Escape from Tarkov features five skill categories that are trained through active use. In short, the more you use a skill, the better you get at it. Every skill can be leveled up to level 51 (elite level), this level provides an extra ability linked to the skill.
Since the 0.12.1.5413 update (24 Dec 2019), while leveling skills, the character will now have "exhaustion” of skill per raid, this means that skill will be leveled more slowly during the raid after every repeat. If you do not level a certain skill for a while (a few minutes), the character will recover and will be able to level this skill with normal speed again. This change is directed against skills abuse (targeted and consecutive leveling of the same skill).
Each skill has several stages of progression speed:
129% progression speed: At the beginning of a raid, skills progress at a rate of 129% (denoted by a blue arrow ) until a first threshold unique to each skill is reached.
100% progression speed: Upon reaching the first threshold, the skill will level at its usual rate (denoted by the lack of an arrow). This behavior remains true until a second threshold is reached.
50% progression speed: Once the second threshold is reached, the skill will receive a 50% penalty in leveling speed (denoted by a red arrow ).
75% progression speed: After 3 minutes of not leveling a skill, the progression speed penalty is lessened to 25%.
100% progression speed: If a skill is not leveled for 16 minutes, the skill progression speed goes back to normal. Any further leveling of the skill past this stage will re-apply the 50% penalty within a smaller period of time.
Hideout
Constructing the Air Filtering Unit in the Hideout grants a 40% experience boost to the Physical skills group however this module also requires a FP-100 filter absorber in order to run.
Constructing the Library in the Hideout grants a 30% experience boost to the Practical skills group and an additional 15% boost to experience earned in raid.
↑Left the Action is obtained by disconnecting from the raid.
↑Run-Through is obtained by completing a raid with less than 200 EXP from Combat and Looting. You can also avoid this status by being in a raid for 7 minutes or longer.
↑x = Number of kills up to a maximum of 10 kills. After 10, any further kills are a flat additional +100 EXP to the streak, so instead of 11 kills being 650 EXP, it's 640. 12 kills is 740, 13 is 840, etc.
↑Can only be obtained by walking through certain areas on Factory
↑Only obtainable once per door. Only works on doors that must be breached to be opened.
↑When searching a container you gain "Search EXP" for every item as you discover what they are. When you search a body you immediately gain all the search EXP for what they have, instead of gaining it as you discover each individual item like when searching containers.
↑When looting you gain Loot EXP for moving an item from a container or the world onto your PMC. Any item type can only be looted once per raid for Loot EXP. For example, if you loot a TarCola can once in a raid, you will gain experience. If you loot a second TarCola can that same raid, you will not gain any additional Loot experience.
Levels
The table below shows the EXP required to level up and a cumulative total.