GMAT Score vs Percentile PDF Download

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a highly sought-after exam for business school applicants. It measures analytical writing, integrated reasoning, quantitative, and verbal skills that students have acquired over time. GMAT scores are a key component of the application process with the scores being used in over 7,700 programs at 2,400 universities and organizations in 110 countries, and are used to measure an applicant’s potential performance in the business school program. A high score on the GMAT is an indication of a student’s aptitude and ability to succeed in a business school program.
You also receive your percentile in the scorecard. But what does percentile mean? A GMAT percentile is a score that indicates how well an individual performed on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) compared to other test takers. For example, if you scored 96 percentile, that would mean that you scored better than 96% of the test takers. In this article, we will discuss the correlation between GMAT scores and percentile rankings for each section of the exam to help you better understand your score.

GMAT score – A general overview

In this section, you'll find answers to frequently asked questions about GMAT scores, such as the score range, total score, highest score, and average score. Additionally, you may want to watch a video that explains how your GMAT quantitative and verbal scores are translated into a percentile ranking.
The GMAT is scored between 200 and 800, with the highest possible score being 800. Scores are given in increments of 10, such as 700, 710, 720, and so on. The GMAT evaluates analytical, writing, quantitative, and verbal skills that are essential for admission to a graduate management program, such as an MBA. Approximately 60% of test takers score between 400 and 650.

There are four sections in the GMAT i.e., Quant or Quantitative, Verbal, Integrated Reasoning (IR), and Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA). You get a scaled score for each of the sections. Note that the GMAT Total Score is calculated using the scores of Quant and Verbal sections only.

How are GMAT Percentiles Calculated?

• It borders on a cliche that MBA applicants want to achieve an 80th percentile GMAT score on both the Quantitative and Verbal sections. This probably comes from the idea that MBA programs at top business schools usually have 10-20% acceptance rates. Logically, it seems like being in the top 20% on both sections of the GMAT exam would make you more likely to be accepted. But is this rule of thumb really true?
• GMAT percentiles are calculated by GMAC, the Graduate Management Admissions Council, which owns and operates the GMAT. They compare your scaled Quant and scaled Verbal scores, which have score ranges from 6 to 51, to other test takers. This is separate from your total GMAT score, which can range from 200 to 800 points. Your percentile for each section of the GMAT represents the percentage of applicants who you outperformed on that section.
• So, for example, if you score in the 80th percentile on the Verbal section, you did better than 80% of all other test takers on that section. By definition, the percentile ranges from just above zero, to 99.99. (You can’t reach 100th percentile because you can’t outperform yourself on the GMAT.)
• Your GMAT score report will also include percentile scores for the Integrated Reasoning (IR) and Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) sections, but here we focus on Quant and Verbal scores as the two most important sections for business school admissions committees.
• Finally, you will receive an overall GMAT percentile score based on your total GMAT score. If you score highly, your overall GMAT percentile will probably be higher than either your Quant percentile or your Verbal percentile. This is normal and reflects the fact that although many people score well on one section or the other, only a small number score highly on both sections. As of 2022, the overall average GMAT score is 570 points, which is around 40th percentile. (The average would fall at the 50th percentile only if scores were evenly distributed above and below the average, which is not the case.)
• What does it actually look like to get into the 80th percentile of the GMAT on the Quant section? As of 2021, you need an almost perfect score: 50 out of 51 points! Missing even a few questions would put you at a Q49, which is only a 76th percentile.
• However, on the Verbal section of the GMAT, you can get into the 80th percentile merely by scoring 36 out of 51 points. A table of GMAT percentiles, broken out by Quant and Verbal, is below.
• The difference is staggering and clearly something else is at work on the value of your GMAT score. In order to understand the average GMAT score, we need to look at the pool of GMAT test takers.

What is the Average GMAT Score?

This is an interesting aspect to cover. According to the GMAC, over 100,000 unique students took the GMAT test in 2022. If we include the repeat attempts, this number translates to a total of approximately 150,000 test attempts.

Of these, only 13% of the students score 700 or more, only 1% score 760 or more, and 87% usually fail to get what is considered a good GMAT Score.

According to GMAC, here is the average GMAT score based on test-takers between the period of January 2019 to December 2021:

• The average GMAT score is 574.51
• The average GMAT Verbal score is 27.51
• The average GMAT Quant score is 41.3
• The average GMAT AWA score is 4.43
• The average GMAT IR score is 4.65

In contrast, when we look at the top 10 business schools, like Stanford, Harvard, Wharton, and Yale, we have an average GMAT score of 730 — which is in the 96th percentile.

GMAT score vs Percentile 2023

The GMAT exam has a score range of 200-800 with a score of 800 being rare but not impossible to achieve. The exam is scored in increments of 10, which means that the scores increase/decrease by 10, i.e. if you scored 700, the next best score would be 710, no other score between 700 and 710 exists.
Currently, the average score for test takers stands at 565. For getting into top B-schools, it would be advised to try keeping your score over 700, as getting a lower score would most likely reduce your chances of getting in.
This table will give you an idea of your position, a 99% percentile ranking indicates a highly competitive score as only 1% of candidates have a score higher or equal to yours. When applying to top business schools, a percentile score of 90% or higher is considered desirable.

Quantitative Aptitude score vs percentile

The Quantitative Aptitude section is often hailed as a challenging section of the GMAT. It measures a candidate's ability to reason quantitatively, solve mathematical problems, and interpret data. With 31 questions being allotted 62 minutes, the margin of error is slim, as you need to manage time, and implement a lot of different concepts to solve the questions. The Quantitative section is scored on a range of 6 to 51 in increments of 1, with the score being counted towards the total score, it is important to score well in the Quant section.
The following table provides the score to percentile relation for the Quant section to help you better understand your standing compared to other test takers.

The importance of the Quantitative section can’t be ignored, as it tests the abilities that most recruiters and admission officers look for in candidates. EduRev’s guide Mastering GMAT QUANT: Preparation tips for achieving Q51  includes preparation tips, exam day tips and tips for data sufficiency and problem-solving questions which no doubt would end up being beneficial to your preparation strategy.

Verbal Reasoning Score vs Percentile

The Verbal Reasoning section is another challenging section of the GMAT. It assesses the test taker's ability to analyze written material and draw conclusions, identify and analyze arguments, and develop and support ideas. With 65 minutes for 36 questions, it has the highest amount of questions, and time compared to all other sections. The verbal section is scored in the 6-51 range in increments of 1, the same as that of the quant section. Since the Verbal section is also included in the total GMAT score, it is recommended that you put in enough time for preparing for it.
The following table shows the score to percentile relation for the Verbal section.

As stated previously, the importance of the verbal section can’t be ignored. Putting in adequate time to prepare for it would end up boosting your score. To improve your preparation strategy, EduRev has compiled a list of preparation tips and general approaches for the different question types in the guide "How to prepare for V51 on the GMAT Verbal section?”.

Integrated Reasoning Score vs Percentile

The GMAT Integrated Reasoning (IR) section tests a candidate’s ability to analyze data from multiple sources, evaluate information, and draw conclusions. It is designed to assess a candidate’s ability to reason through complex problems, think critically, and make decisions based on the information given. This section is scored in the range of 1-8 in increments of 1. Your IR score does not count towards the total GMAT score, but it is still considered important, as employers see it as the measure of a candidate’s problem solving abilities.
The following table provides the score to percentile relation for the IR section

Getting a good score on the IR section could end up improving your chances of getting admitted to top colleges, this would require preparation of a good level. Refer to Mastering GMAT Integrated reasoning: Preparation tips for achieving a perfect score by EduRev to boost your preparation for the integrated section.

Analytical Writing Assessment Score vs Percentile

The Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) portion of the GMAT is a 30-minute essay section that assesses an applicant’s ability to think critically and communicate their ideas in writing. This section is scored in the range of 0.0 to 6.0 in increments of 0.5. Similar to the IR section, the AWA score isn’t counted towards the total GMAT score, but it is important in admissions and placements, as it provides an indication of a candidate’s ability to communicate effectively in a business setting. It is also useful for identifying candidates who need additional assistance in the areas of grammar, syntax, and style.
The following table provides the score to percentile conversion for the AWA section

It is common for Employers and admission officers to refer to your AWA score to know more about your skills. Getting a good AWA score might end up boosting your chances at attaining your goals. EduRev’s guide to Mastering GMAT AWA: Preparation Tips for Scoring a perfect 6 lays down the important tips needed to ace the AWA section and also provides an essay template which you can use to improve your GMAT score.

How to prepare for GMAT using EduRev Infinity

Now that you’re aware of the score to percentile relation, you should have a better understanding of your standing compared to other test takers. With this information, it would be easier for you to set realistic goals for your dream score according to your current preparation stage.
To achieve your dream score, you’d need resources to aid in your GMAT preparation. EduRev comes to the aid of GMAT aspirants, offering affordable courses for GMAT, which are included in the EduRev Infinity package for GMAT preparation.
The Infinity package for GMAT preparation includes 200+ tests, 300+ docs, and 150+ videos to help boost your GMAT preparation.
Access the various courses offered in the package by clicking on the links in the following table.

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• GMAT Integrated Reasoning
• GMAT Crash Course
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• Practice Questions for GMAT

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): GMAT Score and Percentile

What is a good score on GMAT?

Generally speaking, a score of 650 is considered to be decent, but it is recommended that you try achieving a score over 700 to boost your chances of getting into top colleges.

How is the GMAT exam scored?

The GMAT exam is scored on the range of 200 to 800 in increments of 10, meaning that the consecutive scores have a difference of 10 between them. The exact score per question has not been revealed, but the general consensus is that the score depends on the difficulty of the question as determined by the computer adaptive nature of the exam.

How long is the GMAT score valid?

The GMAT scores are valid for a period of 5 years, during which you can assess your future plans. Whether to apply for colleges or to retry is a decision you need to make. Do note that you can apply to colleges at any point in this five year period, depending only on admission openings by colleges and deadlines.

What is a Good GMAT AWA score?

Generally speaking, a score of 4 is considered adequate, but you should always try for as good of a score as you can, as the better your score, the better your resume will look.

What is a good GMAT IR score?

A score of 6 or above on the Integrated Reasoning section is widely regarded as good, and would place you in the 64th percentile, outperforming 64% of test-takers. Again, a better IR score would end up improving the quality of your resume and applications.

What is a good GMAT Quant score?

A Quant score of 45 or above is typically considered sufficient, even by top-10 schools, for admission. However, if you have a background in engineering or finance, it may be necessary to strive for a higher score.

What is a good GMAT Verbal score?

A Verbal score of 36 or higher is typically considered a good score on the GMAT, as it puts you at 80 percentile, putting you in the top 20 percent of the test takers.