Your MCAT score is reported as a scaled score from 472 to 528, with a percentile rank beside it. The average of all test-takers is 500.6[1], and students who started medical school in the US in 2025 averaged 512.1[2].
At first glance, it can be difficult to determine what a good MCAT score is. This post will give a breakdown of the difference between raw scores, scaled scores, and percentiles for the MCAT. It will also compare the difference between an average score, a good score, and a high score to help you determine which schools to apply to or if you should consider retaking your test.
What is a Scaled MCAT Score?
Like many standardized tests, the MCAT will not release your raw score (the percentage of questions you got right in each section). Since the difficulty of the test may slightly vary depending on what day you wrote it, your score must be adjusted for difficulty so that it can be compared with tests taken on any day. The exact adjustments made during this standardization process are unknown. Instead of a raw score, you will be provided with a scaled MCAT score which ranges from 472, on the low end, to 528, on the high end. Your scaled score can further be broken down into the mark you received on each of the 4 sections of the MCAT. Each section is equally weighted and will range from 118, on the low end, to 132, on the high end.
Below is an example of an MCAT Score report that you will receive upon completion of the MCAT. Outlined in red is your scaled score. The score for each individual section of the MCAT is highlighted in yellow and your total score is highlighted in green.
MCAT Score Percentiles
It can be hard to understand if the score you received was good or not using just your scaled score. This is where your MCAT score percentiles come into play. The MCAT percentile ranks provided on your score report will show you the percentages of test-takers who received the same scores or lower scores on the exam than you did. The higher your overall percentile the better you did in comparison to all other test-takers. Once again you will receive a percentile score for each section of the MCAT and an overall MCAT percentile score.
In the example below outlined in red is your percentile. The score for each individual section of the MCAT is highlighted in yellow and your total score is highlighted in green. In this case, this test-taker received a score that was better than 48% (roughly half) of all test-takers.
What is a Good MCAT Score?
Many medical schools have different requirements for entrance to their program. Some weigh the MCAT more heavily than others and will have higher MCAT cutoffs. Others may be more lenient when it comes to MCAT scores and may focus more heavily on extracurricular activities, shadowing, or GPA. It is therefore important to first and foremost check the requirements and averages for the medical school you are thinking of applying to and determine if your score is good enough for admission.
That being said, the AAMC has released various reports detailing the overall scores of test-takers and accepted medical school applicants. For exams written from 2018 to 2020, the average score on the MCAT was 501.5 (125.2, 124.8, 125.5, 126.0). In the current percentile ranks, which are based on every exam written in 2023, 2024 and 2025 (305,494 results), the average is 500.6 (124.9, 124.6, 125.1, 125.9), and a score of 500 sits at the 48th percentile[1].
MCAT total score percentile ranks
Share of test-takers who scored the same or lower. In effect May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027.
| Total score | Percentile rank | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 472 | 0 | [1] |
| 476 | 1 | |
| 480 | 4 | |
| 484 | 9 | |
| 488 | 16 | |
| 492 | 25 | |
| 496 | 36 | |
| 500 | 48 | |
| 504 | 61 | |
| 508 | 74 | |
| 512 | 84 | |
| 516 | 92 | |
| 520 | 97 | |
| 524 | 99 | |
| 528 | 100 |
Based on all MCAT results from 2023, 2024 and 2025 combined (N = 305,494; mean 500.6, standard deviation 11.2). Scores of 472 to 474 are below the 1st percentile.
Percentile rank for every MCAT total score (472 to 528)
| Score | Percentile | Score | Percentile | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 472 | <1 | 491 | 23 | 510 | 79 |
| 473 | <1 | 492 | 25 | 511 | 82 |
| 474 | <1 | 493 | 28 | 512 | 84 |
| 475 | 1 | 494 | 31 | 513 | 86 |
| 476 | 1 | 495 | 33 | 514 | 89 |
| 477 | 2 | 496 | 36 | 515 | 91 |
| 478 | 2 | 497 | 39 | 516 | 92 |
| 479 | 3 | 498 | 42 | 517 | 94 |
| 480 | 4 | 499 | 45 | 518 | 95 |
| 481 | 5 | 500 | 48 | 519 | 96 |
| 482 | 6 | 501 | 52 | 520 | 97 |
| 483 | 8 | 502 | 55 | 521 | 98 |
| 484 | 9 | 503 | 58 | 522 | 99 |
| 485 | 11 | 504 | 61 | 523 | 99 |
| 486 | 12 | 505 | 64 | 524 | 99 |
| 487 | 14 | 506 | 67 | 525 | 100 |
| 488 | 16 | 507 | 71 | 526 | 100 |
| 489 | 18 | 508 | 74 | 527 | 100 |
| 490 | 20 | 509 | 76 | 528 | 100 |
Section score percentiles
Each of the four sections is scored from 118 to 132. The table shows the percentile rank for every section score[1].
| Section score | Chem/Phys | CARS | Bio/Biochem | Psych/Soc |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 118 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 119 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| 120 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 6 |
| 121 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 10 |
| 122 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 17 |
| 123 | 35 | 37 | 32 | 25 |
| 124 | 46 | 50 | 43 | 34 |
| 125 | 56 | 62 | 53 | 44 |
| 126 | 67 | 74 | 64 | 54 |
| 127 | 77 | 84 | 75 | 65 |
| 128 | 85 | 90 | 84 | 76 |
| 129 | 91 | 95 | 90 | 85 |
| 130 | 96 | 98 | 96 | 92 |
| 131 | 99 | 99 | 98 | 97 |
| 132 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Average section score | Chem/Phys | CARS | Bio/Biochem | Psych/Soc |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exams written 2023 to 2025 (current) | 124.9 | 124.6 | 125.1 | 125.9 |
| Exams written 2018 to 2020 (when this guide was first written) | 125.2 | 124.8 | 125.5 | 126.0 |
Earlier version of this figure: exams written 2018 to 2020
However, an average score is usually not enough to get into most medical schools. Only a few medical schools will accept applicants that have the average MCAT score.
A “good MCAT score”, which will generally give you a good chance of getting into medical schools, has a score ranging between 509-511 (127-128 per section). An “extremely high MCAT score”, that gives an excellent chance of getting into medical school, has a score ranging around 517+ (129+ per section).
The newest numbers back this up. Students who started at a US MD-granting medical school in 2025 had an average MCAT of 512.1, compared with 506.3 for all applicants[2]. On the current percentile ranks, 509 is the 76th percentile, 511 is the 82nd, 512 is the 84th and 517 is the 94th[1].
Average MCAT score: applicants and students who enrolled
US MD-granting medical schools, by entering year.
| Year | Students who enrolled (matriculants) | All applicants | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 511.5 | 506.4 | |
| 2021 | 511.9 | 505.9 | |
| 2022 | 511.9 | 506.5 | |
| 2023 | 511.7 | 506.3 | |
| 2024 | 511.8 | 506.1 | |
| 2025 | 512.1 | 506.3 | [2] |
Entering years 2020 to 2025 (AAMC academic years 2020-2021 to 2025-2026).
Average GPA: applicants and students who enrolled
US MD-granting medical schools, total undergraduate GPA, by entering year.
| Year | Students who enrolled (matriculants) | All applicants | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3.73 | 3.60 | |
| 2021 | 3.74 | 3.59 | |
| 2022 | 3.75 | 3.62 | |
| 2023 | 3.77 | 3.64 | |
| 2024 | 3.79 | 3.66 | |
| 2025 | 3.81 | 3.67 | [2] |
Please remember that admission to medical school is done through a holistic evaluation of students. There are various admissions factors taken into consideration when accepting students including, GPA, MCAT, ECs, shadowing, volunteering, etc. Having a super high score does not mean you are guaranteed admission and having a super low score does not mean it is impossible to be accepted. Applicants should be well-rounded when applying to medical school.
Below is a table based on AAMC data detailing the likelihood of gaining admission to at least one medical school depending on an applicant’s GPA and MCAT score. You can use this to get a good idea of the likelihood of gaining admission based on your academic performance.
Two things stand out. First, even with a GPA over 3.79, applicants who scored 498 to 501 were accepted only 30.6% of the time, while those who scored over 517 were accepted 83.3% of the time. Second, GPA matters just as much: at an MCAT of 510 to 513, the acceptance rate falls from 70.5% with a GPA over 3.79 to 48.7% with a GPA of 3.40 to 3.59.
Earlier version of this table: 2018, 2019 and 2020 applicants
School, by MCAT Total Score and Undergraduate GPA Ranges (aamc.org)
What about Canadian medical schools?
The numbers above are for US schools. Canadian schools use the MCAT in very different ways: some use only one section, some treat it as a pass/fail cut-off, and some do not ask for it at all. Check each school in our requirements for medical schools in Canada before you decide whether your score is good enough.
Should I Retake the MCAT?
If you have received your score and are wondering if you should retake your MCAT there are some things you should first keep in mind. Please remember that these are general suggestions made by past MCAT test-takers, and may not work for all situations:
DO consider retaking the exam if:
- You scored lower than a 125 on one or more of the MCAT sections
- You scored lower than 500 on your overall MCAT exam
- Your score is below the median of the medical schools you would like to be accepted to
- You would be substantially more competitive if your score increased by 2 points
- There were major distractions on your test day
- You left more than a few questions blank during the test
- You know you did not sufficiently prepare for the exam
- You scored significantly below your practice exam scores
DO NOT retake the exam if:
- You scored above the 80th percentile
- Your score is at or above the median of the schools you plan on applying to
- You do not have the time or energy to increase your score signifcantly
Additionally, keep in mind that the MCAT can only be written a finite number of times. You can write the MCAT three times per year, four times over a two-year period, and seven times throughout your entire life.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average MCAT score?
The average of all test-takers is 500.6, based on every exam written in 2023, 2024 and 2025.[1]
What is a good MCAT score?
What percentile is a 510 on the MCAT?
A 510 is the 79th percentile on the ranks in effect from May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027. A 515 is the 91st percentile and a 520 is the 97th.[1]
How many times can you take the MCAT?
Three times in one year, four times over two years, and seven times in your life.
Do percentile ranks change?
Yes. The AAMC updates them every year on May 1, using the three most recent years of results.[1]
Sources
- AAMC: Summary of MCAT total and section scores, percentile ranks in effect May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027
- AAMC FACTS Table A-16: MCAT scores and GPAs for applicants and matriculants, 2020-2021 to 2025-2026
- AAMC FACTS Table A-23: MCAT and GPA grid for applicants and acceptees, 2023-2024 to 2025-2026
Figures were checked against these sources on November 11, 2026. Exam formats, fees and statistics change, so confirm on the official site before you rely on them.