VO2 max norms by age and sex
An average (50th percentile) VO2 max is 45.4 mL/kg/min for men and 35.6 for women aged 20–29, and it falls with age: 34.8 and 25.9 at 40–49. The top 10% starts at 57.8 (men) and 47.3 (women) in the same age band.
Men: VO2 max percentiles (mL/kg/min)
| Percentile | 20–29 | 30–39 | 40–49 | 50–59 | 60–69 | 70–79 | 80–89 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90th | 57.8 | 54.3 | 49.5 | 42.7 | 36.4 | 29.6 | 23.6 |
| 80th | 54.2 | 48.7 | 44.0 | 37.5 | 31.6 | 26.3 | 21.8 |
| 70th | 50.9 | 45.1 | 40.0 | 34.1 | 28.7 | 23.9 | 20.4 |
| 60th | 48.2 | 41.9 | 37.2 | 31.8 | 26.5 | 22.3 | 18.8 |
| 50th | 45.4 | 38.6 | 34.8 | 29.4 | 24.4 | 20.6 | 17.7 |
| 40th | 42.8 | 35.9 | 32.1 | 27.2 | 22.8 | 19.3 | 16.7 |
| 30th | 39.2 | 32.8 | 29.7 | 25.3 | 20.8 | 17.6 | 16.1 |
| 20th | 34.8 | 29.4 | 26.9 | 22.7 | 18.6 | 16.0 | 15.3 |
| 10th | 28.8 | 25.0 | 22.9 | 19.2 | 16.1 | 13.6 | 13.2 |
Women: VO2 max percentiles (mL/kg/min)
| Percentile | 20–29 | 30–39 | 40–49 | 50–59 | 60–69 | 70–79 | 80–89 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90th | 47.3 | 41.1 | 37.5 | 31.8 | 27.3 | 22.8 | 19.9 |
| 80th | 44.1 | 36.2 | 32.8 | 28.4 | 24.1 | 20.6 | 18.0 |
| 70th | 41.2 | 33.3 | 29.8 | 26.4 | 22.2 | 19.2 | 16.6 |
| 60th | 38.0 | 30.7 | 27.7 | 24.7 | 20.8 | 18.2 | 15.5 |
| 50th | 35.6 | 28.3 | 25.9 | 23.1 | 19.4 | 17.1 | 15.1 |
| 40th | 32.7 | 26.4 | 24.2 | 21.7 | 18.3 | 16.1 | 14.3 |
| 30th | 29.9 | 24.3 | 22.2 | 20.3 | 17.0 | 15.3 | 13.4 |
| 20th | 26.6 | 22.1 | 20.0 | 18.7 | 15.5 | 14.1 | 12.4 |
| 10th | 22.2 | 19.2 | 17.4 | 16.6 | 13.5 | 12.3 | 11.4 |
Treadmill cardiopulmonary exercise tests of healthy US adults. Kaminsky LA, Arena R, Myers J, et al. Updated reference standards for cardiorespiratory fitness measured with cardiopulmonary exercise testing: data from the Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise National Database (FRIEND). Mayo Clin Proc. 2022;97(2):285-293.
Norms for each field test
Each test guide converts these percentiles into the distance, time or level you need for your age and sex:
- Beep test norms · calculator
- Cooper test norms · calculator
- Yo-Yo test norms · calculator
- Balke test norms · calculator
- 2.4 km test norms · calculator
Military fitness standards
Armed forces rarely test VO2 max directly; they set run times that map to an approximate VO2 max. As summarised in our article Military VO2 Max Standards (Plus Elite Tiers):
| Force | Men (mL/kg/min) | Women (mL/kg/min) |
|---|---|---|
| US Army / Navy / Air Force (minimum) | 42–45 | 35–38 |
| US Marines | 45–48 | 38–41 |
| Special Forces | 50+ | 45+ |
| British Army | 44+ | 36+ |
| Canadian Forces | 41+ | 35+ |
| Australian Defence Force | 45+ | 38+ |
Approximate VO2 max equivalents of entry-level fitness standards; official tests measure run times and other events, not VO2 max.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good VO2 max for my age?
Above the 50th percentile for your age and sex is better than average. In the FRIEND reference values the 50th percentile for ages 20–29 is 45.4 mL/kg/min for men and 35.6 for women; for ages 40–49 it is 34.8 and 25.9.
What VO2 max puts me in the top 10%?
The 90th percentile: 57.8 mL/kg/min for men aged 20–29 and 47.3 for women aged 20–29, falling with age (49.5 and 37.5 at 40–49).
Where do these numbers come from?
From the FRIEND registry (Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise National Database), which collects treadmill cardiopulmonary exercise tests from healthy US adults (Kaminsky et al., 2022).