Step 2 CK Score by Specialty (2026 Match)
Matched U.S. MD seniors' median Step 2 CK ranged from 244 in Family Medicine to 261 in Otolaryngology (ENT). Enter your score to see where it falls in all 23 specialties.
A 250 is at the 44th percentile nationally and at or above the matched median in 5 of 23 specialties.
| Specialty | Matched median | Middle 50% of matched | Not matched median | Distribution chart | Your score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otolaryngology (ENT)289 matched | 261 | 250–266 | 249 | Lower middle | |
| Thoracic Surgery (Integrated)40 matched | 260 | 256–265 | 257 | Below the middle half | |
| Orthopaedic Surgery628 matched | 259 | 250–266 | 251 | Lower middle | |
| Plastic Surgery (Integrated)159 matched | 259 | 250–265 | 251 | Lower middle | |
| Dermatology356 matched | 258 | 251–266 | 252 | Below the middle half | |
| Radiology (Diagnostic)629 matched | 257 | 249–265 | 242 | Lower middle | |
| Neurological Surgery192 matched | 256 | 249–264 | 244 | Lower middle | |
| Vascular Surgery (Integrated)64 matched | 256 | 248–264 | 235(n=8) | Lower middle | |
| Anesthesiology1,219 matched | 255 | 247–263 | 239 | Lower middle | |
| Internal Medicine/Pediatrics264 matched | 255 | 246–262 | 249 | Lower middle | |
| Interventional Radiology (Integrated)128 matched | 255 | 246–264 | 252(n=15) | Lower middle | |
| Surgery (General)882 matched | 255 | 245–262 | 238 | Lower middle | |
| Internal Medicine3,236 matched | 254 | 243–262 | 233 | Lower middle | |
| Obstetrics and Gynecology942 matched | 253 | 244–261 | 245 | Lower middle | |
| Neurology571 matched | 252 | 242–261 | 232 | Lower middle | |
| Child Neurology111 matched | 251 | 240–260 | not reported | Lower middle | |
| Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation235 matched | 251 | 241–259 | 237 | Lower middle | |
| Radiation Oncology108 matched | 251 | 238–261 | not reported | Lower middle | |
| Emergency Medicine1,176 matched | 249 | 240–258 | 229 | Upper middle | |
| Pediatrics1,127 matched | 249 | 239–259 | 243(n=6) | Upper middle | |
| Pathology (Anatomic and Clinical)210 matched | 247 | 240–258 | 237(n=16) | Upper middle | |
| Psychiatry1,075 matched | 247 | 236–256 | 234 | Upper middle | |
| Family Medicine1,148 matched | 244 | 233–254 | 230(n=11) | Upper middle |
Green bar: middle 50% of matched U.S. MD seniors (first to third quartile); dark tick: matched median; black marker: your score. Chart axis runs 225–275. A score below the middle half does not mean you cannot match; a quarter of matched applicants scored there.
Source: NRMP Charting Outcomes 2026 (U.S. MD seniors), Table 5. Selected figures only; see the NRMP report for the full statistics. Specialties with fewer than 40 matched seniors are omitted.
What the 2026 numbers show
Highest matched medians
- Otolaryngology (ENT)261
- Thoracic Surgery (Integrated)260
- Orthopaedic Surgery259
- Plastic Surgery (Integrated)259
- Dermatology258
Lowest matched medians
- Family Medicine244
- Psychiatry247
- Pathology (Anatomic and Clinical)247
- Pediatrics249
Biggest gap: matched vs. not matched
- Internal Medicine254 vs 233 (21)
- Emergency Medicine249 vs 229 (20)
- Neurology252 vs 232 (20)
- Surgery (General)255 vs 238 (17)
In these fields, the score difference between matched and unmatched applicants was largest.
Smallest gap: score matters less on its own
- Thoracic Surgery (Integrated)260 vs 257 (3)
- Internal Medicine/Pediatrics255 vs 249 (6)
- Dermatology258 vs 252 (6)
Here unmatched applicants scored almost as high as matched ones, so other parts of the application did more of the separating.
Gaps compare medians and only include specialties with at least 20 unmatched U.S. MD seniors.
How to read specialty score data
These are outcomes, not cutoffs
A median describes who matched. It is not a minimum, and a quarter of matched applicants scored below the first number in each range.
U.S. MD seniors only
The report covers U.S. MD seniors who consented to research use of their data. DO seniors and IMGs have their own NRMP reports.
“Preferred specialty” matters
Applicants are grouped by the specialty they ranked first. “Not matched” means they did not match in that specialty, not that they went unmatched entirely.
Small groups swing
Where only a handful of applicants did not match, their median can move a lot from year to year. The table flags groups under 20.
Don't have a real score yet? Estimate one with the Step 2 CK score predictor, then check its national rank on the Step 2 CK percentile calculator.
Step 2 CK score by specialty FAQs
What Step 2 CK score do you need for Dermatology?+
There is no official cutoff. In the 2026 Match, U.S. MD seniors who matched into Dermatology had a median Step 2 CK score of 258, and the middle half scored 251–266. Those who preferred it but did not match had a median of 252. A 258 is at the 66th percentile nationally.
What Step 2 CK score do you need for Orthopaedic Surgery?+
There is no official cutoff. In the 2026 Match, U.S. MD seniors who matched into Orthopaedic Surgery had a median Step 2 CK score of 259, and the middle half scored 250–266. Those who preferred it but did not match had a median of 251. A 259 is at the 68th percentile nationally.
What Step 2 CK score do you need for Surgery?+
There is no official cutoff. In the 2026 Match, U.S. MD seniors who matched into Surgery (General) had a median Step 2 CK score of 255, and the middle half scored 245–262. Those who preferred it but did not match had a median of 238. A 255 is at the 58th percentile nationally.
What Step 2 CK score do you need for Internal Medicine?+
There is no official cutoff. In the 2026 Match, U.S. MD seniors who matched into Internal Medicine had a median Step 2 CK score of 254, and the middle half scored 243–262. Those who preferred it but did not match had a median of 233. A 254 is at the 55th percentile nationally.
What Step 2 CK score do you need for Emergency Medicine?+
There is no official cutoff. In the 2026 Match, U.S. MD seniors who matched into Emergency Medicine had a median Step 2 CK score of 249, and the middle half scored 240–258. Those who preferred it but did not match had a median of 229. A 249 is at the 42nd percentile nationally.
What Step 2 CK score do you need for Family Medicine?+
There is no official cutoff. In the 2026 Match, U.S. MD seniors who matched into Family Medicine had a median Step 2 CK score of 244, and the middle half scored 233–254. Those who preferred it but did not match had a median of 230. A 244 is at the 30th percentile nationally.
What Step 2 CK score do you need for Radiology?+
There is no official cutoff. In the 2026 Match, U.S. MD seniors who matched into Radiology (Diagnostic) had a median Step 2 CK score of 257, and the middle half scored 249–265. Those who preferred it but did not match had a median of 242. A 257 is at the 63rd percentile nationally.
What Step 2 CK score do you need for Psychiatry?+
There is no official cutoff. In the 2026 Match, U.S. MD seniors who matched into Psychiatry had a median Step 2 CK score of 247, and the middle half scored 236–256. Those who preferred it but did not match had a median of 234. A 247 is at the 37th percentile nationally.
Is a 250 a good Step 2 CK score for residency?+
A 250 is at the 44th percentile nationally. In NRMP's 2026 data it is at or above the matched median in 5 of 23 specialties, and below the middle half of matched applicants in 2 (Dermatology, Thoracic Surgery (Integrated)).
Does this data include DO students and IMGs?+
No. These figures come from NRMP's report on U.S. MD seniors. NRMP publishes separate Charting Outcomes reports for U.S. DO seniors and for international medical graduates, and their score distributions differ.
Is Step 2 CK the only thing that decides a match?+
No. The overlap in the table shows it: in several competitive specialties, applicants who did not match had higher medians than matched applicants in other fields. NRMP's report also tracks research, experiences, and the number of programs ranked.