What is a good GRE score to get into your dream graduate program in 2025? A good GRE score is typically 160+ in both math and verbal. But a lot depends on the programs you are targeting and how strong your overall application is. To illustrate, for someone aiming for a Masters in Education, a 150 Verbal score is probably sufficient, provided the rest of their application is strong. For a Ph.D physics candidate, on the other hand, a 168+ is a good score.
The key for any program is to look at the percentile scores for the program you are interested in. “Good” GRE test scores will typically fall into the upper quartile. That means you’re scoring better than 75% of those accepted to the program in the previous year. Of course, if the rest of your application is weak, or you are applying to a “reach” school, then scoring better than 90% of those admitted would probably be a “good” score.
Since the GRE exam score is specific to your unique set of circumstances, let’s unpack the variables to get a clearer idea of what a “good” score is for you.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- GRE Score Range: What’s a Good, Average, or Poor GRE Score?
- A Good GRE Score Is Relative
- Median GRE Scores and Quartiles Are Important
- Why Average GRE Scores Matter
- How to Improve Your GRE Score
- Key Takeaways
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What is a good score on the new GRE test?
- How long are GRE scores valid?
- How can I convert my GRE score to the GMAT equivalent?
- Why do schools require the GRE?
- How do I send my GRE score to schools?
- Why does ETS cancel GRE scores?
- Should I cancel my GRE Score?
- Do good GRE scores really matter?
- What is a perfect GRE score?
- What is a good GRE score for computer science?
- What’s Next?
Let’s begin by discussing the GRE score range.
GRE Score Range: What’s a Good, Average, or Poor GRE Score?
Maybe you don’t know which program you want to apply to. Or perhaps you’re considering grad school and are curious where your GRE score would land. So, you might be wondering: is my score good enough for most schools and programs I’d generally be interested in?
Before we answer this question, we first need to understand at a high level how the GRE is scored and how the GRE score range works. (We’ll dive into this more deeply later in this post.):
- Both the Verbal section and the Quantitative section are scored on a range from 130 to 170.
- Your overall GRE score is the sum of your Verbal and Quantitative scores.
- The middle of the range, though not the “average” or necessarily a “good” score, is 150.
KEY FACT:
In the GRE Quantitative section, 150 is the middle of the score range but is actually very close to being a “poor” score.
Next, let’s discuss GRE score percentiles.
The GRE Score Percentiles
How exactly does the GRE test score range correspond to adjectives like “good” and “poor”? To answer this question, we’ll need to focus on general percentile rankings. Defining scores as average, good, and poor isn’t always straightforward, but percentile rankings provide clarity. In fact, there are some percentiles most can generally agree track with average, good, and poor.
In the table below, I’ve chosen specific percentiles corresponding to “good,” “average,” and “poor” scores. I’ve also included “excellent” (for high achievers!) Additionally, I’ve provided scores for both the Quant and Verbal sections:
| Description to Percentile | Quantitative Reasoning | Verbal Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Poor = 25% | 149 | 146 |
| Average = 50% | 157 | 152 |
| Good = 75% | 165 | 157 |
| Excellent = 95% | 170 | 165 |
There are a few things that jump out here:
- A good score in Quant is close to perfect. In other words, if you miss 5-6 questions, you’re merely “good.”
- Verbal is a more forgiving section than Quant.
- A 150, which is the middle of the scoring range, is close to a “poor” score for both Quant and Verbal.
Many graduate and MBA programs have a minimum total score of 300, which is not that far from a “poor” score. So, a “poor” score can still get you into certain programs.
TTP PRO TIP:
It’s important to find out what a good score is for the schools or programs to which you are looking to apply.
GRE vs. GMAT Score Percentiles
In addition to allowing schools to compare your GRE test scores to those of other recent GRE test-takers, score percentiles help schools compare scores from different standardized tests. For instance, many graduate business schools accept both GMAT and GRE scores. However, GMAT to GRE score conversions are imprecise, since the tests contain different content and use different scoring methodologies.
So, instead, schools compare test-takers’ GRE and GMAT score percentiles. Granted, we can’t perfectly translate scores on one test to scores on the other. Still, if a GRE-taker and a GMAT-taker both earned, say, scores in the 90th percentile on their tests, then admissions committees have a solid sense of where both test-takers rank among their peers in comparison to each other.
A Good GRE Score Is Relative
As mentioned above, whether a GRE score is good or not depends on the program. In fact, the difference between what qualifies as “good” for a given program can sometimes be the difference between a 95th and a 50th percentile score. Luckily, once you focus on a specific program, that large divide quickly evaporates.
Now the focus becomes twofold. How do you score within a specific area of study? And how do you score for the tier of schools within that area of study you are interested in? To answer these questions requires a little research on your part.
To give you an idea of average GRE scores by program type, here is a summary of the 2024-2025 data from ETS:
| Graduate Field | Verbal Score | Quant Score |
|---|---|---|
| Business | 153 | 159 |
| Education | 151 | 148 |
| Engineering | 151 | 161 |
| Humanities & Arts | 156 | 152 |
| Law | 155 | 152 |
| Life Sciences | 150 | 150 |
| Physical Sciences | 152 | 162 |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | 154 | 154 |
Take a deeper dive: Law School GRE percentiles, Engineering School GRE percentiles.
Here are the score targets for some top-rated business schools in the nation:
- Wharton GRE score percentiles
- HBS GRE score percentiles
- GRE score percentiles for MIT, for those looking into STEM fields.
Median GRE Scores and Quartiles Are Important
When looking at a specific school’s GRE score breakdown, pay attention to the median score wherever possible. This is the average score for applicants accepted to the program.
Secondly, you should also look at the quartile rankings. In addition to the median score, quartiles will show you the GRE scores for the bottom 25% and the top 25% of the class.
Knowing these quartile breakdowns gives you an idea of how a score corresponds to the likelihood of you gaining admission, provided the rest of your application is strong. For example, if your score is in the bottom 25% for a specific program or area of study, you’ll either have to really stand out in the rest of your application or plan on retaking the GRE.
TTP PRO TIP:
Find out the median score of applicants accepted into the program you’re looking to get into.
Why Average GRE Scores Matter
Average GRE scores are important because they let you know where to score to be considered “middle of the pack” for a specific program. Average GRE scores are also the data that are most widely available (schools do not always list GRE score quartiles).
Note, the median is not the average score of those who applied to the program, which we can reasonably infer is lower. Rather, the median score indicates acceptable GRE scores for those admitted to the program. Granted, other parts of an application affect whether a given applicant is admitted. But, on the whole, the average scores of those rejected are likely to be lower.
Armed with the average GRE score for your target school, you can home in on an exact target, creating subgoals to help you achieve, if not surpass, the average GRE score for a program. (For more, here’s a deeper dive into average GRE scores.)
TTP PRO TIP:
Knowing the average GRE score for your target program gives you a clear benchmark for where your score needs to be.
How to Improve Your GRE Score
Overall Strategies for Scoring 330+
If you are aiming for a 330+, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve already applied effective strategies to your study plan. How do you actually crack that 330+, putting you amongst the highest echelon of test-takers?
A great step toward achieving your score goal is to read our GRE 330 Score Guide for some helpful strategies. The short answer is you’ll need to have a strong vocabulary; be able to parse complex text while spotting subtle traps; and be able to quickly navigate complex mathematical problems while not making careless mistakes.
Hitting a 330+ score also will require you to review your practice tests looking for patterns to your mistakes. You’ll have to be aware of these mistakes when you next take the test–lest you fall for those traps again.
TTP PRO TIP:
Scoring 330+ on the GRE demands mastery of advanced vocabulary, the ability to parse densely-packed information, and the ability to avoid making careless errors.
What if You’re Starting With a Low GRE Score?
If you are scoring below 300 on the GRE, hitting 330+ can be very challenging. I’ve seen students do it before. But in each case, that person took well over six months to accomplish the score increase.
While a large increase is challenging, improving in smaller increments is very much attainable. So if you are starting with a low score, know that you can improve. Having that faith will be important. From there, it’s a question of applying the same strategy as I mentioned above: find those areas where you are weakest at and that are common on the test. Aim your focus there.
Read this post to learn about some of the main causes of a low GRE score. And here’s a helpful post to help you diagnose why your GRE score is not improving.
TTP PRO TIP:
If you are starting with a low GRE score, focus on incremental improvements, rather than trying to focus on a large score increase.
Strategies for Improving Your GRE Quant Score
When approaching the GRE Quant Section, it’s important to find your areas of weakness by taking a practice test. Then, figure out which areas are the most common. From there, burrow down into those specific concepts, watching lesson videos and doing follow-up practice to instill those concepts. If you take time to address your specific weaknesses, you’ll find yourself improving your GRE Quant score in no time.
Of course, don’t forget the two broader issues not directly related to mathematical concepts: pacing and careless errors. For instance, poor pacing can force you to make careless errors or, when you’re running out of time and feeling stressed, cause you to forget some concepts. Working on pacing and avoiding careless errors, especially if they have already caused your problems, can quickly net you quite a few points. For tips to improve your pacing, check out this post about GRE timing strategies.
TTP PRO TIP:
Take a practice test to find your areas of weakness and then focus on those areas to improve your GRE Quant score.
Strategies for Improving Your GRE Verbal Score
For the GRE Verbal section, the advice is similar to that for the Quant section: begin by taking a practice test to diagnose your weaknesses. For many, this comes down to vocabulary mastery, a large part of the Verbal section. You can understand every word in a paragraph, but if a tricky GRE word such as “ambivalent” shows up in the answer choices and you don’t know the meaning, you’ll likely miss the question.
Of course, there’s more to acing the Verbal section than just vocabulary. Much of your success hinges upon how well you can parse complex academic text and grasp the larger meaning. Or, if the text is science-based, how well you can process details and supporting evidence. In addition, you’ll need a solid grasp of question-specific strategies to quickly improve your Verbal score.
For many, a good strategy is to read advanced text to boost their overall “academic reading” comprehension. Here’s a great resource that contains the level of writing and language found on the GRE but in articles and thought pieces that can be both engaging and edifying.
TTP PRO TIP:
While a strong vocabulary is important for a good Verbal score, you’ll also need to learn how to understand the larger meanings behind complex academic text.
Key Takeaways
We’ve learned in this article that simply asking, “What is a good GRE score?” won’t get you very far in graduate admissions. Rather, you need to ask yourself, “What is a good GRE score for me?” While there are some general perceptions of what GRE scores are good, great, or truly outstanding, the best GRE scores for you will depend on the programs to which you’re applying and your overall applicant profile.
So, when setting your GRE score goals, make sure to consider the following 3 key questions:
- Is there a minimum GRE score for graduate school programs you’re targeting?
- What are the average GRE scores of admitted students at your desired programs?
- Do you need to offset weak points in your application?
Fortunately, earning a competitive GRE score is entirely within your control. With a smart study plan and effective preparation materials, the sky’s the limit!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a good score on the new GRE test?
The scores are exactly the same. In other words, a 330 on the old test is the same as the 330 on the new test. This post provides more detail on the new GRE test if you are interested!
How long are GRE scores valid?
GRE scores are valid for exactly 5 years. During this time, you’ll be able to access them in your ‘score history’ on your ets.org account.
How can I convert my GRE score to the GMAT equivalent?
To convert your GRE score to a GMAT (or vice versa), you will have to use a conversion chart. In this post on GRE to GMAT conversion, you’ll find this very conversion chart, along with plenty of other info on this topic.
Why do schools require the GRE?
GRE scores give admissions officers a standard by which to compare students with a vast variety of different experiences. That said, not all schools require a GRE score. Here’s a more in-depth breakdown of why schools require GRE scores.
How do I send my GRE score to schools?
Sending your GRE scores to schools is not as complicated as many students often assume. In fact, here’s a step-by-step process to send GRE scores to schools.
Why does ETS cancel GRE scores?
ETS may cancel GRE scores for many reasons, something that happens far more frequently now that you are able to take the GRE at home.
Should I cancel my GRE Score?
Canceling your GRE score requires careful deliberation and the weighing of a number of factors.
Do good GRE scores really matter?
How much GRE scores matter depends on the program you are applying to. For some, the simple truth is the GRE may not matter that much (typically those programs in which the GRE is optional.) For other programs, there is a minimum GRE threshold, making a GRE score critical.
What is a perfect GRE score?
A 340 is considered a perfect GRE score, requiring a score of 170 on both the Verbal and Quantitative sections. For the Analytical Writing section, which is scored separately, a ‘6’ is a perfect score. Striving for a perfect score is not always realistic. Instead, aim for the best GRE score for you.
What is a good GRE score for computer science?
According to historical data by ETS, which creates and administers the GRE, average scores for computer science programs range from 320-330.
What’s Next?
Need to figure out your baseline score? Get started with a practice test from ETS and a free 40-question GRE Diagnostic from TTP.
Not sure how to start your prep journey? Read how to study for the GRE.
Interested in more GRE score strategies? Check out videos about how to get a high score on the TTP GRE YouTube channel!