Traditionally, business schools have favored the GMAT over the GRE (the GMAT was designed specifically by the Graduate Management Admission Council for MBA admissions), while PhD or master’s degree programs required GRE scores. Now, however, more and more business schools are accepting both GMAT and GRE scores.

Unfortunately, the firm divisions between the tests means that percentiles aren’t all that useful for GRE to GMAT conversion – the populations taking them are too different.

In this article, we’ll show you how you can convert your GRE score to GMAT score to see how you’ll compare to takers of the the other test. If you’ve already taken one test, you’ll also be able to get an idea how you’d do on the other one.

Feature image credit: Apple puzzle/used under CC BY-SA 2.0/Cropped from original.

 

GRE to GMAT Conversion Tables

We took ETS’s official GRE conversion information and turned it into charts you can use for GRE to GMAT conversion. All our tables are based on scores calculated using the Excel version of the GRE Comparison tool.

To start with, we have charts that allow you to take your GRE Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning scores and turn them into a total GMAT Score. We also have tables directly comparing the GRE to GMAT Verbal scores and ranges and GRE to GMAT Quantitative scores and ranges.

 

GRE-GMAT Conversion Chart

Click on the thumbnail below to open the full chart in a new window, or use an abbreviated chart below.

 

Here’s the abbreviated chart, showing GRE Verbal from left to right, and GRE Quant from top to bottom. Match your two GRE scores, then find your converted GMAT score based on where the row and column intersect.

 

GRE Quant (down)	GRE Verbal (right)
	170	168	166	164	162	160	158	156	154	152	150	148	146	144	142	140	138	136	134	132	130
170	800	800	780	770	760	750	730	720	710	700	680	670	660	640	630	620	610	590	580	570	560
168	790	780	760	750	740	730	710	700	690	670	660	650	640	620	610	600	580	570	560	550	530
166	770	760	740	730	720	700	690	680	670	650	640	630	610	600	590	580	560	550	540	530	510
164	750	730	720	710	700	680	670	660	640	630	620	610	590	580	570	560	540	530	520	500	490
162	730	710	700	690	670	660	650	640	620	610	600	580	570	560	550	530	520	510	500	480	470
160	700	690	680	670	650	640	630	610	600	590	580	560	550	540	530	510	500	490	470	460	450
158	680	670	660	640	630	620	610	590	580	570	560	540	530	520	500	490	480	470	450	440	430
156	660	650	640	620	610	600	590	570	560	550	530	520	510	500	480	470	460	440	430	420	410
154	640	630	610	600	590	580	560	550	540	530	510	500	490	470	460	450	440	420	410	400	390
152	620	610	590	580	570	560	540	530	520	500	490	480	470	450	440	430	410	400	390	380	360
150	600	590	570	560	550	530	520	510	500	480	470	460	440	430	420	410	390	380	370	360	340
148	580	560	550	540	530	510	500	490	470	460	450	440	420	410	400	390	370	360	350	330	320
146	560	540	530	520	500	490	480	470	450	440	430	420	400	390	380	360	350	340	330	310	300
144	530	520	510	500	480	470	460	440	430	420	410	390	380	370	360	340	330	320	300	290	280
142	510	500	490	470	460	450	440	420	410	400	390	370	360	350	330	320	310	300	280	270	260
140	490	480	470	450	440	430	420	400	390	380	360	350	340	330	310	300	290	270	260	250	240
138	470	460	440	430	420	410	390	380	370	360	340	330	320	300	290	280	270	250	240	230	220
136	450	440	420	410	400	390	370	360	350	330	320	310	300	280	270	260	240	230	220	210	200
134	430	420	400	390	380	360	350	340	330	310	300	290	270	260	250	240	220	210	200	200	200
132	410	390	380	370	360	340	330	320	300	290	280	270	250	240	230	220	200	200	200	200	200
130	390	370	360	350	330	320	310	300	280	270	260	250	230	220	210	200	200	200	200	200	200

 

This conversion chart is a useful tool if you’ve taken the GRE and are trying to figure out what your equivalent GMAT score would be.

If you want to figure out how you’d do on specific sections of the GMAT, however, you’ll need to use the following section-specific tables.

 

 

GRE-GMAT Conversion: Verbal

GRE Verbal (130-170)	GMAT Verbal (0-60)	GMAT Verbal Range
170	46	40 – 51
169	45	39 – 51
168	44	38 – 50
167	43	37 – 49
166	42	36 – 48
165	41	35 – 47
164	40	34 – 46
163	39	33 – 45
162	38	32 – 44
161	37	31 – 43
160	36	30 – 42
159	35	30 – 41
158	35	29 – 41
157	34	28 – 40
156	33	27 – 39
155	32	26 – 38
154	31	25 – 37
153	30	24 – 36
152	29	23 – 35
151	28	22 – 34
150	27	21 – 33
149	26	20 – 32
148	25	20 – 31
147	25	19 – 30
146	24	18 – 30
145	23	17 – 29
144	22	16 – 28
143	21	15 – 27
142	20	14 – 26
141	19	13 – 25
140	18	12 – 24
139	17	11 – 23
138	16	10 – 22
137	15	10 – 21
136	15	9 – 20
135	14	8 – 20
134	13	7 – 19
133	12	6 – 18
132	11	5 – 17
131	10	4 – 16
130	9	3 – 15

ETS suggests that rather than doing a straight score-to-score conversion, the more useful form of GRE / GMAT conversion for Verbal Reasoning is to compare GRE section scores to a range of GMAT subscores. The same holds true for Quantitative Reasoning scores.

 

 

GRE-GMAT Conversion: Quantitative

GRE Quantitative (130-170)	GMAT Quantitative (0-60)	GMAT Quantitative Range
170	53	47 – 59
169	52	46 – 57
168	50	45 – 56
167	49	44 – 55
166	48	42 – 54
165	47	41 – 52
164	45	40 – 51
163	44	39 – 50
162	43	37 – 49
161	42	36 – 47
160	41	35 – 46
159	39	34 – 45
158	38	32 – 44
157	37	31 – 43
156	36	30 – 41
155	34	29 – 40
154	33	27 – 39
153	32	26 – 38
152	31	25 – 36
151	29	24 – 35
150	28	22 – 34
149	27	21 – 33
148	26	20 – 31
147	24	19 – 30
146	23	17 – 29
145	22	16 – 28
144	21	15 – 26
143	19	14 – 25
142	18	12 – 24
141	17	11 – 23
140	16	10 – 21
139	14	9 – 20
138	13	7 – 19
137	12	6 – 18
136	11	5 – 16
135	9	4 – 15
134	8	2 – 14
133	7	1 – 13
132	6	0 – 11
131	4	0 – 10
130	3	0 – 9

You can take a look at the specific info behind the statistical analyses used to do the conversions here  – ETS is very open about how it came about these results, which is great.

 

Issues With GRE to GMAT Conversion

The conversion tool ETS has created is not perfect. As ETS states,

*The predicted GMAT scores based on an applicant’s GRE scores may not be perfectly equivalent to an applicant’s actual performance on the GMAT exam due to the measurement error inherent in both tests. For this reason, a predicted score range is reported around each predicted GMAT score.

ETS also takes pains to point out that the group who administers the GMAT, the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), “does not endorse or approve this Comparison tool.” Thus, take any GMAT to GRE conversions with a grain of salt.

 

High-Level GRE to GMAT Limitations

Because ETS recommends looking at applicants’ Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning GRE scores, while GMAT provides a total score, it’s not really possible to equate the two tests using a traditional “concordance”. There is no “total GRE score” to compare to the total GMAT score, and the GMAT Verbal and Quantitative subscores are scaled to add up to the total GMAT score.

Because of this, it’s not really possible to do any sort of reliable GMAT to GRE conversion; you could try to convert your GMAT section scores to their GRE components, but this will only give you a rough approximation of what you can expect your GRE Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning scores to be (and gives no information about how you’d do on GRE Analytical Writing).

The GMAT is four sections and gives test-takers five scores: total score (200-800), quantitative subscores and quantitative subscores (0-60 each), analytical writing score (0-6), and an integrated reasoning score (1-8). By contrast, the GRE only gives test-takers three scores, one for each section: verbal reasoning (130-170), quantitative reasoning (130-170), and analytical writing (0-6).

Another issue is that the GRE to GMAT score conversion above is based on linear regression of a 472-person size sample population who took both tests within a year’s time of each other “under actual operational, high-stakes conditions.” The data were drawn from real test takers (rather than from a sample study), which calls into question how much the results can be relied upon. Are test-takers who take both the GRE and the GMAT of their own volition really representative of the test-taking populations of the GRE and the GMAT as a whole? Probably not.

ETS acknowledges in its explanation of the GRE conversion tool that the GRE and GMAT testing populations are not the same. More business schools now are also accepting the GRE, and it’s possible there might be more overlap in academic areas closer to business (e.g. industrial psychology, finance), but there’s definitely still two separate spheres of influence for the two tests. For the most part GRE = academic grad school, GMAT = business school.

 

 

GRE Conversion Chart Limitations

Even if you score perfect scores on the GRE verbal and quantitative sections, the GRE to GMAT conversion charts predict less than perfect subscores for verbal and quantitative reasoning on the GMAT. Very few people score below a 6 and above a 50 (on a scale of 0-60) on the GMAT subscores (especially on the Verbal Reasoning measure), whereas it is more common for students to max out their Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning scores on the GRE. We’ve created two comparison tables below to show the differences:

 

Verbal Reasoning Score Percentile Comparison

Percentile	GMAT (0-60)	GRE (130-170)
99	51-60	169-170
0	0-6	130

As you can see, on Verbal Reasoning measures GRE test takers cover pretty much the whole range of scores (0% get a 130 while 1% or fewer get a 169-170), while the GMAT scores are much more condensed (0% get a 0-6 while 1% or fewer get a 51-60). The difference is also apparent (albeit marginally less stark) with the Quantitative Reasoning percentiles:

 

Quantitative Reasoning Score Percentile Comparison

Percentile	GMAT (0-60)	GRE (130-170)
97	51	170
0	6	132

Sources: MBA.com and ETS.org

The difference in the distribution of score percentiles between the GRE and GMAT highlights a difference between the two tests: the GMAT is much more finely tuned to pick up differences in ability at the higher and lower ends of the scale, while the GRE likely allows for more discrimination between middle-level test-takers.

All this goes to show that the GRE and GMAT aren’t just different brands of the same test – the two measures are structurally different in meaningful ways that make comparing scores from the GRE and the GMAT tricky.

As an applicant, this matters to you because business schools that accept both the GRE and GMAT will likely have different standards for each test. These standards won’t necessarily be based around the GRE conversion chart because schools can also draw on institutional knowledge about the scores of admitted students and their subsequent performance in business school.

As a rule of thumb, the longer a business school has been accepting both GRE and GMAT scores, the more likely it is they have concrete standards for both tests, whereas business schools that more recently started accepting GRE scores will be using GRE to GMAT conversion charts to assess applicant performance.

 

 

Next Steps: Deciding the Best Test for You

Follow these three steps to make the best decision about which test to take or which scores to submit:

1. Use these charts to get a rough idea of how your GRE score compares to GMAT scores. Even business schools that now also accept the general GRE, like UPenn’s Wharton School, will often list only GMAT scores in their school profile, so to find out how you stack up against other applicants you’ll need to convert your GRE score into a GMAT score.
2. You should also ask individual business schools about their GRE statistics and standards if the standards are not published online/publicly available.
3. If you have both GRE and GMAT scores, you can use the GRE conversion charts to assess which score is “better” and so which score to submit to schools.

 

What’s Next?

What if you took the old, out-of-800 GRE? Find out how to convert your old GRE score to a new GRE score here.

Confused about the content differences between the GRE and GMAT? Learn more about how the two tests compare, plus more details about what’s on the GRE and the GRE format.

What’s a good GRE score? We cover the highest and lowest possible GRE scores and how to use this information.