If you are looking to obtain your MBA from a top global business school, you will want to attend one of the top business schools in the United States or Europe. These schools are known for their rigorous curriculum and high standards. In order to be accepted into one of these programs, you will need to have a competitive GMAT score.
In this blog post, we will provide average GMAT scores for some of the most well-known business schools in the country. We hope this information will help you determine if you have what it takes to be admitted into one of these prestigious programs!
Average GMAT Scores
The total GMAT score ranges from 200 to 800, with 2/3rd of the test takers scoring between 400-600. The mean GMAT score is 568. Quantitative and verbal scores range from 6 to 51, with an average score of 27 (Verbal) and 40 (Quantitative).
What is a good GMAT score
If you’re wondering what a good GMAT score is to get into a top business school? It all depends on your target business school’s GMAT average score. To be on the safer side, your GMAT score must be at least 20 points higher than the average GMAT score of your target business school’s most recent incoming class. At the same time, it should come as no surprise that a GMAT score of 700 or higher is considered good and can significantly increase your chances of admission to top business schools. However, we’d suggest aiming for a 740+ GMAT score to boost your MBA profile.
GMAT scores and percentiles
The total GMAT score range between 200 and 800, with an increment of 10. For instance, 680, 690, 700, 710, and 720. Only 1% of the total test-takers score 800 on the GMAT.
The total scores are based on your performance in the Quant and Verbal sections. Thus, your Integrated Reasoning and Analytical Writing Assessment scores are not included in the total GMAT score calculation.
Your percentile ranking indicates the percentage of test-takers that you performed better than. For instance, a total GMAT score of 780 is about 99%ile. Similarly, a GMAT verbal score from 45 to 51 is 99%ile.
The GMAT percentile rankings are recalculated every summer using exam data from the prior 3 years. So, your percentile ranking may change next year, but your GMAT score remains the same.
To know more about GMAT scores and percentiles, take a look at this complete guide on the GMAT.
Average GMAT scores of US business schools
The first business school on our list is Harvard Business School. The average GMAT score for applicants to this school is 730 for the incoming class of 2021. This means that if you want to be competitive, you will need to aim for a 750+ GMAT score
Next up is the Stanford Graduate School of Business. The average GMAT score for applicants to this school is 738 for the incoming class of 2021. So, if you are hoping to attend Stanford, you will need to aim for a 760+ score.
The third business school on our list is the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. The average GMAT score for applicants to this school is 733 for the incoming class of 2021. So, if you are hoping to attend Wharton, you should aim for a 750+ GMAT score.
Here is a list of top business schools in the US and their average GMAT scores from the incoming classes of 2014 to 2021
Business School | 2021 GMAT | 2020 GMAT | 2019 GMAT | 2018 GMAT | 2017 GMAT | 2016 GMAT | 2015 GMAT | 2014 GMAT |
Wharton | 733 | 730 | 732 | 732 | 730 | 730 | 732 | 728 |
Harvard Business School | 730 | 724 | 730 | 729 | 729 | 729 | 725 | 726 |
Stanford Graduate School of Business | 738 | 733 | 734 | 732 | 737 | 737 | 733 | 732 |
Booth School of Business | 732 | 730 | 730 | 731 | 730 | 726 | 726 | 724 |
Kellogg School of Management | 727 | 727 | 730 | 732 | 732 | 728 | 724 | 713 |
MIT Sloan School of Management | 730 | 720 | 727 | 728 | 722 | 724 | 716 | 713 |
Dartmouth Tuck | 724 | 720 | 723 | 722 | 722 | 717 | 717 | 716 |
Columbia Business School | 729 | 726 | 727 | 732 | 724 | 720 | 715 | 716 |
UC Berkeley (Haas) | 726 | 727 | 725 | 726 | 725 | 717 | 715 | 717 |
Yale School of Management | 726 | 720 | 720 | 724 | 727 | 725 | 721 | 719 |
Michigan (Ross) | 722 | 710 | 719 | 720 | 716 | 708 | 708 | 702 |
Duke (Fuqua) | 713 | 702 | 705 | 704 | 702 | 695 | 696 | 690 |
Virginia (Darden) | 715 | 703 | 713 | 718 | 713 | 712 | 706 | 706 |
Cornell (Johnson) | 710 | 700 | 696 | 699 | 700 | 700 | 697 | 692 |
UCLA (Anderson) | 714 | 706 | 719 | 719 | 716 | 715 | 713 | 715 |
NYU (Stern) | 729 | 723 | 721 | 717 | 714 | 710 | 720 | 721 |
CMU (Tepper) | 691 | 680 | 687 | 691 | 691 | 686 | 690 | 687 |
Texas-Austin (McCombs) | 708 | 710 | 704 | 703 | 703 | 699 | 694 | 690 |
UNC (Kenan-Flagler) | 696 | 694 | 697 | 702 | 701 | 700 | 701 | 697 |
Emory (Goizueta) | 692 | 690 | 684 | 685 | 682 | 683 | 678 | 678 |
Indiana (Kelley) | 679 | 652 | 666 | 677 | 678 | 670 | 668 | 668 |
Washington (Foster) | 704 | 692 | 695 | 693 | 693 | 691 | 688 | 682 |
Georgetown (McDonough) | 705 | 692 | 694 | 693 | 692 | 692 | 692 | 691 |
Notre Dame (Mendoza) | 670 | 670 | 671 | 671 | 674 | 683 | 682 | 686 |
Rice (Jones) | 705 | 689 | 710 | 706 | 711 | 690 | 676 | 676 |
USC (Marshall) | 716 | 707 | 708 | 705 | 703 | 692 | 679 | 684 |
Georgia Tech (Scheller) | 682 | 681 | 681 | 681 | 680 | 680 | 678 | 676 |
Washington (Olin) | 684 | 687 | 695 | 693 | 694 | 688 | 695 | 699 |
Michigan State (Broad) | 650 | 674 | 674 | 670 | 674 | 670 | 664 | 666 |
Arizona State (Carey) | 694 | 685 | 680 | 682 | 682 | 682 | 672 | 673 |
Minnesota (Carlson) | 690 | 690 | 690 | 690 | 676 | 675 | 680 | 683 |
Wisconsin School of Business | 646 | 649 | 665 | 670 | 678 | 669 | 669 | 668 |
Vanderbilt (Owen) | 690 | 680 | 680 | 680 | 688 | 691 | 690 | 688 |
Ohio State (Fisher) | 683 | 666 | 680 | 676 | 670 | 671 | 664 | 661 |
BYU (Marriott) | 679 | 669 | 675 | 680 | 680 | 672 | 674 | 667 |
Penn State (Smeal) | 666 | 639 | 658 | 657 | 661 | 659 | 636 | 649 |
Rochester (Simon) | 670 | 670 | 667 | 667 | 666 | 665 | 667 | 684 |
GMAT score for European business schools
European business schools are some of the most highly respected institutions in the world. Located in countries with a long history of commerce and trade, these schools offer students an opportunity to gain an international perspective on business.
Many of the top business schools in Europe are located in countries such as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. These schools typically offer programs that are comparable to those offered at top U.S. business schools.
However, there are some differences between European and American business schools. For example, European business schools place more emphasis on case study analysis and group work. Additionally, most European business programs are conducted in English, although some schools also offer program options in other languages such as French or Spanish. Despite these differences, European business schools offer a high-quality education that is respected by employers around the world.
The average GMAT scores of top business schools in Europe range from 690 to 708. So, if you’re looking to get into a business school in Europe, you should target a GMAT score of 730.
Business School | Average 2021 GMAT | Average 2020 GMAT | Average 2019 GMAT | Average 2018 GMAT | Average 2017 GMAT |
INSEAD | 708 | 706 | 709 | 711 | 712 |
London Business School | 708 | 700 | 701 | 707 | 708 |
Cambridge (Judge) | 690 | 687 | 691 | 693 | 695 |
HEC Paris | 690 | 690 | 690 | 691 | 691 |
IESE Business School | 690 | 670 | 681 | 686 | 690 |
Oxford (Saïd) | 690 | 680 | 690 | 681 | 692 |
IMD | 680 | 680 | 680 | 680 | 676 |
Mannheim | 675 | 680 | 675 | 678 | 677 |
ESADE | 660 | 669 | 660 | 665 | 665 |
Warwick Business School | 650 | 661 | 660 | 654 | 661 |
Average GMAT score of Business Schools in Canada
With its world-class education system and robust economy, Canada promises to provide students with a one-of-a-kind MBA experience with limitless future opportunities. It is understandable that you will want to attend the best MBA programs, which is why a competitive GMAT score for MBA in Canada is essential. The GMAT assesses your ability to adapt, learn, and apply in complex situations, which assists the admissions committee in determining your potential to succeed in the MBA program.
Business School | Average GMAT Score |
University of Toronto – Rotman School of Management | 678 |
McGill University – Desautels Faculty of Management | 670 |
Western University – Ivey Business School | 660 |
York University – Schulich School of Business | 660 |
Queen’s University – Smith School of Business | 656 |
University of British Columbia – Saunders School of Business | 650 |
University of Alberta – Alberta School of Business | 650 |
HEC Montreal | 630 |
Concordia University – John Molson School of Business | 580 |
Average GMAT FAQs
Yes, most business schools in Canada require or prefer that students submit a minimum GMAT score when applying for MBA programs.
A GMAT score of 700-740 is considered good, and a GMAT score of 740 or higher is considered excellent. A good GMAT score, on the other hand, varies from person to person and is determined by the student’s intended business school.
The average GMAT scores of top business schools in Europe range from 690 to 708.