Gymnastics Levels Explained: How Many Levels There Are and How Gymnasts Move Up
If your child has just joined a gym team, you’ve probably heard “she’s a Level 3” or “he’s moving to Xcel Gold” and wondered how it all fits together.
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In the United States, girls’ competitive gymnastics has two separate ladders, both run by USA Gymnastics. The Development Program has 10 levels. Xcel has six divisions, from Bronze to Sapphire. Above Level 10 sits elite gymnastics, the international path to the World Championships and the Olympics. College gymnastics is a separate NCAA competition, not another USA Gymnastics level.
This guide covers the order of the levels, how gymnasts move up, the minimum ages, and what comes after Level 10. It focuses on women’s artistic gymnastics, with a short section on how boys’ levels differ.
Gymnastics levels at a glance
| Program | Levels or divisions | Routines | Who runs it | What comes next |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Development Program, Levels 1–3 (“Developmental”) | 1, 2, 3 | Set routines that every gymnast performs the same way | USA Gymnastics | Level 4 |
| Development Program, Levels 4–5 (“Compulsory”) | 4, 5 | Set routines | USA Gymnastics | Level 6, or straight to Level 7 |
| Development Program, Levels 6–10 (“Optional”) | 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 | Each gymnast’s own routines, built to meet the level’s requirements | USA Gymnastics | Elite, college, or competing at Level 10 |
| Xcel | Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Sapphire | Coach-designed routines that meet each division’s requirements | USA Gymnastics | The next Xcel division |
| Elite | Junior and senior | Elite routines judged under the international Code of Points | USA Gymnastics nationally, FIG internationally | National team, World Championships, Olympics |
| College (NCAA) | Not a level | NCAA routines scored out of 10.0 | NCAA | — |
USA Gymnastics groups the Development Program into those three segments on its Development Program page. The program was called the Junior Olympic (JO) program until USA Gymnastics renamed it in October 2020, so you’ll still hear coaches say “JO”.
To see how two specific levels differ event by event, try the Gymnastics Level Comparison tool, which covers Levels 1–10 and every Xcel division.
How many levels are there in gymnastics?
There are 10 Development Program levels and six Xcel divisions, so a US gymnast can compete at 16 different levels in total. Most gymnasts only ever compete in one of the two programs at a time.
The Development Program: Levels 1 to 10
- Levels 1–3 teach the basics: shapes, rolls, handstands, cartwheels and simple bar skills.
- Levels 4–5 are the first big competitive levels for most gymnasts. Everyone performs the same set routines, so judges compare how well each gymnast does the same skills.
- Levels 6–10 are the optional levels. Each gymnast performs her own routines with skills chosen by her coach. Levels 6–9 have limits on how difficult the skills can be. Level 10 has none.
Our guide to USAG Levels 1–10 walks through what changes at each level.
Xcel: Bronze to Sapphire
Xcel is USA Gymnastics’ alternative competitive program. The Xcel Code of Points describes it as offering “individual flexibility to coaches and gymnasts”. Instead of set routines, coaches design routines that meet each division’s requirements.
The divisions, in order, are Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond and Sapphire. Sapphire is the newest. It was piloted in four regions in 2022–23 and became a national division in August 2023, according to USA Gymnastics’ announcement. The Xcel levels guide explains each division in more detail.
Development Program or Xcel: what’s the difference?
Neither program is “better”. They suit different goals and different amounts of time in the gym.
| Development Program | Xcel | |
|---|---|---|
| Routines | Set routines at Levels 1–5, then optional routines at 6–10 | Coach-designed routines at every division |
| Moving up | Fixed all-around scores (see below) | Bronze, Silver and Gold have no score requirement; Platinum and above need a qualifying score at the division below |
| Highest step | Level 10, with routes to elite and college | Sapphire |
| Switching | Xcel scores can’t be used to move up in the Development Program | DP gymnasts can join Xcel; the divisions open to them depend on the DP level they’ve competed |
The switching rules come from the Xcel Code of Points. It says that because Xcel is a separate program, “it cannot be used to satisfy mobility requirements into the Development Program”. Gymnasts who have already competed in the Development Program, then compete at a State meet in Xcel, must petition to re-enter. The 2026–27 Development Program update says they re-enter at the level they’re eligible to compete. Ask your club before switching, because the petition has to go through USA Gymnastics.
To compare any DP level with an Xcel division, event by event, use the Level Comparison tool.
How do gymnasts move up a level?
In the Development Program, a gymnast moves up by earning a set all-around score, called a mobility score. This is the total of her four event scores at any USA Gymnastics sanctioned meet. Gymnasts move up one level at a time, with two exceptions.
| Score earned at | All-around score needed | Lets her move up to |
|---|---|---|
| Level 4 | 34.00 | Level 5 |
| Level 5 | 32.00 | Level 6 (or Level 7) |
| Level 6 | 32.00 | Level 7 |
| Level 7 | 32.00 | Level 8 |
| Level 8 | 34.00 | Level 9 |
| Level 9 | 34.00 | Level 10 |
Source: USA Gymnastics 2026–27 Rules & Policies, Chapter 9 age and mobility chart (p. 58). Levels 1–3 have no mobility score. At Levels 7–9, a gymnast who competes only some events can instead move up with 8.50 on each of those events.
The two exceptions:
- Level 6 can be skipped. A gymnast who scores 32.00 all-around at Level 5 can go straight to Level 7. Gymnasts can also move back and forth between Levels 5 and 6.
- Level 5 can be skipped. A Level 4 can go straight to Level 6 with a 36.00 all-around at two separate sanctioned Level 4 meets. This rule began in the 2023–24 season. Since 1 August 2026, the two scores can come from the current or the previous season.
Xcel works differently. Bronze, Silver and Gold have no score requirement, so the coach decides when a gymnast is ready. Platinum, Diamond and Sapphire each need a qualifying score at the division below.
A mobility score only makes a gymnast eligible to move up. Most coaches also look at whether she has the skills for the next level and whether she’s ready to compete them safely.
Is there a right level for my child’s age?
No. USA Gymnastics sets minimum ages, not target ages. A gymnast must have reached the birthday shown before she competes at that level in any sanctioned meet. Where meets split gymnasts into age groups, her age for the season is set by the final day of the last championship meet for her level. Many gymnasts are older when they reach each level, and that’s normal.
| Development Program level | Minimum age | Xcel division | Minimum age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | 4 | Bronze | 5 |
| Level 2 | 5 | Silver | 6 |
| Level 3 | 6 | Gold | 7 |
| Levels 4–7 | 7 | Platinum | 8 |
| Levels 8–9 | 8 | Diamond | 9 |
| Level 10 | 9 | Sapphire | 12 |
Sources: USA Gymnastics 2026–27 Rules & Policies (Chapter 9 chart, p. 58, and Chapter 7) and the Xcel Code of Points.
So when parents ask what level a 12-year-old should be, there isn’t an official answer. A 12-year-old could be competing anywhere from Level 3 to Level 10, or in any Xcel division. Start age, training hours and goals all matter more than birthdays.
What comes after Level 10?
Level 10 is the top of the Development Program, but it isn’t the only top level. Our article on the highest level in gymnastics explains how Level 10, elite and college compare.
Hopes and elite
Gymnasts aiming for international competition can enter USA Gymnastics’ elite pathway, which runs separately from the Development Program:
- Hopes is a pre-elite step for gymnasts aged 11–12 and 13–14. Gymnasts qualify with a compulsory score and then an optional score at USA Gymnastics qualifying meets, according to the 2026 Hopes chart.
- Elite has junior (ages 11–15) and senior (16 and up) divisions in the US, with qualifying scores set out in the 2026 Elite chart.
International events follow World Gymnastics (FIG) age rules. A woman must turn 16 in the year of the competition to compete as a senior, and juniors are 14–15, under the FIG’s 2026 Technical Regulations (Article 5.2). That’s why you’ll hear about gymnasts who “miss” an Olympics by a few months.
College gymnastics
College gymnastics is a separate competition run by the NCAA. It isn’t a level a gymnast moves up into. College teams recruit their own gymnasts, and every routine is scored out of 10.0.
Do boys use the same levels?
No. USA Gymnastics’ men’s Development program has its own ladder. Competitive Levels 4–7 use compulsory routines and Levels 8–10 are optional, with an introductory program covering Levels 1–2. Boys compete on six events instead of four, so a men’s Level 8 isn’t the same as a women’s Level 8.
Frequently asked questions
What are the gymnastics levels in order?
In the Development Program: Levels 1, 2 and 3, then Levels 4 and 5, then Levels 6 to 10. In Xcel: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Sapphire. Elite, including the pre-elite Hopes program, is a separate pathway beyond the Development Program.
Can gymnasts skip levels?
Sometimes. Level 6 can be skipped by moving from Level 5 straight to Level 7. A Level 4 can skip Level 5 with two 36.00 all-around scores. Otherwise, gymnasts move up one level at a time.
Is Xcel easier than the Development Program?
Xcel’s routines are more flexible, but the top divisions include difficult skills. It’s better to think of Xcel as a different path than an easier one.
Is Level 10 the same as elite?
No. Level 10 is the top of the Development Program. Elite is a separate pathway with its own qualifying scores, judged under the international Code of Points.
The short version
US girls’ gymnastics has two ladders: Development Program Levels 1–10 and Xcel’s six divisions, Bronze to Sapphire. Gymnasts move up the Development Program with set all-around scores and can’t count Xcel scores toward it. Minimum ages are minimums, not targets. Past Level 10, the paths split into elite, which leads to international competition, and college gymnastics under the NCAA.