Step 2 CK Score Percentile Calculator (2026 Table)
Type a Step 2 CK or Step 3 score and see its percentile among 67,824 first-time takers. A 240 is the 23rd percentile, a 250 is the 44th, and a 260 is the 71st.
Enter an actual or predicted score from 1 to 300.
Step 2 CK percentile
44th
A 250 on Step 2 CK is at about the 44th percentile of first-time takers from LCME-accredited schools — roughly 44% of that group scored lower.
Read directly from the official USMLE norm table.
- Passing standard (218)
- At or above passing (+32)
- Vs. latest national mean (251)
- -1 points
- ±1 measurement error (SEM ≈ 6 pts: 244–256)
- 30th to 61st percentile
Don't have a real score yet? Estimate your Step 2 CK score from practice exams first, then check where that estimate would place you.
USMLE Step 2 CK score percentiles (2026 norm table)
These are the official percentile ranks for first-time takers from LCME-accredited medical schools: Step 2 CK examinees who tested July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2026 (N = 67,824) and Step 3 examinees who tested in calendar years 2023–2025 (N = 64,576). Each value is the percentage of that group who scored lower.
| USMLE score | Step 2 CK percentile | Step 3 percentile |
|---|---|---|
| 285–300 | 100 | 100 |
| 280 | 100 | 100 |
| 275 | 98 | 100 |
| 270 | 93 | 100 |
| 265 | 83 | 100 |
| 260 | 71 | 99 |
| 255 | 58 | 97 |
| 250 | 44 | 93 |
| 245 | 32 | 88 |
| 240 | 23 | 80 |
| 235 | 15 | 69 |
| 230 | 9 | 56 |
| 225 | 6 | 43 |
| 220 | 3 | 31 |
| 215 | 2 | 20 |
| 210 | 1 | 12 |
| 205 | 0 | 7 |
| 200 | 0 | 4 |
| 195 | 0 | 2 |
| 190 | 0 | 1 |
| 185 and below | 0 | 0 |
Source: USMLE Score Interpretation Guidelines, Table 2, updated August 17, 2026. Values of 100 and 0 are rounded; they mean “above 99%” and “below 1%.”
Step 2 CK percentile by score: 215 to 270
The scores people ask about most, read from the August 17, 2026 table. The last line of each card counts the 23 specialties in NRMP's 2026 data where that score is at or above the median of matched U.S. MD seniors.
What percentile is a 215 on Step 2 CK?
2nd
- 36 points below the national mean (251)
- 3 points below passing (218): not a passing score
- ±1 SEM band (209–221): 1st to 4th
- At or above the matched median in 0 of 23 specialties
What percentile is a 220 on Step 2 CK?
3rd
- 31 points below the national mean (251)
- 2 points above passing (218)
- ±1 SEM band (214–226): 2nd to 7th
- At or above the matched median in 0 of 23 specialties
What percentile is a 225 on Step 2 CK?
6th
- 26 points below the national mean (251)
- 7 points above passing (218)
- ±1 SEM band (219–231): 3rd to 10th
- At or above the matched median in 0 of 23 specialties
What percentile is a 230 on Step 2 CK?
9th
- 21 points below the national mean (251)
- 12 points above passing (218)
- ±1 SEM band (224–236): 5th to 17th
- At or above the matched median in 0 of 23 specialties
What percentile is a 235 on Step 2 CK?
15th
- 16 points below the national mean (251)
- 17 points above passing (218)
- ±1 SEM band (229–241): 8th to 25th
- At or above the matched median in 0 of 23 specialties
What percentile is a 240 on Step 2 CK?
23rd
- 11 points below the national mean (251)
- 22 points above passing (218)
- ±1 SEM band (234–246): 14th to 34th
- At or above the matched median in 0 of 23 specialties
What percentile is a 245 on Step 2 CK?
32nd
- 6 points below the national mean (251)
- 27 points above passing (218)
- ±1 SEM band (239–251): 21st to 47th
- At or above the matched median in 1 of 23 specialties
What percentile is a 250 on Step 2 CK?
44th
- 1 points below the national mean (251)
- 32 points above passing (218)
- ±1 SEM band (244–256): 30th to 61st
- At or above the matched median in 5 of 23 specialties
What percentile is a 255 on Step 2 CK?
58th
- 4 points above the national mean (251)
- 37 points above passing (218)
- ±1 SEM band (249–261): 42nd to 73rd
- At or above the matched median in 15 of 23 specialties
What percentile is a 260 on Step 2 CK?
71st
- 9 points above the national mean (251)
- 42 points above passing (218)
- ±1 SEM band (254–266): 55th to 85th
- At or above the matched median in 22 of 23 specialties
What percentile is a 265 on Step 2 CK?
83rd
- 14 points above the national mean (251)
- 47 points above passing (218)
- ±1 SEM band (259–271): 68th to 94th
- At or above the matched median in 23 of 23 specialties
What percentile is a 270 on Step 2 CK?
93rd
- 19 points above the national mean (251)
- 52 points above passing (218)
- ±1 SEM band (264–276): 81st to 98th
- At or above the matched median in 23 of 23 specialties
See where your score sits for each specialty on the Step 2 CK score by specialty page.
Average Step 2 CK score and score range
Step 2 CK is reported on a 1–300 scale. The national mean for first-time takers from LCME-accredited schools is 251 with a standard deviation of 15, so roughly two-thirds of that group score between 236 and 266. The minimum passing score is 218.
| Academic year | Mean Step 2 CK score | Standard deviation |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | 249 | 15 |
| 2024-2025 | 250 | 15 |
| 2025-2026 | 251 | 15 |
Beginning with the 2025–2026 academic year, USMLE removed Canadian schools from this reference group. Scores are equated across forms, but USMLE advises against comparing individual scores taken more than three to four years apart because content and format evolve.
What is a good Step 2 CK score?
“Good” depends on your goal. Passing requires 218. For residency applications, programs compare you with other applicants, so the percentile is often more useful than the raw score. These benchmarks come straight from the current official table:
- 230= 9th percentile
- 240= 23rd percentile
- 250= 44th percentile
- 260= 71st percentile
- 270= 93rd percentile
Specialty expectations differ and change every Match cycle. Compare your score with matched and unmatched U.S. MD seniors in 23 specialties on the Step 2 CK score by specialty page, built from NRMP's 2026 Charting Outcomes report. USMLE itself cautions that small score differences alone should not drive selection decisions.
Step 3 percentiles, average score, and passing score
The same official table covers Step 3. The Step 3 mean was 227 (SD 15) in each of the last three calendar years, and the minimum passing score is 200 for exams administered on or after January 1, 2024.
A 220 on Step 3 is at the 31st percentile, a 230 at the 56th, and a 240 at the 80th. Switch the calculator above to Step 3 to check any other score, or see the full Step 3 percentile table, passing score, and pass rates.
Step 2 CK and Step 3 share a 1–300 scale but are not comparable: a 220 on Step 2 CK is not equivalent to a 220 on Step 3. Current passing standards are listed on the USMLE examination results and scoring page.
How to read a USMLE percentile correctly
It is a U.S. reference group
Percentiles compare a score with first-time takers from LCME-accredited schools. They are not IMG-only or DO-only rankings.
The table changes every year
USMLE rolls the three-year window forward annually, so the same score can shift a point or two. This page uses the table updated August 2026.
Scores have measurement error
The standard error of measurement is about 6 points for Step 2 CK and 5 for Step 3. The calculator shows the percentile band for your score ± 1 SEM.
In-between scores are estimates
The official table lists every fifth score. For scores in between, the calculator interpolates linearly and labels the result as an estimate.
Step 2 CK percentile FAQs
What percentile is a 220 on Step 2 CK?+
A 220 is at the 3rd percentile in the official USMLE norm table updated August 17, 2026. It is 2 points above the 218 passing score, so it passes, but about 97% of first-time takers from LCME-accredited schools scored higher. A 215 (2nd) is below passing, and a 225 is at the 6th percentile.
What percentile is a 250 on Step 2 CK?+
A 250 is at the 44th percentile in the official USMLE norm table updated August 17, 2026. That means about 44% of first-time takers from LCME-accredited schools scored lower.
What percentile is a 260 or 270 on Step 2 CK?+
A 260 is at the 71st percentile and a 270 is at the 93rd percentile. Scores of 280 and above round to the 100th percentile in the official table, which means more than 99% of the reference group scored lower.
What is the average Step 2 CK score?+
The mean for first-time takers from LCME-accredited schools was 251 (standard deviation 15) in the 2025-2026 academic year, according to the USMLE Score Interpretation Guidelines.
What is the Step 2 CK passing score?+
The current minimum passing score is 218 for exams administered on or after July 1, 2025. A score of 218 falls at about the 3rd percentile of the reference group, which is why a passing score can still be a low percentile.
Are Step 2 CK percentiles the same for IMGs?+
No separate IMG percentile is published in this table. The official norm table describes first-time takers from LCME-accredited (U.S.) medical schools, so an IMG's percentile here compares their score with that U.S. reference group, not with other IMGs.
Why did my percentile change from last year?+
USMLE updates the norm table annually by dropping the oldest examinee group and adding the newest one. The same three-digit score can therefore map to a slightly different percentile from year to year. Always use the most recent official table.
What is the Step 3 average score and percentile?+
The Step 3 mean was 227 (SD 15) in 2025. A 230 on Step 3 is at the 56th percentile, and the current passing score is 200. Step 2 CK and Step 3 scores are not comparable to each other.