Breaking down the GRE, GMAT, and other graduate entrance exams

If you have a graduate degree, you will likely earn more and remain employed, according to a May 2022 analysis by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And interest in graduate school is on the rise. The number of applications rose 7.3% in the fall of 2020 vs. the year before, per an October 2021 report from the Council of Graduate Schools. That’s a jump from the average 2.5% yearly growth from the previous 10 years.

Schools seeing the greatest increases specialized in business and the sciences—biological, agricultural, and health—per the council’s report, while mathematics, computer sciences, and engineering saw the largest decline. Applicants are becoming more diverse, with a 20.4% increase among Latino students, 16% increase among Black students, and an 8.8% increase among Native American and Alaska Native students.

During the 2019-2020 academic year, American colleges and universities awarded 843,000 master’s degrees and 190,000 doctoral degrees, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. About 12.8% of Americans have postgraduate degrees, according to 2021 Census Data, the latest available.

If you’re thinking of joining those ranks, you will probably be taking a graduate school entrance exam, which are standardized tests used as part of the admissions process. Santa Clara University compiled a list of common graduate school entrance exams for students who are considering furthering their education.