GRE vs GMAT: Which Test Should You Take for Your Master's Program?
GRE vs GMAT — format, scoring, difficulty, and which test suits which programmes and students. Data to help you choose.
▶ Free College Predictor & study-abroad toolsQuick answer
GRE is increasingly the default for most master's programmes (MS, MA, etc.). GMAT is still preferred for MBA and business master's. Both are now almost equally accepted at top schools — choose the test that plays to your strengths, not tradition. Both tests are valid.
GRE basics
GRE tests Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning and Analytical Writing. Scoring is 130–170 per skill section (260–340 total). About 2 hours with breaks. The format is somewhat mathematical and logic-heavy in Quant.
GMAT basics
GMAT Focus Edition (latest) has Quantitative, Verbal and a new Data Insights section, scored 205–805. About 2.5 hours. Data Insights (new in Focus) blends data literacy and reasoning — a differentiator.
GRE suits
STEM students (engineering, data science, computer science) find GRE Quant familiar. Verbal rewards broad, contextual vocabulary knowledge (reading comprehension and sentence meaning). Good for students strong in maths and reading.
GMAT suits
Business and finance master's programmes prefer GMAT, especially MBA. Quant tests practical business math and logic. Critical Reasoning asks you to evaluate arguments (very business-relevant). Data Insights is a new edge — shows modern data literacy.
Acceptance reality
Stanford, MIT, Wharton accept both. NYU, Carnegie Mellon largely prefer GRE for non-MBA. Check your target programme's website — most list 'GRE or GMAT accepted' now, but a few still show a slight preference.
Test prep and difficulty
GRE prep is often cheaper (more free resources). GMAT prep is more expensive (proprietary). Neither is objectively 'harder' — it depends on your strengths. Take a free practice section of each on LandingPrep and see which scoring style fits you.