Over the years, one of the most common questions I have been asked by students is, “What is a good GRE score?”

A good GRE score mostly depends on the expectations of the student. The perception of a ‘good GRE score’ also varies from individual to individual. Same with the universities. Some students might consider the University of Michigan as a good college and hence the score required to get an admission there would be perceived as a good GRE score. However, students who target Harvard, won’t perceive the University of Michigan as a top university. Hence their idea of a good GRE score will be much higher.

According to my experience and perception, I would recommend the following slabs as ranges for a good GRE score.

1) TOP SCORE – These scores will place you among the top 10% of the test takers and get you admissions into the top US Universities.

2) GOOD SCORE – These scores will place you among the top 25% of the test takers and get you admissions into excellent US universities. And, guess what? You still have a shot at Ivy League universities if you have a good and consistent profile.

3) MODEST SCORE – These scores will place you among the top 50% of the test takers. Though these scores won’t help you in getting into top US universities, you can have a shot at many non-Ivy League universities. These are pretty decent scores and not at all bad, though you might face some competition if you are applying for highly-sought after programs. Make sure that you build a strong profile.

4) AVERAGE SCORE – These scores will place you among the remaining 50% of the test takers. Though these scores would get you admissions in many universities, chances are high that these universities might not be regarded as Top Universities or Excellent Universities by conventional standards. These universities can still offer you unconventional programs and help you build your own niche. Or, you can just retake the GRE and aim to boost your GRE scores for a shot at more popular universities.

GRE SCORE REQUIRED FOR VARIOUS STREAMS

You may also want to look at the average GRE score required for various fields of studies. Additionally, I have suggested a ‘Safe Score’ which is based on standard deviations and can be seen as a pointer for a good GRE score. This will help you to determine your own target of a good GRE score.

LIFE SCIENCES

PHYSICAL SCIENCES

ENGINEERING

SOCIAL SCIENCES

HUMANITIES AND ARTS

EDUCATION

BUSINESS

In this article, I will give you the official data on the average scores of those who got admissions into certain top universities, so that you get a fair idea of the university cut off scores.  Note the Average Quant Scores, Average Verbal scores, and the Quant cut-off scores to help you set a good GRE score as your target.

You must be wondering about the cut-off marks for the top universities. which is not easily available. But don’t worry, I have compiled the data for you.

GRE SCORE CUT-OFF FOR VARIOUS TOP UNIVERSITIES

University	Verbal (Average Score)	Quant (Minimum Score)	Quant (Average Score)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	157	160	162
Stanford University	158	160	163
University of California Berkeley	155	159	161
University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign	155	159	163
Carnegie Mellon University	159	159	161
Georgia Technological University	155	159	161
University of Texas Austin	155	157	160
University of Michigan Ann Arbor	154	159	161
Cornell University	160	159	162
Purdue University	158	160	163
University of Southern California	158	160	163
Texas A&M University	154	157	160
University of California San Diego	154	164	166
California Technological University	158	164	166
Princeton University	158	157	163
University of Wisconsin Madison	157	160	163
Columbia University	164	157	163
University of Maryland College	154	159	160
Northwestern University	154	159	161
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities	155	–	163
University of Washington	156	–	159
Ohio State University	–	155	158
Duke University	155	–	165
North Carolina State University	155	–	161
University of Colorado Boulder	155	–	152
University of California Irvine	152	–	161
Arizona State University	154	–	162
Iowa State University	152	–	160
Northeastern University	152	–	157
University at Buffalo – SUNY	154	–	161
University of Connecticut	153	–	157
University of Illinois–Chicago	152	–	158
Colorado State University	153	–	157
Illinois Institute of Technology	148	–	158
Clemson University	151	–	155
University of Central Florida	151	–	155
University of Cincinnati	155	–	159
Santa Clara University	151	–	157
Santa Clara University	151	–	157
Mississippi State University	148	–	157
University of North Carolina	158	–	155
Michigan Technological University	154	–	157
University of Texas Arlington	148	–	157

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UNIVERSITIES FOR GRE SCORE OF 330

GRE Score: 330

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Stanford University

University of California- Berkeley

University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign

University of Michigan Ann Arbor

Cornell University

The University of Texas at Austin

University of Maryland – College park

California Institute of Technology

University of Wisconsin- Madison

University of California – San Diego

University of California Los Angles

Harvard University

Carnegie Mellon University

So, now that you have detailed idea of what a good GRE score is, it is time for the next step, which is, ‘How to plan your GRE preparation to achieve that target GRE score’.
Needless to say, it requires immense dedication, planning, and hard work to achieve a good GRE score and secure admission to your Dream University.

I would love to hear from you. Get in touch with us to clear all your doubts!