What is the average GRE score?
Across recent test takers, the average GRE total is about 309: roughly 151 on Verbal and 158 on Quant, with a 3.5 on Analytical Writing (per ETS, and the figures move a little each year). That is a useful baseline, but the average is not the score you should aim for. Here is what the numbers mean, and how to set a real target instead. Use the percentile calculator to see exactly where any score lands.
The average score, section by section
The GRE reports three scores. Each has its own average, and the Quant average sits higher than Verbal for a specific reason.
Add the two scored sections and the average total comes to about 309 out of 340. These are approximate means reported by ETS across recent test takers, not fixed values: they drift slightly year to year, so treat them as a guide and confirm the current figures on ets.org.
Analytical Writing is scored separately on a 0 to 6 scale and is not part of the 260 to 340 total. A 4.0 already clears the average comfortably.
Why Quant's average is higher than Verbal's
It is not that Quant is easier. The two sections draw different crowds.
The Quant section draws a large, international, STEM-heavy applicant pool, and many of those test takers score very high on quantitative reasoning. That pushes the Quant average up and compresses the top of the scale. Verbal draws a broader pool, so its average sits lower and the same scaled score earns a higher percentile.
This is why you should never read your total in isolation. A 158 is roughly average in Quant but well above average in Verbal. See GRE percentiles for what each score actually ranks.
The average is a floor, not a target
Matching the mean keeps you in the middle of the pack. Competitive programs expect more, and the section they weight depends on your field.
| Field | Section that matters most | Aim above the average toward |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering / CS | Quant | 163 to 168 |
| Physical sciences / math | Quant | 165 to 170 |
| Humanities / English | Verbal | 160+ |
| Social sciences / policy | Both | 158+ each, balanced |
An average score is not a bad score, but for a competitive program it can quietly leave you below the median of admitted students. Aim a few points above the program's stated average in the section it cares about most.
How to score above the average
Work from a real starting point, not a guess.
- Sit a free, full-length mock test under realistic timing to get your true baseline.
- Compare each section to the average and to your target programs, not just the total.
- Pick the section with the biggest gap to your goal and drill it first.
- Re-test every couple of weeks to confirm the trend, and follow a structured study plan.
Common questions.
See where your score lands
Plug any Verbal and Quant combination into the percentile calculator to see how far above or below the average you are, by section and total.