Medical school acceptance rates sit at historic lows. Across all US MD-granting programs, the average individual school acceptance rate is approximately 4.23%, according to data compiled from the AAMC applicant and matriculant data tables. That single number conceals enormous variation. Some state schools accept more than 10% of their applicant pool, while a handful of elite research institutions accept fewer than 2.5%. For the 2025-2026 admissions cycle, applications rose an estimated 5.3% while available first-year seats grew by only about 1.2%, making this one of the most competitive cycles on record.
This article collects acceptance rate data, average GPAs, and average MCAT scores for more than 155 US medical schools, organized in a sortable reference table. It also explains what those numbers actually mean for your application strategy, why in-state vs. out-of-state status matters so much, and how to build a school list grounded in evidence rather than wishful thinking.
How Medical School Acceptance Rates Are Calculated and Why They Vary
Acceptance rate is straightforward in concept: it is the number of acceptances (or, in some reports, matriculants) divided by the number of completed applications. In practice, these numbers are harder to pin down than you might expect. The AAMC publishes data on applicant volume and matriculant totals, and many schools report to the AAMC’s Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) database, which is the most reliable single source for school-level statistics. However, not every school calculates or discloses its acceptance rate the same way. Some report total acceptances (including students who ultimately enrolled elsewhere), which inflates the rate. Others report only the number who matriculated, which produces a lower figure. When you see a number like “3.6% acceptance rate” for a school like Baylor, keep in mind that the denominator matters: Baylor receives thousands of out-of-state applications even though its class is small and heavily Texas-weighted.
Several factors create wide variation across schools. Class size is the most obvious. A school with 250 seats can be more generous with acceptances than one with 50 seats, even if both receive 10,000 applications. State residency mandates are another major driver. Schools like Mercer University School of Medicine, which only accepts Georgia residents, report in-state acceptance rates around 14% because the applicant pool is constrained by design. Meanwhile, private schools that draw from a national pool, such as Harvard or Stanford, face application volumes that dwarf their tiny class sizes, producing acceptance rates in the 2% to 3.5% range.
The number of secondaries a school sends also matters. Some schools send secondary invitations to every verified applicant, while others screen at the primary stage. A school that pre-screens and only sends 2,000 secondaries out of 8,000 primaries will often report a higher acceptance rate than one that sends secondaries to all 8,000.
The 2025-2026 Acceptance Rate Table: 155+ US Medical Schools
The table below compiles acceptance rates, average matriculant GPAs, average matriculant MCAT scores, and in-state vs. out-of-state status for US allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical schools. A few important notes before you start scrolling:
Data sources and limitations. Most figures are drawn from the AAMC MSAR, AACOM reports, and individual school disclosures for the most recent available entering class. Where 2025-2026 cycle-specific data has not yet been released, the most recent prior-year data is used and noted. Acceptance rates for some schools are estimates based on published applicant and matriculant totals. GPA figures generally reflect total undergraduate GPA; some schools report science GPA separately. MCAT figures reflect the median or average for the entering class as reported by each school or the MSAR.
How to use this table. Sort by acceptance rate if you want to identify realistic targets, but do not stop there. A school with a 9% acceptance rate that strongly favors in-state applicants may actually be harder for you than a school with a 5% rate that evaluates all applicants equally. Cross-reference every school against your own GPA, MCAT, residency status, and mission fit.
MD-Granting (Allopathic) Medical Schools
| School | State | Approx. Acceptance Rate | Avg. Matriculant GPA | Avg. Matriculant MCAT | In-State Preference | |—|—|—|—|—|—| | Albany Medical College | NY | 5.0% | 3.65 | 512 | Moderate | | Albert Einstein College of Medicine | NY | 4.5% | 3.82 | 518 | Low | | Augusta University (MCG) | GA | 8.5% | 3.72 | 510 | Strong | | Baylor College of Medicine | TX | 3.6% | 3.93 | 521 | Strong | | Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian | MA | 4.0% | 3.80 | 519 | Low | | Brown University (Alpert) | RI | 3.5% | 3.80 | 519 | Low | | California Northstate University | CA | 4.5% | 3.60 | 510 | Moderate | | California University of Science and Medicine | CA | 5.5% | 3.55 | 508 | Moderate | | Carle Illinois College of Medicine | IL | 5.0% | 3.75 | 515 | Low | | Case Western Reserve University | OH | 5.5% | 3.82 | 520 | Low | | Central Michigan University | MI | 7.0% | 3.65 | 508 | Strong | | Charles R. Drew University (CDU/UCLA) | CA | 4.0% | 3.60 | 510 | Strong (mission-based) | | Columbia University (Vagelos) | NY | 2.8% | 3.92 | 522 | None | | Cooper Medical School of Rowan University | NJ | 5.5% | 3.70 | 514 | Strong | | Cornell University (Weill) | NY | 3.2% | 3.90 | 521 | None | | Creighton University | NE | 5.5% | 3.78 | 513 | Low | | Dartmouth (Geisel) | NH | 4.5% | 3.78 | 518 | Low | | Dell Medical School (UT Austin) | TX | 3.8% | 3.88 | 518 | Strong | | Drexel University | PA | 5.0% | 3.62 | 512 | Low | | Duke University | NC | 3.0% | 3.88 | 521 | None | | East Carolina University (Brody) | NC | 7.5% | 3.65 | 508 | Strong (NC only) | | Eastern Virginia Medical School | VA | 7.0% | 3.62 | 511 | Strong | | Emory University | GA | 4.0% | 3.82 | 519 | Low | | Florida Atlantic University (Schmidt) | FL | 5.5% | 3.72 | 512 | Strong | | Florida International University (Wertheim) | FL | 5.0% | 3.78 | 515 | Strong | | Florida State University | FL | 5.5% | 3.72 | 510 | Strong | | Frank H. Netter (Quinnipiac) | CT | 5.0% | 3.60 | 511 | Low | | George Washington University | DC | 3.5% | 3.78 | 517 | Low | | Georgetown University | DC | 3.5% | 3.72 | 515 | Low | | Geisinger Commonwealth | PA | 6.0% | 3.60 | 509 | Moderate | | Harvard Medical School | MA | 2.0% | 3.95 | 524 | None | | Hofstra/Northwell (Zucker) | NY | 4.5% | 3.78 | 517 | Low | | Howard University | DC | 5.0% | 3.55 | 508 | Low (mission-based) | | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | NY | 3.5% | 3.85 | 521 | None | | Indiana University | IN | 7.0% | 3.75 | 512 | Strong | | Johns Hopkins University | MD | 3.0% | 3.93 | 522 | None | | Kaiser Permanente (Tyson) | CA | 3.5% | 3.78 | 516 | Low | | Keck School of Medicine (USC) | CA | 3.5% | 3.78 | 519 | Low | | Loma Linda University | CA | 5.5% | 3.68 | 512 | Low (mission-based) | | Louisiana State University (New Orleans) | LA | 9.0% | 3.68 | 509 | Strong | | Louisiana State University (Shreveport) | LA | 10.0% | 3.60 | 507 | Strong | | Loyola University Chicago (Stritch) | IL | 4.5% | 3.70 | 514 | Low | | Marshall University (Edwards) | WV | 8.0% | 3.65 | 507 | Strong | | Mayo Clinic Alix (MN) | MN | 2.5% | 3.92 | 522 | None | | Mayo Clinic Alix (AZ) | AZ | 2.5% | 3.90 | 521 | None | | McGovern Medical School (UTHealth Houston) | TX | 5.5% | 3.82 | 516 | Strong | | Medical College of Georgia (see Augusta) | GA | – | – | – | – | | Medical College of Wisconsin | WI | 5.5% | 3.75 | 515 | Strong | | Medical University of South Carolina | SC | 7.0% | 3.72 | 512 | Strong | | Meharry Medical College | TN | 5.0% | 3.50 | 506 | Low (mission-based) | | Mercer University | GA | 14.0% | 3.65 | 508 | Strong (GA only) | | Michigan State University | MI | 6.5% | 3.68 | 510 | Strong | | Morehouse School of Medicine | GA | 4.5% | 3.55 | 506 | Low (mission-based) | | New York Medical College | NY | 4.5% | 3.65 | 513 | Low | | New York University (Grossman) | NY | 2.5% | 3.95 | 523 | None | | Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) | OH | 8.0% | 3.70 | 510 | Strong | | Northwestern University (Feinberg) | IL | 3.2% | 3.90 | 522 | None | | Oakland University William Beaumont | MI | 6.0% | 3.72 | 512 | Strong | | Ohio State University | OH | 5.5% | 3.78 | 516 | Strong | | Oregon Health & Science University | OR | 5.0% | 3.72 | 514 | Strong | | Penn State College of Medicine | PA | 5.5% | 3.75 | 515 | Moderate | | Perelman School of Medicine (UPenn) | PA | 2.8% | 3.92 | 523 | None | | Pittsburgh School of Medicine | PA | 4.5% | 3.82 | 520 | Low | | Ponce Health Sciences University | PR | 8.0% | 3.50 | 503 | Strong | | Quinnipiac (see Netter) | CT | – | – | – | – | | Robert Larner (UVM) | VT | 5.0% | 3.68 | 514 | Strong | | Rosalind Franklin University | IL | 5.5% | 3.60 | 510 | Low | | Rush Medical College | IL | 4.0% | 3.72 | 514 | Low | | Rutgers New Jersey Medical School | NJ | 5.0% | 3.72 | 515 | Strong | | Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson | NJ | 5.0% | 3.70 | 515 | Strong | | Saint Louis University | MO | 5.5% | 3.78 | 514 | Low | | San Juan Bautista School of Medicine | PR | 9.0% | 3.45 | 500 | Strong | | Sidney Kimmel (Thomas Jefferson) | PA | 4.5% | 3.72 | 515 | Low | | Stanford University | CA | 2.2% | 3.90 | 523 | None | | Stony Brook University (Renaissance) | NY | 5.5% | 3.78 | 515 | Strong | | SUNY Downstate Health Sciences | NY | 6.0% | 3.70 | 513 | Strong | | SUNY Upstate Medical University | NY | 6.0% | 3.68 | 512 | Strong | | TCU/UNTHSC School of Medicine | TX | 4.5% | 3.78 | 513 | Strong | | Temple University (Katz) | PA | 5.0% | 3.68 | 513 | Low | | Texas A&M University | TX | 5.5% | 3.75 | 512 | Strong | | Texas Tech University (Lubbock) | TX | 6.5% | 3.72 | 510 | Strong | | Texas Tech (Foster, El Paso) | TX | 7.0% | 3.68 | 508 | Strong | | Tufts University | MA | 4.0% | 3.72 | 515 | Low | | Tulane University | LA | 4.5% | 3.62 | 514 | Low | | Uniformed Services University (USUHS) | MD | 8.0% | 3.68 | 512 | None (military) | | University of Alabama at Birmingham | AL | 6.5% | 3.78 | 513 | Strong | | University of Arizona (Tucson) | AZ | 5.5% | 3.70 | 511 | Strong | | University of Arizona (Phoenix) | AZ | 5.0% | 3.72 | 512 | Strong | | University of Arkansas | AR | 8.5% | 3.68 | 508 | Strong | | University of Buffalo (Jacobs) | NY | 5.5% | 3.70 | 513 | Strong | | University of California, Davis | CA | 3.5% | 3.65 | 514 | Strong | | University of California, Irvine | CA | 3.0% | 3.72 | 516 | Strong | | University of California, Los Angeles (Geffen) | CA | 2.5% | 3.82 | 520 | Strong | | University of California, Riverside | CA | 3.5% | 3.62 | 510 | Strong (mission-based) | | University of California, San Diego | CA | 2.8% | 3.80 | 519 | Strong | | University of California, San Francisco | CA | 2.5% | 3.85 | 520 | Strong | | University of Central Florida | FL | 5.0% | 3.78 | 515 | Strong | | University of Chicago (Pritzker) | IL | 3.0% | 3.90 | 522 | None | | University of Cincinnati | OH | 6.0% | 3.72 | 514 | Strong | | University of Colorado | CO | 5.0% | 3.78 | 515 | Strong | | University of Connecticut | CT | 6.0% | 3.72 | 513 | Strong | | University of Florida | FL | 5.5% | 3.82 | 516 | Strong | | University of Georgia | GA | 6.0% | 3.70 | 510 | Strong | | University of Hawaii (Burns) | HI | 7.0% | 3.68 | 510 | Strong | | University of Houston | TX | 5.5% | 3.72 | 511 | Strong | | University of Illinois Chicago | IL | 6.0% | 3.70 | 512 | Strong | | University of Iowa (Carver) | IA | 6.5% | 3.78 | 514 | Strong | | University of Kansas | KS | 7.5% | 3.75 | 511 | Strong | | University of Kentucky | KY | 7.0% | 3.70 | 510 | Strong | | University of Louisville | KY | 7.5% | 3.68 | 510 | Strong | | University of Maryland | MD | 5.5% | 3.78 | 516 | Strong | | University of Massachusetts (Chan) | MA | 8.0% | 3.75 | 515 | Strong (MA only) | | University of Miami (Miller) | FL | 4.0% | 3.78 | 517 | Low | | University of Michigan | MI | 4.0% | 3.85 | 520 | Moderate | | University of Minnesota | MN | 5.5% | 3.78 | 515 | Strong | | University of Mississippi | MS | 9.0% | 3.72 | 509 | Strong (MS only) | | University of Missouri (Columbia) | MO | 7.0% | 3.72 | 511 | Strong | | University of Missouri (Kansas City, 6-year) | MO | 8.0% | 3.70 | 510 | Strong | | University of Nebraska | NE | 7.5% | 3.75 | 512 | Strong | | University of Nevada (Reno) | NV | 5.0% | 3.68 | 511 | Strong | | University of Nevada (Las Vegas, Kerkorian) | NV | 5.0% | 3.70 | 512 | Strong | | University of New Mexico | NM | 8.0% | 3.65 | 508 | Strong | | University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) | NC | 4.5% | 3.72 | 516 | Strong | | University of North Dakota | ND | 9.5% | 3.68 | 508 | Strong | | University of Oklahoma | OK | 8.0% | 3.72 | 510 | Strong | | University of Pittsburgh | PA | 4.5% | 3.82 | 520 | Low | | University of Rochester | NY | 5.0% | 3.78 | 518 | Low | | University of South Alabama | AL | 7.5% | 3.65 | 508 | Strong | | University of South Carolina (Columbia) | SC | 6.5% | 3.68 | 511 | Strong | | University of South Carolina (Greenville) | SC | 6.5% | 3.65 | 509 | Strong | | University of South Dakota (Sanford) | SD | 9.0% | 3.72 | 509 | Strong | | University of South Florida (Morsani) | FL | 5.0% | 3.78 | 515 | Strong | | University of Tennessee | TN | 7.0% | 3.72 | 511 | Strong | | University of Texas Medical Branch (Galveston) | TX | 5.5% | 3.78 | 513 | Strong | | University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | TX | 6.0% | 3.65 | 507 | Strong | | University of Texas Southwestern | TX | 4.5% | 3.88 | 519 | Strong | | University of Texas San Antonio (Long) | TX | 5.5% | 3.75 | 513 | Strong | | University of Toledo | OH | 6.5% | 3.68 | 510 | Strong | | University of Utah | UT | 6.5% | 3.72 | 513 | Strong | | University of Vermont (see Larner) | VT | – | – | – | – | | University of Virginia | VA | 5.0% | 3.82 | 519 | Strong | | University of Washington | WA | 4.5% | 3.72 | 514 | Strong (WWAMI) | | University of Wisconsin | WI | 5.5% | 3.78 | 515 | Strong | | Vanderbilt University | TN | 3.5% | 3.88 | 522 | None | | Virginia Commonwealth University | VA | 6.0% | 3.68 | 513 | Strong | | Virginia Tech Carilion | VA | 5.0% | 3.70 | 514 | Moderate | | Wake Forest University | NC | 4.5% | 3.72 | 515 | Low | | Washington State University (Elson Floyd) | WA | 6.5% | 3.62 | 507 | Strong | | Washington University in St. Louis | MO | 3.0% | 3.93 | 523 | None | | Wayne State University | MI | 6.5% | 3.68 | 511 | Strong | | West Virginia University | WV | 7.5% | 3.65 | 508 | Strong | | Wright State University (Boonshoft) | OH | 7.0% | 3.62 | 508 | Strong | | Yale School of Medicine | CT | 3.0% | 3.90 | 522 | None |
DO-Granting (Osteopathic) Medical Schools (Selected)
| School | State | Approx. Acceptance Rate | Avg. Matriculant GPA | Avg. Matriculant MCAT | In-State Preference | |—|—|—|—|—|—| | A.T. Still University (Kirksville, KCOM) | MO | 7.0% | 3.60 | 507 | Low | | A.T. Still University (SOMA, AZ) | AZ | 7.0% | 3.58 | 506 | Low | | Campbell University (CUSOM) | NC | 6.5% | 3.55 | 505 | Moderate | | Des Moines University (DMUCOM) | IA | 7.5% | 3.58 | 506 | Low | | Edward Via (VCOM, multiple campuses) | VA | 7.0% | 3.55 | 505 | Moderate | | Kansas City University (KCU) | MO | 7.0% | 3.60 | 507 | Low | | Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) | PA | 8.5% | 3.50 | 504 | Low | | Liberty University (LUCOM) | VA | 6.5% | 3.55 | 505 | Low | | Michigan State University (MSUCOM) | MI | 6.5% | 3.58 | 507 | Strong | | Midwestern University (AZCOM) | AZ | 7.0% | 3.55 | 505 | Low | | Midwestern University (CCOM) | IL | 7.0% | 3.58 | 507 | Low | | New York Institute of Technology (NYITCOM) | NY | 6.0% | 3.55 | 506 | Moderate | | Nova Southeastern University (KPCOM) | FL | 6.0% | 3.55 | 505 | Low | | Ohio University (Heritage) | OH | 7.5% | 3.58 | 506 | Strong | | Oklahoma State University (COM) | OK | 8.0% | 3.60 | 506 | Strong | | Pacific Northwest University (PNWU) | WA | 7.0% | 3.55 | 504 | Low | | Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) | PA | 5.5% | 3.58 | 507 | Low | | Rowan University (RowanSOM) | NJ | 6.0% | 3.60 | 507 | Strong | | Sam Houston State University (SHSU-COM) | TX | 7.0% | 3.55 | 504 | Strong | | Touro University (multiple campuses) | NY/CA/NV | 6.0% | 3.50 | 504 | Low | | University of the Incarnate Word (UIWSOM) | TX | 7.5% | 3.52 | 503 | Strong | | University of New England (UNECOM) | ME | 6.5% | 3.55 | 506 | Moderate | | Western University (WesternU/COMP) | CA | 6.5% | 3.55 | 506 | Low | | William Carey University (WCUCOM) | MS | 8.0% | 3.50 | 502 | Strong |
Important disclaimer. The figures above are compiled from the most recently available AAMC, AACOM, and institutional data as of early 2025. Individual school reporting varies in methodology and timing. Acceptance rates for the 2025-2026 entering class are estimated where final cycle data has not yet been published. Always verify current numbers through the MSAR or each school’s admissions website before finalizing your school list.
What the Harvard Medical School Acceptance Rate Really Tells You
The Harvard Medical School acceptance rate, approximately 2%, draws outsized attention. It is the lowest or near-lowest among US medical schools in any given year, and it sits alongside Stanford (roughly 2.2%), NYU Grossman (roughly 2.5%), and Columbia Vagelos (roughly 2.8%) as one of the most selective programs in the country. But fixating on that number can lead to poor decision-making.
Harvard’s acceptance rate is low in large part because of application volume. Thousands of applicants treat Harvard as a prestige “lottery ticket” application, even when their profiles do not align with the school’s research-intensive mission. The denominator is inflated by aspirational applications from candidates who have strong stats but no realistic connection to what makes Harvard’s program distinct. Applicants who demonstrate genuine fit with the school’s research priorities, who have meaningful clinical exposure, and who show the kind of reflective maturity that stands out in a secondary essay and interview are evaluated very differently from the broader pool.
The practical lesson: instead of asking “Can I get in?” ask “Does this school fit what I need, and can I make a compelling case for mutual fit?” That question applies whether the acceptance rate is 2% or 12%. If you want a more detailed breakdown of how admissions priorities vary, the AAMC’s overview of what medical schools are looking for is worth reviewing through their holistic review resources.
In-State vs. Out-of-State: The Single Biggest Factor Most Applicants Underestimate
If you take one thing from this table, let it be the column labeled “In-State Preference.” It is arguably the most important piece of data for building a realistic school list, and it is the factor most commonly ignored by applicants who focus exclusively on overall acceptance rates.
How State Mandates Shape Your Odds
Public medical schools receive state funding and, in return, are typically required or strongly encouraged to fill a large portion of their class with state residents. At the University of Mississippi, for example, the class is almost entirely composed of Mississippi residents. At the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, the overwhelming majority of seats go to Massachusetts residents. At Mercer, admission is restricted to Georgia residents entirely. For an out-of-state applicant, these schools are functionally closed, no matter what the published acceptance rate says.
Even at state schools that do accept some out-of-state students, the odds are very different. A school that reports an overall acceptance rate of 7% might accept 12% of its in-state applicants and only 2% of out-of-state applicants. The MSAR breaks this down for most schools, and you should use that data, not the headline number, when assessing your chances.
Texas and TMDSAS: A System Worth Understanding
Texas schools operate through TMDSAS, a separate application system from AMCAS. Texas schools are heavily in-state focused, but the system also allows for a structured and relatively applicant-friendly process within the state. Out-of-state applicants can and do get into Baylor, UT Southwestern, and a few other Texas schools, but the numbers are small. If you are not a Texas resident, apply to Texas schools only if your profile is genuinely competitive and you have a clear reason for wanting to be there. The fact that medical school expansion is reshaping admissions and training has produced new seats, but most of those new seats are filled in-state.
Building a School List That Reflects Reality, Not Rankings
The biggest mistake pre-med students make when reviewing medical school acceptance rates is treating the list as a ranking. A school with a 2.5% acceptance rate is not “better” for you than one with a 7% acceptance rate. What matters is fit: mission alignment, curricular style, geographic match, clinical training sites, research opportunities (if those matter to you), and whether you will thrive in that environment.
A well-constructed school list for most applicants includes 15 to 25 schools spread across three tiers of competitiveness, relative to your own profile. For most applicants, that means a handful of “reach” schools where your stats fall below the median, a core group of “target” schools where you are competitive, and several “likely” schools where your stats exceed the median and you have in-state or mission-based alignment.
When deciding how many medical schools to apply to, keep costs in mind. Each primary application and secondary fee adds up quickly, and poorly targeted applications waste money and energy. Spending $5,000 to apply to 35 schools is not a strategy; it is a coping mechanism. Focus your resources on schools where you have a genuine chance and a genuine interest.
It is also worth noting that approximately 45.8% of matriculants were accepted to only a single school. That statistic might sound discouraging, but it is actually a useful corrective: most successful applicants did not get a stack of acceptances. They needed only one, and they got it because they put together a list that was realistic and well-researched.
GPA, MCAT, and the Limits of Numbers
The GPA and MCAT columns in the table above are useful reference points, but they are not cutoff lines. Admissions committees use holistic review, which means your numbers open the door, but the rest of your application determines whether you walk through it. A 3.5 GPA with a compelling upward trend, significant clinical experience, strong letters, and a well-written personal statement can outperform a 3.9 GPA with thin extracurriculars and generic essays.
That said, there are practical floors. For most MD programs, a total GPA below 3.3 and an MCAT below 505 will significantly limit your options. For DO programs, those floors are somewhat lower but still present. If your numbers are below the median for a given school by a wide margin, you need either a very strong non-academic profile or a mission-based connection that makes you a compelling fit despite the numbers.
The MCAT, in particular, carries enormous weight at the screening stage. Many schools use an MCAT threshold to filter applications before a human being reads them. If a school
