Quick answer: testosterone levels by age fall mostly at the low end: in 6,933 healthy non-obese men, the 2.5th percentile drops from 267 ng/dL at 19 to 39 to 218 ng/dL in the 60s and 157 ng/dL after 80, while the median only slips from 531 to about 477 ng/dL. The American Urological Association (AUA) still uses one cut-off at every age, under 300 ng/dL on two morning tests plus symptoms, to support a diagnosis of low testosterone.
Model-based harmonized percentiles for 6,933 non-obese men in four US and European cohorts, Travison et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2017, Table 4. All assays calibrated to the CDC reference method.
Testosterone levels by age for men: the full percentile table
The chart above is the most useful by-age data set for men because the 2017 harmonization study recalibrated four cohorts (Framingham, the European Male Ageing Study, MrOS and SIBLOS) to the CDC's reference method, so results from CDC-standardized labs can be compared against it. Table 4 of the paper gives these model-based percentiles:
| Age | 2.5th | 5th | Median | 95th | 97.5th | Median, all men |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 to 39 | 267 | 304 | 531 | 850 | 929 | 507 |
| 40 to 49 | 235 | 273 | 481 | 839 | 929 | 461 |
| 50 to 59 | 219 | 256 | 477 | 839 | 929 | 446 |
| 60 to 69 | 218 | 254 | 477 | 839 | 929 | 446 |
| 70 to 79 | 218 | 252 | 477 | 839 | 926 | 446 |
| 80 to 99 | 157 | 218 | 476 | 839 | 913 | 446 |
All values are ng/dL; multiply by 0.0347 for nmol/L (531 ng/dL is 18.4 nmol/L). The first five columns are non-obese men. The last column includes men with obesity, whose median is 20 to 31 ng/dL lower at every age. The paper's headline range for healthy men aged 19 to 39, measured directly rather than modeled, is 264 to 916 ng/dL.
Two patterns stand out. The top of the range barely moves: the 95th percentile sits between 839 and 850 ng/dL from 19 to 99. The bottom is what falls, which is why more older men land under the 300 ng/dL line. In the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, cited in the AUA guideline, low testosterone rose from 12% of men in their 50s to 19% in their 60s, 28% in their 70s and 49% over 80.
Younger men: the NHANES middle third
The AUA describes a normal level as the middle tertile (middle third) of the population. Applying that to 1,486 US men from NHANES 2011 to 2016, University of Michigan researchers found the normal band for young men sits well above 300 ng/dL:
Zhu et al., J Urol 2022, NHANES 2011 to 2016, morning samples, men not on hormones. Below the left end is the lowest third for that age.
The authors proposed the bottom of each band (409, 413, 359, 352 and 350 ng/dL) as age-specific cut-offs for low testosterone in men under 45. That is a research proposal, not guideline policy: neither the AUA nor the Endocrine Society has adopted age-specific cut-offs.
Testosterone levels by age for women
Women make testosterone in the ovaries and adrenal glands at a small fraction of male levels. Because immunoassays are imprecise at these low concentrations, ARUP measures women's testosterone by mass spectrometry, and its ranges by age are:
ARUP Laboratories reference intervals, test 0081058 (mass spectrometry). ARUP also gives 9 to 55 before menopause and 5 to 32 after.
| Age | Women (ng/dL) | Women (nmol/L) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 to 13 | 6 to 50 | 0.2 to 1.7 | ARUP |
| 14 to 15 | 6 to 52 | 0.2 to 1.8 | ARUP |
| 16 to 17 | 9 to 58 | 0.3 to 2.0 | ARUP |
| 18 to 59, or premenopausal | 9 to 55 | 0.3 to 1.9 | ARUP |
| 60 and over, or postmenopausal | 5 to 32 | 0.2 to 1.1 | ARUP |
| 17 to 50 | 8.4 to 48.1 | 0.3 to 1.7 | MedlinePlus |
| Over 50 | 2.9 to 40.1 | 0.1 to 1.4 | MedlinePlus |
In women a high value usually matters more than a low one. MedlinePlus lists polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), congenital adrenal hyperplasia and ovarian or adrenal tumors as causes, with signs such as excess facial hair, acne and irregular periods. A result above the range with those signs is worth taking to a doctor, who will usually add free testosterone, SHBG, LH and FSH. See our PCOS blood test guide.
When is testosterone too low for your age?
Low testosterone is a diagnosis of numbers plus symptoms, never numbers alone. The three reference points doctors use:
| Guideline | Threshold | Also needs |
|---|---|---|
| AUA (2018) | Under 300 ng/dL | Two early-morning tests on different days, plus symptoms or signs |
| Endocrine Society (2018) | Below the normal range; harmonized lower limit 264 ng/dL | Fasting morning sample, a repeat test and consistent symptoms |
| European Male Ageing Study (2010) | Under 320 ng/dL (11 nmol/L) with free T under 64 pg/mL | At least three sexual symptoms: poor morning erections, low desire, erectile dysfunction |
EMAS tested 3,369 men aged 40 to 79 and found that only the three sexual symptoms tracked low testosterone closely enough to define late-onset hypogonadism; fatigue and low mood were linked, but less specifically. These thresholds matter most for decisions about testosterone therapy, covered in our TRT blood test guide and on the low testosterone blood test page. For what the hormone does and the causes of high and low results, see the main testosterone guide.
Worked examples: reading one result against your age
A 52-year-old man with total testosterone of 310 ng/dL. He is above the AUA's 300 line, so a lab using that cut-off would not flag him. Against the harmonized table he sits between the 10th percentile (297 ng/dL) and the 25th (374 ng/dL) for non-obese men aged 50 to 59: low-normal. If he has low desire and weak morning erections, the next step is a second fasting sample between 7 and 10 a.m. with SHBG and free testosterone, because a high SHBG can leave free testosterone low even when the total looks acceptable.
A 27-year-old man with 380 ng/dL. Normal by the 300 rule, yet under the 413 ng/dL bottom of the NHANES middle third for men 25 to 29, and below the 25th percentile (424 ng/dL) in the harmonized data for 19 to 39. Neither makes him hypogonadal on paper. It is a reason to retest in the morning and look at sleep, weight and alcohol before drawing conclusions.
A 45-year-old woman with 62 ng/dL. Above ARUP's 55 ng/dL upper limit for her age. One result is not a diagnosis; repeating it with SHBG and the free androgen index shows whether the excess is real.
Why your result may not match the chart
- Time of day. Levels are highest in the morning. The Endocrine Society asks for a fasting morning sample.
- Assay. The harmonized percentiles assume a CDC-standardized method. Immunoassays are less precise at low values, which is why ARUP uses mass spectrometry for women.
- Body weight. Across all ages, men including those with obesity had medians 20 to 31 ng/dL lower than non-obese men in the Travison data.
- Illness and training load. Acute illness and overtraining lower testosterone for a while, so test when you are well.
How to test testosterone at home
SiPhox Health measures testosterone on four of its six panels, and which one fits depends on your sex:
| SiPhox panel | Testosterone markers | Who | Per test with shipping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longevity Essentials | Total and free (calculated) testosterone, SHBG | Men | $149 |
| Hormone Focus | Total, free and % free testosterone, SHBG, free androgen index, plus estradiol, LH, FSH, prolactin and PSA for men | Men and women | $149 |
| Ultimate 360 | Everything on Hormone Focus plus hematocrit, lipids, iron studies and more (62 markers) | Men and women | $274 |
| GLP Optimization | Total testosterone (men), free and % free testosterone, SHBG | Men | $224 |
Which panel fits your question
| If you want to | Test | Choose |
|---|---|---|
| See where a man sits on the age chart, with heart and metabolic markers | Total and free testosterone, SHBG | Longevity Essentials ($124 + $25) |
| Look into low desire, PCOS signs or cycle changes as a woman | Testosterone, free androgen index, SHBG, LH, FSH | Hormone Focus ($124 + $25) |
| Track a man on or considering testosterone therapy | Testosterone, estradiol, PSA and hematocrit together | Ultimate 360 ($249 + $25) |
| Confirm a low result for a diagnosis | Two morning venous tests ordered by a doctor | Your doctor or an in-person lab |
Collect the kit in the morning, fasting, so your number lines up with the charts above. Kits from other brands are compared in our at-home testosterone test guide.
A note on home samples: SiPhox's partner lab tests capillary blood collected from the upper arm. SiPhox says its results show a 95% to 99% correlation with venous draws in its own quarterly comparisons against Labcorp and Quest, but it has not published a study of the EasyDraw device, and results come without an included doctor review. If a result would change a treatment decision, confirm it with a venous test through your doctor.
Longevity Essentials
The default panel: heart, metabolic, hormone and inflammation markers in one draw.
Check priceHormone Focus
Sex hormones for men and women, including PSA for men and progesterone for women.
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Ultimate 360
Everything on the four core panels plus iron studies, B12 and folate, GGT and PSA.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a normal testosterone level for a man by age?
In the harmonized data for healthy non-obese men, the median is 531 ng/dL at 19 to 39, 481 at 40 to 49 and about 477 from 50, with the 2.5th to 97.5th percentile running from 267 to 929 ng/dL at 19 to 39 and 218 to 926 ng/dL at 70 to 79 (Travison, 2017).
What is a normal testosterone level for a 40-year-old man?
235 to 929 ng/dL covers the middle 95% of healthy non-obese men aged 40 to 49, with a median of 481 ng/dL. ARUP prints 300 to 890 ng/dL for ages 40 to 59.
Is 400 ng/dL good for a 30-year-old man?
It sits in the middle third for men aged 30 to 34 in NHANES (359 to 498 ng/dL), and just under the 25th percentile (424 ng/dL) for healthy men 19 to 39. It is not low by the AUA's 300 ng/dL cut-off.
What is a normal testosterone level for a woman by age?
ARUP uses 9 to 55 ng/dL from 16 to 59 (or before menopause) and 5 to 32 ng/dL from 60 (or after menopause). MedlinePlus gives 8.4 to 48.1 ng/dL at 17 to 50 and 2.9 to 40.1 ng/dL over 50.
At what age does testosterone start to drop?
The lower end starts falling after 40: the 5th percentile goes from 304 ng/dL at 19 to 39 to 273 at 40 to 49 and 252 at 70 to 79, and drops fastest after 80. In NHANES, the middle third for men already moves down after 30, from 413 to 575 ng/dL at 25 to 29 to 359 to 498 at 30 to 34.
Sources
- Travison TG et al. Harmonized reference ranges for circulating testosterone levels in men of four cohort studies in the United States and Europe. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2017
- Zhu A et al. What is a normal testosterone level for young men? Rethinking the 300 ng/dL cutoff for testosterone deficiency in men 20-44 years old. J Urol 2022
- American Urological Association: Evaluation and management of testosterone deficiency guideline
- Bhasin S et al. Testosterone therapy in men with hypogonadism: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2018
- Wu FC et al. Identification of late-onset hypogonadism in middle-aged and elderly men (European Male Aging Study). N Engl J Med 2010
- ARUP Laboratories Test Directory: Testosterone (adult females, children), mass spectrometry
- ARUP Laboratories Test Directory: Testosterone (adult males)
- MedlinePlus Lab Tests: Testosterone levels test
- SiPhox Health: panel comparison (checked 29 Sep 2026)
- SiPhox Health: Longevity Essentials panel
- SiPhox Health: Hormone Focus panel
- SiPhox Health: Ultimate 360 panel