If you are preparing for the GRE, your scaled score alone is not enough.
Admissions teams usually read your score together with percentile rank, because percentile tells them how your performance compares to the broader testing pool.
This guide breaks down the latest GRE percentile data and how to use it to set smart score targets.
- GRE percentiles show the percentage of test takers who scored below you.
- Percentiles are reported separately for Verbal, Quant, and Analytical Writing.
- The latest ETS reference window is July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2025 (the 2026-27 interpretive edition).
- The average GRE score is about 151 Verbal, 158 Quant, and 3.5 Analytical Writing.
- The same scaled score maps to different percentiles in Verbal vs Quant.
- A "good" percentile is program-specific; use your target school's admitted-student profile.
What GRE Percentiles Mean
A percentile rank answers this question: What share of test takers scored lower than me?
Example:
- 80th percentile means you scored above 80% of test takers.
- 50th percentile is roughly median performance.
Percentiles are recalibrated periodically by ETS based on a recent multi-year testing cohort.
GRE Score Ranges And Current Averages
For the GRE General Test:
- Verbal Reasoning: 130 to 170 (1-point increments)
- Quantitative Reasoning: 130 to 170 (1-point increments)
- Analytical Writing: 0.0 to 6.0 (0.5-point increments)
Latest ETS means (all test takers, July 2022 to June 2025):
| GRE Section | Score Range | Mean Score |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 130-170 | 151.39 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 130-170 | 157.62 |
| Analytical Writing | 0.0-6.0 | 3.46 |
So the average GRE score is about 151 Verbal and 158 Quant (roughly a 309 combined), with a 3.5 Analytical Writing score. Clearing those section means puts you in the upper half of test takers.
Why The Same Score Has Different Percentiles Across Sections
A 160 is not "equally strong" in both multiple-choice sections.
In the latest table:
- Verbal 160 = 82nd percentile
- Quant 160 = 50th percentile
This happens because score distributions differ by section and by test-taker population.
GRE Percentile Chart: Score to Percentile (2026-27 ETS Data)
This is the full GRE score percentile chart for Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning, based on the current ETS interpretive dataset (test takers from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025).
| Scaled Score | Verbal Percentile | Quant Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| 170 | 99 | 89 |
| 169 | 99 | 85 |
| 168 | 98 | 80 |
| 167 | 97 | 75 |
| 166 | 96 | 72 |
| 165 | 95 | 67 |
| 164 | 93 | 63 |
| 163 | 90 | 60 |
| 162 | 88 | 57 |
| 161 | 85 | 53 |
| 160 | 82 | 50 |
| 159 | 79 | 47 |
| 158 | 76 | 45 |
| 157 | 72 | 42 |
| 156 | 68 | 39 |
| 155 | 64 | 37 |
| 154 | 59 | 34 |
| 153 | 54 | 31 |
| 152 | 48 | 29 |
| 151 | 43 | 26 |
| 150 | 39 | 23 |
| 149 | 34 | 21 |
| 148 | 30 | 19 |
| 147 | 27 | 16 |
| 146 | 24 | 14 |
| 145 | 21 | 12 |
| 144 | 18 | 10 |
| 143 | 16 | 9 |
| 142 | 14 | 7 |
| 141 | 11 | 6 |
| 140 | 10 | 5 |
| 139 | 8 | 4 |
| 138 | 6 | 3 |
| 137 | 5 | 2 |
| 136 | 4 | 2 |
| 135 | 3 | 1 |
| 134 | 2 | 1 |
| 133 | 2 | 1 |
| 132 | 1 | <1 |
| 131 | 1 | <1 |
| 130 | <1 | <1 |
"<1" means ETS did not report a percentile for that edge value (below the 1st percentile). For an instant lookup, use our GRE score percentile calculator.
GRE Verbal Percentiles
Verbal Reasoning percentiles run higher than Quant at the same scaled score. Key anchors from the chart above:
| Verbal Score | Percentile | Standing |
|---|---|---|
| 165 | 95 | Top 5% |
| 160 | 82 | Very strong |
| 155 | 64 | Above average |
| 151 | 43 | Near the mean (151.4) |
| 145 | 21 | Below average |
Because a Verbal 160 already clears the 80th percentile, a few Verbal points move your standing quickly.
GRE Quant Percentiles
Quant percentiles run lower than Verbal at the same scaled score, because the Quant test-taker pool skews higher. Key anchors:
| Quant Score | Percentile | Standing |
|---|---|---|
| 165 | 67 | Above average |
| 160 | 50 | Exactly the median |
| 158 | 45 | Near the mean (157.6) |
| 155 | 37 | Below average |
| 150 | 23 | Bottom quartile |
Note how Quant 160 is only the 50th percentile, versus the 82nd for the same Verbal score. Quant-heavy programs read this section against a stronger field.
Quick answers: common GRE percentiles
- What percentile is a 160? Verbal 160 = 82nd; Quant 160 = 50th.
- What percentile is a 167? Verbal 167 = 97th; Quant 167 = 75th.
- What percentile is a 157? Verbal 157 = 72nd; Quant 157 = 42nd.
- What percentile is a 150? Verbal 150 = 39th; Quant 150 = 23rd.
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GRE Analytical Writing (AWA) Percentiles
Analytical Writing is scored 0.0-6.0 in half-point steps. Percentiles for the current window:
| AWA Score | Percentile |
|---|---|
| 6.0 | 99 |
| 5.5 | 98 |
| 5.0 | 93 |
| 4.5 | 85 |
| 4.0 | 63 |
| 3.5 | 40 |
| 3.0 | 16 |
| 2.5 | 7 |
| 2.0 | 3 |
| 1.5 | 1 |
| 1.0 | 1 |
| 0.5 | <1 |
| 0.0 | <1 |
The AWA mean is about 3.5, so a 4.0 already lands above the 60th percentile and a 4.5 clears the 85th.
What Is A Good GRE Percentile?
There is no universal "good percentile" for every applicant.
A practical framework:
- 50th percentile: baseline competitiveness for many less-selective programs.
- 65th-80th percentile: solid for many mainstream master's admissions.
- 80th+ percentile: stronger for selective programs.
- 90th+ percentile: often useful for highly selective programs and funding-sensitive decisions.
Always prioritize program-specific medians over generic internet cutoffs.
Target By Program Type (Rule-Of-Thumb)
- Quant-heavy programs (engineering, analytics, economics): Quant percentile usually matters most.
- Writing/reading-heavy programs (humanities, policy, communications): Verbal and AWA may carry more weight.
- Balanced programs (many business and social science tracks): both section percentiles matter.
If Quant is your gap, a quant-first course like Target Test Prep is built exactly for that.
Broad Field Means (Useful For Goal Calibration)
ETS broad-field mean scores (recent cohort):
| Intended Broad Field | Verbal | Quant | AWA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business | 153 | 160 | 3.6 |
| Education | 151 | 149 | 3.7 |
| Engineering | 151 | 161 | 3.4 |
| Humanities & Arts | 156 | 153 | 4.0 |
| Law | 154 | 152 | 4.0 |
| Life Sciences | 150 | 150 | 3.7 |
| Physical Sciences | 152 | 162 | 3.4 |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | 154 | 154 | 3.9 |
Use these as directional benchmarks, not admissions guarantees.
Why Percentiles Change Even If Your Ability Doesn't
Percentiles can move over time because the comparison group changes.
Your scaled score represents roughly the same ability level, but percentile rank may shift when ETS updates the reporting cohort.
Fast Score-Goal Method
- Shortlist your programs.
- Find reported GRE ranges/medians for admitted students.
- Convert target scaled scores to percentiles with our calculator.
- Prioritize section targets by program emphasis.
- Build your GRE study plan around the largest percentile gap.
Bottom Line
Percentiles are the context layer for your GRE score.
If your target programs are competitive, focus less on chasing an arbitrary composite and more on reaching the percentile profile that aligns with your specific field.
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