There’s no single “good” GRE score. It depends on where you’re applying, and many psychology programs no longer require the GRE at all. The test scores Verbal and Quantitative on a 130–170 scale. ETS reports mean scores of 154 on both sections for Social and Behavioral Sciences test-takers. Programs that still consider GRE scores vary widely in what they expect.
If you just got your scores back and you’re not sure whether to celebrate or panic, here’s the thing: the GRE doesn’t have a universal passing score. It has context. A 156 on Verbal looks very different at a mid-tier master’s program than it does at a top-10 clinical psychology PhD program, and at a growing number of programs, the score doesn’t factor into admissions at all.
What Is a Good GRE Score?
The GRE scores Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning on a 130–170 scale, with a perfect combined score of 340. Analytical Writing is scored separately on a 0–6 scale in half-point increments.
ETS reports overall means of approximately 151 for Verbal Reasoning and 158 for Quantitative Reasoning across all test-takers. For people intending to study in Social and Behavioral Sciences, the broad ETS category that includes psychology, the mean is 154 on both Verbal and Quantitative. Scoring above those field-specific averages puts you in the upper half of your applicant pool.
What GRE Score Do Psychology Graduate Programs Expect?
A large share of psychology doctoral programs, including some APA-accredited clinical PhD programs, no longer require the GRE or factor it into admissions. Many programs eliminated the GRE during the COVID-19 pandemic, and numerous programs have since kept those policies.
Among programs that still consider GRE scores, competitive applicants have often reported Verbal scores in the 155-plus range, but those benchmarks are harder to verify now. Many programs stopped publishing GRE averages for admitted students after dropping the requirement, and some now publish admissions statistics that no longer include GRE data.
The clearest guidance: check each program’s admissions page directly. If a program still accepts or requires GRE scores, look for their reported averages for recently admitted students. That number is more reliable than any general rule of thumb.
What Is Considered a High GRE Score?
A 160 on Verbal Reasoning puts you at approximately the 84th percentile. The Quantitative picture is different. The GRE Quant pool skews toward international test-takers from STEM-heavy backgrounds, so a 160 on Quantitative is only around the 50th percentile. Two identical scaled scores of 160 translate to very different standings depending on the section.
Scores at 165 or above on either section put you well above the field average. For doctoral admissions in psychology, though, a high GRE score is just one piece of a holistic file. Research experience, letters of recommendation, fit with a faculty mentor’s work, and your statement of purpose all carry real weight, sometimes more than the GRE.
Does Every Psychology Graduate Program Require the GRE?
No, and this shift is bigger than most applicants realize. A significant number of psychology graduate programs, including some competitive doctoral programs, eliminated the GRE during the COVID-19 pandemic, and numerous programs have since kept those policies.
If a program calls itself GRE-optional, check the fine print. Some schools may still consider a score for merit scholarship decisions. Others genuinely mean the score plays no role. Check the admissions page rather than assuming.
If your score is above the average reported by the program for its admitted students, submitting it may strengthen your application. If the school is truly GRE-optional and your score is below that average, there’s no obligation to include it.
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