GMAT percentiles are a measure of how well you performed on the exam compared to other test takers. For example, if you scored in the the 80th percentile, that means you scored better than 80% of test takers—and only 20% scored higher than you. A percentile is not just a reflection of your performance but also of where you stand in a competitive pool.
The GMAT provides you with two different kinds of percentile rankings:
- One for your total score (that is, your composite score out of 805)
- Individual percentiles for each section (Quant, Verbal, and Data Insights)
Below are tables for all those different percentiles for the present-day version of the GMAT (or jump ahead to learn how percentiles affect you):
GMAT Percentiles for Total Score
| Percentile | Score |
|---|---|
| 100% | 735 – 805 |
| 99% | 715 – 725 |
| 98% | 695 – 705 |
| 96% | 685 |
| 95% | 675 |
| 93% | 665 |
| 91% | 655 |
| 88% | 645 |
| 83% | 635 |
| 81% | 625 |
| 78% | 615 |
| 72% | 605 |
| 69% | 595 |
| 62% | 585 |
| 59% | 575 |
| 52% | 565 |
| 49% | 555 |
| 43% | 545 |
| 40% | 535 |
| 35% | 525 |
| 32% | 515 |
| 28% | 505 |
| 25% | 495 |
| 22% | 485 |
| 20% | 475 |
| 17% | 465 |
| 15% | 455 |
| 12% | 445 |
| 11% | 435 |
| 9% | 425 |
| 8% | 415 |
| 7% | 405 |
| 6% | 395 |
| 5% | 385 |
| 4% | 375 |
| 3% | 355 – 365 |
| 2% | 325 – 345 |
| 1% | 275 – 315 |
| 0% | 205 – 265 |
GMAT Percentiles for the Quant Section
| Quant Percentile | Quant Scaled Score |
|---|---|
| 100% | 90 |
| 97% | 89 |
| 95% | 88 |
| 94% | 87 |
| 91% | 86 |
| 88% | 85 |
| 85% | 84 |
| 81% | 83 |
| 76% | 82 |
| 70% | 81 |
| 64% | 80 |
| 57% | 79 |
| 50% | 78 |
| 43% | 77 |
| 37% | 76 |
| 32% | 75 |
| 26% | 74 |
| 22% | 73 |
| 19% | 72 |
| 15% | 71 |
| 12% | 70 |
| 10% | 69 |
| 8% | 68 |
| 6% | 67 |
| 4% | 66 |
| 3% | 65 |
| 2% | 64 |
| 2% | 63 |
| 1% | 60 – 62 |
GMAT Percentiles for the Verbal Section
| Verbal Percentile | Verbal Scaled Score |
|---|---|
| 100% | 90 |
| 99% | 89 |
| 99% | 88 |
| 98% | 87 |
| 97% | 86 |
| 94% | 85 |
| 90% | 84 |
| 84% | 83 |
| 76% | 82 |
| 67% | 81 |
| 57% | 80 |
| 48% | 79 |
| 39% | 78 |
| 31% | 77 |
| 23% | 76 |
| 18% | 75 |
| 13% | 74 |
| 10% | 73 |
| 7% | 72 |
| 5% | 71 |
| 4% | 70 |
| 3% | 69 |
| 2% | 67 – 68 |
| 1% | 60 – 66 |
GMAT Percentiles for the Data Insights Section
| Data Insights Percentile | Data Insights Scaled Score |
|---|---|
| 100% | 89 – 90 |
| 99% | 86 – 88 |
| 98% | 85 |
| 97% | 84 |
| 96% | 83 |
| 93% | 82 |
| 89% | 81 |
| 84% | 80 |
| 77% | 79 |
| 70% | 78 |
| 63% | 77 |
| 54% | 76 |
| 48% | 75 |
| 42% | 74 |
| 36% | 73 |
| 31% | 72 |
| 26% | 71 |
| 21% | 70 |
| 18% | 69 |
| 15% | 68 |
| 12% | 67 |
| 10% | 66 |
| 8% | 65 |
| 7% | 64 |
| 6% | 63 |
| 5% | 62 |
| 4% | 60 – 61 |
How Business Schools Use GMAT Percentiles
Many schools publish the average GMAT scores of their accepted students, and these averages can help you gauge how competitive you are. But here’s the twist: the score itself isn’t the whole story. For example, a 615 at a glance doesn’t look that much better than a 605. But in terms of percentiles, it’s actually 6 ranks higher!
Thus, business schools ultimately look at percentiles to compare applicants. And they do this not just for your total score but also your section scores. This is because many schools often value balanced performance.
For example, if someone’s Quant score is in the 95th percentile but their Verbal is in the 50th, that might raise a red flag. Why? Because MBA programs are not just about crunching numbers—they also require strong communication and reasoning skills. Many top schools prefer to see consistency across sections, even if the total score is technically strong.
To give you a sense of what percentiles might mean in practical terms, here’s how to consider your total score’s (and your percentile’s) competitiveness—and see what kind of score might open doors to top-tier programs:
| Score | Percentile | Competitiveness |
|---|---|---|
| 555 | 49 | Average |
| 565+ | 52+ | Above Average |
| 595+ | 66+ | Good |
| 615+ | 75+ | Very Good |
| 645+ | 85+ | Great |
| 655+ | 90+ | Excellent |
| 675+ | 95+ | Fantastic |
💡 Learn more about what’s a good GMAT score to aim for.
The Difficulty of Moving Up in Percentile Rank
Moving up from the 62nd to the 63rd percentile doesn’t sound that hard. After all, it’s just 1 percentile rank. But what does that actually entail? Let’s make all these numbers a bit more concrete.
The Number of Test Takers
According to the data that GMAC publishes, around 115,000 GMAT tests were taken last year. 1% of that is 1,150 tests. In other words, to increase your percentile by a full rank, you need to outperform at least 1,150 other test takers.
However, keep in mind that moving up 1 percentile rank does not necessarily mean that your total score increases by 10. In fact, that’s rarely the case. For example, let’s say you have the average score—a 555, which is the 49th percentile. You actually need to outperform 3,450 other test takers to reach the next score band—a 565, which is the 52nd percentile.
Now, suppose you want to be in the top 25%. That’s a total score of 615—60 points more than average. However, that’s a 29-percentile leap, meaning you need to outscore around 33,300 test takers. That’s a lot! Furthermore, those aren’t just casual test takers—they also include:
- Applicants who already studied extensively
- Repeat testers improving already high scores
- Candidates with strong academic or professional backgrounds
In short, as you move higher in the percentile ranks, you’re not just trying to outscore average test takers—you’re competing against the best-prepared and most determined applicants. Each percentile gained at the upper levels takes more strategy, more precision, and more practice.
Who Are These Test Takers?
Understanding your percentile is one thing. Understanding who you’re being compared to is another. To truly grasp what it takes to rise through the ranks, it helps to know who’s taking the GMAT.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the larger test-taking populations by country of citizenship:
- The United States contributes roughly 25% of the test takers
- India accounts for over 20% of all GMAT test takers
- China comprises more than 15%
- The remainder come from countries all over the world
Being a global exam, the GMAT is taken by a diverse, international pool of candidates with varying educational and professional backgrounds. With that said, many test takers come from quantitative-heavy backgrounds, especially those from STEM disciplines in countries like India and China.
This means that a lot of your competition typically has strong math skills—which shouldn’t be too big a surprise, given that the GMAT features more math questions (the Quant section plus the majority of Data Insights) than verbal questions.
💡 Do your strengths lie more in verbal than math? Taking the GRE for business school could work in your favor.
How GMAT Percentiles Shape Your Study Strategy
Now that you understand what percentiles represent—and who you’re up against—you might be wondering: “What should I do differently with my prep?” The good news is that percentiles can actually help you study more strategically.
Focus Where It Matters Most
Percentiles show you where you’re currently performing well—and where you have room to grow. In some cases—especially if you’re brand new to the GMAT—that’s each individual section, so it makes good sense to spread your efforts equally across all sections initially. But you’ll most likely come to a point where you need to prioritize a certain section over others. In that situation, ask yourself:
- Where can I obtain the biggest score gains with focused study?
- Which section is holding back my total score percentile the most?
Use the percentile charts above along with our GMAT Score Chart to see which section presents the best opportunity for you.
Example Study Scenarios
Consider these hypothetical students:
Student A has a strong STEM background and is scoring in the 90th percentile for Quant but only the 45th in Verbal. Even a modest improvement in Verbal could dramatically raise their total score percentile, making them more competitive across the board. Furthermore, improving their Verbal score would present a more balanced profile to admissions, so it’d be well worth their time to prioritize studying Verbal over squeezing out smaller gains in math (no matter how impressive those might be!).
Student B is evenly scoring in the 60th percentile range for all three sections (Quant: 80, Verbal: 81, Data Insights: 77), which puts their total score at a respectable 585 but below their goal of being in the top 25%. This student has a couple options:
- Getting 2 more points in each section will net them a 625, thereby meeting their target. A well-rounded, incremental strategy targeting each section—and following a study schedule—would make a lot of sense.
- Alternatively, there’s more room to grow in Data Insights, which is also a section that more test takers struggle with. If they master the unique question types in that section and pick up 5 more points, they’ll also hit their target.
Student C is aiming for top-tier schools and is already in the 85th percentile overall with a total score of 645. This is a great score. Thus, Student C needs to seriously consider whether or not they really need to take the GMAT again. More than likely, they’d be better off spending any additional time and effort on the other components of their application.
💡 Unsure what your strengths and weaknesses are? Take a free GMAT practice test to find out.
Legacy GMAT Percentiles
If you took the GMAT prior to 2024 (if not, skip this section!), you took the old version of the exam (also known as the Legacy GMAT or Classic GMAT). All the tables above are for the present-day GMAT (which is also referred to as the GMAT Focus Edition).
Since Legacy GMAT scores will still be accepted by business schools for a couple more years, refer to the tables below if you need percentile information for that version of the test’s total scores or for any of its sections (Quant, Verbal, Integrated Reasoning, or Analytical Writing Assessment).
Lastly, if you need to convert your Legacy GMAT scores to present-day GMAT scores, check out our GMAT Score Chart article.
Legacy GMAT Percentiles for Total Score
Legacy GMAT Percentiles for the Quant Section
Legacy GMAT Percentiles for the Verbal Section
Legacy GMAT Percentiles for the Integrated Reasoning Section
Legacy GMAT Percentiles for the Analytical Writing Assessment
Closing Thoughts
Getting a great score on the GMAT can seem overwhelming. But if there’s one thing that these percentile should show you, it’s that it’s not impossible! Thousands of students get great scores on the GMAT every year. With hard work and smart studying, you just might be among them. Consider prepping with a Magoosh GMAT Premium plan to boost your score via our expert-created lessons, practice questions with video explanations, and full-length practice tests!
FAQs
Do GMAT percentiles change from year to year?
Yes, but typically only slightly. Percentiles are updated periodically (usually every summer) based on data from the past three years of test takers. So while the changes aren’t drastic, they do reflect subtle shifts in how people are performing over time.
For example, if more people start scoring highly in Quant, the same score might drop a whole percentile point (or even a fractional amount). But you’re unlikely to see major swings from year to year.
Will my total score percentile drift downwards in the future?
It could—but usually not by much. If your total score sits on a common cutoff, a small drift might nudge its percentile down some over time. However, your actual score won’t change, and schools understand that percentiles reflect trends—not absolutes.
Are percentiles more important than raw scores?
Not exactly. Business schools look at both. Your raw score determines whether you meet their cutoff (if there is one) or fall within the typical range of scores that they see, but your percentile shows how competitive that score is within the global applicant pool.
Should I retake the GMAT if I’m already in the 85th percentile?
This ultimately comes down to diminishing returns. The time and effort it takes to achieve small score gains near the top is most likely not worth it—especially not when the GMAT is but one datapoint you submit to business schools. Ensuring your overall application (including interviews and recommendations) is strong is much more important at this point.
How much should I score to get into the 99th percentile?
Scoring between a 715 and a 805—the maximum possible score—will land you into this elusive crowd of roughly one thousand people each year. That’s quite the feat!
