What is a good MCAT score?
A good MCAT score is 510 or higher, which is at or above about 79% of all scores. The average test taker scores 500.6, while students who enrolled in US MD schools in 2025 averaged about 512. A 515 is the 91st percentile and a 520 the 97th. The best target is the median MCAT of the schools you apply to.
The MCAT has four sections, each scored from 118 to 132, for a total from 472 to 528. The midpoint is 125 per section and 500 in total. The percentiles below come from the AAMC table in effect from May 1, 2026, to April 30, 2027, which is based on all scores from 2023, 2024 and 2025.
The AAMC defines a percentile rank as the share of scores equal to or lower than yours. So a 510 at the 79th percentile means 79% of scores were 510 or lower. Balance matters too. Many admissions advisors prefer even section scores around 127 or 128 over a total pushed up by one very high section.
MD and DO schools look at different ranges. Matriculants at US MD schools average about 512, and applicants about 506. DO schools tend to admit students with lower averages. Look up each school's median in the AAMC's MSAR database or on the school's admissions page before you set your target.
| Total score | Percentile rank | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 495 | 33 | Below average |
| 500 | 48 | About average |
| 503 | 58 | Above average |
| 505 | 64 | Above average |
| 508 | 74 | Competitive at some schools |
| 510 | 79 | Good |
| 512 | 84 | Around the MD matriculant average |
| 515 | 91 | Strong |
| 517 | 94 | Very strong |
| 520 | 97 | Top 3% |
| 523 | 99 | Top 1% |
| 528 | 100 | Perfect score |
- 1Make a list of target schools and note each school's median MCAT and GPA.
- 2Set a target at or above those medians, with no section far below the others.
- 3Take a full-length official AAMC practice exam to get your baseline.
- 4Plan your prep length from the gap: a few points need weeks, ten or more need months.
- 5Review every practice exam by section and topic, then drill the weakest areas first.