MCAT scores are one of the first things medical school admissions committees look at, and one of the most stressful parts of applying to med school. The total MCAT score range runs from 472 to 528, but the number alone does not tell you much. What matters is how your score compares with other test takers, how your MCAT scores fit the averages at your target schools and how they work alongside your GPA, clinical experience and personal statement.
This guide explains how MCAT scores work, the MCAT score range for each section, what counts as a good MCAT score in 2026, the average MCAT score for applicants and admitted students, the current MCAT percentiles and what to do if your MCAT scores fall below your goal.
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is developed and administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The MCAT exam is a computer-based, multiple-choice test that almost every MD program in the United States and Canada requires, along with most DO programs. It is structured into four distinct multiple-choice sections, and each section receives its own scaled score. The four section scores are added together to produce your total MCAT score.
Because MCAT scores are standardized, medical schools can use them to compare applicants who attended very different colleges, took different courses and majored in different fields. That is why MCAT scores carry so much weight in medical school admissions.
Each of the four sections has the same score range, 118 to 132, but they test different skills.
| MCAT Section | Questions | Score Range |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems | 59 | 118–132 |
| Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS) | 53 | 118–132 |
| Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems | 59 | 118–132 |
| Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior | 59 | 118–132 |
This section covers general and organic chemistry, physics and biochemistry applied to how biological systems work.
This section tests reading comprehension and reasoning skills based on passages from the humanities and social sciences. No outside science knowledge is required.
This section covers biology, biochemistry and the processes that keep living systems functioning.
This section covers psychology, sociology and biology as they relate to behavior, health and illness.
The full exam has 230 questions and takes about seven and a half hours, including breaks. The average score per section is about 125.
Your MCAT raw score for each section is simply the number of questions you answered correctly. There is no penalty for incorrect answers, so you should never leave a question blank.
Because every test date uses a different form of the exam, the AAMC converts each raw score into a scaled score from 118 to 132. This process, called equating, adjusts for small differences in difficulty between forms. A scaled score earned on one test date is therefore comparable to the same scaled score from another date, even though the number of incorrect answers needed for a particular scaled score can vary slightly between forms.
The MCAT is a scaled exam, so you will never see your raw score on your official MCAT score report, and you cannot calculate your exact MCAT scores from a count of correct answers. Practice tests from the AAMC give the closest estimate of how raw scores convert to scaled MCAT scores.
Your MCAT score report shows your total MCAT score, your four section scores, a confidence band for each and a percentile rank for each score. Your percentile rank tells you how your MCAT scores compare with other recent test takers. MCAT scores are usually released about 30 to 35 days after your test date. The AAMC publishes a scheduled score release date for every test date, and once your MCAT scores are available, they are sent to the medical school application services you choose, such as AMCAS for MD programs.
At the end of the exam, you can choose to void your test if you feel it went badly. A voided exam is not scored and is not reported to medical schools, but it still counts toward your testing limits.
MCAT percentiles indicate how a test taker performed relative to others. A percentile rank of 80 means you scored as well as or better than 80% of other test takers. MCAT percentiles are updated annually by the AAMC. The current MCAT percentile ranks, in effect from May 1, 2026, to April 30, 2027, are based on everyone who tested from 2023 through 2025. In that group, the mean total score was 500.6, according to the AAMC's percentile ranks page.
| Total MCAT Score | Percentile Rank (2026–27) |
|---|---|
| 528 | 100 |
| 520 | 97 |
| 515 | 91 |
| 514 | 89 |
| 510 | 79 |
| 509 | 76 |
| 500 | 48 |
A score of 500 sits close to the 50th percentile, and the median MCAT score is about 501. A score of 515 places you in the 91st percentile, and scores between 515 and 528 put you in roughly the top 10% of test takers. Scores below 480 represent a very small percentage of test takers.
Section scores have their own MCAT percentile ranks, which you will see on your score report. Because the AAMC refreshes MCAT percentile ranks each May, the same total score can map to a slightly different percentile rank from one year to the next. Use the table that applies when you test to see how your score compares with other test takers.
A good MCAT score is generally considered 511 or higher. That is the range of the average MCAT score for students admitted to medical school, which has been around 511 to 512 in recent AAMC data. A score of 510 is competitive for many U.S. medical programs, while a strong MCAT score of 515 or higher puts you in a good position at most medical schools, including many highly selective ones.
Scores between 506 and 507 are average for medical school applicants, according to the AAMC's applicant and matriculant data. In other words, average MCAT scores among all applicants are still below the average for matriculants, because admitted students tend to have higher MCAT scores.
A good MCAT score also depends on where you apply:
Checking MCAT percentiles is also a quick way to see where you stand: MCAT scores with a percentile rank in the high 70s or above are generally competitive for medical school. The best way to set a target is to look up the median MCAT score and average GPA for admitted students at each of your target medical schools, then aim at or above those numbers.
Admissions committees look at section scores as well as your total score. A balanced profile, such as 128 in each section, often reads better than the same total with one very low section. Many medical schools pay attention to Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills, since reasoning skills are central to clinical work, and an unusually low score in any section can raise questions about readiness for med school coursework.
The average MCAT score depends on which group you look at:
Average MCAT scores shift slightly each year, so check the AAMC's most recent applicant and matriculant tables when you plan your med school application.
There is no single MCAT score that guarantees admission to med school, but the data give clear benchmarks:
Use these ranges as a guide, not a rule. Every medical school program weighs MCAT scores differently, and your full application matters.
The highest MCAT score possible is 528, which requires a perfect score of 132 in all four sections. A perfect MCAT score is extremely rare and is not necessary for admission to any medical school. Once your MCAT scores reach the top few percentiles, a higher score adds less to your application than research, clinical experience and a compelling personal statement.
The lowest MCAT score possible is 472, with 118 in each section. MCAT scores in the 470s and low 480s represent a very small share of test takers.
There is no passing score on the MCAT. The exam is not pass or fail; it is a scaled exam used to compare applicants. However, many medical schools use numerical cutoffs in the medical school admissions process. Some publish a minimum MCAT score, while others screen applications informally, so MCAT scores far below a school's average can make gaining admission difficult even with a strong academic record.
If you are unsure whether a school has a minimum MCAT score, check its admissions website or the AAMC's Medical School Admission Requirements database. Some schools also set minimum section scores or ask for MCAT scores from a recent test date.
Admissions committees consider MCAT scores to assess academic readiness for medical school. MCAT scores significantly influence admission rates, because they give medical schools a consistent way to compare applicants. Still, most medical schools use a holistic admissions process, and MCAT scores are considered alongside:
The AAMC encourages schools to consider MCAT scores together with the rest of the application, not as the single deciding factor in medical school admissions.
Admissions officers often read MCAT scores and GPA as a pair. A strong MCAT score can reassure a medical school about a lower GPA, and the reverse is also true. This is especially true if your grades improved over time, while a high GPA with weak MCAT scores may raise questions about how well your coursework prepared you for standardized test scores. If your average GPA is below a school's median, aim for MCAT scores at or above that school's median to stay competitive.
Most medical schools accept MCAT scores that are two to three years old at the time you apply, though policies vary. Some schools consider MCAT scores valid only for two application cycles, so check each school's policy before you plan your test date, especially if you are taking gap years.
The AAMC also limits how often you can take the exam: up to three times in one testing year, four times over two consecutive years and seven times in total. All your reported MCAT scores are sent to medical schools, so take the exam when your practice MCAT scores show you are ready.
Once your MCAT scores are in, turn to the rest of your medical school application. Our guides on personal statement length and letters of recommendation cover two of the pieces admissions committees weigh most.
For most MD programs, a good MCAT score is 511 or higher, the range of the average for admitted students. MCAT scores of 515 or above make you competitive at most medical schools.
The total MCAT score range is 472 to 528. Each of the four sections is scored from 118 to 132.
A 500 is close to the median for all test takers, but it is below the average MCAT scores for medical school applicants and matriculants, so it is generally not competitive for MD programs.
In the AAMC's 2026–27 MCAT percentile ranks, a total score of 510 is about the 79th percentile.
Your raw score in each section is the number of correct answers. It is converted to a scaled score from 118 to 132, and the four section scores are added together for a total score between 472 and 528.
The average MCAT score for all test takers is about 501. For medical school applicants it is roughly 506 to 507, and for students who enroll in medical school it is roughly 511 to 512.
The highest MCAT score is 528, a perfect 132 in every section. You do not need a perfect score to get into medical school; MCAT scores in the low 510s are competitive at most MD programs.
Yes. All MCAT scores from exams you did not void are reported to the schools you apply to, though many schools focus on your most recent or highest MCAT scores.
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