What's a Good LSAT Score?

What LSAT score do you need? The answer to this question depends heavily on your individual law school aspirations. There’s no single “good” LSAT score that applies to everyone. Instead, learn how your score aligns with the average scores of the law schools you’re targeting.

The LSAT is scored on a 120–180 scale, with the average score around 153. However, aiming for the average may not be sufficient depending on your goals. Different tiers of law schools have different score expectations.

For example, top-tier law schools look for scores above 167. Mid-tier schools will want you to have a score between 153–166. So when you set an LSAT score goal it’s very important to research the media LSAT scores of the specific law schools you are interested in.

Key Takeaways

• The LSAT is scored on a 120-180 scale, with the average score around 153.
• Your raw score is converted to a scaled score using a unique formula for each test.
• Percentile scores show how you performed compared to other test-takers.
• A majority of LSAT test takers score between 145 and 160.
• You don’t need a perfect raw score to achieve a high scaled score. You can miss several questions and still score in the 160s or even the 170s.

Below are LSAT scores and score ranges for different tiered Law Schools.

Top LSAT Scores: Top 10% of Test Takers

A sampling of law schools with median LSAT scores at or above the 90th percentile for admitted applicants.

BEST SCALED SCORE RANGE: 167+

• Yale University: 177
• Harvard University: 176
• Stanford University: 175
• University of Chicago: 175
• Columbia University: 175
• University of Pennsylvania (Carey): 174
• New York University: 174
• Northwestern University (Pritzker): 174
• University of California, Berkeley: 173
• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor: 172
• University of Virginia: 172
• Duke University: 172

LSAT score isn’t the only factor in law school admissions. Including GPA shows a slightly different list of top law schools.

Competitive LSAT Scores: Top 25% of Test Takers

A sampling of law schools with median LSAT scores at or above the 75th – 89th percentile for admitted applicants.
GREAT SCALED SCORE RANGE: 160-166

• University of Colorado-Boulder: 166
• Pepperdine University: 166
• University of Wisconsin-Madison: 165
• Indiana University-Bloomington: 165
• University of Iowa: 165
• Northeastern University: 165
• University of Arizona:164
• Tulane University: 163
• Georgia State University: 162
• Florida International University:161

Good Enough LSAT Scores: Top 50% of Test Takers

A sampling of law schools with median LSAT scores at or above the 50th – 74th percentile for admitted applicants. These scores put you ahead of the pack, but won’t be as advantageous when applying to highly competitive programs
GOOD SCALED SCORE RANGE: 153-159

• University of Buffalo-SUNY: 159
• University of St. Thomas (Minnesota): 159
• Drake University: 157
• Cleveland State University: 157
• Elon University: 156
• Northern Kentucky University: 156
• University of Illinois-Chicago: 155
• Mississippi College: 154
• Florida A&M University: 154
• University of North Dakota: 153

Below Average LSAT Scores: Bottom 50% of Test Takers

A sampling of law schools with median LSAT scores below the 50th percentile for admitted applicants.
BELOW AVERAGE SCALED SCORE RANGE: 152 or below

• Northern Illinois University: 152
• Jones School of Law: 152
• Appalachian School of Law: 151
• Northern Kentucky University: 152
• Jones School of Law: 151
• University of Puerto Rico: 151
• Western Michigan University (Cooley): 151
• Southern University: 149
• Inter American University School of Law: 147
• Pontifical Catholic University: 141

As of Aug, 2024. Source for LSAT scores

How is the LSAT Scored?

The LSAT scoring system involves several components: raw score, scaled score, and percentile score. Understanding each of these is important for knowing how to interpret your LSAT results and assess your law school application prospects.

Raw LSAT Scores

Your raw score is simply the total number of questions you answer correctly on the LSAT. With approximately 77-78 questions on the test, your raw score represents how many of those you got right. There is no penalty for incorrect answers on the LSAT, so it’s always best to answer every question, even if you’re guessing.

Scaled LSAT Scores (120-180)

The raw score is then converted into a scaled score, which ranges from 120 (the lowest possible score) to 180 (a perfect score). This scaled score is what law schools use to evaluate your application. 

The conversion from raw to scaled score is not a simple one-to-one ratio. Instead, a mathematical formula specific to each LSAT administration is used to ensure fairness and minimize variations in scores across different tests and test dates. This means that getting one question wrong does not necessarily equal one point lost in your scaled score.

For example, getting a raw score of about 69-70 often converts to a scaled score of 170. A raw score of 57-58 typically converts to a scaled score of 160 and 47-48 correct answers will produce a scaled score of 153 on the LSAT.

LSAT Percentile Scores

Your percentile score compares your performance to other test-takers. It indicates the percentage of test-takers you scored higher than or lower than. For instance:

• A scaled score of 170 places you above the 95th percentile, meaning you scored higher than 95% of other test-takers.
• A scaled score of 160 is typically around the 75th percentile.
• A scaled score of 166 is roughly the 90th percentile.
• A scaled score of 153 lands you squarely in the 50th percentile.

Percentile scores provide context for your scaled score and help you understand how you performed relative to other applicants.

Percentile	scaled score	# of correct answers
10th	139	29
20th	144	35
30th	147	39-40
40th	150	43-44
50th	153	47-48
60th	156	51-52
70th	159	55-56
80th	162	60-61
90th	166	65-66
95th	170	69-70
99th	175	73-74

Expert Test Tip

Monika Moore, LSAT Tutor and Teacher

“It is all about quality over quantity. So many students think that if you take a certain number of prep tests to prepare, you will get a good score – but that is not often the case. You are much better served to take fewer tests and to spend significant time analyzing and reviewing the material to learn from your mistakes.”

How is Your LSAT Score Considered for Law School Admissions?

Your LSAT score is a crucial factor in determining where you go to law school—or if you go at all. Law school admission committees look at your LSAT score to determine if you have the skills required for success in law school. It helps admissions officers compare your record with those of students from other schools.

Most law schools use an “index formula” — a weighting of your LSAT score and undergraduate cumulative GPA to determine your application’s objective strength. Almost universally, the LSAT score has a greater weight than your undergraduate GPA, accounting for more than 50% of the admissions decision.

What constitutes a strong LSAT score may vary by law school program, according to Kaplan Test Prep’s most recent survey of law school admissions officers, but poor performance on the exam can severely damage your chances of getting in. According to the nearly 100 admissions officers we spoke with in 2018, 49 percent say a low LSAT score is “the biggest application dealbreaker”; a poorly written personal essay placed second at 22 percent.

So while Law School Admissions officers often rank LSAT as the number one factor in law school admissions, your LSAT score does not stand alone. Whether or not you are admitted to law school depends on other factors, too, such as GPA, recommendations and personal statement. 

In addition to focusing on getting the best LSAT score possible, you should also work on obtaining the best GPA possible, writing a spectacular personal statement, flattering professors and professionals into writing outstanding letters of recommendation, and rounding out your resume.

[ NEXT: When Should I Take the LSAT? ]