What's a Good GMAT Percentile?
Although the median GMAT score is approximately 555, the average GMAT scores of top 10 programs—such as Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, and Booth—hover around 645 to 695. As you can see, the environment is extremely competitive—a 695 translates into the 98th percentile.
So knowing how GMAT scores convert to percentiles is important when preparing to apply to graduate management education programs.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- How GMAT Percentiles Work
- Total Score Percentile Chart
- Data Insights Score Percentile Chart
- Verbal Reasoning Score Percentile Chart
- Quantitative Reasoning Score Percentile Chart
- Key Takeaways
How GMAT Percentiles Work
GMAT percentiles are calculated by comparing your Total Score against previous test takers Total Scores. So if you have a Total GMAT Score of 555, that means 53% of test takers over the past few years have scored lower than you on the GMAT.
Over time percentiles can fluctuate slightly, so if it’s been a while since you took the GMAT, your old scores may translate to different percentiles now.
The higher the percentile your scores belong to the more competitive your GMAT scores are.
Most schools primarily look at your GMAT Total Score when evaluating your scores but some may look into your section scores too. It just depends on which type of program you are applying to and which school you are applying to.
Convert GMAT Total Score to GMAT Percentile
Find your GMAT score below and convert your score to a percentile rank.
GMAT Total Score Percentile Chart
A good overall GMAT score is 625 or higher. Use the chart below to find your overall score percentile.
| GMAT Total Score | GMAT Percentile |
|---|---|
| 735 | 100% |
| 665 | 94% |
| 635 | 85% |
| 615 | 80% |
| 605 | 75% |
| 555 | 53% |
| 525 | 38% |
Convert GMAT Section Scores to GMAT Percentiles
The charts below will help you find your GMAT percentile for each section of the exam. Each section score contributes equally to your overall GMAT Total Score.
GMAT Data Insights Score Percentile Chart
A good Data Insights score is 78 or higher. Use the chart below to find your Data Insights score percentile.
| Data Insights Score | Data Insights Percentile |
|---|---|
| 89 | 100% |
| 83 | 96% |
| 81 | 90% |
| 80 | 86% |
| 78 | 73% |
| 76 | 58% |
| 74 | 45% |
GMAT Verbal Reasoning Score Percentile Chart
A good Verbal Reasoning score is 83 or higher. Use the chart below to find your Verbal Reasoning score percentile.
| Verbal Reasoning Score | Verbal Reasoning Percentile |
|---|---|
| 89 | 100% |
| 85 | 96% |
| 83 | 86% |
| 81 | 70% |
| 80 | 60% |
| 79 | 51% |
| 78 | 42% |
GMAT Quantitative Reasoning Score Percentile Chart
A good Quantitative Reasoning score is 79 or higher. Use the chart below to find your Quantitative score percentile.
| Quantitative Reasoning Score | Quantitative Reasoning Percentile |
|---|---|
| 90 | 100% |
| 88 | 95% |
| 85 | 89% |
| 83 | 81% |
| 82 | 76% |
| 80 | 66% |
| 78 | 52% |
Key Takeaways about GMAT Score Percentiles
The first is that you will not win on the GMAT by nailing one section and hoping your performance will overcome a deficit on the other. Your overall score is a balanced performance between the three GMAT sections.
The second point is that, since section percentiles aren’t obvious from the overall score, some admission officers don’t look at them specifically.
Some admissions officers at top schools have remarked on panels, “We will look specifically at the Quantitative percentile on the GMAT. You should have at least an 80th percentile on that section as well as a strong overall score.” Moreover, at specialized MBA and management programs, a Quantitative percentile of 90th or higher may be the norm.
Remember, the percentile your overall score is in is the most important percentile ranking to focus on in most cases. It’s a balanced measure of absolute and relative performance. In our experience, B-school admissions officers rarely pay attention to percentiles.
