What percentile is a 160 GRE Verbal score?

A GRE Verbal score of 160 is approximately the 87th percentile — you scored higher than about 87% of all GRE test takers on the Verbal section. This is an excellent Verbal score competitive at most graduate programs.

What percentile is a 160 GRE Quant score?

A GRE Quantitative score of 160 is approximately the 54th percentile. This is significantly lower than the equivalent Verbal percentile because the GRE test-taking pool includes many STEM applicants who score very high on Quant. For most STEM PhD programs, you need 163–165+ to be competitive.

What percentile is a 165 GRE Quant score?

A GRE Quantitative score of 165 is approximately the 76th percentile, placing you in the top 24% of all test takers on the Quant section. This is a strong score competitive at most graduate programs, though top STEM PhD programs often see applicants with 167–170.

Why is my GRE Quant percentile lower than my Verbal percentile for the same score?

The GRE test-taking pool skews heavily toward STEM applicants who score very high on Quantitative Reasoning. This compresses the Quant percentile distribution — many people score 160+ on Quant, so a 160 is only the 54th percentile. On Verbal, fewer people score very high, so a 160 is the 87th percentile. To reach the top 10% on Quant, you need 166+; on Verbal, a 162 suffices.

How is the GRE scored?

The GRE General Test has three sections: Verbal Reasoning (130–170, 1-point increments), Quantitative Reasoning (130–170, 1-point increments), and Analytical Writing (0–6, half-point increments). Verbal and Quant are scored by equating raw scores to scaled scores. Most programs care primarily about Verbal and Quant; AW is secondary unless applying to a writing-intensive field. There is no penalty for wrong answers.

How long are GRE scores valid?

GRE scores are valid for five years from the date you took the test. You can take the GRE up to five times in any 12-month period, and no more than once every 21 days.

What GRE score do I need for a top PhD program?

Top PhD program expectations vary by field. For STEM PhD programs at top schools (MIT, Stanford, Caltech), expect to need Quant 167+ (83rd percentile) and Verbal 155+ (71st percentile). For social sciences PhD programs, Verbal 160+ (87th percentile) and Quant 150+ (16th percentile) are often expected. For humanities, Verbal 165+ (94th percentile) is frequently sought. Always check the admitted student statistics for your specific programs.

GRE · ETS · Verbal & Quant 130–170

GRE Score Calculator (2025–2026)

Enter your GRE Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing scores to instantly see your national percentile rankings and compare against average scores by graduate program. Updated for the 2025–2026 admissions cycle.

Verbal Reasoning (130–170)

avg 151151

130170

Quantitative Reasoning (130–170)

avg 153153

130170

Analytical Writing (0–6)

avg 44

AW score guide

5.0–6.0Outstanding (top 8%)

4.0–4.5Strong (57–80th pct)

3.0–3.5Average (15–37th pct)

Below 3Below average

59th pct

Verbal

304

V+Q combined

AW: 4.0

57th pct

26th pct

Quant

Average

Verbal standing

Needs improvement

Quant standing

151

Verbal

153

Quant

151

V avg

153

Q avg

How do you compare by field?

Green = above program average, red = below. Based on ETS intended major data.

Program	Avg V	Avg Q	Your V	Your Q
Computer Science	153	163	-2	-10
Engineering	150	161	+1	-8
Business	153	156	-2	-3
Psychology	156	149	-5	+4
Life Sciences	154	152	-3	+1
Social Sciences	154	150	-3	+3
Education	151	148	+0	+5
Humanities / Arts	158	149	-7	+4
Law	157	151	-6	+2
Medicine / Health	153	152	-2	+1

GRE score percentile chart (2025–2026)

Official GRE Verbal and Quantitative percentile data from ETS. Note the key difference: a 160 on Verbal equals the 87th percentile, but a 160 on Quant is only the 54th percentile. This is because the GRE pool skews heavily toward high-Quant STEM applicants.

Score	Verbal %ile	Quant %ile	Difference
170	99th	96th	V is 3 pts higher at this score
168	98th	87th	V is 11 pts higher at this score
165	96th	76th	V is 20 pts higher at this score
163	93th	68th	V is 25 pts higher at this score
160	87th	54th	V is 33 pts higher at this score
158	82th	45th	V is 37 pts higher at this score
155	74th	33th	V is 41 pts higher at this score
152	63th	22th	V is 41 pts higher at this score
150	56th	16th	V is 40 pts higher at this score
148	47th	11th	V is 36 pts higher at this score
145	35th	5th	V is 30 pts higher at this score
142	24th	2th	V is 22 pts higher at this score
140	17th	1th	V is 16 pts higher at this score
135	5th	1th	V is 4 pts higher at this score
130	1th	1th	V is 0 pts higher at this score

Source: ETS GRE Guide to the Use of Scores. Updated for the 2025–2026 admissions cycle.

Why does a 160 Quant rank lower than a 160 Verbal?

A 160 Verbal = 87th percentile, but a 160 Quant = only 54th percentile. This is because the GRE test-taking pool is dominated by STEM applicants who score very high on Quant, compressing the distribution. To reach the top 10% on Quant, you need 166+. On Verbal, 162 gets you there.

What GRE scores do you need for top programs?

Quant 165+

Top STEM programs

Top 24%. Expected for competitive PhD programs in CS, Engineering, Physics at MIT, Stanford, Caltech. The STEM applicant pool scores very high on Quant.

Verbal 160+

Top humanities/social sciences

Top 13% on Verbal. Competitive for PhD programs in psychology, social sciences, humanities, and law at top universities.

AW 4.5+

Writing-intensive programs

Top 20% on Analytical Writing. Particularly valued for PhD programs in English, Communications, Journalism, and similar fields.

GRE score calculator — frequently asked questions

Common questions about GRE scoring, Verbal and Quant percentiles, and what your scores mean for graduate admissions.

A good GRE score depends on your target graduate programs. The average GRE scores are approximately 151 for Verbal Reasoning and 153 for Quantitative Reasoning. For competitive PhD programs in STEM, a Quant score of 163+ (68th percentile) is typically expected. For humanities PhD programs, a Verbal score of 158+ (82nd percentile) is often sought. Check average GRE scores at your specific target programs, as requirements vary widely by field and school.

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