Colorado High School Equivalency Testing

_{Photos by Geneva Bailey}

The PWR of High School Equivalency

A High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma is equivalent to a traditional high school diploma for the purpose of obtaining education or employment in Colorado. The two State Board of Education-approved HSE tests in Colorado are:

the GED® (General Educational Development) Test, provided by GED Testing Service (GEDTS®); and
the HiSET® (High School Equivalency Test), provided by PSI Services.

Note: As of September 2020, TASC is no longer offered in Colorado; however, credentials earned by taking the TASC test are still valid.

GED^® and HiSET^® Comparisons

Below are the most common questions regarding differences between the two HSE exams. Please also note the following:

The credential earned from meeting the minimum scores for either exam is the Colorado High School Equivalency Diploma. The Diploma does not indicate which exam the person took; the transcript does.
The cost of each content area test as described below includes a $7.50 state admin fee, $10 test center fee (test centers) or online proctor fee (online at-home testing), and the remainder goes to the test publisher.

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Comparison of the GED exam and HiSET exam by topic
Topic	GED® Exam	HiSET® Exam
History	The GED® program began in 1942 and has been an approved test in Colorado since the 1960s.	The HiSET® test emerged in 2014 in response to the GED® test removing its paper test option in favor of computer-based testing only. The HiSET® test has been an approved test in Colorado since 2016.
Overview	The GED® is administered on a computer at approved testing centers or online at home. It consists of four (4) content area tests: Science Reasoning through Language Arts Social Studies Mathematics See full details about GED's test subject content and format.	The HiSET® is administered on computer and paper at approved testing centers or online at home (computer-only). It consists of five (5) content area tests: Science Language Arts: Reading Language Arts: Writing Social Studies Mathematics See the Test-at-a-Glance for full details about the format and content of each subject. Información general sobre el examen (Test at a Glance) en español
Language	Available in English and Spanish	Available in English and Spanish
Cost	At testing centers and at home: $43.50 per subject Total (4 subjects): $174	Computer and paper versions at testing centers: $32.50 per subject Total (5 subjects): $162.50 At-home exam: $40 per subject Total (5 subjects): $200
Minimum Passing Score	145 (out of 200) in each subject	8 (out of 20) in each subject, 2 (out of 6) on the essay, AND a total combined score of at least 45 (out of 100) across all 5 subjects* *It is possible to pass each subject but not earn a credential. For example, a score of 8 on each subject would equal only 40 for the combined total. Since the minimum total of 45 was not reached, the tester would not credential.
Retake Policy (set by the publishers)	At a testing center: No waiting period for first two retakes. If you fail your second retake, a 60-day waiting period begins. Online at-home exam: One retake. If you fail that one, a 60-day waiting period begins. The first retake is discounted. There is no limit to how many times you may test in a year. See full GED retake policy.	(New 2025) Six attempts allowed in a calendar year (per subject). The first and second retakes will be discounted. The third retake will be the full cost, and the fourth and fifth retakes will be discounted again. See full HiSET retake policy.
Additional Information	2023-24 Colorado Pass Rate: 81% (National Pass Rate: 75%) GED website	2023-24 Colorado Pass Rate: 84% (National Pass Rate: 75%) HiSET website