GED classes for adults and 17-year-olds: free, near you, online or in person
A GED class is more than lessons: in several states, joining an adult education program is the way to have the test itself paid for. The calculator shows that effect.
GED cost in Tennessee
$0
The test can be paid by vouchers for people who attend a local adult education program.
| Price per subject | $36 |
| First attempts (4 subjects) | $0 |
| Rank, cheapest first | 29 of 49 |
Fees from the Tennessee page of ged.com, read on October 22, 2026.
Prepared by Radif Partners · Method · fees and rules read on ged.com and hiset.org on October 22, 2026
ged.com counts more than 6,000 GED prep centers worldwide and lists them through a free ged.com account: enter a city or zip code and you get contact details for the nearby centers. What a class brings, in ged.com’s words, is experienced teachers, group study, flexible schedules for people who work full time, practice tests and reviews, and help with career and college planning. Online classes exist for those who cannot attend in person. There is also a money side: in several states, enrolling in an adult education program is the route to free or subsidized testing. Texas pays the test fees of eligible people aged 21 and older through a Texas Workforce Commission Adult Education and Literacy program, while funding lasts. Tennessee pays the GED by voucher for people who attend a local adult education program, and its HiSET voucher program, also through adult education, covers all exam costs. In West Virginia the test is free but scheduled through a local adult learning program. The calculator above shows the cost with and without the state program in your state.
In-person, online, or on your own
In-person classes give structure, a teacher who can read your practice scores, and other students on the same path; they suit people who need a fixed schedule to keep going. Online classes keep a teacher but drop the commute, and ged.com notes they work on any mobile device. Studying alone with books, videos and practice tests costs least and fits irregular hours, but nobody notices if you drift. Many people mix the three: a class for the hardest subject, self-study for the rest.
Where a class pays the test
This is the practical reason to look at adult education even if you study well alone. The free GED page lists every state program; the ones tied to a class or program include:
- Texas: the HSE Subsidy Program pays the fees of eligible people aged 21 and older, through a Texas Workforce Commission Adult Education and Literacy program, while funding lasts.
- Tennessee: GED vouchers for people attending local adult education; the HiSET voucher program covers all exam costs.
- West Virginia: no cost to the tester, with scheduling through a local adult learning or Option Pathway program.
- New Mexico: HiSET vouchers through the state office or adult education providers.
Your test cost if you join the state program
GED cost in Texas
$0
| Price per subject | $36.25 |
| First attempts (4 subjects) | $0 |
| Rank, cheapest first | 34 of 49 |
What to ask a center before signing up
Is the class free, and are books included? Which days and hours, and can you join mid-session? Does it give the official GED Ready practice test, and who pays for it? Does enrolling make you eligible for a state testing voucher, and is there a minimum number of hours? Can the teacher help you with the paperwork for an age waiver if you are under the usual age? The answers decide whether the class saves you money as well as time.
How long it usually takes
ged.com puts the average at about 2 to 4 months. It describes two paths: studying one subject for about three weeks and then taking that test, or studying all four for about three months and testing in one day. The first spreads the cost and gives early wins; the second suits people with a fixed date. Our timeline calculator turns your own weeks of study into a finish date, waiting periods included.
Comparing two offers
If two programs are within reach, compare them on the same four points: total cost including books and practice tests, hours a week, how progress is measured, and what happens at the end (does the program book the test, pay it, or neither). A free class two evenings a week that leads to a paid voucher can be worth more than a paid online course with no link to the state program.
Testing from a class
Teachers usually decide with you when a subject is ready, often with a practice test. If you go online afterwards, you will need a green GED Ready score within 60 days of each subject. At a center, the class may book the test with you; some centers are test sites themselves.
Classes at 16 and 17
Under 18, a class is often more than help: it is a condition. In Georgia, a 16- or 17-year-old is approved by the Office of Adult Education only after enrolling in a state-approved adult education program, attending at least 40 hours, taking assessments and reaching a readiness score. In Texas, a 17-year-old must have left school, unless the GED prep program is an approved one run inside the school. Michigan lets graduates of the Michigan National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program test from 16 once they are no longer enrolled in high school. Arizona asks no class but three documents 30 days before the test, including a notarized parent form. The requirements page gives the age rules of each state.
If you cannot attend a class
Work, child care or transport can make a weekly class impossible. In that case, ask the local adult education office whether it offers distance learning with a teacher by phone or video, which some programs do, and whether its voucher still applies. Then build your own routine: a fixed hour on fixed days, one subject at a time, and a practice test before each booking. Our free practice questions are a starting point to find the subject that needs a teacher most.