VO2 max by age
A good VO2 max for a man aged 20-29 is about 53.2 ml/kg/min (75th percentile), against a median of 46.5; 58.6 reaches the 90th. For a woman the same marks are 43.3, 36.6 and 49.0. All values are lab treadmill tests from the FRIEND registry of US adults.
VO₂max percentile calculator
Enter a VO₂max from a lab test or your watch, plus your sex and age.
Measured: these are directly measured VO2 max values, not estimates. The FRIEND registry pooled 16,278 maximal treadmill tests of apparently healthy US adults from 34 labs. It is a registry of people who were tested, not a random sample of the country, so read the percentiles as "among healthy adults who took a lab test". The site's mile and 1.5-mile norms are built from these same percentiles, so this page and the main calculator agree.
What is a good VO2 max?
There is no single official cut-off, so this page uses percentiles: the median is average, the 75th percentile is good and the 90th is excellent. VO2 max is in ml/kg/min (millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of bodyweight per minute), and the bar drops with every decade.
Men
| Age | Average (median) | Good (75th) | Excellent (90th) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-29 | 46.5 | 53.2 | 58.6 |
| 30-39 | 39.7 | 48.2 | 55.5 |
| 40-49 | 35.3 | 43.0 | 50.8 |
| 50-59 | 29.2 | 36.3 | 43.4 |
| 60-69 | 24.6 | 30.4 | 37.1 |
Women
| Age | Average (median) | Good (75th) | Excellent (90th) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-29 | 36.6 | 43.3 | 49.0 |
| 30-39 | 28.3 | 35.3 | 42.1 |
| 40-49 | 25.7 | 31.5 | 37.8 |
| 50-59 | 22.9 | 27.4 | 32.4 |
| 60-69 | 19.6 | 23.4 | 27.3 |
VO2 max chart by age: men
VO2 max needed to beat that share of men in the age band, in ml/kg/min. The 50th column is the median.
| Age | 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18-29 | 28.6 | 37.6 | 46.5 | 53.2 | 58.6 |
| 30-39 | 24.9 | 31.6 | 39.7 | 48.2 | 55.5 |
| 40-49 | 22.1 | 28.2 | 35.3 | 43.0 | 50.8 |
| 50-59 | 18.6 | 23.4 | 29.2 | 36.3 | 43.4 |
| 60-69 | 15.8 | 19.6 | 24.6 | 30.4 | 37.1 |
VO2 max chart by age: women
VO2 max needed to beat that share of women in the age band, in ml/kg/min.
| Age | 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18-29 | 22.5 | 29.0 | 36.6 | 43.3 | 49.0 |
| 30-39 | 18.6 | 23.0 | 28.3 | 35.3 | 42.1 |
| 40-49 | 17.2 | 20.8 | 25.7 | 31.5 | 37.8 |
| 50-59 | 16.5 | 19.3 | 22.9 | 27.4 | 32.4 |
| 60-69 | 13.4 | 16.2 | 19.6 | 23.4 | 27.3 |
The 10th, 50th and 90th columns are FRIEND's published deciles. The 25th and 75th are interpolated between neighbouring deciles. The calculator above blends neighbouring age bands, so a 34-year-old is ranked between the 30-39 row and the 20s rather than jumping a full decade on a birthday.
Average VO2 max by age
The median man has a VO2 max of 46.5 ml/kg/min in his 20s, 39.7 in his 30s, 35.3 in his 40s, 29.2 in his 50s and 24.6 in his 60s. The median woman goes from 36.6 to 28.3, 25.7, 22.9 and 19.6. Across six decades the FRIEND authors report an average treadmill decline of 13.5%, or 4.0 ml/kg/min, per decade. Training moves you up the chart at any age: how to increase VO2 max covers the intervals that work and what each gain is worth.
VO2 max of NCAA Division I athletes
Published lab VO2 max of D1 teams, as central estimates across the studies the site's research found. The last column is where that value would sit among all adults aged 18-29 of the same sex. Sports with no D1 testing are left out rather than guessed.
Men
| Sport | VO2 max | Data | Among men 18-29 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross country and distance running | 71.0 | Measured | the 99th percentile |
| Ice hockey | 57.0 | Measured | the 86th percentile |
| Swimming | 57.0 | Derived | the 86th percentile |
| Wrestling | 56.0 | Derived | the 84th percentile |
| Soccer | 55.0 | Measured | the 81st percentile |
| Tennis | 55.0 | Measured | the 81st percentile |
| Basketball | 52.0 | Measured | the 71st percentile |
| Track sprints | 52.0 | Derived | the 71st percentile |
| Football, skill (WR/DB) | 48.0 | Derived | the 56th percentile |
| Football, linemen (OL/DL) | 38.0 | Derived | the 26th percentile |
Women
| Sport | VO2 max | Data | Among women 18-29 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross country and distance running | 62.0 | Measured | the 99th percentile |
| Track middle distance | 54.0 | Derived | the 95th percentile |
| Swimming | 49.0 | Derived | the 90th percentile |
| Soccer | 48.0 | Measured | the 88th percentile |
| Rowing | 48.0 | Measured | the 88th percentile |
| Field hockey | 47.0 | Measured | the 86th percentile |
| Basketball | 45.0 | Derived | the 80th percentile |
| Track sprints | 45.0 | Derived | the 80th percentile |
| Volleyball | 43.0 | Derived | the 74th percentile |
The range is wide. Among men, the highest group is Cross country and distance running at about 71.0 and the lowest is Football, linemen (OL/DL) at about 38.0. Among women, Cross country and distance running is highest at about 62.0 and Volleyball lowest at about 43.0. The main calculator converts these sport values to mile times for its D1 comparison.
How to estimate VO2 max from a mile time
The site turns VO2 max into run times with one chain: an untrained adult holds about 85% of VO2 max through an all-out mile, and the ACSM running equation (VO2 = 0.2 × speed in m/min + 3.5) turns that into a pace. That share was fitted to measured mile times of US Army recruits. Run backwards, it gives a VO2 max estimate from a mile or 1.5-mile time. The ACSM equation is stated for speeds above 5 mph, so the estimate covers mile times from 4:00 to 12:00.
| Mile | 1.5 miles | Estimated VO2 max | Men 18-29 | Women 18-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00 | 9:13 | 67.2 | 98th | 99+ |
| 7:00 | 10:46 | 58.2 | 89th | 98th |
| 8:00 | 12:18 | 51.5 | 69th | 93rd |
| 9:00 | 13:50 | 46.2 | 49th | 84th |
| 10:00 | 15:22 | 42.0 | 37th | 71st |
| 11:00 | 16:54 | 38.5 | 27th | 58th |
| 12:00 | 18:27 | 35.7 | 21st | 47th |
Treat it as a population estimate. Trained runners are more economical than the recruits the chain was fitted to, so their real VO2 max is usually lower than this table says. Across mile times from 6:00 to 12:00, the estimate's percentile stays within 5 points of the percentile the mile calculator gives for the same run; automated tests check this.
How accurate is a watch VO2 max?
Close on average, loose for one person. A 2022 meta-analysis of 14 validation studies found that devices estimating VO2 max from exercise data had almost no average bias (-0.09 ml/kg/min), but limits of agreement of about -9.9 to +9.7 ml/kg/min. Devices relying on resting data overestimated by 2.17 ml/kg/min with limits of -13.1 to +17.4. A watch reading of 45 can mean a lab value anywhere from the mid-30s to the mid-50s, which spans most of a percentile chart. Cycle tests also read lower than treadmill tests, so compare a cycle result with care.
How this is calculated
The percentiles come from Kaminsky and colleagues (2022), the FRIEND registry's updated treadmill standards: 16,278 treadmill tests from 34 US labs between 1968 and 2021, adults aged 20 to 89. This page uses the 20-69 decades and applies the 20-29 row from age 18. Your percentile is computed by the same scoring code as every test in the main calculator.
As a cross-check, the national NHANES 1999-2004 survey estimated mean VO2 max at 44.5 for men and 36.5 for women aged 20-29, close to the FRIEND medians above. For ages 30-49 NHANES estimates run higher than FRIEND's, and a Norwegian study of 3,816 healthy adults found higher values at every age. FRIEND has the steepest age decline of these sources, so after 30 a given VO2 max may rank somewhat higher here than it would in those datasets.
VO2 max questions
What is a good VO2 max for my age?
Taking the 75th percentile as good: for men about 53.2 ml/kg/min at 18-29, 48.2 at 30-39, 43.0 at 40-49, 36.3 at 50-59 and 30.4 at 60-69. For women about 43.3, 35.3, 31.5, 27.4 and 23.4. These are lab treadmill values from the FRIEND registry.
What is the average VO2 max by age?
The median for men is 46.5 ml/kg/min at 18-29, 35.3 at 40-49 and 24.6 at 60-69. For women it is 36.6, 25.7 and 19.6. The FRIEND authors report an average decline of about 13.5% per decade on the treadmill.
What is a good VO2 max for a woman?
For a woman aged 18-29, 36.6 ml/kg/min is the median, 43.3 the 75th percentile and 49.0 the 90th. At 40-49 the same marks are 25.7, 31.5 and 37.8.
What is a good VO2 max for a man?
For a man aged 18-29, 46.5 ml/kg/min is the median, 53.2 the 75th percentile and 58.6 the 90th. At 40-49 the same marks are 35.3, 43.0 and 50.8.
How accurate is the VO2 max on my watch?
Good on average, rough for one person. A 2022 meta-analysis of 14 validation studies found that watches estimating VO2 max from exercise data were close on average (bias -0.09 ml/kg/min), but individual readings fell anywhere from about 10 below to 10 above the lab value. Devices using resting data overestimated by about 2 ml/kg/min on average with wider error.
Can I estimate my VO2 max from a mile time?
Roughly. The calculator above inverts the same model the site uses to turn VO2 max into mile times: a 9:00 mile works out to about 46.2 ml/kg/min, which is the 49th percentile for men aged 18-29. It is calibrated on untrained adults, so trained runners get an estimate that is too high, and it stops at a 12:00 mile because slower times include walking.
VO2 max is one part of fitness. Get your overall athleticism rank across strength, power, agility and endurance; the mile there is scored from these same numbers. For reference, the median mile time for men aged 18-29 is about 8:56.
Related
- Average mile time by age
- Mile time percentile calculator
- Average 5K time by age
- 1.5-mile run percentile calculator
- How to increase VO2 max
- Hybrid athlete training program
- All standards, averages and calculators
Sources
- Kaminsky LA et al. Updated reference standards for cardiorespiratory fitness measured with cardiopulmonary exercise testing: data from the FRIEND registry. Mayo Clin Proc. 2022;97(2):285-293.
- Kaminsky LA, Arena R, Myers J. Reference standards for cardiorespiratory fitness measured with cardiopulmonary exercise testing: FRIEND. Mayo Clin Proc. 2015;90(11):1515-1523. Source of the 5th and 95th percentile tail widths.
- Wang CY et al. Cardiorespiratory fitness levels among US adults 20-49 years of age: findings from the 1999-2004 NHANES. Am J Epidemiol. 2010;171(4):426-435.
- Loe H et al. Aerobic capacity reference data in 3816 healthy men and women 20-90 years. PLoS One. 2013;8(5):e64319.
- Molina-Garcia P et al. Validity of estimating the maximal oxygen consumption by consumer wearables: a systematic review with meta-analysis and expert statement of the INTERLIVE network. Sports Med. 2022;52(7):1577-1597.
- Koutlianos N et al. Indirect estimation of VO2max in athletes by ACSM's equation: valid or not? Hippokratia. 2013;17(2):136-140. States the ACSM running equation and its 134 m/min range.
- D1 values: the site's research review of published NCAA Division I team testing (see the methodology).