2026 Medical School Acceptance Rates by Ethnicity

Medical school admissions are competitive for everyone, but not in the same way for every applicant. Online discussions often oversimplify this reality or rely on outdated statistics, leading to confusion and false assumptions.

Using the latest matriculant data, this article breaks down medical school acceptance rates, MCAT scores, and GPAs by ethnicity. When you look at the numbers together, it becomes clear where the academic bar is highest and what that means for applicants of various backgrounds navigating the application process.

Medical School Acceptance Rates by Ethnicity

If we assume that higher required stats indicate a higher bar for admission, the numbers tell a clear story. Here are the average MCAT scores and GPAs for students who matriculated to medical school in the 2025-2026 cycle:

These differences reflect aggregate outcomes across tens of thousands of applicants. Acceptance rates alone do not explain why differences exist, but they help illustrate how competitive the process is across groups.

How AAMC Ethnicity Categories Are Defined

Racial and ethnic categories in AAMC data are intentionally broad. For example, the “Asian” category includes applicants from many distinct ethnic backgrounds, such as East Asian, South Asian, and Southeast Asian populations. Similar breadth exists within Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern/North African, and Multiple Race/Ethnicity categories.

These classifications help identify population-level trends but cannot capture individual circumstances or experiences.

Average MCAT Score by Ethnicity

Across ethnic groups, the average MCAT score for matriculants ranges from approximately 505 to 514, with a difference of roughly 9 points. While this difference may appear modest, it represents a substantial gap in percentiles. Achieving a 514 places a student well above the national average and requires significantly more preparation than reaching the low 500s.

This spread suggests that, on average, some groups meet a higher MCAT bar to matriculate, though many students are accepted above and below these averages each cycle.

Average GPA by Ethnicity

Compared to MCAT scores, GPA differences across ethnic groups are more tightly clustered, with averages ranging from approximately 3.64 to 3.85. This narrower spread reflects the fact that GPA is influenced by institutional grading policies and academic environments, making cross-group comparisons less precise.

For this reason, admissions committees often rely more heavily on the MCAT to standardize academic evaluation across applicants.

Ethnicity Comparison Chart

The table below compares average MCAT scores, GPAs, and acceptance rates by ethnicity using AAMC 2025–2026 data. MCAT and GPA values reflect mean scores for students who matriculated, not all applicants.

On the surface, a 514 compared to a 512 on the MCAT might seem like a tiny difference—just two points. But when you look at percentiles, it actually means something noticeable.

A 512 puts you around the 85th percentile, while a 514 is closer to the 88th or 89th. In this upper range, every single point is tougher to get. You need to make fewer mistakes, stay more consistent across all sections, and handle MCAT timing under pressure.

That’s why the MCAT score scale gets so compressed at the high end: even small jumps in points can signal a real edge in how competitive an applicant is when it comes to getting into med school.

Common Misinterpretations of Admissions Data

Several recurring misunderstandings show up in online discussions about medical school admissions data. These issues usually come from applying population-level statistics too literally or without enough context.

• Averages are not cutoffs.An average MCAT score or GPA does not represent a minimum requirement for acceptance. Every cycle, many students are admitted below the average for their group, while others with above-average metrics are rejected. Averages describe the center of a distribution, not a threshold that applicants must meet.
• National data cannot explain school-specific behavior.The AAMC does not publish medical school acceptance rates stratified by ethnicity and academic metrics at the individual school level. As a result, aggregate national data cannot be used to infer how specific schools evaluate or prioritize applicants.
• Population data cannot predict individual outcomes.Med school admissions decisions are made on a one-applicant-at-a-time basis. Admissions committees do not compare applicants to group averages when making decisions, and population-level statistics cannot determine whether a particular applicant will be accepted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it harder for Asian students to get into medical school?

Based on matriculant data, Asian students who earn acceptance have the highest average MCAT scores (514.3) and GPAs (3.85) among all groups. This suggests they face the steepest academic bar for admission, even though their overall acceptance rate (44.5%) remains among the highest.

Do underrepresented minorities have an advantage in medical school admissions?

The short answer is: kind of, but it’s complicated.

AAMC data show that applicants matriculate with lower MCAT scores and GPAs than non-URM groups. This pattern suggests a degree of flexibility in academic thresholds, allowing URM applicants to remain competitive with somewhat lower metrics.

However, that advantage does not translate into higher acceptance rates. In fact, URM groups still have lower overall acceptance rates than White and Asian applicants. A lower acceptance rate is not an advantage—it reflects a more competitive outcome at the population level.

What really shifts is how schools evaluate applications once someone clears the basic academic bar. Medical schools employ holistic review, considering a broad range of factors: personal experiences, community service, resilience, and mission fit, in addition to academic performance. For certain URM applicants, these elements may enhance the strength of their application, though they do not supplant the need for demonstrated academic readiness or ensure admission.

Admissions data reflect broad demographic trends and do not determine individual outcomes. Every matriculant, irrespective of background, must exhibit preparedness for the demands of medical education through robust academic credentials, meaningful clinical exposure, compelling recommendations, and strong interview performance.

Why do some ethnic groups have higher average MCAT scores than others?

Matriculant averages reflect who ultimately earns a seat, not who applies. Groups with higher averages likely need stronger stats to remain competitive in the applicant pool, while holistic factors may carry more weight for underrepresented groups.

Does affirmative action still exist in medical school admissions?

Following the 2023 Supreme Court ruling, race-conscious admissions policies were struck down. Schools can still consider an applicant’s background and lived experiences, but not race as a direct factor.

How to Gain Acceptance No Matter Your Background

Statistics apply to populations, not individuals. While it may be harder for some students based on average scores, med school is an individual race. The time, effort, dedication, and passion you put into your application are far more important than minor limitations like your ethnic background.

1 | Develop a Clear Application Narrative

Admission committees want to understand your motivations for pursuing medicine, how your experiences have shaped that decision, and what perspective you would bring to a medical school class. A clear, well-developed narrative helps contextualize your academic metrics and distinguish you from other applicants.

For a deeper breakdown of how to build a cohesive and compelling application narrative, read our step-by-step guide on how to develop a cohesive narrative for medical school applications.

2 | Gain Strong Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation provide insight into your character, work ethic, and readiness for medical training. Strong letters come from writers who know you well and can speak specifically to your growth and impact, rather than offering generic praise.

These letters carry significant weight, as they’re written by respected professionals. If you receive even a lukewarm letter, it shows the admissions committee that your letter writer doesn’t have anything notable to say about you. And that’s definitely not the impression you want to make on adcoms.

3 | Plan Early and Apply Strategically

Medical schools use rolling admissions, meaning applications are viewed as they are received. Applying early improves access to interviews and available seats. Early planning also allows time to finalize school lists, prepare secondaries, and avoid rushed submissions.

To ensure you stay ahead of the pack on every step of the application process, follow our Medical School Application Timeline, which breaks down everything you should be doing month-by-month. It’s updated every application cycle.

4 | Invest in Research Experience

When applicants have similar academic metrics and clinical exposure, research experience becomes one of the clearest differentiators. This matters not only for medical school admissions, but even more for what comes next.

Research is the only major extracurricular that carries forward. Publications, abstracts, and presentations earned before medical school still count when you apply to residency.

Not only this, but research expectations continue to rise across nearly every specialty. The average number of research items required for competitive specialties has increased steadily year over year, with some fields now averaging 20–35+ research items among matched applicants.

A strategic approach early pays dividends at every stage of medical training. We’ve distilled the process of becoming a research superstar into a stepwise and repeatable process. Access the Ultimate Premed & Medical Student Research Course, which breaks down how to choose the right projects, gain dozens of research items, and build work that continues to matter from premed to med school to residency.

5 | Build a Strategic School List

Be realistic with your school list, balancing target, reach, and safety schools. We recommend applying to 25-30 schools, and even more if you have lower-than-average scores. Most students don’t apply to enough medical schools because of poor guidance and generic advice.

Rather than relying on guesswork, the Medical School Chance Predictor uses admissions data to help applicants make more informed decisions when building their school lists.