What Is a Good GMAT Verbal Score?
Candidates preparing for GMAT often want to know "what is a good GMAT verbal score". Check what a good GMAT verbal score to achieve admission to your preferred B-school.
Shivani Kumari12 Aug, 2025
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GMAT Verbal Score: During GMAT preparation, candidates aim to secure a specific overall score. To achieve this goal, candidates have to set a section-wise score target. Since GMAT Verbal Score plays a crucial and challenging section of the GMAT exam, candidates need to prepare strategically.
To create an effective study plan for the Verbal section, candidates must understand what is a good GMAT verbal score for their target B-schools.One of the best ways to identify a good score is by knowing the sectional cut-off requirements of preferred MBA programs. Generally,, a scaled score of 50 in the GMAT Verbal section places candidates in the 99th percentile.
Understanding GMAT Scoring System
GMAT exam provides candidates with four distinct scores. This includes three sectional and one overall score. The scores are provided to candidates immediately after the completion of the exam. Here are the scores candidates can view after completing the GMAT exam:- Verbal Reasoning score
- Quantitative Reasoning score
- Data Insights score
- GMAT Total score
| GMAT Scoring System | ||
| Section | Score Range | Increments |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 60-90 | 1 |
| Verbal Reasoning | 60-90 | 1 |
| Data Insights | 60-90 | 1 |
| Total Score | 205-805 | 10 |
What is a Good GMAT Verbal Score?
A good GMAT Verbal score depends on the admission criteria of your target MBA program. Each school has different requirements, so the definition of “good” can vary. However, for most competitive schools, a score in the 45–50 range typically aligns with high percentile rankings.The table below shows the GMAT verbal scaled scores and their corresponding percentile rankings:
| GMAT Verbal Score Vs Percentile (Expected) | |
| Verbal Scaled Score | Percentile Ranking |
| 51 | 99 |
| 50 | 99 |
| 49 | 99 |
| 48 | 99 |
| 47 | 99 |
| 46 | 99 |
| 45 | 99 |
| 44 | 98 |
| 43 | 96 |
| 42 | 96 |
| 41 | 94 |
| 40 | 91 |
| 39 | 89 |
| 38 | 85 |
| 37 | 83 |
| 36 | 81 |
| 35 | 76 |
| 34 | 72 |
| 33 | 69 |
| 32 | 67 |
| 31 | 62 |
| 30 | 60 |
| 29 | 57 |
| 28 | 52 |
| 27 | 47 |
| 26 | 44 |
| 25 | 40 |
| 24 | 37 |
| 23 | 33 |
| 22 | 31 |
| 21 | 27 |
| 20 | 23 |
| 19 | 20 |
| 18 | 18 |
| 17 | 15 |
| 16 | 13 |
| 15 | 10 |
| 14 | 9 |
| 13 | 7 |
| 12 | 5 |
| 11 | 4 |
| 10 | 3 |
| 9 | 2 |
| 8 | 1 |
| 7 | 1 |
| 6 | 0 |
Importance of GMAT Verbal Scores for B-Schools?
While B-schools focus on the overall GMAT score, they prefer candidates with balanced section scores. A significantly low Verbal score raises doubts about a candidate’s ability to handle the reading, writing, and critical thinking demands of an MBA program. Even strong English proficiency test scores cannot compensate for a poor GMAT Verbal performance.How Does the GMAT Verbal Score Impact Total Score?
Candidates' GMAT Verbal score contributes both independently and as part of their total score. The overall GMAT score, which combines scores from the Verbal, DI, and Quantitative sections, is the most crucial aspect of candidates' GMAT results . It comprehensively measures their abilities, reflecting their performance across various sections. One advantage of the combined scoring is that there are various ways to achieve the same Total score on the GMAT. Although the specific formula GMAC uses to calculate GMAT scores is not known, data from previous years' scores shows that a point increase in one section can often balance out a point decrease in the other. This flexibility allows for different score combinations to yield similar results. Here, candidates must note that there has been a significant increase in the Quant scores, particularly due to the growing number of test-takers. This increase over the past decade has pushed the total scores higher. In contrast, Verbal scores have increased by about 1% in the same period. As a result, achieving a competitive overall GMAT score now requires candidates to perform exceptionally in the Verbal to balance the increasingly competitive Quant scores.How to Identify a Good GMAT Verbal Score?
To determine the ideal GMAT Verbal score, candidates should create a list of their preferred MBA colleges. Further, they should check their average or median GMAT total scores. By knowing the scores accepted by their target schools, candidates can set a target for section scores. A good Verbal score is one that helps candidates reach their overall score goal. To estimate the overall target score, candidates should first establish their baseline score by taking multiple GAT adaptive tests. Candidates must ensure to take the test in an environment similar to the actual exam. Once candidates know their standing for GMAT, they can assess how much improvement they need to achieve their target score. Generally, a 2-3 point increase in the Verbal section helps candidates boost their overall score to 20-point boost . Using this approach, candidates can set specific their target Verbal score, which helps them secure a seat in their preferred institute. PW GMAT Online Coaching offers effective guidance from experts to help candidates excel in the exam with their target core. Join PW GMAT Coaching Class to access regular live lectures, recorded video lessons, updated DPPs, and mock tests with performance analysis.What Is a Good GMAT Verbal Score FAQs
Is 35 a good verbal score?
A GMAT verbal score of 35 (around 76th percentile) is decent, but top MBA programs usually expect 40+.
What is the average GMAT verbal score?
The average GMAT verbal score is about 27–28, near the 50th percentile.
What are the GMAT 2025 changes?
These include a reduced exam length of two hours and fifteen minutes and fewer questions (a total of 64). The removal of the Analytical Writing Assessment, the ability to examine and modify exams, and a more simplified score summary that highlights section-specific performance are the primary improvements made to the GMAT exam.
How hard is GMAT verbal?
The difficulty level of the GMAT verbal section ranges from Moderate to challenging.
Who may take the 2025 GMAT exam?
Eligibility requirements for the 2025 GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Exam) a valid government-issued ID, a bachelor's degree, and being at least 18 years old. Candidates should review the standards of the particular business schools they are applying to, even if there are no specific marks or maximum age limits.
Can I retake the GMAT to improve my verbal score?
Yes, you can retake the GMAT after 16 days to improve your verbal score and overall percentile.
What topics are tested in the GMAT verbal section?
The GMAT verbal section tests reading comprehension, critical reasoning, and sentence correction skills.
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