asia | University graduation and hiring | 450–650 graduation, 550–750 jobs |
| France | Engineering school graduation (B2), business school admission | 785–815 engineering, 850–900 business school entry |
| English-speaking countries | Immigration and study use tests such as IELTS or TOEFL, not TOEIC | Not applicable |
Country figures are general benchmarks that vary by employer and institution. For Korea, see our guide on TOEIC for jobs in Korea; for named employers and schools, see Thailand, Indonesia and France; for study, see TOEIC for university.
How to read a company's TOEIC requirement
Big employers rarely advertise a single fixed number. Instead, the score they expect shifts with the hiring track and how much English you will actually use. Match your goal to the closest track below, then aim one band above it.
Roles where English is occasional. Clearing the screen matters more than a high number, so hit the floor comfortably.
You will use English regularly in email, meetings and documents. Employers expect a solid B2-level score here.
Some employers gate promotion on a TOEIC threshold, often separate from the hiring bar. Check your company's internal rule.
The highest bar, since you will live and work in English. Global and foreign-affiliated firms cluster here.
Well-known employers in Japan and Korea (major automakers, electronics and technology firms, trading houses, banks and conglomerates) are widely reported to use TOEIC, but few publish an exact cutoff, and the number differs by track and year. Treat any specific company figure you see online as an estimate, and confirm it in the posting.
Close the gap to your target score
Once you know the score your goal asks for, the fastest route is to measure your baseline and attack your weaker half. Here is a simple plan.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Find your baseline | Take a free timed mock test and note your Listening and Reading split. |
| 2. Set your target band | Use the tables above to pick the score your country and role ask for, then aim one band above the minimum. |
| 3. Attack the weaker section | Put most of your time into whichever of Listening or Reading is lower; it moves your total fastest. |
| 4. Track your CEFR band | Run each score through the score converter to watch your CEFR level climb toward B2. |
| 5. Add Speaking if needed | Korea and many global roles want a Speaking level too. Start early with our Speaking mocks. |
Not sure what a given number means in practice? See what your TOEIC score means, or the band guides for 600, 700 and 850.
What score do you need, answered
What is a good TOEIC score?
What TOEIC score do I need for a job in Japan?
What TOEIC score do I need for a job in Korea?
Do I need TOEIC for a visa or immigration?
What TOEIC score do I need for university?
Is a TOEIC score of 800 good?
Is a perfect 990 necessary?
What does each band mean in CEFR terms?
How long to reach my target score?
How do I check my current level for free?
What TOEIC score do you need for a job by company and country?
Which companies use the TOEIC test for hiring?
What TOEIC score do you need for a job in France?
What TOEIC score do you need in Taiwan, Vietnam or Southeast Asia?
Do companies publish their exact TOEIC cutoff?
Does the TOEIC score for 就活 (job hunting) differ by industry?
Score benchmarks reflect widely used general guidance, not official ETS cutoffs; requirements vary by employer and institution, so always confirm the number required. CEFR mappings follow ETS's published TOEIC to CEFR correspondence. Not affiliated with or endorsed by ETS.