Do you want to go to a graduate school in engineering? What’s the average score requirements for engineering programs? Unfortunately, the average GRE scores for engineering vary greatly across schools. Your own target score depends on the engineering college/program you are interested in. Obviously, a good GRE score won’t hurt your chances.
Let us look at some of the available data on GRE scores for engineering:
For the top 50 schools
Quant score range: 163-165
What else you can do inside qs leap ?
Verbal score range: 150-153
For the schools ranked 50-100
Quant score range – 159-163
Verbal score range: 147-150
It is quite obvious that quant scores are more important for admission to engineering programs than the verbal scores. The message is pretty clear – You need to do well in the quantitative section of the GRE if you harbour dreams of an engineering program. If you look at the lower end of the quant score spectrum, you are still looking at an average score of around 159. Obviously, a few points below will not shut you out but you will be at a definite disadvantage compared to other engineering applicants. Shoot for a 160+ in quant to stay competitive for admission in a good school.
As far as the verbal scores are concerned, the average is around 150. This is just about the average verbal score for all GRE test takers. While the score requirement may not be as high as quant, do not ignore verbal. You still have to get a decent score in this section. Aim to be around the 150+ mark. If you and another applicant have similar quant scores, a better verbal score may tilt the scales in your favour. Check the policies and requirements of the graduate schools of your choice for a clearer picture.
The average GRE scores also vary according to the engineering focus. While the difference may not be much, keep a tab on the score requirements of your intended programs. Here’s a look at the average GRE score data broken down into engineering specializations provided by ETS:
Engineering Specializations |
Mean Verbal Reasoning Scores |
Mean Quantitative Reasoning Scores |
| Chemical Engineering | 152 | 161 |
| Civil Engineering | 150 | 158 |
| Electrical and Electronics Engineering | 147 | 159 |
| Industrial Engineering | 149 | 160 |
| Materials Engineering | 152 | 162 |
When devising a study plan, make sure that you have a quant-heavy study schedule. Set a target quant score of 160+ and verbal score of 150+. Also, keep in mind that GRE is just one of the many factors that counts towards your engineering school admissions. So, work on your application as well.
