Green Berets vs SEAL
Fitness test and pay side by side. The published minimum fitness standards of Green Berets and SEAL, event by event, with pay where we have it. Higher levels are in the paid report.
UNITED STATESMinimum standards, event by event
| Event | Green Berets | SEAL |
|---|---|---|
| 3-repetition maximum deadlift (MDL) | 150 lbonly this unit | — |
| Hand-release push-ups (HRP) | 15only this unit | — |
| Sprint-drag-carry (SDC) | 2:28only this unit | — |
| Plank (PLK) | 1:30only this unit | — |
| Two-mile run (2MR) | 19:57only this unit | — |
| 500 yd swim (side/breaststroke) | — | 12:30only this unit |
| Push-ups (2 min) | — | 50only this unit |
| Curl-ups (2 min) | — | 50only this unit |
| Pull-ups (no time limit) | — | 10only this unit |
| 1.5 mi run | — | 10:30only this unit |
Higher levels (e.g. competitive or elevated standards) and your gap to each are in the paid report.
Where the bar is higher
The two tests have no directly comparable events, so the minimums cannot be ranked against each other.
Green Berets tests 5 events, SEAL tests 5 events.
Pay
Amounts are in each country’s own currency and are not converted.
Questions
Is Green Berets or SEAL harder to get into?
The two tests have no directly comparable events, so the minimums cannot be ranked against each other. These are only the published fitness minimums; selection itself, medical and other requirements differ, and passing the minimum does not guarantee selection.
How do the Green Berets and SEAL fitness tests differ?
Green Berets: 5 events (deadlift, hr push-up, sdc, plank, 2-mile run). SEAL: 5 events (swim, push-ups, curl-ups, pull-ups, run 1.5mi).
Does Green Berets or SEAL pay more?
Green Berets: $7,639/month (E-6 · >8); SEAL: $6,901/month (E-5 · >3) (default scenarios, gross). The default scenarios use different ranks and seniority, so this is not a like-for-like comparison — set the same rank in the pay calculator on each unit page.
- Minimum — 60 points per event (ages 17–21) — Army Fitness Test Score Tables (approved 15 May 2025, effective 1 Jun 2025); Army Directive 2025-06, par. 4b(1) (2025-06-01)
- 350 total — 70 points in every event (ages 17–21) — Army Fitness Test Score Tables (70-point row, M|C 17–21); combat standard 350 — army.mil/aft, Army Directive 2025-06 (2025-06-01)
- Minimum — MILPERSMAN 1220-410 CH-77 (2021-12-03)
- Elevated (EPST) — navy.com — Navy SEAL (EPST) (2026-09-20)
- Average candidate (enlisted) — sealswcc.com — SEAL and SWCC PST Standards (2022-05-05) · APPROXIMATE