Most admitted CS graduate students score between 320 and 330 on the GRE, with Quantitative Reasoning carrying the most weight. But the GRE landscape for computer science is shifting fast — roughly 60% of top US universities have now waived the requirement for at least some programs. Here is what the numbers actually look like across program tiers, and how to figure out the right target score for your applications.
The GRE scores each section on a 130-170 scale, giving a combined range of 260-340. For computer science graduate programs, the average GRE score for admitted students falls between 320 and 330 combined. A combined score of 320+ puts you in the competitive range for most programs, while 330+ is the benchmark for top-tier schools like Stanford and Carnegie Mellon.
Below 300 combined, your options narrow significantly. Most programs consider scores below 290 to be well outside the competitive range for CS admissions. The table below maps combined scores to the level of program you can realistically target.
| Combined Score | Category | Typical Program Tier |
|---|---|---|
| 330-340 | Excellent | Top 10 CS programs (Stanford, CMU, MIT) |
| 320-329 | Very Competitive | Top 20-30 CS programs |
| 310-319 | Competitive | Mid-tier CS programs |
| 300-309 | Average | Accessible CS programs |
| 290-299 | Below Average | Limited options; consider retaking |
| Below 290 | Weak | Most programs out of reach |
Computer science is a quantitative discipline, and admissions committees weigh the Quant section accordingly. A combined score of 325 with a 168 Quantitative score is far more compelling for CS admissions than a 330 with a 162 Quantitative score. Programs want to see that you can handle the mathematical rigor of graduate-level CS coursework.
The numbers tell a clear story at the top tier. Stanford's admitted MS students average approximately 167 on Quantitative Reasoning and 161 on Verbal. Penn's admitted students average even higher on Quant at 168, with Northwestern at 169. These programs are looking for near-perfect quantitative performance paired with solid verbal ability.
Carnegie Mellon's GRE policy varies by program within the School of Computer Science — some programs require scores, others have no minimum requirement, and the Master of Software Engineering program makes GRE optional. MIT has dropped the GRE requirement entirely for CS programs.
| University | Avg. Verbal | Avg. Quantitative | Avg. AWA | GRE Required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford | 161 | 167 | — | Optional |
| Carnegie Mellon (CMU) | — | — | — | Varies by program |
| Georgia Tech | 153 (min) | 155 (min) | 3.0 (min) | Required |
| UT Austin | — | — | — | Not required |
| UCLA | — | 167 | — | Recommended |
| Northwestern | 156 | 169 | 3.5 | Required |
| Penn | 160 | 168 | 4.2 | Required |
| MIT | — | — | — | Not required |
| UIUC | — | — | — | Not required |
| University of Minnesota | — | — | — | Not accepted |
Mid-tier CS programs — those ranked roughly 30th to 80th — typically admit students with combined GRE scores of 310-320. The Quantitative score expectations are more forgiving at this level, with 160-164 being competitive. Georgia Tech, for example, sets a minimum of 153 Verbal, 155 Quantitative, and 3.0 AWA — lower than many students expect from a top-20 program.
For programs ranked below the top 100, combined scores of 300-310 are often sufficient, though a Quant score of at least 155 is still expected for any computer science program.
Select your combined GRE score range to see which tier of CS programs you are competitive for.
On average, applicants accepted into CS programs in the USA have a Quantitative Reasoning score of 160. That number is a floor, not a ceiling. To stand out at top programs, you need 165 or higher — and the most competitive applicants at schools like Northwestern and Penn are scoring 168-170.
The mean Quantitative Reasoning score across all GRE test takers (July 2021 through June 2024) was 157.58, which means the average admitted CS student already scores above the overall test-taker average. CS applicant pools tend to skew heavily quantitative, so you are competing against other strong math students.
The average Verbal Reasoning score for admitted CS students is around 150, which aligns closely with the overall test-taker mean of 151.21. Most CS programs place less emphasis on the Verbal section, but a strong Verbal score (155+) can differentiate your application, particularly at programs that evaluate candidates holistically.
The Analytical Writing Assessment is scored on a 0-6 scale, and the mean across all test takers is 3.44. A score of 3.5 or above is recommended for CS programs. While AWA rarely makes or breaks an application, a score below 3.0 can raise concerns about your ability to communicate complex technical ideas in writing — a skill that matters in graduate research.
The GRE landscape for CS admissions has shifted dramatically. Approximately 60% of top US universities have waived the GRE requirement for at least some graduate programs as of 2024-2025. Several of the most prestigious CS programs now either do not require or do not accept GRE scores at all.
MIT no longer requires the GRE for its CS programs. UT Austin announced that CS applicants do not need to submit GRE scores for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. The University of Minnesota's Department of Computer Science and Engineering no longer requires or accepts the GRE for its MS and PhD programs. At Carnegie Mellon, GRE policies vary by program within SCS — the Master of Software Engineering makes GRE optional, while other programs have varying requirements. UIUC's Computer Science program does not require GRE scores for applicants.
When programs drop the GRE, they shift emphasis to other application components. The factors that carry increased weight include undergraduate GPA and the rigor of your coursework, research experience and publications, letters of recommendation from faculty who know your work, your statement of purpose, and relevant work experience or projects.
Your raw GRE score does not tell the full story. Percentile rankings show how your score compares to all other test takers from the past three years. For Quantitative Reasoning, the percentiles may surprise you — high scores map to lower percentiles than you might expect, because so many test takers perform well on the math section.
| Score | Approximate Percentile | Competitiveness for CS |
|---|---|---|
| 170 | 91st | Highly competitive for all programs |
| 168-169 | 83rd-89th | Strong for top-tier programs |
| 165-167 | 67th-79th | Competitive for top 20 programs |
| 162-164 | 56th-63rd | Adequate for mid-tier programs |
| 160-161 | 50th-53rd | Minimum for competitive applications |
| 155-159 | 35th-46th | Below expectations for most CS programs |
| 150-154 | 22nd-31st | Significantly below competitive range |
A 170 (perfect score) on Quantitative Reasoning only places you at the 91st percentile — meaning 9% of all test takers also scored perfectly. By contrast, a 170 on Verbal Reasoning would place you well above the 99th percentile. This compression happens because the GRE test-taking population includes a large proportion of STEM applicants who are strong in math. For CS applicants specifically, the effective competition is even stiffer, since your peer group skews heavily quantitative.
The right target score depends entirely on which programs you are applying to. Start by looking up the average admitted student scores at your target schools — the university comparison table earlier in this article is a solid starting point. If your target programs average 165 Quant for admitted students, you need to aim for at least 165, not 160.
Worked Example
A student is applying to a mix of top-20 and mid-tier CS programs. Their current practice test scores are 155 Verbal and 160 Quantitative (315 combined).
The GRE is one data point in a holistic application review. Research experience, undergraduate GPA, letters of recommendation, and your statement of purpose all carry significant weight — and at programs that have dropped the GRE, these factors are everything. GRE scores are valid for 5 years from the test date, and you can retake the exam once every 21 days, up to 5 times within a 12-month period. ETS offers ScoreSelect, which lets you choose which test date scores to send.
If your GRE score is below your target, you have options: retake the exam with targeted preparation, or strengthen other parts of your application. A strong research portfolio or exceptional recommendation letters can offset a GRE score that is slightly below the admitted student average.