Is 270 a good step 2 score?

Yes, a 270 on USMLE Step 2 CK is an excellent score, placing you in the 95th percentile and making you a very strong applicant for even the most competitive residency programs like Dermatology or Orthopedic Surgery, well above the average (around 250) and signaling strong clinical aptitude. While some highly competitive specialties might expect scores in the 260-270+ range, a 270 significantly boosts your application, showing proficiency beyond the average candidate.

What percentile is 270 on step 2?

A USMLE Step 2 CK score of 270 is generally around the 95th to 99th percentile, placing you in the top tier of test-takers, considered exceptional and highly competitive for nearly all residency specialties, including the most demanding fields like Dermatology and Orthopedic Surgery, especially with Step 1 being pass/fail.
 

What is considered a good step 2 score?

What Is the Average USMLE Step 2 Score Range?

• 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.

Is 273 a good step 2 score?

The average score hovers around 245, with the standard deviation around 15 points. That means most students fall between 230 and 260 — but what matters most is how that score translates into a percentile compared to other examinees.

Is a 260 on step 2 good?

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.

Step 1 vs Step 2: Study Strategy Differences for 270+

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. 

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. 

Is step 2 graded on a curve?

Step 2 CK Scoring

Your raw score is converted into a scaled score, which reflects your performance compared to other test-takers. The score distribution follows a bell curve, meaning most students cluster around the average, while fewer students score at the extremes.

How to get 270 on step 2?

To get a 270+ on USMLE Step 2 CK, you need a strong foundation from clerkships, master question banks like UWorld and Amboss through active learning and detailed review, use high-yield resources like Divine Intervention podcasts, take frequent NBME practice exams and CMS forms, focus on clinical reasoning over rote memorization, and develop a consistent, burnout-free study schedule, often around 4-6 weeks of dedicated study after rotations. 

Does step 2 score matter for residency?

In a 2024 survey of residency program directors conducted by the National Resident Matching Program, a medical student's Step 2 score—which has taken on increased importance since the Step 1 exam went pass-fail in 2022—was the fourth most frequently considered factor in determining which applicants to interview.

Is 267 a good step 2 score?

While a score of 245 generally places you at the 37th percentile, and is enough for some specialties, aiming for a score closer to the 75th percentile (around 260) is recommended.

What Step 2 score is needed for psychiatry?

Psychiatry is no longer "low barrier"—it requires competitive USMLE scores, research, and publications. For IMGs targeting Psychiatry: Aim for Step 1 ≥ 225, Step 2 CK ≥ 240. At least 3–5 research projects and.

What Step 2 score is needed for emergency medicine?

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

What Step 2 score is needed for plastic surgery?

Average Step 2 Scores for Plastic Surgery

The mean USMLE Step 2 CK score was 257. The overall competitiveness level of plastic surgery is Extremely High for a U.S. senior.

Is a 70% average on UWorld good?

Based on historical data, a student with an average points score of 70% and earned a “High” or “Very High” result on a Self-Assessment Test would have a 99% likelihood of passing the NCLEX-RN.

What score is 60% correct on step 2?

A 60% correct on USMLE Step 2 CK, which equals a score of around 218 (the new passing score as of July 2025), means you've met the minimum competency requirement, but to be competitive for residency, you generally need a much higher score, with averages often in the mid-240s to 250s, depending on the specialty, with higher scores like 245 (around 37th percentile) or 255 (around 60th percentile) being good targets for competitiveness, as residency programs look for scores well above the passing threshold.
 

What is considered a low step 2 score?

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 specialty has the lowest Step 2 score?

First up with the lowest average Step 2 score is family medicine at 244. Family medicine is a specialty that continuously has the lowest Step 2 score of all specialties. That said, note that the current 244, based on 2024 data, is an increase from 241 in 2022 and 238 in 2020.

What is the average step 2 score for anesthesia?

For example, the average STEP 1 score for 2019-20 first-year residents entering Anesthesiology was 231.9, and the average Step 2 CK score was 242.6. Data are for graduates of MD-granting and DO-granting U.S. and Canadian schools and of graduates of international medical schools.

What percent correct is a 260 on step 2?

But 260 is roughly ~85% on the NBME practice exams.

What resources help improve Step 2 scores?

12 Best USMLE Step 2 Resources for a 270+ Score in 2025

• Find Your USMLE Step 2 CK Tutor and Boost Your Score. ...
• UWorld – Step 2 CK QBank and Self-Assessments. ...
• NBME – Official Step 2 CK Self-Assessments (CCSSA) ...
• AMBOSS – Step 2 CK Qbank + Medical Library. ...
• OnlineMedEd – Clinical Video Curriculum + Notes + Questions.