What is the USMLE Step 1 passing score?
The Step 1 passing standard is 196 on the old three-digit scale, but you will not see a number: Step 1 has been reported as pass or fail only since January 26, 2022. USMLE says you typically need about 60 percent of questions correct. Step 2 CK is still scored and passes at 218 for exams taken since July 1, 2025.
In more detail
A pass shows no score on your transcript. A fail shows how far you were from the line and which content areas were weak. The 196 survives only as a reference on the old scale, and USMLE has said that future reviews of the Step 1 standard will not be reported as a three-digit number. The standard is reviewed about every four years.
The line is a fixed standard, not a percentile, so nobody is graded against other test takers. About 60 percent correct is a rule of thumb, not a cutoff you can aim at, because the exact number of questions you need varies a little between exam forms. Aim for a clear margin on practice exams instead of the minimum.
Results usually arrive within four weeks of your test date. USMLE advises you to allow at least eight weeks before you plan anything that depends on them.
USMLE passing standards at a glance (usmle.org)
| Exam | How results are reported | Minimum passing score | Applies to exams from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Pass or fail only | 196 on the old three-digit scale, not shown to you | January 26, 2022 |
| Step 2 CK | Three-digit score | 218 | July 1, 2025 |
| Step 3 | Three-digit score | 200 | January 1, 2024 |
Step by step
- 1
Treat 196, about 60 percent correct, as the floor and not as the goal.
- 2
Take a timed full practice exam early in your dedicated period to get a baseline.
- 3
Check how each practice exam reports its result. Some give a predicted three-digit score, others a percent correct, and the scales are not interchangeable.
- 4
Repeat a full practice exam every week or two and watch the trend, not a single result.
- 5
Review every miss by organ system and fix the weakest systems first.
- 6
Book or keep your test date only when your recent practice results sit comfortably above the line, not on it.
How StudyPDF helps
StudyPDF cannot tell you whether you would pass. What it does: upload your lecture slides, notes or review chapters and it builds flashcards, quizzes and a timed practice exam from them, every answer linked to the page it came from. It tracks which concepts you keep missing, so the next quiz goes after them. It does not replace a question bank or the official practice exams.
See also
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More questions
Is Step 1 still scored with a number?
No. Every Step 1 taken on or after January 26, 2022 is reported as pass or fail only. Exams taken before that date keep their three-digit scores.
Is Step 2 CK also pass or fail?
No. Step 2 CK is still reported with a three-digit score, and the minimum passing score is 218 for exams taken on or after July 1, 2025.