"What's a good GRE score?" is the most-asked question in graduate admissions — and the honest answer is it depends on where you're applying. A 320 that sails into one program falls short at another. This guide gives you the three benchmarks that matter (320, 325, 330+), what each one signals to admissions committees, and realistic targets by field of study.
If you haven't yet learned how the scoring system itself works, start with our [GRE scoring explained guide](link: /guides/gre-scoring-explained) — then come back here to set your target.
The Short Answer: Three Tiers
Using current ETS percentiles (test takers July 2022–June 2025; mean ≈ 151 Verbal / 158 Quant / ~309 combined):
| Tier | Combined Score | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Solid | 320 | Above average (~70th+ percentile combined). Competitive for many master's programs and a respectable foundation. |
| Strong | 325 | Roughly 80th percentile combined. Clears the bar for most competitive programs outside the very top tier. |
| Elite | 330+ | 90th+ percentile territory. The range top-20 programs expect; opens every door the GRE can open. |
But the combined number hides the real story. Because Quant percentiles run "tougher" than Verbal (a 160 is the 82nd percentile in Verbal but only the 50th in Quant), the split matters more than the sum. A 320 built as 165V/155Q tells a completely different story than 155V/165Q — and programs read it that way.
Good GRE Scores by Program Field
Admissions committees don't evaluate your GRE in a vacuum; they compare you against their applicant pool. Approximate competitive targets by field:
| Field | Verbal Target | Quant Target | AWA Target | Combined Ballpark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top MBA programs | 160–168 | 160–165 | 4.0–5.0 | 320–330+ |
| Top law schools (GRE-accepting) | 162–168 | 155–162 | 4.0–5.5 | Verbal-led 320s |
| STEM / Engineering / CS | 150–155 | 165–170 | 3.0–4.0 | Quant-led 320s |
| Economics / Data Science | 155–160 | 165–170 | 4.0+ | 325–335 |
| Humanities (English, History, Philosophy) | 160–166 | 145–155 | 4.5–5.5 | Verbal-led 310s–320s |
| Social Sciences (Psych, PoliSci, Sociology) | 158–164 | 152–160 | 4.0–5.0 | 315–325 |
| Public Policy / Public Health | 158–164 | 155–160 | 4.5+ | 315–325 |
| Education | 153–158 | 150–155 | 4.0+ | 305–315 |
A few patterns worth internalizing:
- STEM programs barely glance at Verbal. A 152V/168Q (320) is a strong engineering application; a 168V/152Q (also 320) is not. Same total, opposite outcomes.
- Humanities programs invert it. They want to see 160+ Verbal and a 4.5+ AWA; a 155 Quant won't hurt you.
- MBA and law programs want balance. Lopsided splits raise eyebrows — they read as a narrow skill set.
- Economics and data science are the most demanding overall, typically wanting 165+ Quant and strong Verbal.
These are approximate medians of admitted students at competitive programs, not cutoffs. Always check the class profile or admissions data page for your specific schools — published medians beat any general table.
Percentile Cheat Sheet: Where Popular Scores Land
| Scaled Score | Verbal Percentile | Quant Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| 170 | 99th | 89th |
| 165 | 95th | 67th |
| 163 | 90th | 60th |
| 160 | 82nd | 50th |
| 158 | 76th | 45th |
| 155 | 64th | 37th |
| 152 | 50th | 31st |
| 150 | 39th | 23rd |
The single most useful row in that table: 160. It's the 82nd percentile in Verbal and the 50th in Quant. Internalize that asymmetry and you'll read every "is X a good score?" discussion correctly.
Analytical Writing Benchmarks
| AWA Score | Percentile | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| 5.0+ | 91st+ | Excellent — clears every bar |
| 4.5 | 81st | Strong — competitive everywhere |
| 4.0 | 56th | Fine — above average, rarely questioned |
| 3.5 | 38th | Below average — humanities applicants should retake or compensate |
| 3.0 or below | 15th | Red flag — worth addressing |
For most STEM applicants, a 4.0 ends the conversation. For humanities, law, and policy programs, treat 4.5 as your real target.
How to Set Your Personal Target Score
Don't pick a number from a blog post (including this one). Do this instead:
- List your 5–8 target programs. Not dream schools only — the real list.
- Find each program's published GRE medians or ranges. Check their admissions pages and class profiles. If unpublished, email admissions — they usually answer.
- Take the 75th percentile of those medians as your target. Aiming above the median gives you margin; aiming at the median makes the GRE a neutral rather than a positive.
- Weight the section your field cares about. Your target split should mirror the program's priorities, not a symmetric 160/160.
- Set a floor, not just a target. Decide in advance the score below which you'll retake (remember: 21-day wait, 5 attempts per 12 months).
Example: applying to mid-tier CS master's programs with published medians around 155V/165Q? Your target is 157V/167Q (324), and your retake floor might be anything under 320 with Quant below 164.
When Should You Retake?
Retaking is cheap relative to what's at stake — but only if a higher score is realistic. Retake when:
- You're 5+ points below your target and practice tests show you can close the gap
- Your split is lopsided for your field (e.g., 168V/152Q for engineering)
- Your AWA is 3.5 or below and you're applying to writing-heavy programs
Don't retake when:
- You're within 2–3 points of target — that's within the test's noise band, and schools know it
- Your practice scores have plateaued for a month — more of the same prep won't move the needle; change the method instead GRE prep
- The rest of your application (GPA, research, statement) is the weaker link — the GRE has diminishing returns past "good enough"
FAQ
Is 320 a good GRE score?
Yes — it's above average and competitive for a wide range of master's programs. Whether it's good enough depends on your field: strong for education and many professional master's, light for top economics or CS programs.
Is 300 a good GRE score?
It's just below the ~309 mean. It won't disqualify you at programs that treat the GRE as a check-the-box requirement, but competitive programs will expect more. If you're scoring 300 on practice tests with time to improve, keep going.
Do schools care about the total or the sections?
The sections — specifically the section relevant to your field. No admissions officer has ever admitted a student because their Verbal + Quant summed nicely.
What GRE score do I need for a scholarship?
Many programs use GRE thresholds for merit aid, often 320–325+. This is one of the highest-ROI reasons to push past "good enough" — a few points can be worth thousands of dollars.
Is the GRE score or GPA more important?
GPA, usually — it reflects years of work. But the GRE is the great equalizer across undergraduate institutions, and a strong score can offset a weaker GPA (and vice versa).
Does a perfect 340 matter?
Only as a curiosity. Nothing in admissions distinguishes a 335 from a 340. Past ~330, additional points buy essentially zero admissions value — spend that energy on your statement of purpose instead.
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