You measure your vertical jump, look up your result, and find three websites giving you three different answers. One calls your score average. Another calls it excellent. A third makes it sound as though everyone should be dunking.
The problem may be the comparison, not your jump.
A good vertical jump depends on your age, the comparison group, and how somebody measured. The useful question is whether your result compares well with people tested under similar conditions, not whether it matches a highlight reel.
Below, you will find age-specific benchmarks, a simple testing method, and practical ways to interpret your score without turning one number into a judgment about your fitness.
What Is a Good Vertical Jump for My Age?
Men’s Benchmarks
Men: standing vertical jump rated “Good” by ACE
| Age group | Jump height in inches | Jump height in centimetres |
| 15–19 years | 46–50 inches | 18.1–19.7 cm |
| 20–29 years | 48–53 inches | 18.9–20.9 cm |
| 30-39 years | 40–45 inches | 15.7–17.7 cm |
| 40-49 years | 32–35 inches | 12.6–13.8 cm |
| 50-59 years | 28–33 inches | 11.0–13.0 cm |
| 60-69 years | 25–28 inches | 9.8–11.0 cm |
Women’s Benchmarks
Women: standing vertical jump rated “Good” by ACE
| Age group | Jump height in inches | Jump height in centimeters |
| 15–19 years | 12.6–13.8 inches | 32–35 cm |
| 20–29 years | 11.4–13.0 inches | 29–33 cm |
| 30–39 years | 11.0–12.2 inches | 28–31 cm |
| 40–49 years | 9.1–10.2 inches | 23–26 cm |
| 50–59 year | 6.3–7.9 inches | 16–20 cm |
| 60–69 years | 4.3–5.5 inches | 11–14 cm |
Source: ACE Vertical Jump Assessment Protocol, citing Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription, eighth edition, 2019. Inch conversions are rounded; use centimetres near category boundaries.
These are reference categories, not population averages, medical standards, or athletic qualification requirements. The upper number is not a ceiling: the source also includes higher categories.
How to Read Your Result Without Overreacting
Start by separating three different questions:
- How do I compare with this reference group? Use a matching test and age category.
- Am I improving? Compare your own results under consistent conditions.
- Am I ready for my sport or a harder training program? A jump-height chart cannot answer that by itself.
Those questions can lead to different conclusions. You might score well against a general fitness reference but still have a sport-specific goal to work toward. You might also score below a category while making steady progress from your own starting point.
Neither situation makes the chart useless. It simply means the chart has a specific job.
Also, “good” does not automatically mean “above the 50th percentile.” A performance label and a population percentile are different things. Without the appropriate percentile data, you cannot use these categories to say exactly how many people you outperform.
Why Online Vertical-Jump Charts Disagree
Before trusting a benchmark, check what was measured and who was tested.
The Test May Be Different
A standing jump with a free arm swing is not interchangeable with a hands-on-hips countermovement jump. For example, research involving 1,835 children and adolescents used three force-platform jumps with hands on hips. Its results belong to that protocol and population. Focke and colleagues’ study
That distinction matters when a website copies research numbers into a chart without explaining the test.
The Comparison Group May Be Different
A group of trained basketball players answers a different question from a group of schoolchildren or recreational exercisers. Even an accurate number can mislead when its original context disappears.
Look for the age range, sex categories, activity level, and source. If a chart cannot tell you those things, treat its labels cautiously.
The Measurement Method May Be Different
A wall test measures the difference between standing reach and jumping reach. Other systems calculate jump height from flight time or force data. Changing methods can change what the result represents.
For tracking your own progress, consistency is more useful than collecting numbers from several devices and treating them as identical.
Standing Vertical, Running Vertical, and Box Jumps
These terms are often mixed, but they describe different tasks.
Standing vertical: You take off without an approach. The chart above applies to the specified standing wall-touch test.
Running or approaching vertically: You take steps before jumping. Record it separately, even if it is the jump you care about most for basketball or volleyball.
Squat jump: You begin from a held squat position and jump without a preliminary downward dip. Do not substitute its score into a countermovement-jump chart
Box jump: You land on an elevated surface. Clearing a 30-inch box does not establish a 30-inch vertical because pulling your legs upward helps you clear the box. Box height and vertical-jump height are not the same measurement.
The simplest rule is to label every result with the test used. “Standing wall test, arm swing allowed” tells you much more than “my vertical.”
How to Measure Your Vertical Jump at Home
If jumping causes pain, or if you have an injury, a balance concern, or a medical condition that affects exercise, get appropriate professional guidance before attempting a maximum-effort test.
Use clear space, adequate ceiling height, and a stable, nonslip exercise surface. Do not choose concrete merely because it is firm.
After warming up and practicing:
- Stand beside a wall, feet flat, and mark your highest one-handed standing reach.
- Without stepping, dip and jump, using your arms. Mark your highest touch.
- Complete three attempts and record the biggest difference between the marks.
This follows the basic ACE wall-test procedure.
For example, an 84-inch standing reach and a 102-inch jumping reach produce an 18-inch result:
102 − 84 = 18 inches
Do not lower your standing-reach mark to make the result look better. Keep your reaching effort consistent in both measurements.
Make the Next Test Comparable
Record the shoes, surface, warm-up, and test method. Note whether you tested before training or after a demanding session. One specific rule to remember is to allow yourself time to recover between attempts.
A simple log is enough: date, three attempts, best result, and a short note about the conditions.
Do not immediately redesign your training because of one disappointing test. First ask whether it was genuinely comparable with the previous one. Likewise, a tiny improvement on a roughly marked wall may be measurement variation rather than a meaningful change.
What About Children and Younger Teenagers?
Do not extend the adult and older-teen ranges downward by guessing.
Youth research uses age-specific samples and testing procedures. In the study described earlier, jump performance and measurement variability differed with age. Those findings are a reason to use appropriate youth references, not to assign a universal target to every child. Research on childhood and adolescent jump testing
For a younger athlete, ask their coach which test is being used and which reference group is relevant. Keep the discussion focused on learning, participation, and development rather than treating an online ranking as a verdict on potential.
The same principle applies outside the ages covered by a chart. A missing age group is a gap in that reference, not permission to invent another row.
Does Age Determine Your Jumping Potential?
An age chart is a comparison tool, not a forecast of your future.
It does not show how much one particular person will lose each decade. Nor does it establish an exact birthday when you reach your best possible jump.
Your training history also matters when choosing a useful next goal. Someone returning to sport after years away has a different starting point from someone who has trained and competed continuously. Their next steps should not be identical simply because they share an age bracket.
Instead of asking, “Should I jump as I did at 20?”, ask:
- Is maximum-effort jumping appropriate for me now?
- Can I perform the test comfortably and consistently?
- What am I trying to improve for my sport or daily activity?
- Would a qualified coach help me choose a suitable progression?
There is no obligation to chase a chart category. A sustainable training goal can be more useful than a comparison that does not fit your circumstances.
What If Your Vertical Jump Is Below Your Goal?
A disappointing score does not identify the cause. It cannot tell you, on its own, whether strength, movement skill, fatigue, or your training plan needs attention.
Start with an assessment of what you are actually doing.
Check Your Total Workload
Count practices, games, gym sessions, and extra jumping, not just the workouts labeled “vertical training.” The NSCA emphasizes that more plyometric work is not automatically better and that programming should account for an athlete’s existing sport demands. NSCA guidance on plyometric exercises
If your week is already crowded, adding another demanding program deserves careful thought. A coach can help decide whether something should be adjusted or removed first.
Match the Exercise to Your Experience
Do not select a drill solely because an impressive athlete performs it online. Exercise complexity, intensity, and volume need to fit the person doing the training. A UK Strength and Conditioning Association review discusses how those choices affect technique and the intended training response.
For someone new to jump training, learning controlled takeoffs and landings with suitable instruction is a more sensible starting conversation than choosing the highest box or hardest depth jump.
Give Your Plan a Clear Purpose
Ask what each part of the program is meant to address. Does it include suitable strength work? Jump practice? Recovery? Instructions for progressing or reducing the workload?
There is no reason to assume a single squat-to-bodyweight target can diagnose everyone’s limiting factor. Your training plan should reflect more than one test result.
How Much Improvement Should You Expect?
This article cannot responsibly promise you a particular number of inches.
A before-and-after result from another person does not tell us what you will achieve. Even a reported average from research would need context about the participants, training, and measurement method before applying it to you.
Be especially cautious when a program combines a large numerical promise with a short deadline. Ask how the results were measured, whether the results include some unsuccessful participants, and whether the claim describes typical outcomes or selected testimonials.
Our article on whether you can add 20 inches to your vertical jump explores why those promises need context.
Your more useful checkpoint is whether a suitable plan is producing repeatable progress while remaining manageable. That is a better basis for a decision than one spectacular testimonial.
Do You Need a Paid Vertical-Jump Program?
No. A chart result is not a shopping list.
You may prefer guidance from a qualified coach, a well-organized free plan, or a paid program. Before buying, check whether the material fits your experience, equipment, schedule, and support needs.
Look for clear exercise instruction, a manageable progression, and realistic explanations of what the program can and cannot provide. A refund policy is not evidence that a performance claim is true.
If you want to explore the options, our best vertical jump programs comparison is a starting point. You can also read the Vert Shock review or the Vert Shock vs Jump Manual comparison for closer looks at those choices.
Choose a program because it suits your needs, not because an online chart made you feel like you were behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a 20-inch vertical jump good?
It may be, but the number needs a test method and comparison group. A standing wall-touch result, an approach jump, and a box-jump height should not be interpreted the same way. Use the appropriate chart instead of a universal yes or no.
Does a below-average jump mean I am unfit?
No single jump result can summarize your fitness. It also cannot diagnose a medical problem or determine your athletic potential. Consider what you want the test to tell you before assigning too much importance to its ranking.
Can I use these charts to find out whether I can dunk?
Not directly. Dunking depends on how high you can jump on your approach and whether you can control the ball above the rim. Your standing reach matters, so two people with the same jump height can have different dunking prospects.
Should I retest every day?
For tracking progress, scheduled, comparable testing is more informative than chasing a personal best every day. Avoid testing yourself during a regular scheduled practice, and choose a retest schedule that fits your program and recovery.
What if two testing methods give different results?
Keep separate records. Do not average unlike measurements or assume the higher results score will be more accurate. For ongoing comparisons, use the same test, equipment, and conditions.
The Bottom Line
A useful vertical-jump benchmark gives your result context. It does not tell you your worth, your ceiling, or what you must buy next.
Choose the right comparison, measure consistently, and use the result to ask better questions about your training. Remember, your goal is not to be the chart. It is to better understand your starting point and to choose a sensible next step with the program.