Step 3 Score Percentile, Passing Score & Average
The Step 3 passing score is 200 and the national average is 227. Type any Step 3 score to see its percentile among 64,576 first-time takers.
Enter an actual or predicted score from 1 to 300.
Step 3 percentile
56th
A 230 on Step 3 is at about the 56th percentile of first-time takers from LCME-accredited schools — roughly 56% of that group scored lower.
Read directly from the official USMLE norm table.
- Passing standard (200)
- At or above passing (+30)
- Vs. latest national mean (227)
- +3 points
- ±1 measurement error (SEM ≈ 5 pts: 225–235)
- 43rd to 69th percentile
Don't have a real score yet? Estimate your Step 3 score from practice exams first, then check where that estimate would place you.
Step 3 passing score
The minimum passing score for Step 3 is 200 for exams administered on or after January 1, 2024. Before that, it was 198. Because most first-time takers score well above the line, a 200 is only at about the 4th percentile.
Testing in 2027? USMLE will review the Step 3 passing standard at its November 2026 meeting, and any new standard would apply to exams taken on or after January 1, 2027. Check the USMLE review announcement and the official scoring page before your exam.
200
Passing score
96%
U.S. MD first-takers passing (2025)
88%
Non-U.S. first-takers passing (2025)
Step 3 is two days long, but you get one combined three-digit score; there is no separate pass line for each day or for the CCS cases. Pass rates come from USMLE performance data (checked September 29, 2026). See all groups and repeaters on the USMLE pass rates page.
Step 3 percentile table (2026)
Official percentile ranks for Step 3 first-time takers from LCME-accredited medical schools who tested in calendar years 2023–2025 (N = 64,576). Each value is the percentage of that group who scored lower.
| Step 3 score | Percentile | Vs. passing (200) |
|---|---|---|
| 270–300 | 100 | Pass |
| 265 | 100 | Pass |
| 260 | 99 | Pass |
| 255 | 97 | Pass |
| 250 | 93 | Pass |
| 245 | 88 | Pass |
| 240 | 80 | Pass |
| 235 | 69 | Pass |
| 230 | 56 | Pass |
| 225 | 43 | Pass |
| 220 | 31 | Pass |
| 215 | 20 | Pass |
| 210 | 12 | Pass |
| 205 | 7 | Pass |
| 200 | 4 | Pass |
| 195 | 2 | Below |
| 190 | 1 | Below |
| 185 | 0 | Below |
| 180 and below | 0 | Below |
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%.”
Average Step 3 score
The national mean for Step 3 first-time takers from LCME-accredited schools has held at 227 (standard deviation 15) for three straight years. Roughly two-thirds of that group score between 212 and 242.
| Calendar year | Mean Step 3 score | Standard deviation |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 227 | 15 |
| 2024 | 227 | 15 |
| 2025 | 227 | 15 |
The standard error of measurement for Step 3 is about 5 points, so two scores a few points apart are not meaningfully different. The calculator above shows the percentile band for your score ±1 SEM.
What is a good Step 3 score?
For licensure, any score of 200 or higher is a pass. Beyond that, the percentile tells you where you stand against U.S. first-time takers. Benchmarks from the current table:
- 210= 12th percentile
- 220= 31st percentile
- 230= 56th percentile
- 240= 80th percentile
- 250= 93rd percentile
Most examinees take Step 3 during residency, so program directors weigh it less than Step 2 CK. It still appears on your USMLE transcript, and some fellowship programs look at it. Passing on the first attempt matters most, because every attempt is reported.
How to read a Step 3 percentile
It compares you with U.S. first-takers
The reference group is first-time takers from LCME-accredited schools. It is not an IMG-only or DO-only ranking.
The table is updated every year
USMLE rolls the three-year window forward annually, so a score can shift a point or two in percentile. This page uses the table updated August 2026.
Scores between rows are estimates
The official table lists every fifth score. For scores in between, the calculator interpolates and labels the result as an estimate.
Step 3 is not Step 2 CK
The two exams share a 1–300 scale but not a reference group or passing score, so the same number means different things.
Passing standards are listed on the USMLE examination results and scoring page.
Have practice-test results rather than a final Step 3 score? The Step 3 score predictor combines supported UWSA and Free 120 inputs into an independent planning estimate. This percentile table interprets scores; it does not predict an exam result.
Step 3 score FAQs
What is the passing score for Step 3?+
The minimum passing score for Step 3 is 200 for exams administered on or after January 1, 2024. It was 198 before that date. A 200 sits at about the 4th percentile of first-time takers from LCME-accredited schools. USMLE will review the Step 3 passing standard at its November 2026 meeting, and any new standard would apply to exams taken on or after January 1, 2027. If you test in 2027, check the official scoring page before your exam.
What is the average Step 3 score?+
The mean Step 3 score for first-time takers from LCME-accredited schools was 227 with a standard deviation of 15 in 2025, according to the USMLE Score Interpretation Guidelines updated August 17, 2026.
What percentile is a 230 on Step 3?+
A 230 is at the 56th percentile in the current official table, meaning about 56% of the reference group scored lower. A 240 is at the 80th percentile and a 250 is at the 93rd.
What is a good Step 3 score?+
Passing (200) is what licensing boards require. Scoring above the national mean of 227 puts you above the middle of the U.S. reference group. Because most examinees take Step 3 during residency, the three-digit score usually matters less than for Step 2 CK, but some fellowship applications and visa-related timelines make an early pass important.
What is the Step 3 pass rate?+
In 2025, 96% of U.S. MD first-takers and 88% of first-takers from non-U.S. schools passed Step 3, according to USMLE performance data.
Do I have to pass each day of Step 3 separately?+
No. Step 3 is a two-day exam, but USMLE reports a single three-digit score that combines both days, including the computer-based case simulations (CCS). The pass/fail decision is based on that one score.
Can I compare my Step 3 score with my Step 2 CK score?+
Not directly. Both are reported on a 1–300 scale, but the exams have different reference groups, content, and passing scores. A 230 on Step 3 and a 230 on Step 2 CK land at very different percentiles.