The Average GRE Test Score

The GRE could be in his future.

Each year, according to the Educational Testing Service (ETS), over 600,000 people considering graduate school from around the world take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The GRE attempts to predict success at the graduate level, offering universities and academic programs another factor to consider when making admission decisions. You receive a GRE score in each of three sections--Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning.

GRE Score Report

If you take the computer-based version of the GRE, you have the option of canceling your scores at the end of the test without seeing them first. If you choose to accept the results of that day's test, you can view your Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning scores immediately. Your Analytical Writing section is reviewed and scored by at least one human reader and a computerized "e-rater," according to ETS's GRE website. After your scores are computed and finalized, you receive a GRE Score Report in the mail. It includes a list of the institutions you authorized ETS to send your scores to, along with percentile ranks for each section showing the percentage of test takers who scored below you.

Analytical Writing Scores

The Analytical Writing section of the GRE is scored in half-point increments on a scale ranging from 0 to 6. ETS' data show that the mean Analytical Writing score of all examinees between July 1, 2005, and June 30, 2008, was 3.9. A total of 1,410,010 individuals completed this portion of the GRE during that time frame. For all section means, examinees who recorded no score were excluded from the analysis.

Verbal Reasoning Scores

ETS uses a scale of between 200 and 800 when scoring the Verbal Reasoning section of the GRE. Your score is tallied in 10-point increments. The mean score of all test takers who completed this section between July 1, 2005, and June 30, 2008, was 457. ETS included 1,421,856 in the analysis.

Quantitative Reasoning Scores

The Quantitative Reasoning section is also scored in 10-point increments on a scale from 200 to 800. Of the 1,421,502 examinees who recorded a score in this section between July 1, 2005, and June 30, 2008, the mean score was 586.

GRE Subject Tests

Some graduate schools and departments require applicants to submit GRE scores in one of eight subject areas, as of June 2010. You may need to do this in addition to the general test. This varies from program to program. Mean scores for the seven broad fields that encompass the eight subject tests are listed. They included results produced by college seniors and non-enrolled college graduates between July 1, 2005, and June 30, 2008. Scores are in parentheses as illustrated (Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Analytical Writing). The seven broad disciplines are Life Sciences (454, 573, 4.1), Physical Sciences (481, 690, 4.1), Engineering (464, 715, 3.9), Social Sciences (487, 560, 4.3), Humanities (545, 560, 4.6), Education (448, 529, 4.1) and Business (444, 601, 4.0).

References

• Educational Testing Service (ETS): Interpreting Your GRE Scores
• Educational Testing Service (ETS): About the GRE General Test
• Educational Testing Service (ETS): Understanding Your Scores
• Educational Testing Service (ETS): GRE Subject Tests