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Table 344. | Average scores on Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general and subject tests: 1965 through 2009 |
Academic year ending | Number of GRE takers | GRE takers as a percent of bachelor's degrees1 | General test sections | Subject tests | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verbal | Quanti-tative | Ana-lytical reasoning | Analytical writing | Biochem-istry, cell and molecular biology | Biology | Chemistry | Computer science | Education | Engi-neering | Literature | Mathe-matics | Physics | Psychology | |||||||||||||||||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | ||||||||||||||||
1965 | 93,792 | 18.7 | 530 | (124) | 533 | (137) | † | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 617 | (117) | 628 | (114) | † | (†) | 481 | (86) | 618 | (108) | 591 | (95) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 556 | (91) | ||
1966 | 123,960 | 23.8 | 520 | (124) | 528 | (133) | † | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 610 | (115) | 618 | (110) | † | (†) | 474 | (87) | 609 | (106) | 588 | (94) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 552 | (91) | ||
1967 | 151,134 | 27.0 | 519 | (125) | 528 | (134) | † | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 613 | (114) | 615 | (104) | † | (†) | 476 | (90) | 603 | (104) | 582 | (91) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 553 | (93) | ||
1968 | 182,432 | 28.8 | 520 | (124) | 527 | (135) | † | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 614 | (114) | 617 | (104) | † | (†) | 478 | (87) | 601 | (105) | 572 | (91) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 547 | (93) | ||
1969 | 206,113 | 28.3 | 515 | (124) | 524 | (132) | † | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 613 | (112) | 613 | (104) | † | (†) | 477 | (88) | 591 | (103) | 569 | (89) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 543 | (89) | ||
1970 | 265,359 | 33.5 | 503 | (123) | 516 | (132) | † | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 603 | (111) | 613 | (113) | † | (†) | 462 | (92) | 586 | (110) | 556 | (90) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 532 | (91) | ||
1971 | 293,600 | 35.0 | 497 | (125) | 512 | (134) | † | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 603 | (114) | 618 | (117) | † | (†) | 457 | (95) | 587 | (115) | 546 | (91) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 530 | (92) | ||
1972 | 293,506 | 33.1 | 494 | (126) | 508 | (136) | † | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 606 | (115) | 624 | (124) | † | (†) | 446 | (93) | 594 | (119) | 544 | (96) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 528 | (92) | ||
1973 | 290,104 | 31.5 | 497 | (125) | 512 | (135) | † | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 619 | (110) | 630 | (114) | † | (†) | 459 | (96) | 593 | (114) | 545 | (96) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 529 | (92) | ||
1974 | 301,070 | 31.8 | 492 | (126) | 509 | (137) | † | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 624 | (110) | 634 | (115) | † | (†) | 452 | (93) | 591 | (121) | 547 | (99) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 530 | (95) | ||
1975 | 298,335 | 32.3 | 493 | (125) | 508 | (137) | † | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | † | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | ||
1976 | 299,292 | 32.3 | 492 | (127) | 510 | (138) | † | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 627 | (112) | 627 | (107) | — | (†) | 454 | (93) | 594 | (119) | 539 | (101) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 531 | (93) | ||
1977 | 287,715 | 31.3 | 490 | (129) | 514 | (139) | † | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 625 | (113) | 630 | (109) | — | (†) | 453 | (93) | 592 | (115) | 532 | (101) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 532 | (95) | ||
1978 | 286,383 | 31.1 | 484 | (128) | 518 | (135) | † | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 622 | (113) | 624 | (108) | — | (†) | 452 | (91) | 594 | (114) | 530 | (102) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 529 | (97) | ||
1979 | 282,482 | 30.7 | 476 | (130) | 517 | (135) | † | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 621 | (117) | 623 | (104) | — | (†) | 451 | (89) | 592 | (115) | 525 | (102) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 530 | (97) | ||
1980 | 272,281 | 29.3 | 474 | (131) | 522 | (136) | † | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 619 | (115) | 618 | (105) | — | (†) | 449 | (90) | 590 | (116) | 521 | (105) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 534 | (98) | ||
1981 | 262,855 | 28.1 | 473 | (128) | 523 | (136) | † | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 617 | (115) | 615 | (103) | — | (†) | 453 | (90) | 590 | (116) | 520 | (99) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 532 | (97) | ||
1982 | 256,381 | 26.9 | 469 | (130) | 533 | (137) | 498 | (126) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 616 | (114) | 616 | (105) | — | (†) | 456 | (89) | 593 | (115) | 521 | (100) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 532 | (97) | ||
1983 | 263,674 | 27.2 | 473 | (131) | 541 | (138) | 504 | (128) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 623 | (115) | 620 | (105) | — | (†) | 459 | (90) | 599 | (114) | 527 | (98) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 542 | (95) | ||
1984 | 265,221 | 27.2 | 475 | (130) | 541 | (139) | 512 | (129) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 622 | (115) | 619 | (102) | — | (†) | 461 | (90) | 604 | (114) | 530 | (97) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 543 | (96) | ||
1985 | 271,972 | 27.8 | 474 | (126) | 545 | (140) | 516 | (129) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 619 | (114) | 621 | (101) | — | (†) | 459 | (89) | 615 | (120) | 531 | (95) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 541 | (95) | ||
1986 | 279,428 | 28.3 | 475 | (126) | 552 | (140) | 520 | (129) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 612 | (114) | 628 | (106) | — | (†) | 464 | (87) | 616 | (119) | 527 | (96) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 542 | (97) | ||
1987 | 293,560 | 29.6 | 477 | (126) | 550 | (140) | 521 | (128) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 616 | (116) | 629 | (104) | — | (†) | 465 | (86) | 619 | (119) | 526 | (95) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 536 | (95) | ||
1988 | 303,703 | 30.5 | 483 | (123) | 557 | (140) | 528 | (128) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 615 | (114) | 631 | (108) | — | (†) | 467 | (85) | 622 | (120) | 525 | (94) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 537 | (94) | ||
1989 | 326,096 | 32.0 | 484 | (125) | 560 | (142) | 530 | (129) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 612 | (114) | 642 | (117) | — | (†) | 465 | (87) | 626 | (116) | 528 | (91) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 538 | (95) | ||
1990 | 344,572 | 32.8 | 486 | (123) | 562 | (143) | 534 | (128) | † | (†) | — | (†) | 612 | (114) | 662 | (123) | — | (†) | 461 | (84) | 617 | (111) | 523 | (92) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 537 | (95) | ||
1991 | 379,882 | 34.7 | 485 | (122) | 562 | (141) | 536 | (129) | † | (†) | — | (†) | 609 | (113) | 660 | (123) | — | (†) | 457 | (85) | 611 | (111) | 523 | (93) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 535 | (95) | ||
1992 | 411,528 | 36.2 | 483 | (120) | 561 | (140) | 537 | (129) | † | (†) | — | (†) | 605 | (113) | 654 | (128) | — | (†) | 462 | (82) | 610 | (117) | 525 | (92) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 536 | (95) | ||
1993 | 400,246 | 34.4 | 481 | (117) | 557 | (140) | 541 | (129) | † | (†) | — | (†) | 606 | (114) | 662 | (133) | — | (†) | 462 | (80) | 602 | (115) | 516 | (94) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 536 | (97) | ||
1994 | 399,395 | 2 | 34.2 | 479 | (116) | 553 | (139) | 545 | (129) | † | (†) | — | (†) | 620 | (116) | 627 | (113) | — | (†) | 493 | 3 | (104) | 601 | (115) | 517 | (95) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 538 | (96) |
1995 | 389,539 | 2 | 33.6 | 477 | (115) | 553 | (140) | 544 | (131) | † | (†) | — | (†) | 622 | (116) | 675 | (138) | — | (†) | 488 | 3 | (102) | 596 | (113) | 513 | (96) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 544 | (98) |
1996 | 376,013 | 2 | 32.3 | 473 | (114) | 558 | (139) | 549 | (131) | † | (†) | — | (†) | 614 | (114) | 678 | (135) | — | (†) | 489 | 3 | (104) | 604 | (119) | 512 | (97) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 547 | (99) |
1997 | 376,062 | 2 | 32.1 | 472 | (113) | 562 | (139) | 548 | (129) | † | (†) | — | (†) | 620 | (115) | 684 | (143) | — | (†) | 487 | 3 | (103) | 602 | (114) | 525 | (100) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 554 | (99) |
1998 | 364,554 | 2 | 30.8 | 471 | (113) | 569 | (141) | 543 | (133) | † | (†) | — | (†) | 628 | (113) | 686 | (137) | — | (†) | 477 | 3 | (100) | 609 | (118) | 530 | (100) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 563 | (100) |
19994 | 396,330 | 33.0 | 468 | (114) | 565 | (143) | 542 | (133) | † | (†) | — | (†) | 626 | (114) | 684 | (137) | — | (†) | † | (†) | 604 | (115) | 527 | (100) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 559 | (99) | ||
20004 | 387,422 | 31.3 | 465 | (116) | 578 | (147) | 562 | (141) | † | (†) | — | (†) | 629 | (114) | 686 | (133) | — | (†) | † | (†) | — | (†) | 530 | (99) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 563 | (98) | ||
2001 | 433,109 | 34.8 | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | † | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | † | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | ||
2002 | 538,070 | 41.6 | 473 | (123) | 597 | (151) | 571 | (139) | † | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | † | (†) | † | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | ||
20035,6 | 571,606 | 42.4 | 470 | (121) | 598 | (148) | † | (†) | 4.2 | (0.96) | 517 | (100) | 635 | (114) | 682 | (125) | 712 | (97) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 538 | (98) | 620 | (131) | 669 | (151) | 580 | (101) | ||
20045,6,7 | 449,259 | 32.1 | 469 | (120) | 597 | (148) | † | (†) | 4.2 | (1.00) | 517 | (101) | 643 | (115) | 675 | (120) | 715 | (93) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 537 | (97) | 621 | (130) | 665 | (148) | 586 | (101) | ||
20055,6,7 | 477,031 | 33.1 | 467 | (118) | 591 | (148) | † | (†) | 4.2 | (0.90) | 518 | (100) | 647 | (117) | 675 | (117) | 715 | (91) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 540 | (97) | 623 | (130) | 672 | (151) | 592 | (101) | ||
20065,7,8 | 509,049 | 34.3 | 465 | (117) | 584 | (149) | † | (†) | 4.1 | (0.90) | 519 | (99) | 650 | (118) | 677 | (116) | 717 | (92) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 541 | (97) | 627 | (129) | 678 | (153) | 598 | (101) | ||
20075,7,8 | 561,061 | 36.8 | 462 | (119) | 584 | (151) | † | (†) | 4.0 | (0.90) | 521 | (97) | 650 | (120) | 689 | (115) | 715 | (91) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 542 | (98) | 636 | (130) | 686 | (155) | 600 | (101) | ||
20085,7,8 | 546,443 | 35.0 | 457 | (121) | 586 | (152) | † | (†) | 3.9 | (0.90) | 525 | (97) | 651 | (120) | 694 | (116) | 712 | (92) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 541 | (98) | 640 | (131) | 692 | (156) | 603 | (101) | ||
20095,7,8 | 601,032 | 37.5 | 456 | (120) | 590 | (150) | † | (†) | 3.8 | (0.90) | 523 | (97) | 650 | (120) | 699 | (115) | 708 | (91) | † | (†) | † | (†) | 541 | (97) | 648 | (134) | 692 | (156) | 605 | (103) |
—Not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
†Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 GRE takers include examinees from inside and outside of the United States, while the bachelor's degree recipients include U.S. institutions only. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 Total includes examinees who received no score on one or more general test measures. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 Data reported for 1994 through 1998 are from the revised education test. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 Subject test score data reflect the three-year average for all examinees who tested between October 1 three years prior to the reported test year and September 30 of the reported test year. These data are not directly comparable with data for most other years. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 Subject test score data reflect the three-year average for all examinees who tested between July 1 three years prior to the reported test year and June 30 of the reported test year. These data are not directly comparable with previous years, except for 1999 and 2000. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 Analytical writing test score data reflect the average for all examinees who tested between October 1, 2002, and June 30 of the reported test year. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 Verbal and quantitative test score data reflect the three-year average for all examinees who tested between July 1 three years prior to the reported test year and June 30 of the reported test year. These data are not directly comparable with previous years. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 Analytical writing test score data reflect the three-year average for all examinees who tested between July 1 three years prior to the reported test year and June 30 of the reported test year. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NOTE: GRE data include test takers from both within and outside of the United States. GRE scores for the verbal, quantitative, and analytical reasoning sections range from 200 to 800. Scores for the analytical writing section range from 0 to 6, in half-point increments. The range of scores is different for the various subject tests, from as low as 200 to as high as 990. The analytical reasoning section of the GRE, a multiple-choice test, was discontinued in September 2002, and replaced by the analytical writing section, an essay-based test. The education subject test was administered for the final time in April 1998. The engineering subject test was administered for the final time in April 2001. Some data have been revised from previously published figures. Standard deviations appear in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SOURCE: Graduate Record Examination Board, Examinee and Score Trends for the GRE General Test, 1964-65 through 1985-86; A Summary of Data Collected From Graduate Record Examinations Test-Takers During 1986-87; Guide to the Use of Scores, 1987-88 through 2004-05; GRE Volumes by Country, 2000-2009; and Interpreting Your GRE Scores, 2005-06 through 2010-11. U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS), "Degrees and Other Formal Awards Conferred" surveys, 1964-65 through 1985-86; and 1986-87 through 2008-09 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), "Completions Survey" (IPEDS-C:87-99), and Fall 2000 through Fall 2009. (This table was prepared August 2010.) |