HiSET exam: the program’s cost in each of the 24 states that offer it
Five subtests, priced by the state. In the middle state the whole HiSET costs $120; in four states it is free.
HiSET cost in North Carolina
$90
North Carolina publishes no discount on this test.
| Price per subtest | $18 |
| First attempts (5 subtests) | $90 |
| Rank, cheapest first | 7 of 23 |
Fees from the North Carolina page of hiset.org, read on October 22, 2026.
Prepared by Radif Partners · Method · fees and rules read on ged.com and hiset.org on October 22, 2026
The HiSET is the other high school equivalency test, run by ETS. 24 states offer it in 2026, and Iowa and Maine offer nothing else. It has five subtests: math, science, social studies, language arts reading and language arts writing, each booked and paid on its own. At a test center the whole test costs $120 in the middle state, from $90 in Hawaii, Iowa, North Carolina and Wyoming to $190 in California, where a one-time $20 state fee comes on top of $34 a subtest. Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi and Pennsylvania pay the first attempt for residents or everyone. Testing at home costs more, usually $41 a subtest, and five states list no at-home option. A retake is cheaper than on the GED: you pay the full fee only on the first and fourth attempt of a subtest; the second and third cost only the center or proctoring fee. To pass you need 8 of 20 on each subtest, 45 of 100 in total and 2 of 6 on the essay.
Price per subtest in every HiSET state
The table lists the 24 states in alphabetical order with the price of one subtest at a test center (computer), the price at home with an online proctor, any state fee paid once, and whether the state publishes a discount or voucher program. Paper tests cost the same as computer tests in most states, with three exceptions: Colorado charges $35.50 on paper, Hawaii $28, and New Mexico $18 on paper against $26 on computer.
| State | Test center | At home | State fee, once | Help |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $34 | $43 | $20 | yes |
| Colorado | $32.50 | $48.50 | ||
| Georgia | $34 | $49 | yes | |
| Hawaii | $18 | $41 | ||
| Illinois | $26 | $41 | ||
| Indiana | set by center | not listed | yes | |
| Iowa | $18 | $41 | ||
| Louisiana | $24 | $41 | $10 | |
| Maine | $60 | not listed | yes | |
| Massachusetts | set by center | not listed | yes | |
| Michigan | $26 | $41 | $30 | |
| Minnesota | $28 | $41 | yes | |
| Mississippi | set by center | not listed | yes | |
| Missouri | $22 | $32.50 | $10 | |
| Montana | $28 | not listed | ||
| Nevada | $23 | $41 | ||
| New Hampshire | $28 | $51 | ||
| New Mexico | $26 | $41 | yes | |
| North Carolina | $18 | $41 | ||
| Ohio | $26 | $41 | yes | |
| Oklahoma | $33 | $48.50 | ||
| Pennsylvania | $26 | $41 | yes | |
| Tennessee | $23 | $41 | yes | |
| Wyoming | $18 | $41 |
Your HiSET total
HiSET cost in Missouri
$120
| Price per subtest | $22 |
| First attempts (5 subtests) | $110 |
| State fee, paid once | $10 |
| Rank, cheapest first | 12 of 23 |
What the price is made of
A HiSET price per subtest combines a test fee that goes to ETS, usually $18, and a center or state fee that varies. That split matters for retakes: on the second and third attempt of a subtest you pay only the part that is not the test fee. In Missouri a subtest costs $22 at a center, of which $15 is the test fee, so a second attempt costs $7. Missouri, Louisiana and Michigan also charge a yearly state fee of $10, $10 and $30, paid at the first subtest of the year.
Where the state pays
Four states take the whole first attempt off the bill. Maine charges no fee to its residents. Massachusetts pays the first test in each subject plus two retakes. Mississippi pays the HiSET and two retests per subtest since July 1, 2026. Pennsylvania covers up to five subtests for residents with a public code. Others run voucher programs you must qualify for: Tennessee’s covers all costs for people in local adult education, Ohio gives $80 vouchers, Georgia, New Mexico, California and Indiana have their own. The free testing page sets out each program.
Passing and readiness
Each subtest is scored from 1 to 20. You pass with at least 8 on every subtest, at least 45 of 100 on the five together and at least 2 of 6 on the essay that is part of the writing subtest. A score of 15 on a subtest and 4 on the essay marks college and career readiness. The HiSET scores page checks a set of scores, and the HiSET practice questions cover all five subjects.
Booking, paying and retaking at home
Each subtest is booked and paid in your HiSET account, one at a time or several together, in the order you choose. Nothing obliges you to take the five in one week: many people start with the subject they feel surest about, then move on. At home, the price of a subtest includes an online proctoring fee of $23 on top of the test fee, so a second or third attempt at home costs $23 wherever the full price is $41. Before booking at home, check the equipment rules on hiset.org and whether your state lists the option at all. If your state pays the first attempt, read its conditions first: Pennsylvania and Maine limit the offer to residents, and Mississippi gives one promo code per subtest.
Times and languages
Math takes 90 minutes, science 80, social studies 70, reading 65 (80 in Spanish) and writing 120, multiple choice plus the essay. The test exists in English and Spanish, on paper, on computer, and at home where the state allows it. Each state sets its own age and residency rules; Ohio, for instance, asks HiSET testers to be residents and allows 16 to 18 year olds under conditions.