The neutral comparison

GED or HiSET? The comparison neither maker will print.

Two tests, one credential. The GED test (from GED Testing Service) and the HiSET exam (from PSI) both earn the same state-issued diploma — but they differ in shape, in price mechanics, and in retake terms, and each maker publishes only its own side. This is the side-by-side, from the official sources, checked 2026-10-20.

The shape of each test

	The GED test	The HiSET exam
Parts	4 subjects: Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, Science	5 subtests: Math, Reading, Writing, Science, Social Studies
Format	Computer-only	Computer, with a paper option at many centers
Passing	145 per subject (165 College Ready · 175 College Ready + Credit)	8 per subtest with a combined floor and a writing minimum — your state page carries the current rule
Retakes	One discounted retake per subject at a center (the $26 test-maker fee waived); online retakes full price; 60-day wait after a third attempt	2 retakes per subtest included within 12 months — you pay only the center fee (or the at-home proctor fee)
Where	49 jurisdictions in this dataset rely on it (25 GED-only, 24 both)	Offered in 26 jurisdictions here (24 both, plus HiSET-only Iowa and Maine)

The retake wedge nobody surfaces

The single biggest practical difference hides in the retake line. A HiSET battery builds two retakes per subtest into the first year; a GED battery discounts exactly one center retake per subject and charges full price online. In a both-test state where you expect a fight in one subject, that difference can be worth more than the sticker difference. The Path Checker prices both doors in your state, worst case included.

Which states force the choice

Iowa and Maine are HiSET-only — there is no GED test to choose there, whatever older pages say. Twenty-four states offer both; the rest are GED-only. Your state's exact position, fees and online status live on its state page.

The working papers

The guides are the map. The Pass Plan is the paperwork: your dated calendar, the trackers, and the retake worksheet for your state.

Included in the $19 Pass Plan

The retake-budget worksheet for your state: the first-attempt cost, the discounted-retake math, and the worst-case total — filled from your state's real rules, so a bad day is a number you already know, not a surprise
The score-report reader: sample reports decoded line by line — what the band means, what the content flags point at, and the next three moves for each

See the $19 Pass Plan