What is a Good GMAT Score in 2026?

 Ever wondered whether your GMAT score is good enough for the top business schools? Most students often debate about retaking the GMAT if they are not satisfied with their scores. Which brings us to the question: What is a good GMAT score in 2026? 

In the older edition of GMAT, a score above 700 was considered great for top business schools, while scores between 640 and 690 were considered good. But with the GMAT Focus Edition, the scales for top scores have been recalibrated. 

What is GMAT?

GMAT stands for Graduate Management Admission Test. It’s a standardised exam administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). Most business schools around the world admit students on the basis of their GMAT score.

This exam is open to all prospective business school applicants seeking an MBA or other specialised management program. The GMAT is a computer-adaptive test designed to assess the candidate’s preparation for admission to a management program.

GMAT Focus Edition has three sections: Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning and Data Insights. Here’s a breakdown:

What is a Good GMAT Score?

If you are planning to take the GMAT in 2026, you should know what a good score is. The gold standard of 700+ is long gone. For the GMAT Focus Edition, 705+ is considered an excellent score and 665–695 is considered great. And 645–655 is considered a good GMAT score. 

A good GMAT score is an important factor for all business school applicants seeking to increase their chances of getting into their dream school. However, according to business school admissions experts, what qualifies as a good GMAT score depends both on the competitiveness of the MBA programs where a student desires to get accepted and his or her demographic profile.

GMAT test takers can expect a score between 205 and 805, with 805 being the maximum possible score. Aspirants should set their target GMAT score based on the average score accepted by the programs of their interest, according to admissions experts.

A student’s primary goal is to achieve a GMAT score so high that the admissions offers will have no doubts about their academic preparedness. They should also understand that these schools want applicants with impressive test scores. 

Read Also: GMAT Preparation Guide 2026

An excellent 705+ GMAT score gives students access to an array of prestigious B-schools, including the top M7. If you score a 705, you are in the 98th percentile, a verified “elite” score that puts you in contention for literally any program in the world.

GMAT scores between 665 and 695 are exceptional and can open doors to some of the M7. Scoring in the 645–655 range can invite admits to stong top 15 B-schools. Between 615 and 635, you can get calls from the top 25 programs across the world. 

Why is GMAT Score Important?

GMAT is often known as the “great equaliser” that can bring an investment banker from New York and an Engineer from Telangana onto the same competitive platform, judged solely on their GMAT score and nothing else. 

It tests whether the student can handle the academic requirements. GMAT targets your mathematical, verbal and information-processing skills. Math scores show you can handle Finance. Verbal scores tell them that you can read and understand hundreds of pages of case studies. And your Data Insights score shows that you can process large amounts of information. 

There’s also a business reason. Higher GMAT scores lead to higher school rankings, which attract more applications and better corporate recruitment, and better recruitment means more successful alumni. And that means, more enrollments.

GMAT exam is also a test of character. It requires months and months of extensive practice; it’s difficult and boring. Any student who puts in consistent effort to get better at GMAT is definitely a hard worker and has the ability to persist. 

How to Work Out Your GMAT Score? 

If you are applying to a B-school, you know that your GMAT score is a key component. Your total score could fall anywhere between 205 and 805, and schools will use this to see whether you fit well in their campus. 

You will get your official score report in one or three business days, based on how you performed across three sections of the exam. 

While every section is important, some schools place greater emphasis on the Quant section. If your target school has such preferences, focus more on your Quant section during preparation and during the test. 

Read Also: GMAT 6 Month Study Plan 2026 | Week-by-Week Strategy

What is the GMAT Score Range for Top Business Schools?

To get into the top business schools, you need a competitive score above 645 as per the GMAT Focus Edition. But that doesn’t tell you the full story since B-schools often publish a broad range (555-785) for admissions. 

Before we get into it, you need to understand what a median score is and what the safe score is.

The median score is the middle score of the accepted class, at 50%. 50% of students scored lower, and 50% scored higher. The safe score is 20+ points from the median score.

Here’s a realistic breakdown of the GMAT Focus Edition score range for top B-schools:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a top 1% GMAT score?

According to the GMAT Focus Edition, a top 1% score (100th percentile) is 735 or higher. If you score this number, you are placed higher than 99% of all test takers across the world, surpassing median scores of even Harvard and Stanford. 

Is 545 a good GMAT score?

No, a GMAT score of 545 is below average and not competitive for a top-ranked MBA program. The test taker may have to retake GMAT if they want to apply to prestigious B-schools.

What is a good GMAT score for Harvard?

Based on the recent Focus Edition, a good GMAT score for Harvard Business School is 695-705+. The median score for Harvard is 675 so a 20+ point lands you in the safe zone. 

What is a good GMAT score for ISB?

At the Indian School of Business (ISB), a competitive GMAT Focus score of 655+ is the median. To make it to the school and to stay above other applicants, you will therefore need 20+ more points at 675. 

What is a good GMAT score for Ivy League?

For Ivy League business schools like Harvard, Wharton and Columbia, the scores start at 665+, with the median score at 675. To be in the safe zone, above most candidates your score should be 695+.