- For healthy men aged 19 to 39, a harmonized total testosterone reference range is 264 to 916 ng/dL, established by the Endocrine Society from four large U.S. and European cohorts.
- Adult women have far lower total testosterone, with a typical reference range of about 8 to 60 ng/dL, because the ovaries and adrenal glands make only small amounts.
- Male testosterone peaks in the late teens and twenties, then falls by roughly 1 percent per year after age 30, so a result is judged against your age, sex, and the testing lab’s reference range.
Testosterone is the main androgen sex hormone. It drives sexual development, muscle and bone mass, red blood cell production, sex drive, and mood in both sexes, though men carry roughly 10 to 20 times more of it than women. A blood test reports your level in nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL), and what counts as “normal” shifts with age and sex. This guide lays out the cited reference values you can hold your own result against.
Part of our Hormone Panel guide.
What is a normal testosterone level?
For healthy, nonobese men aged 19 to 39, the Endocrine Society’s harmonized total testosterone reference range is 264 to 916 ng/dL (9.2 to 31.8 nmol/L), derived from four large cohort studies and standardized to a CDC reference method (JCEM, 2017). Cleveland Clinic describes a broadly similar adult male range of about 300 to 1,000 ng/dL (Cleveland Clinic). For adult women, total testosterone runs much lower, roughly 8 to 60 ng/dL.
“Normal” is a statistical band, not a personal target. Reference ranges typically capture the middle 95 percent of a healthy population, so a value just inside or outside the band is not automatically healthy or diseased. Each laboratory sets its own range based on its assay and the population it tested, which is why your report shows its own numbers next to your result. Levels also swing through the day, peaking in the morning, so testing is usually done before about 10 a.m.
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Testosterone normal range by age
Total testosterone reference ranges climb steeply through puberty, peak in the late teens to twenties, then drift down with age in men. The table below compiles cited total testosterone values in ng/dL. Male adult anchors come from the Endocrine Society harmonized data (264 to 916 ng/dL for ages 19 to 39) and Cleveland Clinic, while female and pubertal bands reflect commonly used clinical laboratory reference ranges.
| Age and sex group | Total testosterone (ng/dL) |
|---|---|
| Male, prepubertal (under ~10 yrs) | Under 20 |
| Male, puberty (~11 to 17 yrs) | Rising from about 7 to over 800 |
| Male, 19 to 39 yrs | 264 to 916 |
| Male, 40 to 59 yrs | About 250 to 850 |
| Male, 60 yrs and older | About 200 to 750 |
| Female, prepubertal (under ~10 yrs) | Under 20 |
| Female, premenopausal (19 to ~49 yrs) | About 8 to 48 |
| Female, postmenopausal (50+ yrs) | About 2 to 41 |
How to read this table: the male adult bands widen and shift downward with age because testosterone production by the testicular Leydig cells declines from the 30s onward at roughly 1 percent per year (StatPearls, NCBI). The exact cutoffs your clinic uses may differ by 10 to 20 percent depending on the assay, so always compare against the range printed on your own lab report rather than a generic chart.
How does sex change the range?
Sex is the single largest driver of the testosterone range. Adult men typically sit between about 264 and 916 ng/dL, while adult women fall around 8 to 60 ng/dL, an order-of-magnitude gap (JCEM, 2017). The reason is anatomical: in men the testes produce about 95 percent of testosterone under signals from the pituitary gland, whereas in women the ovaries and adrenal glands make only small quantities.
Because the female range is so narrow and low, accurate measurement matters more. Standard immunoassays can be unreliable at low concentrations, so labs often use liquid chromatography mass spectrometry for women and children (Mayo Clinic Laboratories). Free testosterone, the small fraction not bound to proteins, is sometimes measured alongside total testosterone, especially when sex hormone binding globulin is abnormal. The Mayo Clinic free testosterone reference for adult women is roughly 0.3 to 1.9 ng/dL.
What makes testosterone rise or fall with age?
Age is the dominant natural driver: after the pubertal surge, male testosterone falls by about 1 percent per year from the 30s onward, so a 70-year-old man may sit roughly a third below his age-30 level (StatPearls, NCBI). In women, ovarian output declines gradually through the menopausal transition, lowering the postmenopausal range.
Beyond age, several factors move levels:
- Body weight: obesity lowers total and free testosterone, partly because fat tissue converts testosterone to estrogen (Cleveland Clinic).
- Time of day: levels peak in the morning and dip later, so timing changes the number.
- Sleep and stress: short sleep and chronic illness suppress production.
- Medical conditions: pituitary disorders, type 2 diabetes, and certain medications (opioids, steroids) reduce testosterone.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome: in women, PCOS commonly raises testosterone above the female range.
Because a single result reflects a moment in time, clinicians usually confirm an abnormal value with a repeat morning test before acting on it.
When is an out-of-range result a concern?
In men, the American Urological Association defines low testosterone as a total level below 300 ng/dL, confirmed on two separate morning blood tests, and only treated when paired with symptoms (American Urological Association). A single number outside the reference range is not a diagnosis on its own.
Symptoms add the context that a number alone cannot. Low testosterone in men can show up as reduced sex drive, erectile difficulty, fatigue, loss of muscle mass, and low mood. In women, a high level (often from PCOS) may cause acne, excess facial or body hair, and irregular periods, while a very low level rarely causes clear symptoms. High testosterone in men can come from supplement or anabolic steroid use, or rarely from a tumor. Persistently abnormal results, or any result that does not match how you feel, warrant evaluation by a clinician who can order repeat or additional tests (free testosterone, LH, FSH, prolactin) and interpret them in full.
Frequently asked questions
What is a healthy testosterone level for a man by age?
For men aged 19 to 39, the Endocrine Society harmonized total testosterone range is 264 to 916 ng/dL. Levels gradually decline with age, falling about 1 percent per year after 30, so older men’s ranges shift downward. Always compare against your own lab’s reference range.
What is a normal testosterone level for a woman?
Adult women typically have total testosterone of about 8 to 60 ng/dL, far below men. Postmenopausal women often run lower, around 2 to 41 ng/dL. Levels above the female range may suggest PCOS and are worth discussing with a clinician.
At what age does testosterone peak?
In men, testosterone peaks in the late teens through the twenties, near the top of the adult reference range. It then declines gradually from around age 30 onward at roughly 1 percent per year, though body weight, sleep, and health speed or slow that drop.
What is considered low testosterone?
The American Urological Association defines low testosterone in men as a total level below 300 ng/dL, confirmed on two separate morning tests and accompanied by symptoms such as low libido or fatigue. A single low number alone is not a diagnosis.
What time of day should testosterone be tested?
Testosterone is highest in the morning, so blood is usually drawn before about 10 a.m. for the most reliable comparison to reference ranges. Testing later in the day can return a falsely low result, which is one reason abnormal values are repeated.
Sources
- Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Harmonized Reference Ranges for Circulating Testosterone Levels in Men
- Cleveland Clinic, Testosterone
- Cleveland Clinic, Low Testosterone (Male Hypogonadism)
- StatPearls (NCBI Bookshelf), Physiology, Testosterone
- Mayo Clinic Laboratories, Testosterone Total, Bioavailable, and Free, Serum
- American Urological Association, Testosterone Deficiency Guideline
- MedlinePlus, Testosterone Levels Test
This article is for general educational purposes and is not medical advice. It cannot diagnose or treat you and does not replace your clinician. Always discuss your lab results and any health decisions with a qualified healthcare professional.
