Free GED Classes Through Public Adult Education

Yes, public adult education runs free GED classes in most states, and Florida and Washington charge only a small fee. You qualify if you are 16 or older, out of high school and without a diploma. Search your ZIP code in the National Literacy Directory today, call the nearest program and ask for the next intake date. GED Testing Service tells test takers to plan on two to three months of preparation.

The class is free in most states; the official test usually is not. The GED is four subject tests, and each state sets the price per subject: $36 in Illinois and Ohio, $41 in California, nothing in New York or West Virginia. In many states the full set costs $144.

How public adult education classes work

School districts, community colleges, libraries and nonprofits run the classes. Each state's lead adult education agency receives a federal grant under the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, which is Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and funds these local programs. Classes cover reading, writing, math and high school equivalency preparation, and they are open to the public. They are free in most states; Florida's school-district and state college programs charge adult general education block tuition of $45 per half year or $30 per term, and Washington's community and technical colleges charge $25 a quarter, which a college can waive if you cannot pay.

The federal rule on who can enroll is short. You must be at least 16, not enrolled in high school, and either lack a high school diploma, need help with basic skills, or be learning English. A parent, spouse or adult child who left school years ago fits the same rule.

Expect a reading and math test in your first weeks. Federally funded programs give you a placement test when you start and test again after a set number of class hours to measure progress. Your score places you in GED preparation or, if you need to rebuild skills first, in Adult Basic Education at the same program.

Directory listings show the program's Instruction Type (In-person, Online or both) and a Cost Info line, so you can spot online classes and fees before you call. A state can also run its own online program: Indiana Online Only is fully state-funded, free to Indiana residents and self-paced.

What the GED test costs and how it works

The GED has four subject tests: Mathematical Reasoning (115 minutes), Reasoning Through Language Arts (150 minutes, including a 45-minute essay), Social Studies (70 minutes) and Science (90 minutes), about seven hours in all. You take them one at a time and space them out as you like. A score of 145 passes each subject, and you earn your high school equivalency once all four are at 145 or higher.

Each state sets its own price per subject, and the online price can differ from the test-center price. Current prices from GED Testing Service:

State	At a test center	Online from home	What else to know
California	$41 per subject	$41	Minimum age 18
Texas	$36.25 per subject	$42.25	State pays the fees for eligible residents 21 and older, while funding lasts, through the local Adult Education and Literacy program
Illinois	$36 per subject	$36	$26 off each subject while state funding lasts, using the promo code on the Illinois page
Ohio	$36 per subject	$36	First-time testers get a voucher worth up to $80 after career guidance from a Career-Technical Planning District
Massachusetts	$36 per subject, free while state funds last	No online price listed	Enter MAFREEGED1 for the first test and the second retake, MARETAKE for the first retake.
New York	Free	In person only	Minimum age 19
Connecticut	Free, plus a $13 registration fee	In person only	Minimum age 19
West Virginia	Free	In person only	Pass GED Ready, free, at an approved adult learning program before you can schedule

The official practice test, GED Ready, costs $7.99 per subject or $25.99 for all four. It is required for online testing. At a test center it is optional in California and Texas and required in Connecticut and West Virginia. If you fail a subject at a test center, the retake is discounted: California charges a $15 test-center fee and Texas $16.25. In both states an online retake costs the full price.

Taking the test online

Most states let you take the GED from home with a live proctor watching through your webcam. You need a computer with a webcam, a private room with a closed door, a government-issued photo ID, and a green score on GED Ready for that subject within the last 60 days. Green means you are likely to pass. Proctors work 24 hours a day, so you can book a late-night slot after work.

Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, New York, West Virginia and Wyoming offer the GED in person only. Indiana suspended online proctored testing on July 1, 2025, except for adult education students who qualify for modified testing conditions.

Age rules

The usual minimum age is 18. Some states let 16- and 17-year-olds test with extra paperwork, such as an official withdrawal from school, permission from the former school district and a parent's consent. New York, Connecticut and West Virginia set the minimum at 19 unless you qualify for an exception.

States that use HiSET

Some states use a different exam, HiSET, which has five subtests instead of four. Iowa and Maine use HiSET only. Several states, including California and Illinois, offer both the GED and HiSET.

What to do today

Search the directory. Go to the National Literacy Directory, enter your ZIP code, pick a distance from 5 to 25 miles, and choose Study for my high school equivalency exam. Open two or three listings and write down the phone number, Cost Info and Instruction Type. To talk to a person instead, call the directory at 1-877-389-6874.
Call the program. Ask for the next intake date, the class schedule and what to bring. Use the script below.
Look up your state's test rules. Pick your state on the GED price and state rules page to see the price per subject, the age rule and whether online testing is offered. In a HiSET state, use the HiSET state requirements page.
Create a free GED.com account. You buy GED Ready, schedule each subject and see your scores there. Before you pay, ask your teacher whether a state voucher or discount applies to you.
Get a referral if nothing fits. Call CareerOneStop at 1-877-872-5627 or use the American Job Center Finder, and ask the nearest center for local adult basic education or GED classes.

What to say when you call

"Hi, I live in [city and ZIP code] and want to study for the GED. When is your next intake or orientation? Do you have [evening, daytime or online] classes? What should I bring to the first visit? Does your program help students get state test vouchers or GED Ready practice tests?"

Calling for a family member? Ask which steps the student must complete in person.

Where it splits

If you are under 18 (under 19 in New York, Connecticut or West Virginia): get an official withdrawal from your last school first, then follow your state's page for consent and approval forms. In New York, an Age Eligibility form signed by an authorized official goes to the state HSE office, and approval comes before you can schedule.
If the placement test puts you below GED level: start in Adult Basic Education. It is the same program, built to prepare adults for a high school credential program.
If you live in Iowa or West Virginia: enroll in adult education before you test. Iowa requires enrollment in one of its 15 community college adult education programs, classroom instruction and an official HiSET practice test, and test centers turn away anyone not enrolled. West Virginia accepts only GED Ready scores from an approved adult learning program; find one at wvde.us/adult-education or call 800-642-2670.

Ways to pay less for the test

State vouchers: GED Testing Service lists free testing, with conditions, in Alaska, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia, and discounts in Arkansas, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, North Dakota and Ohio. Massachusetts pays for your first test and two retakes in each subject while funding lasts. The table gives the conditions for Texas, Illinois, Ohio and Massachusetts; elsewhere, ask your teacher which conditions apply before you pay.
Free HiSET in Maine: Maine residents pay no fee for any HiSET attempt, first try or retest, with proof of residency.
Your employer: some companies cover GED preparation and testing for employees through GEDWorks. Your GED.com account shows whether your employer takes part.
Retakes at a test center: in states with discounted retakes, such as California and Texas, retake a failed subject in person to pay the reduced price.

After you pass, our guides cover WIOA job-training funding, paid apprenticeships and Pell Grant eligibility for college.

Today

Search the National Literacy Directory by ZIP code and pick two programs.
Call both and ask for the next intake date.
Look up your state's price per subject, age rule and online testing on GED.com.

Next comes intake: the program gives you a reading and math test and places you in a class. When your GED Ready scores turn green, book one subject at a time. Scores usually post to your GED.com account within 24 hours of each test.