GMAT Test Volume is 19% Down in 2025

Question

GMAT Test Volume is 19% Down in 2025 Someone messaged me about an interesting data point. This is based on preliminary Data from Google reading documents from behind the GMAC paywall. GMAC usually releases an annual GMAT test volume analysis report to the public at some point in time - usually about now, so I anticipate that since it is in Google and on their site, likely will be made available soon, so this is a preview or completely hallucinated data. Judge for yourself. ( link to the report - paywalled but you can pull it up by googling mba.com gmat score trends 2025 test taker volume) 93,196 GMAT exams were taken globally in 2025 testing year (ended June 30, 2025) vs. 115,286 in 2024. This is a 19% drop! This is a HUGE drop.

GMAT test taker volume and score reports: Exams taken: 93,196 GMAT exams were taken worldwide in testing year 2025 (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025). Score reports sent: 135,901 score reports were sent to graduate management programs. 19,000 test-takers scored above 645 (top 13% but the 19K is more like 22%, so percentile inflation is def coming but only next year). Another 31,000 test-takers scored between 565 and 635 (top 49% minus top 13%, which equals 36%). This leaves 43,196 test-takers scoring between 205 and 555 Key trends and score data Average score: The average score for recent testing years has remained in the mid-600s. For the current GMAT Focus Edition , the average score is 553.35. Score report purpose: Over 80% of submitted score reports are for MBA programs, highlighting the GMAT's continued importance in the admissions process. Geographic trends: The GMAC provides detailed data on international applicant trends, which can help schools with their global recruitment strategies. Gender representation: In testing year 2025, women represented 41% of global exams taken, a slight decrease from 44% in testing year 2021. P.S. Google AI is being stupid at the moment, so if anyone gets any better or more detailed information, let me know

ExpertsGlobal5 · Answer

Wow! This is concerning...will take some analysis... PS: looks like a formal report has also been released by GMAC, along these lines: https://www.gmac.com/-/media/files/gmac ... 5e2883540d

ManishaPrepMinds · Answer

Thanks for sharing this!

The decline in volume reflects the impact of test optional policies, with the transition to the Focus Edition and competition from the GRE also contributing factors.

While the overall volume is down,the score distribution suggests that those still taking the GMAT are a highly committed group, making a strong score an even more critical differentiator.

Carcass · Answer

GMAT Geographic Trend Report: Testing Year 2024 - October 2024

GMAT Geographic Trend Report: Testing Year 2025 - October 2025

The trend is also confirmed from the two PDFs above

MyMBAPath · Answer

bb , t his data has always been publicly available and is known to anyone who actually understands MBA Admissions. What is this craziness about it being leaked?

ManishaPrepMinds · Answer

While the raw data may be publicly available, the insight that test volume is down by a concrete 19% for this specific cycle is what's new.

I feel the surprise is not about the trend itself, but the specific magnitude of the drop for this year.

MyMBAPath · Answer

This is not data for this cycle. The data you are quoting above "Exams taken: 93,196 GMAT exams were taken worldwide in testing year 2025 (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025)" is for the 2024-2025 cycle, the one that just concluded. You are confusing what GMAC means when they say testing year 2025.

Carcass · Answer

While we try to analyze the specific trend with data and possible reasons that are INSIDE the realm of the MBA journey or career path, or the GRE as an alternative.

I do believe that most of the reasons also relate to the societal shift we have had after the pandemic: alternative paths to the MBA, the advent of AI, political turmoils and so on

Even the perceptiopn of being considered as an elite candidate when you have a stellar score. One time you were seen like a person almost from another planet. Now when you have that score .........it is just a score, yes , high, but nothing out of this world!

bb · Answer

How was it ALWAYS publicly available? Can you point me to the public place where the 93K tests is listed? The link that I have for this data is here: https://www.gmac.com/market-intelligenc ... 021-ty2025 None of us are given access to get it here. Are you getting special access to the data? Do you see the testing year 2025 data in the open, please share the link. I would love to see the details and not have to rely on the Google AI to look it up.

bb · Answer

Thank you!

bb · Answer

Who is this point to? who is "you" in this case?  MyMBAPath 
This is as latest as the data gets, and I think most folks realize it is not for yesterday.

What would be the data for this cycle in your mind?

The way I am used to seeing data, tests taken up to June 30, 2025 is quite recent and not for the "last cycle". Nobody took tests in Jan, Feb, March, April, May, or June to apply in R1 or R2 of Business School of last year, so HALF of the tests taken for test year 2025 are those applying in this application cycle or do you think most people take the GMAT in October?

MyMBAPath · Answer

We are now in the 2025-2026 admissions cycle and in the July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026 Testing Year. These are the accepted industry definitions.

bb · Answer

Agree for admissions cycle. But test-taking cycle tends to be different as candidates take their tests ahead of time of the admission cycle (not always and some drag it out) but often the key contenders are ready ahead of time... what I see is that the 2025-2026 admission cycle applicants take their GMAT in 2024-2025 GMAT test year (by Jul 2025) so the data is very recent and relevant at least in my view.

MyMBAPath · Answer

My reply (sorry to tell you and you probably know this but the platform is clunky in that it doesn't show you clearly who I'm responding to) was to ManishaPrepMinds saying "the insight that test volume is down by a concrete 19% for this specific cycle is what's new".

This is the wrong interpretation and exactly the kind of thing that creates useless noise for MBA candidates. Because yes, some of these test takers will indeed apply in the current cycle but many have already applied in the previous one. I know very well from 16 years of experience and from having seen how that volume is spread over a 12-month span.

Frankly, my strong reaction was due to the attempt to sensationalize the framing of "AI leaked data". I personally believe we should all be much more responsible in how we position our statements.

I speak with MBA candidates every day - the last 7 days alone I've been in front of many hundreds over several of my workshops - and they come and say "but so and so said test taking is down THIS cycle" because they see headlines like this. As experts, we have a responsibility to present things with rationality and more thoughtfully.

Sorry if this all sounds patronizing, it wasn't my intent per se.

bb · Answer

Thank you for the explanation. I see the reason for your reaction. I think it is valid and I appreciate the call out. I think the AI component is a minor thing of this but it doesn’t make the information less important.

Yes, there’s only a small group of people who really care about this because I don’t think test takers do. Just like restaurant customers if you saw details such as there are 20% fewer Restuarant goers, what do you do with that information?

At the same time, I’ve published this report and details in my analysis of it for the last number of years, there’s one from last October when this report came out. I’ve been waiting for it for about two weeks now .... this is an important report for the industry. So I will continue posting about it and I do feel this is a super important trend indicator. I think it would be inappropriate to not mention it and not bring it up as pretty substantial news in the space.

In terms of applicant confusion, it’s something that we try to resolve by bringing information up rather than hiding and explaining what this means and so the goal of my post is to bring it up and as a community to digest and understand what these things mean. I may not see the full picture but someone else may contribute more and Together we can be more productive. People can share multiple perspectives which is what you’re doing right now and that’s a productive dialogue 💪

PS.. Again, I don’t think a regular user would care or have much action to take besides filing this information in the back of their mind or perhaps commenting but seeing a 20% decline is not something that happens on the regular basis and because the application is such a black box and so little information is available about it, any concrete detail especially such as test volume it’s kind of a big deal. Maybe it’s just me but this is basically the most anticipated number in the GMAT space.... Do you see other indicators that you feel are equally or more important perhaps? I know a lot of people let on to application numbers but I feel that’s a lot more vague and concrete because number of applications does not mean different number of applicants because if each applicant applies to one extra school that’s an extra 10 or 20% of applications, especially when schools provide application fee waivers and that makes it challenging to track things reliably.

ManishaPrepMinds · Answer

MyMBAPath

my point was simply to highlight the significance of the 19% decline during the Testing Year 2025 (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025).

I appreciate you adding the precise technical context.

MyMBAPath · Answer

It's true, the information is really important. I see P&Q quickly ran with it, too.

You and I are probably both a bit of "admissions junkies". I used to follow GMAT test taking volumes even more closely when I still worked in admissions. Obviously, when you do, you have access to even more data as a member school.

To me, one of the key reasons behind the drop is ETS taking market share. But it's not the entire reason. I have some thoughts and I might most another reply later. As you might now, I love talking shop and never tire of this topic.

MyMBAPath · Answer

bb, I've been thinking about this conversation and I have a couple of thoughts to share - you've inspired me!

1. I think that a recent insight that came out of the GMAC Application Trends survey is something candidates should pay attention to. It's this: The GMAC data also reveals an important trend: the most selective schools are getting even more competitive. Among the most selective quartile of MBA programs, 52% reported application growth, compared with just 28% among the least selective. Nearly two-thirds of less selective programs saw declines. Here's the link to the full article: MBA Applications Volume and Trends 2. Can I admit that I have very strong opinions about MBA Admissions being a black box? I feel it often makes candidates approach the process with anxiety and even defensiveness instead of a sense of opportunity and possibility. So in response, I just wrote why I actually believe MBA Admissions is not the black box many make it out to be. Here's the piece: Is MBA Admissions Really a Black Box?

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GMAT Test Volume is 19% Down in 2025

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