Select a school above to see the target LSAT range.
How the LSAT Is Scored: Raw Score to Scaled Score
The LSAT uses a two-step scoring process. Your raw score is simply the number of questions you answered correctly. No partial credit, no penalty for wrong answers. Every blank and every incorrect response earns zero.
Raw score = Number of questions answered correctly
LSAC then converts the raw score to a scaled score between 120 and 180 using a test-specific equating table finalized after each administration. The equating step accounts for any differences in question difficulty across exam dates: a slightly harder exam gets a more generous curve, and a slightly easier one gets a tighter curve. The goal is that a 165 from one test date represents identical ability to a 165 from any other date.
The current digital LSAT (administered since August 2024) has 3 scored sections: Logical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, and a second Logical Reasoning section. Total scored questions: approximately 76. Older 4-section paper-based exams used 92 to 101 scored questions. The calculator above defaults to 76 questions for any recent administration. If you are scoring a practice test from before August 2024, select the appropriate total from the dropdown.
Official scores are released approximately 5 weeks after your test date. Your score report shows your scaled score, percentile rank, and a writing sample status. LSAC also sends your scores to all law schools you authorized, and all scores remain on record for 5 years.
LSAT Score Percentiles: What Each Number Means
LSAC reports percentile ranks based on a rolling three-year average of LSAT scores rather than any single administration. The percentile tells you the share of test-takers you scored above. A 160 is approximately the 80th percentile, meaning you performed better than about 80% of recent LSAT test-takers. The median score sits around 151 to 152, or just below the 50th percentile.
| Scaled score | Approx. percentile | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 180 | 99.9th | Rare perfect score |
| 175 | 99th | T6 median range |
| 171 | 97th | T14 competitive floor |
| 168 | 96th | T14 lower half median range |
| 165 | 93rd | Top 25 competitive |
| 160 | 80th | Top 50 accessible |
| 155 | 63rd | ABA-accredited strong |
| 152 | 49th | Near median |
| 150 | 44th | Typical ABA minimum |
| 145 | 26th | Floor for most ABA schools |
| 140 | 13th | Limited ABA options |
| 135 | 5th | Below most ABA thresholds |
| 120 | Below 1st | Lowest possible score |
Two things to keep in mind when reading these bands. Law school admissions offices compare your score against their own applicant pool, not against the full LSAT population. And LSAC sends all of your scores from the past 5 years to any school you authorize. Most schools use your highest score when calculating their medians for ABA reporting, though all scores are visible to the admissions staff reading your file.
LSAT Score Targets by Law School Tier
The table below shows typical median LSAT scores and 25th to 75th percentile ranges for major law school tiers. Data reflects ABA-required 509 disclosures from the 2023 to 2024 admissions cycle. Individual schools vary; verify against each school's current ABA 509 report or its ABA disclosure page before finalizing your target list.
| School tier | Median LSAT | 25th pctile | 75th pctile | Representative schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T6 (top six programs) | 174 | 171 | 176 | Yale, Harvard, Stanford, Chicago, Columbia, NYU |
| T14 lower half | 170 | 167 | 173 | Penn, Virginia, Michigan, Duke, Northwestern, Cornell |
| T14 lower end | 168 | 163 | 172 | Georgetown, UCLA |
| Top 15 to 25 | 165 | 160 | 169 | UT Austin, USC, Notre Dame, BU, UC Irvine |
| Top 26 to 50 | 160 | 155 | 164 | Minnesota, Tulane, Temple, Loyola Chicago |
| Top 51 to 100 | 155 | 150 | 160 | Regional ABA programs, state flagships |
| ABA-accredited general | 149 | 145 | 155 | Most regional ABA programs |
| Below typical floor | Below 145 | -- | -- | Admission unlikely at most ABA schools |
The T14 label refers to the 14 law schools that have historically remained in the top tier of US News rankings and whose degree carries consistent brand recognition in the legal profession. Test-optional policies are rare in law school admissions. Most ABA-accredited programs require the LSAT or GRE, and more than 80% of applicants still submit LSAT scores rather than GRE. Source: LSAC official score interpretive information.
Raw-to-Scaled Conversion: Why It Is Not Linear
The raw-to-scaled conversion table in the score reference section shows the full mapping for a typical 76-question digital LSAT. The conversion is not a straight line. Near the middle of the scale, around 28 to 48 correct, each additional correct answer typically moves you 1 scaled point. Near the top, the curve compresses sharply: going from 70 correct to 76 correct (a 6-question swing) moves you only from about 169 to 180. At the lower end, the curve spreads out again.
For test prep planning, the most useful concept is the "mistake budget" at your target scaled score. To reach 165, you can miss roughly 22 to 24 questions on a 76-question exam. Each additional correct answer in that neighborhood buys you about 0.5 to 1 scaled point. The tightest curves are at the top: between 170 and 180, the conversion caps quickly, and the margin for error is 6 to 8 questions at most.
LSAT vs. GRE for Law School: Which Should You Take?
This is one of the most common questions for law school applicants, and the answer depends on your actual practice-test performance on both. Most ABA-accredited programs now accept the GRE, including all T14 schools. The LSAT remains the standard: over 80% of applicants submit LSAT scores.
There is a structural reason to prefer the LSAT for T14 applications. Schools report their LSAT 25th and 75th percentile scores for ABA rankings and US News rankings. An applicant submitting only a GRE score does not count toward those reported LSAT percentiles, which can make programs more willing to accept a lower GRE score without affecting their published statistics. This can work in your favor if you score significantly better on the GRE.
The LSAT and GRE test different cognitive skills. The LSAT's Logical Reasoning sections emphasize formal argument analysis and inference in a way that has no direct parallel in the GRE. The GRE Verbal section leans more on vocabulary and reading comprehension. GRE Quantitative tests algebra, geometry, and data analysis at a difficulty level that most STEM applicants find manageable. If you have a strong math background, your GRE Quant score is likely higher than anything the LSAT measures, but law schools pay far more attention to the verbal and logical reasoning sections.
If you have time to prepare for one test properly, prepare for the LSAT. If you already have a strong GRE score from a recent administration and your target schools accept it, submit the GRE. For a broader picture of your admissions profile beyond test scores, use the LSAC GPA calculator to see how your undergraduate grades translate to the LSAC scale law schools use when evaluating applications. You can also compare your test options using our GRE score calculator.
What Your LSAT Score Means for Law School Admissions
The LSAT carries more weight in law school admissions than undergraduate GPA at most schools, particularly for the T14. Programs use LSAT medians to protect their ABA rankings and US News rankings, which are directly influenced by the 25th and 75th percentile scores of the incoming class.
Three specific score levels translate to distinct outcomes:
A 174 opens options at nearly every T14 program. You are above the median at most schools in the T6, competitive at all T14, and a strong scholarship candidate at schools where your score exceeds their 75th percentile.
A 165 puts you in the competitive range for Top 25 programs and positions you for meaningful merit aid at Top 50 schools. For T14 admission, a 165 would typically require a 3.8 or higher undergraduate GPA plus strong professional experience and compelling personal statements to compensate for the score gap.
A 155 gives you solid access to ABA-accredited regional programs and may yield substantial merit aid at schools where that score sits at or above their 75th percentile. Retaking to improve by 5 to 10 points at this level is almost always worth the investment in preparation time.
LSAC sends your highest score by default, though all individual test scores remain visible in your score report. Most law schools use the highest score when calculating their reported medians. Retaking the LSAT is common, and average score improvement on a retake is approximately 2 to 3 points, with larger gains possible (8 to 12 points or more) for test-takers who identified specific weaknesses and addressed them before retesting. For a full view of your admissions profile, pair this calculator with the LSAC GPA calculator and consider how your law school GPA will read to admissions committees.
This calculator estimates LSAT scaled scores using anchor points from typical LSAC raw-to-scaled conversion charts. LSAC applies test-specific equating after each administration; your official score may differ by 1 to 3 points. Percentile ranks are based on rolling three-year LSAC data and shift slightly year to year. Law school median LSAT data reflects ABA 509 disclosures from the 2023 to 2024 admissions cycle. For official scoring documentation, consult LSAC's official score interpretive information. Last verified: May 2026.