United States · Admission testThe two tests side by side
| GMAT | GRE | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 2 hours 15 minutes, plus an optional 10-minute break | 1 hour 58 minutes, no break |
| Sections | Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Data Insights | Analytical Writing, two Verbal Reasoning, two Quantitative Reasoning |
| Calculator | On-screen, in Data Insights only | Provided |
| Scores | 205 to 805 total, 60 to 90 per section | Verbal and Quant 130 to 170 each, writing 0 to 6 |
| Fee (US and Canada) | $275 at a test center, $300 online | $249, at a test center or at home |
| Official scores | Within 3 to 5 days | About 8 to 10 days |
| Valid for | 5 years | 5 years |
GMAC also points out that you get about 25% more time per question on the GMAT than on the GRE. Both tests can be taken at home with the same structure and scoring as at a test center.
Is the GMAT harder than the GRE?
Neither test is officially rated as harder. A common view is that the GMAT is tougher in quant and the GRE tougher in verbal, mainly because of the GRE’s vocabulary. GMAC pushes back on part of that: it calls it a big misconception that GMAT Quant is about complex math, and says it’s really about breaking problems into small, simple steps.
GMAC also says people with engineering backgrounds generally find the GMAT easier. Keep in mind that GMAC makes the GMAT, so its comparison isn’t neutral. The GMAT is adaptive, so it gets harder as you do well, and Quant has no calculator. Take GMAC’s free Practice Exam 1 under real timing and you’ll know quickly how it feels for you.
Converting a GRE score to a GMAT score
GMAC’s comparison page doesn’t give a conversion chart, and the scales don’t line up number for number. GMAC does say that people who take both tests tend to land at similar levels on each.
Instead of converting, look up what each school on your list reports for both tests. GMAC’s own example: at the Harvard MBA, the median GRE score is 163 for both Quant and Verbal.
Which should you take for an MBA?
If business school is the only plan, the GMAT is built for it, and GMAC suggests it as the starting point if you’re undecided. The GRE is also used for other graduate programs, including law, so it can be the better pick if you’re keeping those open.
Two more things GMAC mentions: some employers, such as the big three consulting firms, look at GMAT scores when recruiting, and some MBA scholarships and fellowships are based on GMAT scores.
MBA programs that don’t require the GMAT
Some programs let you apply without any test score, and GMAC itself notes the test is optional at many MBA programs. Each school sets its own rules, often with conditions, and GMAC’s pages don’t list which programs waive the test. That goes for Canadian programs too.
So check the admissions page of each program you’re interested in. Don’t confuse a school’s “GMAT waiver” with a GMAT fee waiver, which only pays for the exam.
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Sources: GMAC and 2 more. Checked October 2026.
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.