GRE percentiles, explained
A percentile tells you the share of test takers you scored above: a 90th percentile score beats 90 percent of them. It is the number admissions committees actually read, because it ranks you against the field rather than against a fixed scale. The catch is that the same scaled score ranks very differently in Verbal and Quant. For the exact rank of any score, use the percentile calculator; this page explains what it means.
What a percentile actually means
It is a rank, not a grade. Your scaled score is fixed; your percentile depends on everyone else.
If your Verbal score is in the 85th percentile, you scored higher than about 85 percent of recent test takers on that section. The scaled score (130 to 170) is what appears on your report; the percentile is how that score ranks against the test-taker pool over a recent multi-year window.
The ranks below are official ETS figures from the 2021 to 2024 data window, so they are exact, not modelled. The calculator covers every score, not just these anchors.
Why the same score ranks differently in Verbal and Quant
This is the single most important thing to understand about GRE percentiles.
| Scaled score | Verbal percentile (approx) | Quant percentile (approx) |
|---|---|---|
| 170 | ~99th | ~91st |
| 165 | ~95th | ~67th |
| 160 | ~84th | ~50th |
The Quant section draws a large, STEM-heavy international pool that scores high, so the same scaled score earns a lower percentile there than in Verbal. A 160 is the 84th percentile on Verbal but around the 50th on Quant. This is why you should always read your percentiles by section, not just judge your total.
Analytical Writing percentiles
The 0 to 6 score has its own percentile scale, and it climbs fast.
Because half-point steps cover the whole 0 to 6 range, each step moves you a lot in percentile terms. A 4.5 already sits well above the midpoint of test takers, and a 5.0 is strongly competitive. The average is about 3.5. Practise free with the AWA grader.
How to use percentiles when you set a target
Translate a program's expectations into a percentile, then into a scaled score.
- Decide which section your field weights most: Quant for STEM, Verbal for humanities.
- Aim to clear roughly the 50th percentile in both sections as a floor.
- Push your priority section toward the 80th to 90th percentile for competitive programs.
- Convert any score to its exact rank with the percentile calculator, then see what is a good score for field targets.
Common questions.
Get the exact rank of any score
Enter a Verbal and Quant score to see its precise official percentile by section and total, instantly and free.