GRE Exam Score Range: Is It Out of 340 or 360?

GRE Score Range Overview

Note: Verbal and Quantitative scores are combined to form your total GRE score. Analytical Writing is reported separately and is not added to your total score.

How the GRE Total Score Adds Up

If you are calculating your GRE score, you need to add two sections:

Verbal Reasoning + Quantitative Reasoning = GRE Test Total Score

Since each section is scored from 130 to 170, the total GRE score range becomes:

130 + 130 = 260
170 + 170 = 340

So, the GRE total score range is 260 to 340.

For example:

Note: Analytical Writing is not added to this total. So, if your score report shows 318 and 4.0, it means your Verbal + Quant total is 318, and your Analytical Writing score is 4.0.

Is the GRE Out of 340 or 360?

The GRE is out of 340 for the total score. The confusion happens because many students try to add Analytical Writing to the total.

That is not how ETS reports the GRE score. Verbal and Quant make the 260–340 total. Analytical Writing stays separate on a 0–6 scale.

GRE Test Score Percentile vs Range

Your GRE scaled score tells you your number. Your percentile tells you how you performed compared with other test takers.

For example, a score of 160 does not mean the same thing in Verbal and Quant. ETS percentile data shows that 160 in Verbal is the 84th percentile, while 160 in Quant is the 50th percentile. This means the same score can have a very different meaning depending on the section.

Note: This is why you should not judge your GRE score only by the total. A 320 with a strong Quant score may look better for engineering or data science programmes, while a strong Verbal score may matter more for humanities, public policy or writing-heavy courses.

Analytical Writing Percentiles

Analytical Writing has its own percentile scale. ETS data shows that a 4.0 is at the 63rd percentile, a 4.5 is at the 85th percentile, and a 5.0 is at the 93rd percentile.

Note: Even a half-point improvement in Analytical Writing can make a visible difference in your percentile.

What Is a Good GRE Score?

A good GRE score depends on your course, university and target country. There is no single score that works for every student.

As a basic benchmark, ETS data shows these average scores:

Note: So, scoring above these averages means you are above the typical GRE test taker in that section.

A practical way to look at GRE scores is:

However, do not chase only the total score. A university may care more about one section. For example, MS in Computer Science, Engineering, Finance and Data Science programmes may look closely at Quant. Humanities, policy, communication and literature-related programmes may care more about Verbal and Writing.

75th Percentile GRE Benchmark

The 75th percentile is not the same for both sections. So the percentile data, around the 75th percentile, is approximately:

Note: This is important because a 159 Quant may sound high, but ETS data places it around the 47th percentile, not the 75th percentile.

How the GRE Is Scored

Your GRE Verbal and Quant scores are not based only on the number of correct answers. First, your correct answers are counted, and then they are converted into a scaled score from 130 to 170. This is done because some test versions may be slightly easier or harder than others. Scaled scoring helps keep the scoring fair for all students. Analytical Writing is scored from 0 to 6. Your essay is judged on the overall quality of your writing, such as how clear your ideas are, how well you organise them, and how strongly you explain your points.

GRE Result Validity and Reporting

Your official GRE scores are usually available in your official account in 8–10 days after the test date. Generally, GRE results are reportable for 5 years after your test date.

On test day, you can send your scores to up to four graduate institutions or fellowship sponsors as part of your test fee. If you want to send scores after test day or to more institutions, you need to order Additional Score Reports for a fee.

How to Check Your GRE Test Result

Your GRE scores are available only through your official ETS account. There is no separate result portal, SMS, or third-party site that releases them. Your official GRE General Test scores will be available in your ETS account 8–10 days after your test date, and you'll receive an email from ETS when they are available. 

Here is the step-by-step process to check and download your result from the official ETS website:

1. Go to the official ETS website and click Sign In to log in to your ETS account using the username and password you created during registration.
2. Open the Scores section from your account dashboard.
3. Select "View Official Score Reports" to see your Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing scores, along with your percentile ranks.
4. Download or print your report. Your official GRE Test-taker Score Report is accessible in your ETS account and is intended for your information and personal records; if you wish to have a paper copy, you can print one from your account

Conclusion

The GRE exam score range is simple once you separate the sections. Verbal and Quant are each scored from 130 to 170, giving a total score range of 260 to 340. Analytical Writing is scored separately from 0 to 6 and is not added to the total.

Before setting a target, look beyond the total score. Check the section expectations for your course, compare your score with ETS percentiles, and focus more on the section your target programme values most. A good GRE test score may work for some courses, but for Quant-heavy or writing-heavy programmes, the section split can matter more than the headline total.