Raj
Raj Vimal
Study Abroad Expert
Updated on Jan 14, 2025 14:25 IST

The average GRE score would depend on your preferred university and subject of choice. However, a GRE score between 150 and 160 in the GRE Verbal and GRE Quantitative Sections would make you eligible to apply to most universities in the US and can be referred to as the average GRE scores of US universities. 

GRE Cut off Score for USA

If you want admission to top universities in the US for MS, you need to set your eyes on getting the required GRE scores. After getting the scores, you need to figure out which college fits your profile the best and then apply to it accordingly. Although the US universities don’t have minimum ‘cutoff’ marks required for admission, they do provide average class marks for every academic year.

Candidates who are registering for their GRE are required to book an available slot on given dates in advance. Once candidates have appeared for their GRE, the next step would be to wait for their GRE results. During the GRE registration process, the candidates can opt to send their scores to four colleges or scholarship programmes without any charge. In this article, we are going to be talking about the Average GRE scores across US universities. 

Also, Read

GRE Online Coaching GRE Score Chart
GRE Essay Topics with Answers GRE Score Calculator

Related Read: List of Colleges Accepting GRE Score

GRE Scores Required for MS in USA

Here are the average GRE scores across top American universities.

US Universities Accepting GRE Scores

Verbal

Quantitative

Writing

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

158

159

5.3

Stanford University

159

158

4.8

University of California, Berkeley

153 – 156

167

4.5

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

155

167

5.0

University of Virginia

163

166

4.5

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

160

167

5.0

University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill

158

160

4.5

Georgia Institute of Technology

158

167

4.3

University of California – San Diego

162

160

5.5

University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign

155

165

4.0

University of Wisconsin – Madison

163

163

4.5

University of Washington

156

167

4.0

Pennsylvania State University

150

165

3.0

University of Florida (UFL)

154

165

3.0

The University of Texas, Austin

155

165

4.0

Ohio State University

156

165

4.0

California Institute of Technology

160

157

5.0

Duke University

160

160

4.5

The University of Chicago

158

167

4.0

Northwestern University

160

160

5.0

Washington University in St. Louis

161

160

5.0

Johns Hopkins University

163

164

4.8

Rice University

160

167

5.0

Emory University

153

163

4.0-6.0

University of Notre Dame

165

165

5.3

Vanderbilt University

157

166

4.8

College of William and Mary

158

160

4.5

Johns Hopkins University

159 162

4.2

Notes –

  1. Most universities do not have minimum GRE scores across all sections. Your profile is given a holistic consideration, including your undergraduate grades, recommendation letters, statement of purpose, work experience, awards earned, research or internship activities and other achievements.

  2. Average GRE scores of US Universities vary from department to department. Some of the departments might require higher GRE scores compared to other departments, depending on the subject. Applicants are advised to check the department requirements of the Universities for GRE scores before applying.

  3. A lot of Universities do not have any score requirement for the Verbal section of the GRE, especially for MS. But that doesn’t mean you ignore the verbal section completely; the scores are still taken into consideration. A low Verbal score will not help your chances of admission.

  4. A few Universities in the US do not require GRE scores for admission to MS programs. If your GRE score is less and does not meet the requirements of the Universities elsewhere, you can consider applying to such Universities

Related Reads

Minimum GRE Scores for MS in USA

Students can never fail their GRE. The average GRE score differs for every subject. An engineering student will need higher marks in the Quantitative Section and an arts and humanities student will need higher marks in the Verbal Section. Hence, to get into a particular college, candidates would be required to fall in the score range accepted by the college. Here is a table that will give you a rough idea about good scores which are subject averages.

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GRE Subject

Quant Score

Verbal Score

Business

152

149.5

Education

147.3

150.8

Engineering

158.9

148.7

Humanities and Arts

149.2

156.5

Natural Sciences

153.1

150.8

Social Sciences

150.1

152.9

Other Fields

148.9

149.7

Total

145.8

150.8

Strategy for preparing for GRE 2023-24








GRE preparation strategy: Candidates looking to prepare for their GRE can check out our detailed preparation guide on the various sections of the GRE. Candidates can also benefit from downloadable sample GRE questions for the benefit of the test taker.

Q:   What is GRE Syllabus?
A:

GRE Exam Syllabus covers multiple topics to asses Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing skills of students. Written text, English vocabulary, comprehension, basic arithmetic, algebra, geometry, argument analysis, and written communication skills are some popular topics in the exam. All these topics are directly related to English, Mathematics, Physics, and other tradiational subjects.

 

Q:   Does Columbia University require a GRE for MS in Data Science?
A:

GRE is not mandatory for admission to the Data Science programme at Columbia University. It is not mandatory to submit GRE scores but if students believe their scores would strengthen their application, they may include them. Most admitted applicants, however, have scores of 750 or higher on the Quantitative section of the test. 

Q:   What is the syllabus and exam pattern of GRE?
A:

Check the table below to know the about the latest pattern and syllabus of GRE : 

GRE Exam SectionsGRE Exam PatternSection-Wise Syllabus
Analytical Writing (One Section)

One "Analyze an Issue" task (30 Minutes)

 
Quantitative Reasoning (Two Sections)
  • Section 1: 12 questions (18 minutes)
  • Section 2: 15 questions (23 minutes)
  • Arithmetic
  • Geometry
  • Data Analysis
  • Algebra
Verbal Reasoning (Two Sections)
  • Section 1: 12 questions (21 minutes)
  • Section 2: 15 questions (26 minutes)
  • Basic Sentence structure: Nouns, Pronouns, Adjectives
  • Verb Tense
  • Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions
  • Pronoun Agreement
  • Subject-Verb Agreement
  • Modifiers
  • Parallelism 
Total

5 Sections: 55 Questions

 
Q:   What is GRE Exam cut off?
A:

The GRE cutoff score is the minimum required score that varies by university. A higher GRE score can increase your chances of admission to top universities worldwide, but it's not the only factor considered. The maximum possible GRE score is 340. The closer your score is to this maximum, the chances of getting admission in top universities is stronger.

Q:   What is the cut off score for GRE?
A:

The ETS does not release the GRE cut-off after every exam. The GRE score required for admission varies depending on the university and programme you're applying to. It is natural that the top universities in the world tend to have higher GRE exam score requirements than less competitive programs. So, check the university's website for this.

Q:   How can I get admission in the University of Manchester?
A:

The application process at the University of Manchester may vary depending on the course and level of study. However, here is the application process for UG and PG courses: 

The Undergraduate Application Process:  

Step 1:  You can apply through the UCAS common application portal.

Step 2: Go to the website and select the course you are interested in.

Step 3: Ensure you meet the Entry requirements (Academic qualifications, English proficiency, etc.

Step 4: Once you decide on the course, submit documents such as SOP, Transcripts and personal statements. 

Check out:  tips to improve your SOP

Step 5: You can track the application's progress through your given credentials by UCAS. 

Step 6: Once the applicant submits the application to UCAS, it forwards to the University, and the admission teams carefully analyse the application document.

Step 7: The university will send you an offer letter once selected. Hence keep checking your UCAS portal for your application status.

The Postgraduate application process: 

Step 1: Select the postgraduate course you are interested in from the University of Manchester.\

Step 2: Ensure you meet the entry requirements for the chosen program, as they vary depending on the course.

Step 3: Complete the online application by providing your personal information.

Step 4: Upload the required documents, such as Academic transcripts and proof of English language proficiency ( TOEFL/ IELTS). experience in your fields and references (depending on the course). You also may require Two LORs depending on the course. 

To make your admission better, check out the following: How Admission Officers Evaluate your application. 

Step 5:  If your application is successful, you will receive an offer from the University of Manchester. 

Q:   Does the University of Essex require IELTS?
A:

International students whose native language is not English must meet the University of Essex English language requirements to get admission. The university accepts IELTS scores as proof of English language proficiency. Mentioned below are the IELTS scores required for UG and PG admission at the university:

English Language Test

 Score

IELTS

Overall score of 5.5 to 8.0 with minimum of 5.5 to 7.5 in each section

The university also accepts the score of other English language tests such as TOEFL and PTE for admission to undergraduate and graduate programs:

English Language Test

 Score

TOEFL iBT

Overall score of 72 to 114

PTE

Overall score of 59 to 84 with minimum of 59 to 80 in each section

Also read: Required IELTS Score for UK Universities

Q:   What are the English language test scores required at the South Wales University?
A:

The English language test score required at the Univerisyt of South Wales are mentioned in the table below for the international applicants whose first language is not English

Exam

Minimum Scores

IELTS

6.0 with at least 5.5 in each band

TOEFL

72 overall and a minimum of 18 in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing

PTE

a score of 59 overall and 59 in each component.

About the Author
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Written by
Raj Vimal
Study Abroad Expert

Raj Vimal has experience of 7+ years in SEO Content Writing, which includes 5+ years in the Ed-Tech industry. He has written articles about studying abroad, especially in the USA, UK, and other English-speaking coun... Read Full Bio

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Comments

(24)

Hi iam bharadwaj My CGPA is around (6.0 ).Am i elgible for gre test based on my CGPA score,apart from the gre test .

Reply to Sai krishna Bharadwaj

D

Dipak Shrestha

6 years ago

I am Dipak Shrestha from kathmandu Nepal. Can you plz write to me in detail what kind of course can I go for? What are the average GRE and TOEFL score requirements? I am the students of humanities and social science. I major English Literature.

Reply to Dipak Shrestha

S

Sukshith Shetty

7 years ago

my cgpa right now is around 8.2 (currently perceiving BE in electronics and communications) . If i get a fair enough marks in GRE exam will i get admission in good colleges for doing MS in US or UK or Canada ?

Reply to Sukshith Shetty

S

Sqn Ldr J Singh

6 years ago

Dear Sukshith Shetty, it is not only the CGPA and GRE marks, but there are many other documents which you submit should testify your achievement and purpose.

S

Sukshith Shetty

7 years ago

my undergraduate scores are less (8.2) . If i score good enough in GRE will i get admission in good colleges for MS in US.

Reply to Sukshith Shetty

V

Vibhu Pandey

7 years ago

PG ASPIRANT I WANT TO STUDY MBA IN AGRICULTURE I COMPLETED GRADUATION IN HORTICULTURE WHICH UNIVERSITY IS BEST FOR ME AND HOW TO PREPARE FOR It...

Reply to Vibhu Pandey