Is 255 a good step score?

Yes, a 255 is an excellent USMLE Step 2 score, making you a strong candidate for most specialties and very competitive for highly selective ones like Dermatology, Ortho, or Neurosurgery, though you'll still need a strong overall application for top-tier programs, as average scores for those fields can exceed 255. It's well above average (around 240-250) and puts you in a great position for residency interviews, but the specific specialty you target matters most.

Is 255 a good step 2 score?

230 and below → Passing but below average; limits competitiveness in more selective specialties. 240–250 → Solidly within the average range; competitive for many core specialties. 255+ → Above average; strong candidate for competitive programs. 260+ → Exceptional; makes you stand out even in the toughest specialties.

What is considered a good step score?

A good USMLE Step 2 CK score is between 240 and 260. However, what qualifies as a “good” score ultimately depends on the residency program you are applying to. If you want to match to your first-choice program, you should aim for a score at or above 260.

Is 250 Step 1 good?

A score of 230 to 245 is a good score, and will now allow one to aim for more competitive specialities. If you are able to pair this raw score with strong clinical grades and Step 2 performances – and additionally with research undertaken – then you should see competitive programs as well within reach.

What score is 50% on step 2?

A 50% score on USMLE Step 2 (CK) usually translates to a score around 250, placing you at the 50th percentile, which is considered an average-to-good score but may be limiting for highly competitive specialties, though it's a passing score and often sufficient for many programs with strong applications. The actual percentile can vary slightly as more people take the test, but a score in the mid-240s to low-250s generally puts you around the 50th percentile. 

USMLE Step 2 CK Score Needed for Residency📊 (By Specialty)

Is 225 a good Step 3 score?

The step 3 passing score is 200. Any score above this is considered passing. Most first-time candidates score between 225 and 230, which represents the average range. Scores above 230 are considered above average and reflect strong performance.

What is a passing step score?

For more information about scores, view Scores Common Questions. * USMLE Step 1 score reporting is reported as pass/fail only for exams taken on or after January 26, 2022. On the three-digit score scale, the passing standard is 196.

Is 240 on Step 3 good?

Yes, a 240 is an excellent USMLE Step 3 score, placing you well above the average (around 230) and in the top percentiles, making it a very strong result for fellowship applications and general licensure purposes, though most programs focus more on passing and Step 2 scores.
 

What Step 2 score is needed for emergency medicine?

Emergency Medicine: ~246. OB/GYN: ~245. Internal Medicine: ~245.

Is 260 a good Step 1 score?

Today, there's no such thing as a “250” or “260” being a “good” Step 1 score. Instead, a good Step 1 result means: You pass with confidence, showing you didn't just squeak by. You build a solid scientific foundation that fuels strong clerkship performance and a competitive Step 2 CK score.

What score is 75% correct on step 2?

Getting 75% correct on Step 2, especially on practice tests like NBMEs or UWorld, usually translates to a strong score in the mid-to-high 240s or even into the mid-250s, placing you well above average and competitive for many specialties, though top-tier competitive fields might require even higher scores (around 255-270+). A 75th percentile score means you scored better than 75% of test-takers, indicating solid performance and often helping balance a weaker Step 1 or improving residency options. 

How hard is it to score 240 on Step 2?

An examinee with a Step 2 CK score of 240 is at the 24th percentile. The 24th percentile means that 24% of the Step 2 CK first-takers from LCME-accredited US/Canadian medical schools in the three-year cohort described previously scored lower than 240.

What is a 257 step score?

Step Score: 257

Tied for the highest average Step 2 score of all categorical specialties is orthopedic surgery and dermatology with 257. The current highest average score of 257 falls somewhere between the 63rd and 76th percentile, which requires a score of 260.

What is an average score on step 2?

The Current Average Step 2 CK Score

Over the past three years, according to USMLE data, the average score for first-time takers from accredited US/Canadian medical schools has gradually increased from 248 to 250, well above the passing standard.

Is 259 a good step 2 score?

Overall average Step 2 CK score is -249 with a passing threshold of 218. Scores for matched applicants were consistently higher than those who did not match-across MDS, DOS, and IMGs. While Step 2 CK scores vary by specialty, those who matched generally scored between 235 and 265.

What is the average Step 2 score for residency programs?

Across all physician specialties, the average Step 2 score for matched applicants from U.S. MD-granting medical schools was 250, according to a 2024 report on characteristics of matched applicants.

What percentage is 255 on step 2?

Understanding Step 2 Percentiles

50th percentile: Around 245. 75th percentile: Around 255. 90th percentile: Around 265.

Is 255 a good step 2 score on Reddit?

That's a fantastic score! I got a 249 and I am an average student. I went through all the stages of grief with “oh I should have done better” or “wow everyone is posting about 255+ scores” but at the end of the day you are more than a number and it is a good score!!!

Is 270 a good step 2 score?

A score above 270 places a student in the top 6% of test takers nationwide (>94th percentile). That's impressive, but it's essential to recognize that a 270 is not required for residency success. For most specialties, a score in the 250s is already highly competitive.

What percentile is 250 on Step 1?

250-259 (50th-75th percentile) – Solid score, but you may need other strong application components for highly competitive specialties. 240-249 (25th-50th percentile) – Still a comfortably passing score but could limit options for competitive programs.

What is a low step 2 score?

Less competitive specialties: Family Medicine, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Pathology tend to have lower average Step 2 scores, often in the 225–235 range.