whats a good gre score

What’s a Good GRE Score?

A good GRE score is subjective and depends on which school you will be applying to. Start by finding average GRE scores for the schools you plan to apply to. This will help you understand how important these scores are as part of your application and give you a target to work towards.

If you’ve found yourself needing to get higher GRE scores after taking a practice test, make sure to fully understand how scoring works. Sometimes raising your overall score by just a few points can be very challenging and requires true dedication to reach your target school. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

In general, here is what you need to know about GRE scores.

  • You will receive an overall score on the GRE and scores for each section of the exam.
  • Your overall GRE score will be somewhere between 260 – 340.
  • The range for scores in the verbal and quantitative sections is 130-170 in one-point increments.
  • The range for scores in analytical writing is 0 – 6 in half-point increments.
  • The mean GRE scores for each section amongst recent test takers were ~151 in Verbal, ~155 in Quantitative, and ~3.5 in Writing.
  • A good GRE score for each section is generally considered 158+ for Verbal, 159+ for Quantitative, and 4.5+ for Writing, and an overall score of 318+ which places you into the 75th percentile or higher. 

How GRE Scoring Works

You will receive scores for each section of the GRE and also an overall score which gets calculated based on the scores you receive on the quantitative and verbal sections. The Essay (Analytical Writing) section score does not factor into your overall GRE score and is scored separately.

Verbal and Quantitative scores reflect the number of questions you answer correctly and difficulty level. Essay (Analytical Writing) scores reflect the quality of your essay response.

The first Verbal section and the first Quantitative section are both routing modules, so the number of questions you get right in these routing modules determines the difficulty level of your second section in both Verbal and Quant. 

Your second sections could be lower-difficulty, medium-difficulty, or higher-difficulty, and the difficulty level of your second section will in part determine your final score.

[ RELATED: How is the GRE scored? ]

There are only 81 possible overall scores (from 260 to 340) possible on the GRE. That means that answering just a few more questions correctly can push your score from just average to far above average.

GRE SCORE EXPERT TIP

How Schools Use GRE Scores

Graduate and professional programs use your overall and section GRE scores to assess your readiness for the program you are applying to. GRE scores demonstrate your ability to succeed and give admissions officers one more factor to look at when deciding to admit you or not.

Remember that GRE scores are only one of many factors that are used to determine your readiness. Personal statements, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and sometimes even work experience can all be used to decide on your application. 

If you are applying for a math-heavy program like engineering, you will probably need higher GRE scores in Quantitative than in Verbal. This logic also applies to English degrees where you will probably be expected to have higher Verbal scores than in other degree programs.

[ RELATED: Average GRE scores for top Graduate School Programs ]

GRE Score Ranges: Average, Good, and Highest GRE Scores

 Best GRE SCORES


These GRE scores will put you in the top 10% of all GRE test takers

GRE VERBAL: 163-170

GRE QUANTITATIVE:  165-170

GRE WRITING: 5.0-6.0

 Competitive GRE SCORES

These GRE scores will put you in a highly competitive place in admissions (top 25% of all GRE test takers)

GRE VERBAL: 158-170

GRE QUANTITATIVE:  165-170

GRE WRITING: 4.5

 Good GRE SCORES


These GRE scores put you ahead of the pack (50%+), but won’t be as advantageous when applying to highly competitive programs

GRE VERBAL: 152-158

GRE QUANTITATIVE:  157-164

GRE WRITING: 4.0

 Below Average GRE Scores


These GRE scores may be enough to get into a wide variety of graduate programs, but will be below average compared to the testing population

GRE VERBAL: 151 or below

GRE QUANTITATIVE:  156 or below

GRE WRITING: 3.5 or below

GRE Scoring Percentiles

Together with your GRE scores, you’ll also receive a percentile rank, which is intended to give you an idea of how well your scores measure up against other GRE test takers. The higher your percentile rank, the more likely you are to get into a top graduate program.

GRE Verbal + Quantitative Scaled Scores and Percentiles

The percentile scores listed below in the verbal, quantitative, and analytical score columns, rate your performance relative to that of a large sample population of other GRE takers.

As provided by ETS, the creator of the GRE, possible GRE scores and their coinciding percentiles are as follows:

gre SCALED ScoreGRE verbal percentileGRE quantitative Percentile
17099%94%
16999%91%
16898%87%
16798%83%
16697%80%
16596%76%
16495%73%
16392%70%
16289%68%
16187%65%
16084%61%
15981%58%
15877%55%
15773%52%
15670%49%
15565%46%
15460%42%
15356%39%
15250%36%
15146%33%
15041%30%
14936%27%
14832%24%
14729%21%
14625%18%
14522%15%
14419%13%
14317%11%
14215%9%
14112%7%
14010%6%
1399%5%
1387%4%
1376%3%
1365%2%
1354%2%
1343%1%
1332%1%
1321%1%
1311%1%
1301%1%

Not sure how you’ll score on the GRE? Take a free full-length practice test for the GRE® today to see where you stand.

GRE Analytical Writing Score Levels and Percentiles

GRE writing scoreGRE writing percentile
6.099%
5.598%
5.092%
4.581%
4.057%
3.539%
3.015%
2.57%
2.02%
1.51%
1.01%
0.51%
0.01%

How to Improve Your GRE Score

To improve your GRE score you will need to honestly assess your most recent practice test results to determine how much you need to improve. Remember you’re not aiming for perfection, just for scores that align with historical scores from the degree programs you plan to apply to.

Studying for 3 months is the benchmark for GRE prep. This will give you enough time to seriously focus on your weaknesses and lightly refresh your knowledge of your strengths. It will give you plenty of time to take multiple practice tests and use practice questions to stay sharp. 

Studying for at least 3 months will also give you the ability to pivot if needed and hire a GRE tutor to give you the one-on-one attention you need. 

[ RELATED: GRE 3-Month Study Plan ]

Quiz: Verbal Diagnostic GRE Practice Questions

Quiz: Math Diagnostic GRE Practice Questions


Written by Kaplan experts, reviewed by Gordon Spector, GRE Veteran Instructor and Content Developer. Gordon has taught thousands of students how to master the GRE for over 10 years and is one of the most well-known instructors in the industry.