GRE Scores for Top Grad Programs 2026: What You Need for 40+ Schools

Setting a GRE target without looking at specific program data is like training for a race without knowing the distance. The right target score depends entirely on your field and your specific programs. This guide compiles score benchmarks for 40+ programs and gives you a framework for researching any program not listed here.

Key Facts

GRE scores are reported on a 130–170 scale for Verbal and Quant; 0–6 for AWA
Average Verbal for all test-takers: approximately 151; average Quant: approximately 153
Quant scores above 165 place you above approximately 86% of all test-takers
Verbal scores above 160 place you above approximately 83% of all test-takers
Many graduate programs have dropped GRE requirements — verify current policies
Programs often post average (not range) scores; treat the average as your floor target

Score figures below are estimates based on publicly available program data and survey sources. Individual program requirements change year-to-year. Always verify on official program websites before applying.

How to Use Program GRE Data
Physical and Natural Sciences
Engineering and Computer Science
Business and Economics
Social Sciences
Humanities and Arts
Health Sciences and Public Health
Education
Law-Adjacent and Policy Programs
Programs That Have Eliminated the GRE
Beyond Admission: Fellowships and Funding
FAQ

1. How to Use Program GRE Data

Finding Score Data

Most programs don't publish exact GRE cutoffs, but many share averages for admitted students on their admissions pages or in their annual program statistics. If not available on the website, try:

Searching "[Program Name] GRE average admitted students"
GradCafe (thegradcafe.com) — student-reported admissions data including GRE scores
The program's annual report or survey data
Contacting the admissions office directly

Interpreting "Average" Scores

When a program reports an "average GRE" of 160V/165Q:

That means the middle of their class hovers there
Scoring below average is possible but weakens your application on that dimension
Scoring above average strengthens your profile on that dimension

Strategic target: Score at or above the reported average. If a program's average is 162Q and your top Quant score is 155Q, that gap needs to be addressed either through prep or by contextualizing it with exceptional other application components.

The Threshold vs. Differentiation Distinction

For most PhD programs with strong funding:

GRE serves primarily as a threshold — you need to clear a baseline to be considered
Above the threshold, other factors (research experience, letters, fit) differentiate candidates
A 170Q doesn't help you much if the average admitted student has 165Q — the marginal return diminishes

For master's programs at research universities:

GRE plays a larger relative role (especially if research experience is limited)
Scoring significantly above the average can meaningfully boost admission probability

2. Physical and Natural Sciences

Physics PhD Programs

| Program | Estimated Avg Quant | Estimated Avg Verbal | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | MIT Physics | 168–170 | 158–162 | Exceptionally competitive | | Caltech Physics | 168–170 | 156–160 | Near-perfect Quant expected | | Harvard Physics | 166–170 | 158–162 | Physics GRE Subject Test also required at some programs | | Stanford Physics | 166–170 | 156–162 | | | Princeton Physics | 166–170 | 156–162 | | | UC Berkeley Physics | 163–168 | 155–162 | | | Chicago Physics | 163–168 | 158–162 | | | Cornell Physics | 163–167 | 155–160 | |

General benchmark: For top-10 physics PhD programs, treat 165+ Quant as your minimum target. Verbal matters less but a score above 155 prevents it from raising concerns.

Chemistry and Biology PhD Programs

| Program | Estimated Avg Quant | Estimated Avg Verbal | |---|---|---| | Top-5 Chemistry (MIT, Caltech, Berkeley, Harvard, Stanford) | 163–168 | 155–162 | | Top-5 Biology (MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Berkeley, UCSF) | 160–166 | 157–162 | | Strong state program (UIUC, Michigan, UNC) | 157–163 | 153–160 |

3. Engineering and Computer Science

Engineering and CS programs are among the most Quant-competitive because the applicant pool is heavily STEM.

Computer Science PhD

| Program | Estimated Avg Quant | Estimated Avg Verbal | |---|---|---| | MIT EECS | 168–170 | 155–162 | | Stanford CS | 168–170 | 155–162 | | Carnegie Mellon CS | 167–170 | 155–160 | | Berkeley EECS | 166–170 | 155–162 | | Cornell CS | 165–169 | 154–160 | | Princeton CS | 165–169 | 155–162 | | UIUC CS | 163–168 | 153–160 | | UW CS | 163–168 | 153–160 |

Note: Many top CS programs have dropped the GRE requirement. Verify before assuming the GRE is required at your target programs.

Engineering Master's Programs (General)

| Tier | Typical Avg Quant | Typical Avg Verbal | |---|---|---| | Top-10 (MIT, Stanford, CMU, etc.) | 164–169 | 152–158 | | Top-20 (Georgia Tech, Michigan, UIUC) | 160–165 | 150–156 | | Strong regional programs | 155–162 | 148–155 |

4. Business and Economics

MBA Programs (GRE equivalents)

See our GRE vs. GMAT guide for detailed concordance. Most top MBA programs report GMAT medians; GRE V+Q equivalent at top-10 programs is approximately 325–335.

Economics PhD

Economics PhD programs are among the most Quant-demanding outside of physics.

| Program | Estimated Avg Quant | Estimated Avg Verbal | |---|---|---| | Harvard Economics | 168–170 | 159–163 | | MIT Economics | 168–170 | 158–163 | | Stanford Economics | 167–170 | 157–162 | | Princeton Economics | 167–170 | 157–162 | | Berkeley Economics | 165–169 | 156–161 | | Chicago Economics | 165–169 | 158–163 | | Yale Economics | 164–168 | 157–162 | | Columbia Economics | 163–168 | 156–161 |

The Math Requirement in Economics: Economics PhD programs often require multi-variable calculus and real analysis as background. Quant scores below 165 face significant scrutiny at top programs.

5. Social Sciences

Psychology PhD

| Program Type | Estimated Avg Verbal | Estimated Avg Quant | |---|---|---| | Top clinical programs (Yale, Northwestern, UCLA) | 159–163 | 155–161 | | Strong clinical master's | 152–158 | 150–157 | | Experimental/social PhD (top programs) | 158–163 | 156–162 |

Political Science PhD

| Program Type | Estimated Avg Verbal | Estimated Avg Quant | |---|---|---| | Top-10 (Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, etc.) | 161–165 | 155–162 | | Top-20 regional programs | 157–162 | 152–158 |

Sociology and Anthropology PhD

| Program Type | Estimated Avg Verbal | Estimated Avg Quant | |---|---|---| | Top programs (Harvard, Princeton, Michigan) | 158–163 | 153–159 | | Strong state programs | 154–160 | 150–156 |

Social Work MSW

| Program Type | Estimated Avg Verbal | Estimated Avg Quant | |---|---|---| | Top-10 MSW (Michigan, Washington, UNC) | 150–157 | 147–153 | | Regional accredited programs | 147–154 | 145–150 |

6. Humanities and Arts

English and Comparative Literature PhD

| Program Type | Estimated Avg Verbal | Estimated Avg Quant | |---|---|---| | Top-10 (Yale, Columbia, Harvard, Princeton) | 163–167 | 150–158 | | Top-20 strong programs | 158–163 | 148–154 |

Verbal matters most. For humanities PhD programs, Verbal above 160 is the primary benchmark. Quant scores rarely factor heavily.

History PhD

| Program Type | Estimated Avg Verbal | Estimated Avg Quant | |---|---|---| | Top-10 (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia) | 162–166 | 150–157 | | Top-25 programs | 157–163 | 148–155 |

Philosophy PhD

Philosophy programs are among the most Verbal-competitive.

| Program Type | Estimated Avg Verbal | Estimated Avg Quant | |---|---|---| | Top-10 (NYU, Princeton, Rutgers, Michigan) | 163–168 | 153–160 | | Top-25 programs | 158–164 | 150–157 |

7. Health Sciences and Public Health

Epidemiology and Biostatistics (PhD)

| Program Type | Estimated Avg Quant | Estimated Avg Verbal | |---|---|---| | Top schools (Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Columbia) | 160–167 | 154–161 | | Strong state programs | 155–162 | 151–157 |

MPH (Master of Public Health)

| Program | Estimated Avg Quant | Estimated Avg Verbal | |---|---|---| | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health | 158–163 | 156–161 | | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg SPH | 155–162 | 154–160 | | Columbia Mailman SPH | 152–158 | 152–158 | | Top-20 MPH programs | 150–158 | 150–157 |

Nursing (DNP and PhD)

| Program Type | Estimated Avg Verbal | Estimated Avg Quant | |---|---|---| | Top-10 DNP (Johns Hopkins, UW, Michigan) | 151–157 | 149–155 | | PhD programs (research focus) | 153–159 | 151–157 |

8. Education

Education PhD (ed.D and PhD)

| Program Type | Estimated Avg Verbal | Estimated Avg Quant | |---|---|---| | Top ed schools (Harvard, Stanford, Columbia) | 155–162 | 150–157 | | Strong regional programs | 150–157 | 147–153 | | General education PhD | 149–155 | 147–152 |

Note: Many education programs have dropped GRE requirements. Verify current policies.

9. Law-Adjacent and Policy Programs

Public Policy (MPA/MPP)

| Program | Estimated Avg Verbal | Estimated Avg Quant | |---|---|---| | Harvard Kennedy School | 160–165 | 156–163 | | Princeton SPIA | 159–165 | 155–162 | | Chicago Harris School | 157–162 | 154–162 | | Georgetown McCourt | 155–162 | 152–158 | | Michigan Ford School | 155–161 | 152–158 | | Georgetown SFS (International Studies) | 158–164 | 154–160 |

Urban Planning

| Program Type | Estimated Avg Verbal | Estimated Avg Quant | |---|---|---| | Top schools (MIT, Berkeley, Harvard) | 155–163 | 153–161 | | Strong state programs | 151–158 | 148–156 |

10. Programs That Have Eliminated the GRE

A growing number of programs no longer require the GRE. This trend accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic and many programs have maintained GRE-optional or GRE-free policies since then.

Categories where GRE-optional is most common (as of 2026 — verify):

CS PhD programs at many institutions
Public health MPH programs
Education PhD and EdD programs
Some medical school programs (MD/PhD)
Many social work MSW programs
Some humanities PhD programs

What to do: Before assuming the GRE is required for any program, check their current admissions requirements page. Don't invest months of prep for a test a program doesn't need.

11. Beyond Admission: Fellowships and Funding

GRE scores affect not just admission but funding opportunities. Several points to understand:

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF GRFP)

The NSF GRFP is a major fellowship for U.S. graduate students in STEM and social science fields. While the GRE isn't explicitly required for the GRFP application, programs receiving GRFP awards often view applicant GRE scores as part of the overall fellowship candidacy picture.

Institutional Fellowships

Many universities have internal fellowships that consider GRE scores explicitly. A department may admit you to the PhD program but reserve its top internal fellowships for students above a Quant threshold. Always ask departments about fellowship criteria separately.

NSF STEM Programs and Related Awards

Several federal and private fellowship programs in STEM use GRE scores as part of their selection criteria. Research specific fellowship requirements for your field early — you may have a stronger incentive to achieve higher scores than basic admission requires.

FAQ

Q: What's the minimum GRE score for graduate school? A: There's no universal minimum. Requirements vary by program and field. Some programs have no stated minimum; others have explicit cutoffs. Research each program.

Q: Does a 160Q help in humanities programs? A: Modestly. In humanities programs where the average Quant is around 150, a 160Q doesn't significantly boost your application. It won't hurt, but it's not a priority. Focus prep time on Verbal for humanities programs.

Q: Should I retake the GRE if I'm 3 points below a program's average? A: Possibly, if the program is a top priority and you believe you can gain those 3 points with additional prep. Weigh the cost of another test attempt (~$220) against the marginal improvement in your application.

Q: Do PhD programs care more about the GRE than master's programs? A: It varies. For funded PhD programs, the GRE is often a threshold — once you clear it, other factors dominate. For terminal master's programs (without funding), GRE sometimes carries more weight because the program has fewer research-specific indicators to evaluate.

Q: Are there GRE subject tests I should take? A: GRE Subject Tests (in Psychology, Mathematics, Physics, Literature, etc.) are required or recommended by some programs. They're field-specific and separate from the General Test. Check your specific programs' requirements.

Q: What if I already have strong research experience — does the GRE matter less? A: For research-focused PhD programs, yes — strong research experience, publications, and letters can carry more weight than marginal GRE differences. A 162Q with a publication often outweighs a 168Q with no research. The GRE is a threshold, not the deciding factor, for most competitive PhD programs.

Researching Your Own Programs

This guide provides benchmarks, but the most important data points are the specific averages and requirements for programs on your list. Steps to research any program:

Visit the program's admissions page and look for "class profile" or "entering class statistics"
Search for the program on GradCafe to find student-reported scores from recent admits
Email the graduate admissions coordinator — a simple "What is the average GRE score for admitted students?" is a reasonable question many will answer
Look at the program's annual report if published — some departments publish comprehensive statistics

Set your target as the program average at your most competitive target school. Clear that threshold, and the rest of your application carries the load.