Average LSAT Scores
August 4, 2025
When you're working hard studying and preparing for the LSAT, you naturally want to know how well other test takers score on the crucial exam. You're learning strategies, working on Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension questions, and taking practice tests. But the LSAT also evaluates performance under pressure, and it's valuable to know how you perform in stressful situations compared to others who sit for the test. Discovering how your average LSAT score stacks up to others is an important step in understanding your realistic law school admission options and odds.
We provide data in this article not only about general LSAT average scores, but also scores for top schools, and for test takers who aren't only in the U.S. The information is meant to be helpful as you aim for a top LSAT score. The intention isn't to get caught up in how other students perform, but to be aware of the competition there is for law school admission.
LSAT Average Scores: The Basics
Taking a look at the basics of LSAT scoring will provide a better understanding of the exam's score averages. It's also beneficial to be fully aware of how the scoring system works, and to keep the information in mind while you're taking the exam.
While significant changes were made to the LSAT in 2024 that eliminated Analytical Reasoning (commonly called Logic Games), added a second Logical Reasoning section to replace it, and revamped the Argumentative Writing task, they didn't affect scoring. There are still four multiple-choice sections of the exam with three of them scored: two Logical Reasoning; one Reading Comprehension; and one unscored Variable, or experimental, section that's either another Logical Reasoning or another Reading Comprehension section. The Argumentative Writing task, which is taken separately, remains unscored, although there's talk that may be changing soon. A copy of each test taker's essay is sent with the score report to their chosen law schools.
Scores are not broken out by section, so test takers only receive a total score, which is on a scale of 120 to 180 with one-point increments, adjusted from their raw score. Each question has the same value and no points are deducted for wrong responses, so it's worth taking your best guess when you don't know the answer. The score report also provides a percentile ranking showing how your score compares to everyone who took the LSAT over the previous three years. The number represents the percentage of test takers who had a lower score. For example, a percentile ranking of 75 means 75% of those who took the exam scored lower.
Overall Average Scores
The average LSAT score for the 2022-23 testing cycle was 152, according to the most recent statistics from the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), the developers and administrators of the LSAT. That score equates to the 46th percentile. The median, or 50th percentile, was just one point higher, at 153. Because this score information is from before the 2024 changes to the LSAT, the three scored sections of the exam at the time were Logical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, and Logic Games, instead of two Logical Reasoning and one Reading Comprehension as it is now.
Are you surprised by this data? The LSAT's average score can be higher or lower than many test takers expect. Find out how your average compares by taking a diagnostic LSAT exam online. The good news is we have high-quality practice tests at Manhattan Review that can help you figure out your current projected score.
Median LSAT Score by School
Knowing the LSAT scores of students at your top-choice law school and other schools you're considering is vital. It lets you assess the competition and have better awareness of each school's expectations for the applicants it admits. Law schools report the median LSAT score of their most recent first-year class each year instead of the average, which is the number you can use for your evaluation of schools' standards.
The chart below shows some elite law schools and the median LSAT score of their latest 2024 incoming class, along with the percentiles for those median scores. If your target schools aren't on the list, you can find the information on their websites by looking for the Standard 509 Information Report, which accredited law schools have to send to the American Bar Association each year. It includes LSAT score percentiles for the First-Year class, including the 50th percentile, which is the median score you want.
| LAW SCHOOL | Median LSAT Score for 2024 | Percentile |
| Harvard | 174 | 99th |
| Yale | 174 | 99th |
| Columbia | 173 | 98th |
| Stanford | 173 | 98th |
| University of Chicago | 173 | 98th |
| Washington University (St. Louis) | 173 | 98th |
| Cornell | 173 | 98th |
| NYU | 172 | 98th |
| University of Pennsylvania | 172 | 98th |
| Northwestern | 172 | 98th |
| University of Virginia | 172 | 98th |
| Georgetown | 171 | 97th |
| University of Texas | 171 | 97th |
| University of Michigan | 171 | 97th |
| UCLA | 170 | 96th |
| Duke | 170 | 96th |
| Berkeley | 170 | 96th |
Information about law schools' median LSAT scores can be positive or negative based on your score. The LSAT will be a beneficial part of your application if you're score is higher than the median at the school's where you plan to apply. But if it's lower than the median, you may need to rely more on other parts of your application to earn admission. You can also invest time and energy in focused study to improve your score and close the distance between a school's median LSAT score and your own. While a school's high median score can be intimidating at first, let it motivate you to dedicate yourself to a rigorous study plan for successful results.
Average GMAT Score by Country
The LSAT is accepted mainly by law schools in the U.S. and Canada, where it's an important part of a prospective student's application for admission. The overwhelming majority of LSAT test takers are American, with Canadians making up most of the rest. However, some students from elsewhere in the world do take the exam every year, with plans to attend law school in either the U.S. or Canada. Following is a chart showing the percentage of LSATs taken in the U.S., Canada, and Foreign Countries (which is everywhere else), as well as the average score for all three.
| COUNTRY | Percentage of Tests | Average Score
|
| United States | 88.5% | 152
|
| Canada | 8.3% | 153
|
| Foreign Countries | 3.2% | 154
|
| Total | 100% | 152
|
This data shows the highest average LSAT scores were achieved by test takers in Foreign Countries, followed by Canada and the U.S. However, the difference among them is only one or two points. How well does your average match up against the number for your country?
The Takeaway
To set a goal for your LSAT performance, you first need to figure out what it should be. Knowing this score data helps you understand how your score affects your law school applications and admissions chances. Dedicated studying is the key to elevating your score, upping your odds of being accepted by your dream law school. Chose the best study plan for you and your circumstances, and take mock exams along the way towards exam day to see how you progress toward your goal score.