What Is A Good GRE Score in 2024

Ram Srinivasan

26/12/2024

8 min read

Last Updated: April 2026

The GRE total marks (max score) is 340 — Verbal Reasoning (170) + Quantitative Reasoning (170). Analytical Writing is scored separately on a 0-6 scale in half-point increments. If you are targeting top-tier programs, the 340 ceiling is what defines “how high you can go,” and understanding how those 340 points are built tells you exactly where to spend your prep time.

This guide breaks down GRE total marks for the General Test and Subject Tests, walks through how each section is scored, shows the latest ETS percentile tables, and gives you concrete score targets by program type so you know what “good” actually means for your goal school.

Quick Facts: GRE Total Marks at a Glance

• GRE General Test maximum score:340 (Verbal 170 + Quant 170)
• GRE General Test minimum score:260 (Verbal 130 + Quant 130)
• Analytical Writing:0-6 scale, scored separately (not part of the 340)
• GRE Subject Test scale:200-990, in 10-point increments
• Current exam length (since September 2023):~1 hour 58 minutes
• Score validity:5 years from test date

> Note on the shortened GRE: In September 2023, ETS released a shortened GRE General Test. The exam is now approximately 1 hour 58 minutes total (down from nearly 4 hours), with no unscored experimental section and no separate research section. The scoring scale did not change — the maximum total score is still 340, and each section still ranges from 130 to 170. Percentile interpretation also remains consistent. For a full walkthrough of the new format, see our GRE Exam Pattern guide.

What is the GRE Score?

The GRE General Test uses a section-level adaptive format for Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning. That means your performance on the first section of Verbal (or Quant) determines the difficulty of the second section in that same subject. Harder second sections have a higher scoring ceiling, which is why adaptive test-takers who perform well on section one end up with more “room” to post a top score.

The GRE marking system differs for the two test types — GRE General and GRE Subject — and you should understand both before you start preparing so your score target matches the scale you are actually being measured on.

GRE General Test Marks

The GRE General Test is used for admission into graduate programs across Business, Education, Engineering, Humanities & Arts, Law, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social and Behavioural Sciences. It has three scored sections: Analytical Writing, Quantitative Reasoning, and Verbal Reasoning.

Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning are each scored on a 130-170 scale in 1-point increments. Analytical Writing is scored on a 0-6 scale in half-point increments. Only Verbal and Quant roll up into the 340 total.

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GRE Exam Score Calculation for Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning

The GRE Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections are both scored in the 130-170 range in 1-point increments. Your raw score on each section depends on:

• The number of questions you answer correctly
• The difficulty level of the second section you are routed into (a function of how well you did on the first section)
• Whether you complete every question in the allotted time

Because the test is section-adaptive, two test-takers with the same number of correct answers can end up with different scaled scores depending on which difficulty tier their second section landed in.

GRE Exam Score Calculation for Analytical Writing

The Analytical Writing section consists of one “Analyze an Issue” essay (the “Analyze an Argument” task was removed as part of the September 2023 shortening). Your response is evaluated on the strength of your reasoning, the evidence you marshal to support your position, the clarity and organization of your ideas, and your command of standard written English. Essays are scored by one trained human rater and one e-rater; if the two disagree meaningfully, a second human rater weighs in.

The scoring rubric breaks down as follows:

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GRE Subject Test Marks

ETS currently administers three GRE Subject Tests:

• Mathematics
• Physics
• Psychology

(Chemistry and Biology Subject Tests were discontinued.)

Subject Test total scores are reported on a 200-990 scale in 10-point increments. Physics and Psychology also report sub-scores on a 20-99 scale in 1-point increments.

Candidates are scored based on the number of questions answered correctly. Subject Test scores should only be compared within the same subject — a 550 in Physics is not equivalent to a 550 in Mathematics, because the scaled distributions differ.

What is a Good GRE Score in 2026?

Whether a GRE score is “good” depends almost entirely on the programs you are applying to. As a broad baseline, the average GRE score is roughly 150 on Verbal and 152 on Quant, giving a mean total around 302.

A second useful lens is the percentile ranking. As a rule of thumb, anything at or above the 75th percentile is considered a strong score, and a total above 320 generally puts you in the upper tier of applicants for most programs.

For Subject Tests, approximate average scores are 670 in Mathematics, 715 in Physics, and 620 in Psychology. Scoring above those averages puts you in competitive territory for graduate admissions in those disciplines.

The percentile tables below are based on the most recent ETS percentile data (rolling 3-year window through 2025). Percentile distributions change slowly, so these remain a reliable reference for applicants taking the test today.

Good GRE Scores by Program Type

If you want a faster answer than “it depends on percentiles,” use this target table. These are the scores that make you competitive (not guaranteed) at the named program tiers.

A few important caveats: many top business and law programs now accept either GRE or GMAT/LSAT, and some programs have moved to test-optional or test-flexible policies. Always check the specific program page — a 320 GRE can be a formality at one school and a screening gate at another.

GRE Analytical Writing Score Report (rolling 3-year window through 2025)

GRE Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning Score Report (rolling 3-year window through 2025)

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GRE Subject Test Score Report (rolling 3-year window through 2025)

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How to Get Good Marks in GRE

The path to a high GRE score is boring but reliable: answer as many questions correctly as possible, within the section time limits. There is no negative marking, so you should never leave a question blank — an educated guess can only help you.

A few practical rules that tend to separate high scorers from average scorers:

• Nail the first Verbal and Quant sections.Because the test is section-adaptive, a strong first section routes you into a higher-difficulty second section, where the scoring ceiling is higher. A weak first section caps your upside.
• Practice with realistic timing.Many test-takers lose points not because they do not know the material, but because they ran out of time and had to guess the last five questions cold.
• Drill weaknesses, not strengths.Two hours on Quant Comparison (where you are shaky) is worth more than two hours on arithmetic (where you are already fine).
• Take full-length mocks under test conditions.At minimum, two to three full-length practice tests in the final three weeks before your test date.

Galvanize’s GRE test prep program is built around this approach. Our courses combine expert instruction, adaptive practice questions, full-length mock tests, and one-on-one guidance to help students target the schools they actually want — 1,300+ universities including the University of Pennsylvania, University of Virginia, University of North Carolina, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Stanford University.

Before you book your slot, it is worth knowing what the test actually costs and what discounts are available. See our current GRE Exam Fees breakdown for country-specific pricing, and check our GRE voucher code page for active discounts on registration and prep materials.