NYU Stern MBA GRE: Average Scores, Ranges, and What You Need to Know

NYU Stern's Full-Time MBA Class of 2027 shows impressive performance across GRE sections, with an average Quantitative score of 164 and an average Verbal score of 163. These averages place Stern in the upper echelon of MBA programs, making it clear that you are competing against applicants with strong quantitative abilities and strong communication skills. The 80% score range for Quantitative spans from 160 to 170, while Verbal ranges from 158 to 168, demonstrating the caliber of candidates Stern attracts and the narrowness of the competitive band you need to enter.

A good GRE score for NYU Stern means understanding what competitive truly looks like at this level of school. You should aim for a score in the 161-170 range on both Quantitative and Verbal sections to position yourself as a credible candidate and keep pace with your peer applicants. Scores below 158 on either section begin to create a deficit that you will need to overcome through other parts of your profile, though this alone does not eliminate your chances if your professional narrative is compelling and your work experience is exceptional. The truth is that with a 24% acceptance rate for the Class of 2027, you are competing against applicants with strong undergraduate records, deep professional expertise, often in finance or consulting, and demonstrated leadership accomplishments, so every element of your candidacy matters equally.

Scoring well on the GRE alone will not secure your place at Stern, and this distinction is crucial to understand. Many applicants with GRE scores in the 168-170 range across both sections are rejected because their overall profile fails to convince the admissions team that they bring something distinctive to Stern's classroom or that they have the emotional intelligence to thrive in a collaborative, competitive environment. Stern explicitly states that it evaluates you holistically across three dimensions: your academic profile, your professional achievements and aspirations, and your alignment with Stern's core values of intellectual curiosity and impact orientation. If your GRE falls below 158 on either section, you should honestly assess whether retaking the exam is worth your time, but you should also invest energy into strengthening your professional story and demonstrating why Stern is the right next step for your specific career vision.

NYU Stern requires a standardized test score for the Full-Time MBA program and is not test optional. You must submit a GMAT, GRE, Executive Assessment, LSAT, MCAT, or DAT score unless you qualify for one of Stern's limited test waivers, which are granted only to applicants who can demonstrate academic readiness through other means such as an advanced degree in a quantitative field or exceptional professional certifications. Stern does accept some applications with test waivers, but these are rare exceptions and require explicit approval from the admissions committee before you submit your application. The school is transparent that the standardized test is one way to assess your academic readiness and remains a core component of its evaluation process.

When Stern reviews your GRE score, the admissions committee places it within the broader context of your entire application and career narrative. Your test score helps Stern confirm that you can handle quantitative coursework and communicate ideas clearly, but it does not determine whether you will be admitted to the school. The committee looks at your undergraduate academic trajectory, whether you showed growth or consistency, your professional role and the impact you have made in that role, your leadership examples, and how effectively you articulate why an MBA from Stern specifically will accelerate your career goals. If you have an outstanding GRE score but limited work experience, generic essays, or recommenders who cannot speak to your analytical abilities or leadership impact, you will likely be rejected. On the flip side, if your GRE is strong but not exceptional (say, 159-162 range), a compelling professional story with clear examples of impact can absolutely move you forward in the evaluation process.

Stern's admissions approach is fundamentally holistic, which means your GRE score is one input among several. A high GRE score is a threshold that demonstrates you possess the intellectual foundation for Stern's rigorous curriculum, but it does not separate strong applicants from weaker ones in Stern's highly competitive pool. What actually differentiates admitted applicants is the cohesive narrative across your entire profile: solid academics including your test score, significant professional experience with specific examples of measurable impact and leadership, a clear understanding of your post-MBA career goals and how Stern supports that vision, and strong endorsements from your supervisors and mentors that verify your abilities and character. You should devote as much strategic thinking to your essays and recommender coordination as you spend preparing for the GRE, because Stern weights these elements equally in making its decisions.

AdmitStudio users who find success at top MBA programs tend to approach their applications as a clear, cohesive professional story, not a checklist of prestigious roles, promotions, or achievements. Rather than trying to impress admissions committees with everything they have done, they focus on explaining why they made key career decisions, what they learned from those experiences, and how those lessons shaped their short- and long-term goals. Their essays help admissions officers quickly understand the applicant’s career trajectory, leadership potential, and sense of purpose within just a few minutes of review.

AdmitStudio users who are successful also use their essays to connect and reinforce the rest of the application, not repeat it. The essays highlight a few core themes, such as leadership, impact, self-awareness, and growth, while the résumé, recommendations, and short answers quietly support those same themes with concrete evidence. By aligning every part of the application around a consistent narrative, these applicants stand out not because they try to appear perfect, but because they are intentional, reflective, and clear about who they are and where they are going. Admissions officers come away with a strong sense of how the applicant will contribute to classroom discussions, team-based learning, and the broader MBA community.