The GMAT is one of the most popular exams for those looking to pursue their management education from top American and European business schools. But what GMAT score is good enough to make it to b-schools like Harvard, Wharton, Fuqua, ISB, Yale and others? Is it possible to get into any top-ranked business school with anything less than a 90th percentile score? On average, how much would you need to score on the GMAT to make it to any one of the world's top-30 business schools? This analysis answers all the above questions based on the average GMAT scores of current MBA batches of 2021, enrolled in the world's top MBA institutes.
Average GMAT Scores For Top MBA Programs - MBA Class of 2021 - Important Things To Know
- The highest average GMAT score for the MBA batch of 2021 is at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, with the 417 strong batch scoring an average of 734 on the GMAT.
- The lowest average GMAT score for the MBA batch of 2021 is at HEC Paris, with the 295 strong batch scoring an average of 690 on the GMAT - a full 44 points lower than the average at Stanford GSB.
- The lowest GMAT score which has found a place amongst the world's top-30 management institutes is 540, which has been accepted at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
- The average GMAT score for batches at the top-10 business schools in the world is 724, which is just over a 94th percentile score.
- The average GMAT score for batches at the top business schools ranked between the 11th and the 20th positions (both inclusive) is 720, which is a 94th percentile score.
- The average GMAT score for batches at the top business schools ranked between the 21st and the 30th positions (both inclusive) is 713, which is approximately a 91st percentile score.
GMAT Scores vs Percentile
To understand what GMAT score it takes to make it to one of the world's business schools, it is important to understand where your GMAT score stands in the pecking order. While most business schools look at your overall GMAT scores and not your percentiles, it does help the admissions teams gauge how you have fared compared to other test-takers, and whether you can handle the rigor of an MBA program.
The table below encapsulates various GMAT scores in the 800-500 range, and their equivalent percentiles. This will help you understand more clearly what percentage of all test-takers score well enough to match the average/median GMAT scores of batches at the world's top MBA institutes.
| GMAT Scores vs Percentile |
| GMAT Score |
Equivalent Percentile |
GMAT Score |
Equivalent Percentile |
GMAT Score |
Equivalent Percentile |
| 800 |
99% |
700 |
88% |
600 |
56% |
| 790 |
99% |
690 |
85% |
590 |
52% |
| 780 |
99% |
680 |
82% |
580 |
49% |
| 770 |
99% |
670 |
80% |
570 |
46% |
| 760 |
99% |
660 |
77% |
560 |
42% |
| 750 |
98% |
650 |
73% |
550 |
39% |
| 740 |
97% |
640 |
68% |
540 |
37% |
| 730 |
95% |
630 |
66% |
530 |
33% |
| 720 |
94% |
620 |
63% |
500 |
26% |
| 710 |
90% |
610 |
59% |
450 |
16% |
Also read - Understanding The Four Sections of The GMAT - A Complete Guide
Important Notes:
- Latest GMAT scores data for certain business schools counted amongst the top-30 management institutes in the world is unavailable, which is why these business schools have been dropped from this report. Business schools not included in this report are CEIBS, London Business School, IESE Business School, NUS Business School, HKUST Business School, Saïd Business School, ESADE, IMD, IIM Bangalore, and SDA Bocconi School of Management. You can visit the websites of these institutes to take a look at the average GMAT scores and profiles of previous batches.
- Average GMAT scores below are not cut-offs for business schools included in this report. These are the average GMAT scores for the MBA batches at their respective business schools, and can go as low as 540 and as high as a perfect 800.
Average GMAT Scores For MBA Programs At Harvard, Wharton, Stanford GSB, Columbia & Others | MBA Class of 2021
Average GMAT Scores For Top Global Business Schools - MBA | Ranks 1 To 10
|
Rank (FT)
|
Business School |
Average GMAT Score |
Minimum GMAT Score |
Maximum |
| 1 |
Harvard Business School |
730* |
590 |
800 |
| 2 |
The Wharton School |
730 |
540 |
790 |
| 3 |
Stanford Graduate School of Business |
734 |
600 |
790 |
| 4 |
INSEAD† |
Data Unavailable |
670** |
750** |
| 6 |
MIT Sloan School of Management |
727 |
690** |
760** |
| 8 |
Columbia Business School |
727 |
690** |
760** |
| 9 |
HEC Paris |
690 |
570 |
780 |
| 10 |
Booth School of Business |
730 |
610 |
790 |
*For this business school, the median GMAT score has been mentioned due to unavailability of average GMAT score data for the MBA Class of 2021.
**For this business school, the minimum and maximum GMAT scores are for the mid-80% of the total MBA batch of 2021.
†The MBA program at INSEAD is for 10-months only, which is why the data in the table above is for the Class of 2020.
Confused if you should take the GMAT or the GRE? This post should help you get some clarity.
Average GMAT Scores For MBA Programs At Kellogg, Yale, Tuck, Fuqua & Others | MBA Class of 2021
Average GMAT Scores For Top Global Business Schools - MBA | Ranks 11 To 20
|
| Rank |
Business School |
Average GMAT Score |
Minimum GMAT Score |
Maximum |
| 11 |
Kellogg School of Management |
730 |
620 |
780 |
| 12 |
Haas School of Business |
725 |
680** |
760** |
| 14 |
Yale School of Management |
720* |
680 |
760 |
| 16 |
Tuck School of Business |
723 |
620 |
780 |
| 16 |
Fuqua School of Business |
705 |
600 |
770 |
| 18 |
Darden School of Business |
713 |
600 |
780 |
*For this business school, the median GMAT score has been mentioned due to unavailability of average GMAT score data for the MBA Class of 2021.
**For this business school, the minimum and maximum GMAT scores are for the mid-80% of the total MBA batch of 2021.
Average GMAT Scores For MBA Programs At ISB, Stern, Michigan Ross & Others | MBA Class of 2021
Average GMAT Score For Top Global Business Schools - MBA | Ranks 21 To 30
|
| Rank |
Business School |
Average GMAT Score |
Minimum GMAT Score |
Maximum |
| 22 |
Stern School of Business |
721 |
600 |
780 |
| 23 |
Johnson Graduate School of Management |
697 |
Data Unavailable |
Data Unavailable |
| 25 |
Anderson School of Management |
719 |
680** |
750** |
| 28 |
Indian School of Business† |
710 |
600 |
770 |
| 30 |
Ross School of Business |
719 |
640 |
780 |
*For this business school, the median GMAT score has been mentioned due to unavailability of average GMAT score data for the MBA Class of 2021.
**For this business school, the minimum and maximum GMAT scores are for the mid-80% of the total MBA batch of 2021.
†The MBA program at ISB is for one year only, which is why the data in the table above is for the Class of 2020.
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