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[01]What Is a Good Long Jump?

What counts as a good long jump, by level

Middle school and developing high school

Boys clearing 14 to 16 feet and girls clearing 12 to 14 are off to a good start. At this stage almost all the distance is approach speed and a basic upward takeoff, the fancy flight techniques can wait. Faster sprinting alone usually adds inches.

High school varsity

A good varsity jump is around 20 feet for boys and 17 feet 6 inches for girls, with 22 and 19 scoring at the championship level. Breaking 21 and 18 puts you on college radar. The jump from JV to varsity is usually faster runway speed plus a cleaner penultimate step.

College and elite

College men jump 23 to 25 feet and women 19 to 21 to score, with elite around 26 feet for men and 22 for women. At this level every jumper is fast, so the separation comes from takeoff angle and flight efficiency.

Find the levers

See which lever is capping your distance

Distance lost on the runway looks the same as distance lost at takeoff from the stands. Film a jump, the AI measures your approach speed, takeoff angle, and penultimate step, and tells you which one is the cap, usually the one you were not thinking about.

Follow up in chat and ask questions. The AI remembers your analysis and speaks the language of long jump coaching.

  • Free first analysis, no account required
  • Offline history cached on your device
  • Priority-tagged coaching notes
  • AI chat follow-up on every analysis
Long jumper mid-flight in hitch-kick technique, Track & Field AI frame analysis (long jump benchmarks)
Long Jump · Sample analysis “Penultimate step is 4 inches shorter than your average, pushes your takeoff 3 inches behind the board. Extend the penultimate by 3 inches.”
[02]By level

A good long jump tracks your speed

Typical boys' marks from developing through elite, girls' marks in the table below. Faster sprinters jump farther on the same technique.

Typical marks by levelTypical boys' long jumps: middle school around 14 feet, developing high school 17, varsity 20, college 23, and elite around 26 feet.Middle school14 ftHS developing17 ftHS varsity (good)20 ftCollege23 ftElite26 ftBoys / men shown. Full table with girls' marks below.
Approximate benchmarks; scoring marks vary by region and season.
[06]Reference table

Good long jump marks by level

Solid, competitive marks at each level.

Benchmarks are approximate and vary by region and association.
LevelBoys / MenGirls / Women
Middle school14 ft (4.27 m)12 ft (3.66 m)
HS developing17 ft (5.18 m)15 ft (4.57 m)
HS varsity (good)20 ft (6.10 m)17 ft 6 in (5.33 m)
College23 ft (7.01 m)19 ft 6 in (5.94 m)
Elite26 ft (7.92 m)22 ft (6.71 m)
[10]Common questions

What Is a Good Long Jump? FAQ

Common questions athletes and coaches ask about this topic.

What is a good long jump for a high schooler?
Around 20 feet for boys and 17 feet 6 inches for girls is a solid varsity mark. Jumps of 22 and 19 feet score at the championship level.
What is a good long jump distance for a beginner?
For a developing high schooler, 14 to 16 feet for boys and 12 to 14 for girls is a reasonable start. Most early distance comes from approach speed.
Does running faster help you jump farther?
Yes. Horizontal speed at the board is the biggest single factor in long jump distance. Faster approach, same technique, longer jump.
[INDEX]More ways to dial in your long jump

The full long jump index

A directory of every long jump page on the site, from broad analysis tools to specific phase deep-dives. Each entry points to a focused write-up.

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Add feet to your jump.

Download the app. Film a rep. See what the AI sees. Free first analysis, no card, no account required.

60s
Time per analysis
Free first analysisNo card
Coaching languagePlain English
Long Jump modelEvent-specific