How the MCAT is graded
- Four section scores of 118–132. Chemical and Physical Foundations, Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS), Biological and Biochemical Foundations, and Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior are each scored from 118 to 132, with a midpoint of 125.
- One total score of 472–528. The total is the sum of the four section scores; its midpoint is 500.
- Right answers only. The AAMC first counts the questions you answered correctly in each section. There is no penalty for wrong or unanswered questions.
- Raw to scaled, not a curve. The raw score is converted to the 118–132 scale. The conversion makes up for small differences in difficulty between sets of questions, so it is not the same on every exam. The AAMC says the MCAT is not graded on a curve: a score means the same whichever day you test.
Scores are released 30–35 days after the exam. Because the raw-to-scaled conversion changes from one set of questions to the next, this calculator starts from your scaled section scores and does not guess at a conversion.
What your MCAT percentile rank means
A percentile rank is the percentage of scores equal to or lower than yours. The table in effect May 1, 2026 – April 30, 2027 is based on all MCAT results from the 2023, 2024 and 2025 testing years: 305,494 total scores, with a mean of 500.6. A 508, for example, is the 74th percentile rank: 74% of those totals were 508 or lower. The AAMC updates the ranks every May 1 from the three most recent testing years, so the same score can carry a different rank next year.
The percentile ranks on your official AAMC score report are the only authoritative ones; this page copies the AAMC’s published table so you can read it next to your scores.
Worked example: a 508
A test taker scores 127 in Chemical and Physical Foundations, 126 in CARS, 128 in Biological and Biochemical Foundations and 127 in Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations: 127 + 126 + 128 + 127 = 508, the 74th percentile rank. The sections rank at 77, 74, 84 and 65. The same 127 is the 77th percentile rank in Chemical and Physical Foundations but the 65th in Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations, because each section has its own score distribution.
MCAT total score percentile ranks
| Total | Percentile rank | Total | Percentile rank | Total | Percentile rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 472 | <1 | 491 | 23 | 510 | 79 |
| 473 | <1 | 492 | 25 | 511 | 82 |
| 474 | <1 | 493 | 28 | 512 | 84 |
| 475 | 1 | 494 | 31 | 513 | 86 |
| 476 | 1 | 495 | 33 | 514 | 89 |
| 477 | 2 | 496 | 36 | 515 | 91 |
| 478 | 2 | 497 | 39 | 516 | 92 |
| 479 | 3 | 498 | 42 | 517 | 94 |
| 480 | 4 | 499 | 45 | 518 | 95 |
| 481 | 5 | 500 | 48 | 519 | 96 |
| 482 | 6 | 501 | 52 | 520 | 97 |
| 483 | 8 | 502 | 55 | 521 | 98 |
| 484 | 9 | 503 | 58 | 522 | 99 |
| 485 | 11 | 504 | 61 | 523 | 99 |
| 486 | 12 | 505 | 64 | 524 | 99 |
| 487 | 14 | 506 | 67 | 525 | 100 |
| 488 | 16 | 507 | 71 | 526 | 100 |
| 489 | 18 | 508 | 74 | 527 | 100 |
| 490 | 20 | 509 | 76 | 528 | 100 |
MCAT section score percentile ranks
| Section score | Chem/Phys | CARS | Bio/Biochem | Psych/Soc |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 132 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| 131 | 99 | 99 | 98 | 97 |
| 130 | 96 | 98 | 96 | 92 |
| 129 | 91 | 95 | 90 | 85 |
| 128 | 85 | 90 | 84 | 76 |
| 127 | 77 | 84 | 75 | 65 |
| 126 | 67 | 74 | 64 | 54 |
| 125 | 56 | 62 | 53 | 44 |
| 124 | 46 | 50 | 43 | 34 |
| 123 | 35 | 37 | 32 | 25 |
| 122 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 17 |
| 121 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 10 |
| 120 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 6 |
| 119 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| 118 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Chem/Phys = Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems · CARS = Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills · Bio/Biochem = Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems · Psych/Soc = Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior.
MCAT score questions
What is a good MCAT score?
The AAMC does not set a passing or good score. For context: the midpoint is 500, the 2023–2025 mean was 500.6, a 508 is the 74th percentile rank and a 515 the 91st in the table in effect until April 30, 2027. Compare your total with the entrants of the schools you apply to.
Is the MCAT graded on a curve?
No. The AAMC says the MCAT is not graded on a curve and that a score has the same meaning whenever you test. Your raw score, the number of correct answers, is converted to the 118–132 scale in a way that makes up for small differences in difficulty between sets of questions.
Do wrong answers lower my MCAT score?
No. The AAMC counts the questions you answered correctly in each section, with no penalty for wrong or unanswered questions. Answering every question can only help.
Can I convert my raw MCAT score to a scaled score?
Not with a fixed chart. The AAMC says the exact conversion from raw to scaled scores is not constant, because different sets of questions are used. That is why this calculator starts from scaled section scores of 118–132, such as those on your score report.
When do MCAT percentile ranks change?
Every May 1, from the three most recent testing years. The ranks in effect May 1, 2026 – April 30, 2027 come from the 2023, 2024 and 2025 testing years, and the AAMC reports the MCAT scores of 2027 applicants with them.
Sources for the MCAT scale and percentile ranks
- AAMC, The MCAT Exam Score Scale (section and total ranges, midpoints; fetched October 3, 2026)
- AAMC, Your Questions Answered: MCAT Scoring Process (correct answers counted, no penalty for wrong answers, raw-to-scaled conversion, no curve, 30–35 days to scores; fetched October 3, 2026)
- AAMC, Percentile Ranks for the MCAT Exam and the Summary of MCAT Total and Section Scores (percentile ranks in effect May 1, 2026 – April 30, 2027, testing years 2023–2025; fetched October 3, 2026)
MCAT® is a registered trademark of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this site. Your official scores and percentile ranks come from the AAMC. Applying to medical school? Work out your science and overall GPA with the AMCAS GPA calculator. Still on the SAT? The SAT score calculator scores College Board’s practice tests.