Universities say the GRE is just one factor. Then they quietly admit a class full of 168 quants. Both things are true. Welcome to admissions, where the brochure and the spreadsheet disagree.
Real numbers, for the gre score required for ms in us universities. Competitive CS, data science, and EE programs: admitted students usually land 165 or higher on quant. Verbal matters less in these programs, but below 150 it starts raising eyebrows. Mechanical and civil: expectations drop a bit, call it 160 plus. MBA programs taking the GRE instead of the GMAT want balance, often 160 plus on both sides.
Treat these as patterns, not cutoffs. The average gre scores of admitted students by program tell you where the center of gravity is. Ten points below that center, and the rest of your application has to work harder. At or above it, the test stops being a liability and you can spend your energy on the SOP and the recommendations.
How much gre score is needed for top 50 universities? For most engineering programs, quant 162 and up, higher for CS. But here is the part people get backwards. A 170 quant with a flat SOP loses to a 163 quant with a great one. The test gets you past the filter. The essays get you the admit. I have seen this play out both ways.
So do not retake the test four times chasing two points. Diminishing returns hit fast, and that month of prep is better spent on your statement of purpose. A strong SOP, tailored to each program, beats a generic one every single time.
That is the whole pitch for the tailoring packs at sopexpert.fyi, by the way. And a GPA and test score requirement database by program is worth checking before you decide whether to retake at all.