The GRE score reference guide shows competitive Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing benchmarks by graduate program type. Enter your scores to see where you stand relative to admitted students at top programs.
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| Score | Verbal %ile | Quant %ile |
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How to Use the Grad School GRE Score Reference
The GRE score reference helps you understand how your Verbal, Quantitative, and Writing scores compare to the median scores of admitted students in your target program type.
Step 1: Enter your scores and choose program type
Select your target discipline — GRE score benchmarks vary dramatically by field. Engineering and CS programs weight Quantitative heavily (target 162+). Humanities and social science programs care more about Verbal (target 157+) and Writing (target 4.5+). Business programs often prefer GMAT but accept GRE.
Step 2: Read the competitive assessment
The tool shows whether your scores are competitive (above median), borderline (within one standard deviation), or below median for your program type. Scores above the 75th percentile for your field are a strength; below the 25th percentile, they may be a weakness that needs to be offset by strong research experience or letters of recommendation.
Step 3: Use the percentile table
The reference percentile table shows national GRE percentiles for both Verbal and Quantitative sections. A 160V is approximately the 85th percentile nationally. Remember that within specific programs, the comparison pool is self-selected — 160V might be average for a PhD English applicant pool even though it's in the top 15% nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good GRE score?
GRE scores range from 130–170 per section. A 160+ Verbal and 160+ Quantitative is considered competitive at top programs. The average GRE Verbal score is about 151 and Quant is about 153. A score above 160 places you in the top 15–20% nationally. Context matters — a 163 Quant is average for MIT engineering applicants but excellent for a humanities program.
Is this GRE reference guide free?
Yes, completely free. No signup needed.
Do all grad schools require GRE scores?
Many programs dropped GRE requirements since 2020 and have made the change permanent. As of 2025, many top PhD programs in STEM, social sciences, and humanities are GRE-optional or GRE-free. Check each program directly. Business school MBA programs typically use GMAT, though most also accept GRE.
How is the GRE scored?
GRE Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning each score 130–170 in 1-point increments. Analytical Writing scores 0–6 in half-point increments. Scores are section-adaptive — the difficulty of the second section depends on your first-section performance. Total possible score: 340 (170V + 170Q).
Can I take the GRE multiple times?
Yes — you can take the GRE up to 5 times per year (once per 21 days). ETS's ScoreSelect lets you choose which scores to send. Most schools consider only your best sitting or your best individual section scores (superscoring). Plan for 2–3 attempts to optimize your score.