Government job exams and free practice tests
Many government jobs start with a written test or a certification exam. Below: the common ones, who takes them, and a free practice test for each on our partner site Quibank (no sign-up). Further down, the named entrance exam each state uses, from the state's own hiring pages.
Corrections
Corrections officer entrance test
Written tests state prisons and county jails use to screen officer applicants: reading, report writing, judgment and basic math.
Free practice test → · Corrections Officer pay and requirements
Law enforcement
Police officer entrance exam
Entrance exams for police, sheriff and state trooper applicants: reading, writing, reasoning and situational judgment.
Border Patrol entrance exam
The written entrance exam for U.S. Border Patrol agent applicants.
Fire & EMS
Firefighter written exam
Written tests fire departments give applicants: mechanical reasoning, reading, math and spatial awareness.
EMT certification (NREMT)
The national EMT certification exam most states require for EMTs, and many fire departments require for firefighters.
Advanced EMT certification (NREMT)
The national Advanced EMT exam.
Paramedic certification (NREMT)
The national paramedic exam for public and private EMS agencies.
Administration
Civil service clerical exam
Clerical tests state and city civil service systems use for office jobs: spelling, filing, grammar and arithmetic.
Postal Service
Postal exam (USPS Virtual Entry Assessment)
The assessment USPS uses for mail carrier, clerk and mail handler applicants.
Transit & public works
CDL knowledge test
The commercial driver's license knowledge test needed for bus operators, snowplow and public works drivers.
Utilities
Water treatment operator exam
State certification exams for drinking-water treatment operators at public utilities.
Wastewater operator exam
State certification exams for wastewater treatment plant operators.
Courts
Court interpreter exam
Written and oral exams state courts use to certify court interpreters.
Military
ASVAB
The military entrance test; scores also count toward some public safety hiring preferences.
Prerequisite
GED
Most government jobs require a high school diploma or GED, including most state corrections officer jobs.
Corrections Officer entrance exams by state
The named test on each state's hiring pages. "None named" means the official pages list no named written exam (some states test inside the interview or academy instead).
| State | Entrance exam |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Basic Ability Test (BAT) / ACT WorkKeys[join.doc.alabama.gov] |
| Alaska | None named |
| Arizona | None named |
| Arkansas | None named |
| California | Correctional Officer Written Examination[cdcr.ca.gov] |
| Colorado | None named |
| Connecticut | Correction Officer Physical Ability Test (COPAT)[portal.ct.gov] |
| Delaware | None named |
| Florida | Criminal Justice Basic Abilities Test (CJBAT); State Officer Certification Exam (SOCE)[fldocjobs.com] |
| Georgia | POST Entrance Examination (Accuplacer); GDC integrity test[jobs.gdc.ga.gov] |
| Hawaii | ACO written test + Correctional Officer Physical Abilities Test (COPAT)[dcr.hawaii.gov] |
| Idaho | Physical Readiness Test (PRT)[idoc.idaho.gov] |
| Illinois | COT screening: TABE + Physical Agility Test + Observation Examination + Structured Oral Interview[idoc.illinois.gov] |
| Indiana | None named |
| Iowa | Psychological tests[das.iowa.gov] |
| Kansas | Corrections Officer Test[doc.ks.gov] |
| Kentucky | None named |
| Louisiana | None named |
| Maine | Physical Agility Test (PAT)[maine.gov] |
| Maryland | Correctional Officer Entrance Exam |
| Massachusetts | Correction Officer I Examination (Civil Service, HRD)[mass.gov] |
| Michigan | None named |
| Minnesota | None named |
| Mississippi | None named |
| Missouri | None named |
| Montana | None named |
| Nebraska | None named |
| Nevada | None named |
| New Hampshire | None named |
| New Jersey | None named |
| New Mexico | None named |
| New York | Correction Officer Trainee exam (No. 20-615010; Spanish Language 20-616010)[cs.ny.gov] |
| North Carolina | None named |
| North Dakota | None named |
| Ohio | Correction officer assessment[dam.assets.ohio.gov] |
| Oklahoma | None named |
| Oregon | National Testing Network (NTN) REACT test[oregon.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com] |
| Pennsylvania | None named |
| Rhode Island | Correctional Officer written examination[doc.ri.gov] |
| South Carolina | None named |
| South Dakota | None named |
| Tennessee | None named |
| Texas | None named |
| Utah | UDC physical fitness test[utdgohcm.csod.com] |
| Vermont | None named |
| Virginia | None named |
| Washington | Psychological Battery[doc.wa.gov] |
| West Virginia | None named |
| Wisconsin | None named |
| Wyoming | None named |