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, 2021 to June 30, 2024.
- 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 2021 to June 2024):
| GRE Section | Score Range | Mean Score |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 130-170 | 151.21 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 130-170 | 157.58 |
| Analytical Writing | 0.0-6.0 | 3.44 |
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 = 84th percentile
- Quant 160 = 50th percentile
This happens because score distributions differ by section and by test-taker population.
2026 GRE Percentile Chart (Latest ETS Data)
The table below reflects the current ETS interpretive dataset (testers from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2024).
| Scaled Score | Verbal Percentile | Quant Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| 170 | 99 | 91 |
| 169 | 99 | 86 |
| 168 | 99 | 81 |
| 167 | 98 | 76 |
| 166 | 96 | 71 |
| 165 | 95 | 67 |
| 164 | 93 | 63 |
| 163 | 91 | 60 |
| 162 | 89 | 57 |
| 161 | 86 | 53 |
| 160 | 84 | 50 |
| 159 | 80 | 47 |
| 158 | 77 | 45 |
| 157 | 73 | 42 |
| 156 | 70 | 39 |
| 155 | 65 | 37 |
| 154 | 60 | 34 |
| 153 | 55 | 31 |
| 152 | 48 | 29 |
| 151 | 43 | 26 |
| 150 | 39 | 24 |
| 149 | 34 | 21 |
| 148 | 30 | 19 |
| 147 | 27 | 17 |
| 146 | 24 | 14 |
| 145 | 21 | 12 |
| 144 | 18 | 10 |
| 143 | 16 | 9 |
| 142 | 14 | 7 |
| 141 | 12 | 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 | - |
| 131 | 1 | - |
| 130 | - | - |
Blank cells mean ETS did not report a percentile for that exact edge value.
Analytical Writing Percentiles
| AWA Score | Percentile |
|---|---|
| 6.0 | 99 |
| 5.5 | 98 |
| 5.0 | 93 |
| 4.5 | 85 |
| 4.0 | 63 |
| 3.5 | 43 |
| 3.0 | 17 |
| 2.5 | 8 |
| 2.0 | 3 |
| 1.5 | 1 |
| 1.0 | - |
| 0.5 | - |
| 0.0 | - |
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.
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.
- 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.