MCAT Percentiles
& Score Chart
See exactly what percentile your MCAT score falls into. Our full score chart maps every total from 472 to 528 to its percentile rank — so you know how you compare to other test takers and what it takes to be competitive.
Percentiles are approximate, based on AAMC published percentile ranks.
MCAT Percentile Chart
Total scaled score and the approximate percentile of test takers you scored above.
| Total Score | Percentile |
|---|---|
| 528 | 100th |
| 525 | 100th |
| 522 | 99th |
| 520 | 98th |
| 518 | 96th |
| 517 | 95th |
| 515 | 92th |
| 513 | 88th |
| 511 | 84th |
| 510 | 81th |
| 508 | 75th |
| 506 | 68th |
| 505 | 65th |
| 503 | 57th |
| 500 | 46th |
| 498 | 38th |
| 495 | 28th |
| 493 | 22th |
| 490 | 14th |
| 487 | 9th |
| 485 | 6th |
| 482 | 4th |
| 480 | 2th |
| 478 | 1th |
| 475 | <1 |
Approximate, based on AAMC published percentile ranks. Percentile mappings are refreshed roughly once a year, so values may shift by a point or two.
MCAT Section Percentiles (118–132)
Each of the four MCAT sections — Chem/Phys, CARS, Bio/Biochem, and Psych/Soc — is scored on its own 118–132 scale, and each has its own percentile ranks. The median for a single section is about 125. Here is roughly how a section score maps to a section percentile.
| Section Score | Section Percentile |
|---|---|
| 132 | 100th |
| 130 | 97th |
| 128 | 90th |
| 127 | 84th |
| 125 | 55–60th |
| 123 | 40th |
| 120 | 15th |
| 118 | 1th |
Approximate, based on AAMC published section percentile ranks. A single section's percentile is not the same as your total-score percentile — the four sections combine into the 472–528 total.
How MCAT Percentiles Work
The percentile, not just the number
The MCAT total scale (472–528) is designed to mean the same thing from year to year, but the percentiletied to a score comes from how everyone else actually performed. That's why admissions committees look at percentile: it tells them how you stack up against the applicant pool, not just an abstract number. Because the AAMC recalculates percentile ranks from a rolling window of recent test takers, the exact percentile for a given score can drift slightly between years.
What Percentile Do You Need?
There is no single cutoff, but here is how MCAT percentiles typically translate into competitiveness for medical school.
- • 520+ (~98th percentile) — exceptional; competitive for top-tier MD programs.
- • 515–519 (~92nd–96th) — excellent; competitive for most MD programs.
- • 511–514 (~84th–90th) — strong; at or above the MD matriculant average (~511.9).
- • 505–510 (~65th–81st) — solid; competitive for many DO and some MD programs.
- • 500–504 (~46th–57th) — near the overall average; strong for DO or a focused retake.
Percentile is one factor among GPA, clinical and research experience, and essays.
Percentiles for Competitive & Top Medical Schools
Where you need to land on the percentile chart depends a lot on the schools you are targeting.
Approximate, based on AAMC published data. Median and average MCATs vary by school and cycle, and admissions weigh percentile alongside GPA, experiences, and essays.
How Often Do MCAT Percentiles Change?
The AAMC recalculates its percentile-rank tables once a year, around May 1, using the most recent three years of test-taker data. Because that rolling three-year window shifts each year, the percentile tied to a given scaled score can move by a point or two from one year to the next — even though the scaled score itself (both the 472–528 total and the 118–132 sections) is designed to mean the same thing year to year.
In practice, this means the percentile numbers on this page are approximate, based on AAMC published data, and it is always worth checking the current-year AAMC percentile table for the exact figure. The differences are usually small — a 511 that is the 84th percentile one year might read as the 83rd or 85th the next.
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MCAT Percentiles — FAQ
What percentile is a 515 MCAT?+
A total score of 515 is approximately the 92nd percentile, meaning you scored higher than about 92% of MCAT test takers. A 515+ is competitive for most MD programs and comfortably above the MD matriculant average of about 511.9 (based on AAMC published percentile ranks; percentiles are approximate).
What percentile is a 520 MCAT?+
A 520 is approximately the 98th percentile — you scored higher than about 98% of test takers. That places you in exceptional territory and is competitive for top-tier MD programs. A 522 is around the 99th percentile and a 525+ is essentially the 100th percentile.
What percentile is a 510 MCAT?+
A 510 is approximately the 81st percentile, meaning you scored higher than about 81% of test takers. It sits just below the MD matriculant average (~511.9, roughly the 84th–86th percentile) and is a solid, competitive score for many MD and most DO programs.
What percentile is a 500 MCAT?+
A 500 is approximately the 46th percentile. Because 500 is the exact midpoint of the 472–528 scale, it lands near the middle of the test-taker pool — close to but slightly below the overall average, which is around 501–502.
How are MCAT percentiles calculated?+
A percentile rank tells you the percentage of test takers who scored at or below your score. The AAMC calculates percentile ranks from the actual scores of everyone who tested over a rolling multi-year window, then publishes an official percentile-rank table. Your scaled total (472–528) maps to a single percentile using that table.
What percentile do I need for medical school?+
There's no single cutoff, but the average student who matriculates into an MD program scores about 511.9 — roughly the 84th–86th percentile. Competitive MD applicants usually target 515+ (about the 92nd percentile or higher). Many DO and some MD programs are competitive with scores around 505–508 (about the 65th–75th percentile). Percentile is only one factor alongside GPA, experiences, and essays.
Do MCAT percentiles change each year?+
Yes, slightly. The AAMC updates its percentile-rank table roughly once a year using a rolling window of recent test takers, so the percentile tied to a given scaled score can shift by a point or two over time. The scaled score itself (472–528) is designed to mean the same thing year to year; only the percentile mapping is refreshed.
What percentile is a 517, 518, or 519 MCAT?+
A 517 is approximately the 95th percentile, a 518 is approximately the 96th percentile, and a 519 is approximately the 97th percentile. All three are excellent scores that sit well above the MD matriculant average (~511.9) and are competitive for most MD programs (approximate, based on AAMC published data).
What is a 90th percentile MCAT score?+
A 90th percentile MCAT is roughly a 514–515 total, which works out to about a 128 on each of the four sections. Scoring in the 90th percentile means you outperformed about 90% of test takers and are competitive for most MD programs (approximate, based on AAMC published data).
What percentile do top medical schools want?+
Top medical schools typically look for the 90th percentile or higher — roughly a 515+ total. The most competitive top-20 MD programs have median MCATs around 518–521, which is about the 96th–98th percentile (approximate, based on AAMC published data). Percentile is only one factor alongside GPA, experiences, and essays.
What is the highest MCAT percentile?+
The highest MCAT percentile is the 100th percentile, reached at the top of the 528 scale. A perfect 528 (132 on all four sections) — and scores just below it, around 525+ — sit at essentially the 100th percentile, meaning virtually no one scores higher (approximate, based on AAMC published data).
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