What Is The ACT WorkKeys NCRC? (Score Benchmarks)

The ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) is a workforce credential based on three ACT WorkKeys assessments: Applied Math, Workplace Documents, and Graphic Literacy. Each assessment receives a skill level from 3 to 7. Your certificate tier depends on the lowest of your three levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.

If you are comparing a job posting, training program, or workforce requirement with your scores, the tier names can look like grades or a single combined result. They are not. You need to know the minimum level for each test, then check what the organization you are applying to actually requires.

In my advising work, I explain the key point this way: a strong result in one area does not make up for a lower result in another. Below is a practical guide to the score benchmarks, how to identify your qualifying tier, and how to use the credential accurately.

ACT WorkKeys NCRC: Credential Overview and Score Benchmarks

The ACT WorkKeys NCRC is a professional workforce credential. It shows that you met set skill-level benchmarks on three WorkKeys assessments. It is not a college degree, college-admissions test, academic credit award, or occupational license. Its value depends on how an employer or program uses it.

The three assessments focus on skills used in many workplace settings. Applied Math covers using mathematical reasoning to solve work-related problems. Workplace Documents measures how well you understand and use written information. Graphic Literacy focuses on reading and interpreting information shown in graphics, such as charts or diagrams.

The NCRC reports a tier based on the lowest qualifying skill level across all three tests. It does not average the scores. For example, a Level 5 in two assessments and Level 4 in the third meets the Silver benchmark, because all three are at least Level 4.

A certificate can help you describe assessed foundational skills to an employer. It does not show that you have mastered every task in a particular job. Pair it with relevant work, training, or other evidence when an application asks about your qualifications.

Required Assessments, Skill Levels, and Certificate Requirements

Each of the three required WorkKeys assessments has a skill level from 3 to 7. To earn an NCRC tier, you must reach its minimum level on every assessment. The lowest of your three results sets your tier; a higher result in one test cannot offset a lower result in another.

A Level 7 result does not create a tier above Platinum. It can still be useful information about a strength, but the highest NCRC tier remains Platinum.

Example: Suppose your results are Applied Math Level 5, Workplace Documents Level 4, and Graphic Literacy Level 6. Your lowest result is Level 4, so you meet the Silver benchmark. You do not meet Gold yet, because every assessment must reach Level 5.

If one result is below the minimum for a tier, you have not met that tier’s benchmark. Check the official score report and the rules of the employer, state workforce agency, apprenticeship, or training program. It may ask for a particular tier or set its own assessment-specific cutoff.

Preparation, Testing, and Using the NCRC Effectively

Preparation begins with the requirement you are trying to meet. Find out the target tier and whether the organization names a specific assessment cutoff. Then compare that target with all three of your results. This keeps your study effort focused on the gap that matters.

Use this four-step process:

• Identify the target. Read the job, apprenticeship, or program requirements. If the posting is unclear, ask the employer or program contact which NCRC tier or WorkKeys levels it accepts.
• Check your starting point. Review your score report, or use available WorkKeys practice materials to see which skill area needs work. Do not assume your strongest area is the one that will determine your tier.
• Prepare for the lowest area. If two scores already meet your target and one does not, focus first on the area below the required level. Practice with materials that match the assessment and the types of skills it measures.
• Complete and document the assessments. Confirm that all three results meet your intended benchmark. Keep the official score report or certificate, and follow the testing provider’s instructions for accessing or sharing it.

A useful planning check is to write down the target beside each assessment. For a Gold target, for example, the required level is 5 in Applied Math, 5 in Workplace Documents, and 5 in Graphic Literacy. If your current levels are 5, 4, and 5, Workplace Documents is the score to address first.

Do not rely on a tier name alone when an organization gives more detailed instructions. A program may ask for a specific level on one assessment, or use its own selection rules. The NCRC benchmark tells you what tier your scores support; the receiving organization tells you whether that tier meets its requirement.

WorkKeys NCRC Score Examples: How the Lowest Level Sets Your Tier

These examples are illustrative, not reports from actual candidates. They show how the NCRC benchmark works when results differ across the three assessments. In each case, compare every result with the target; do not add or average the levels.

Scenario 1: Aiming for Silver. Jordan has levels 4, 3, and 5. The results do not meet Silver because one assessment is below Level 4. If Jordan later meets Level 4 in that assessment, all three results meet the Silver benchmark.

Scenario 2: Aiming for Platinum. Riley has levels 7, 6, and 5. The Level 7 does not lift the overall tier to Platinum, because one result is below Level 6. Riley would need to meet Level 6 in the third assessment to reach the Platinum benchmark.

These examples can help you read a score report, but the next step is always to compare your results with the receiving organization’s stated requirements. A tier is a benchmark, not a promise of selection.

Workforce Recognition and NCRC Limitations

The NCRC can help communicate assessed workplace skills, but employers and programs decide how they use it. A certificate does not guarantee employment, prove skill in a specific occupation, replace required training or licenses, or automatically earn college credit. Confirm the receiving organization’s policy before relying on it.

When an application requests the NCRC, report the tier and provide documentation as instructed. You can also note relevant assessment strengths, especially when they connect to the role. For example, a strong Applied Math result may be relevant to work that uses measurements, but it does not by itself prove you can perform every task in that job.

Treat the NCRC as one part of your qualifications, alongside experience, training, and any required credentials. Do not describe it as an academic degree or occupational license. If a college or training program says it may count toward a requirement, ask that institution directly what it accepts and what documentation it needs.

Before submitting an application, confirm three things: the target tier, whether the organization has extra cutoffs, and how it wants proof of your result. That simple check can prevent a mismatch between your certificate and the requirement.

ACT WorkKeys NCRC FAQs

These quick answers explain common questions about NCRC levels, test requirements, and how to present the credential. Always check the score report and the receiving organization’s rules, since an employer or program may set requirements beyond the standard tier benchmarks.

What does NCRC stand for?

NCRC stands for National Career Readiness Certificate. It is a workforce credential based on ACT WorkKeys assessment results. The certificate has four tiers, from Bronze through Platinum, and the tier depends on the lowest qualifying level across three required assessments.

Which assessments do I need for the NCRC?

You need results for Applied Math, Workplace Documents, and Graphic Literacy. Each assessment measures a different foundational workplace skill area. A result from only one or two assessments is not enough to determine whether you meet an NCRC tier benchmark.

What is the minimum score for a Bronze NCRC?

Bronze requires at least Level 3 on all three assessments. A Level 3 in one assessment does not qualify if another result is below Level 3. Compare each of your results with the Bronze threshold before describing your certificate tier.

What scores do I need for Silver, Gold, or Platinum?

Silver requires at least Level 4 on all three assessments. Gold requires at least Level 5 on all three. Platinum requires at least Level 6 on all three. A higher result in one area cannot make up for a result below the target in another.

Are NCRC scores averaged?

No. The tier is set by the lowest qualifying result across Applied Math, Workplace Documents, and Graphic Literacy. For example, results of 5, 4, and 6 meet the Silver benchmark, because all three assessments are at least Level 4.

Can a Level 7 score earn a tier above Platinum?

No. Platinum is the highest NCRC tier, and it requires Level 6 or higher on all three assessments. A Level 7 result may show a strength in that assessment, but it does not create a higher certificate tier.

Does the NCRC guarantee that I will get a job?

No. The NCRC shows that you met specified assessment benchmarks. It does not guarantee a job or prove that you can perform every task in a particular occupation. Employers decide how they weigh the credential with other qualifications.

Is the NCRC a college degree, license, or college credit?

No. It is a workforce credential, not a degree, occupational license, or automatic award of college credit. If a college or program says it may recognize the credential, ask that institution how its policy applies to you.

How should I list the NCRC on an application?

Use the tier shown on your official documentation, and follow the application’s instructions for submitting proof. If the application asks for assessment levels, report them accurately. Connect relevant strengths to the role without presenting the credential as a license or degree.

What should I do if my scores do not meet the tier I need?

Find the assessment result below your target, then review practice materials for that skill area. Before retesting or applying, confirm the required tier, any extra cutoffs, and the testing provider’s instructions. Focus on meeting the stated benchmark across all three assessments.

(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Nathan Sterling. Visit our Meet the Team page.)