In the sport of track and field, knowing the junior high, high school, and college hurdle heights for each particular hurdle race is important when officiating, coaching, and training for the hurdle events. In the USA, there are five different hurdle heights used in competition with the four lowest heights being used in junior high and high school, and the highest hurdle height (Men’s 110H hurdles) used in college and international competition.
The junior high and high school boys and girls hurdle heights are 30, 33, 36, 39, and the men’s 110m college hurdle height is 42 inches. Some may even refer to the hurdle heights by the number of holes showing or notches up or down on the hurdle and it would not be uncommon to hear at a track meet “move the hurdle up two notches” or “two holes showing from the bottom”.
Some high schools, organizations, colleges and universities might mark their hurdle heights with a colored pen or some sort of colored mark on the hurdle that is the same color as the mark on the track. A good example would be in the long hurdles such as the 200m hurdles, 300m hurdles, or 400m hurdles, where a facility might have a green mark on the track for the hurdle placement for those races and also have a green mark on the hurdle next to the notch where the appropriate hurdle height should be. The color idea could also be used for the shorter hurdle races such as the indoor 60m hurdles or the 110m high hurdles. To be more precise for the longer 200m-400m hurdle races, you might even see a mark on the hurdle notch with a M or W next to the color since the location on the track for the hurdles are the same for both men and women in the 200m-400m hurdle races.
Scroll down to learn what junior high, high school, or college hurdle height and spacing the hurdles need to be for each race from the 55m hurdles up to the steeple chase event.
Hurdle heights for each hurdle race
What is the hurdle height for the 55m hurdles?
High School Boys 55m hurdle height: 39 Inches
High School Girls 55m hurdle height: 33 Inches
Men (College/International) 55m hurdle height: 42 Inches
Women (College/International) 55m hurdle height: 33 Inches
What is the hurdle height for the 60m hurdles?
High School Boys 60m hurdle height: 39 Inches
High School Girls 60m hurdle height: 33 Inches
Men (College/International) 60m hurdle height: 42 Inches
Women (College/International) 60m hurdle height: 33 Inches
What is the hurdle height for the 100m hurdles?
Junior High Boys 100m hurdle height: 33 Inches
Junior High Girls 100m hurdle height: 30 Inches
High School Girls 100m hurdle height: 33 Inches
Women (College/International) 100m hurdle height: 33 Inches
What is the hurdle height for the 110m hurdles?
Junior High Boys 110m hurdle height: 33 Inches
High School Boys 110m hurdle height: 39 Inches
Men (College/International) 110m hurdle height: 42 Inches
What is the hurdle height for the 200m hurdles?
Junior High Boys 200m hurdle height: 30 Inches
Junior High Girls 200m hurdle height: 30 Inches
What is the hurdle height for the 300m hurdles?
High School Boys 300m hurdle height: 36 Inches
High School Girls 300m hurdle height: 30 Inches
What is the hurdle height for the 400m hurdles?
Men (College/International) 400m hurdle height: 36 Inches
Women (College/International) 400m hurdle height: 30 Inches
What is the hurdle height for the Steeple Chase?
High School Boys Steeple Chase: 36 Inches
High School Girls Steeple Chase: 30 Inches
Men (College/International) Steeple Chase: 36 Inches
Women (College/International) Steeple Chase: 30 Inches
Hurdle spacing between hurdles
What is the hurdle spacing for the 55m hurdles?
High School Boys 55m hurdle spacing: 13.72m to H1 with 9.14m between and 4.72m to the finish
High School Girls 55m hurdle spacing: 13m to H1 with 8.5m between and 8m to the finish
Men (College/International) 55m hurdle spacing: 13.72m to H1 with 9.14m between and 4.72m to the finish
Women (College/International) 55m hurdle spacing: 13m to H1 with 8.5m between and 8m to the finish
What is the hurdle spacing for the 60m hurdles?
High School Boys 60m hurdle spacing: 13.72m to H1 with 9.14m between and 9.72m to the finish
High School Girls 60m hurdle spacing: 13m to H1 with 8.5m between and 13m to the finish
Men (College/International) 60m hurdle spacing: 13.72m to H1 with 9.14m between and 9.72m to the finish
Women (College/International) 60m hurdle spacing: 13m to H1 with 8.5m between and 13m to the finish
What is the hurdle spacing for the 100m hurdles?
Junior High Boys 100m hurdle spacing: 13m to H1 with 8.5m between and 10.5m to the finish
Junior High Girls 100m hurdle spacing: 13m to H1 with 8.5m between and 10.5m to the finish
High School Girls 100m hurdle spacing: 13m to H1 with 8.5m between and 10.5m to the finish
Women (College/International) 100m hurdle spacing: 13m to H1 with 8.5m between and 10.5m to the finish
What is the hurdle spacing for the 110m hurdles?
Junior High Boys 110m hurdle spacing: 13.72m to H1 with 9.14m between and 14.02m to the finish
High School Boys 110m hurdle spacing: 13.72m to H1 with 9.14m between and 14.02m to the finish
Men (College/International) 110m hurdle spacing: 13.72m to H1 with 9.14m between and 14.02m to the finish
What is the hurdle spacing for the 200m hurdles?
Junior High Boys 200m hurdle spacing: 50m to H1 with 35m between and 10m to the finish
Junior High Girls 200m hurdle spacing: 50m to H1 with 35m between and 10m to the finish
What is the hurdle spacing for the 300m hurdles?
High School Boys 300m hurdle spacing: 45m to H1 with 35m between and 10m to the finish
High School Girls 300m hurdle spacing: 45m to H1 with 35m between and 10m to the finish
What is the hurdle spacing for the 400m hurdles?
Men (College/International) 400m hurdle spacing: 45m to H1 with 35m between and 40m to the finish
Women (College/International) 400m hurdle spacing: 45m to H1 with 35m between and 40m to the finish
What is the hurdle spacing for the Steeple Chase?
All steeple chase races have 5 hurdle barriers per lap after the finish line is passed the first time. The water jump is the 4th hurdle barrier. All are spaced evenly around the track and the spacing is dependent on the location of the water barrier (inside or outside of the track).