USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 are meant to be licensing exams, however residency programs use them as a competitive tool for matching into programs. While you must pass the USMLE Step 1, the chart below summarizes the average USMLE Step 2 CK score by residency according to the AAMC Charting the Outcomes Data.
However, your step score is only one crucial variables. Explore each medical specialty spotlight article to review details about residencies, including:
- Specialty competitiveness, including number of applicants, and match rate
- DO and IMG match rates
- Average USMLE scores required
- Honors, research and awards required
- Lifestyle and duration of residency
- Expected salary after graduation
- Top fellowship opportunities in the U.S.
- Top residency opportunities in the U.S.
Read more about med school match.
Average Step Scores for Residency
Be sure to click into each specialty for more detail on getting a career started in that medical pathway!
| Specialty | Average Step 2 Score (Matched) |
|---|---|
| Anesthesiology | 246 |
| Child Neurology | 246 |
| Dermatology | 256 |
| Diagnostic Radiology | 249 |
| Emergency Medicine | 247 |
| Family Medicine | 238 |
| General Surgery | 249 |
| Internal Medicine | 248 |
| Internal Medicine/Pediatrics | 250 |
| Interventional Radiology | 255 |
| Neurological Surgery | 252 |
| Neurology | 245 |
| Obstetrics and Gynecology | 248 |
| Orthopaedic Surgery | 255 |
| Otolaryngology | 256 |
| Pathology | 242 |
| Pediatrics | 245 |
| Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation | 241 |
| Plastic Surgery | 256 |
| Psychiatry | 241 |
| Radiation Oncology | 250 |
| Vascular Surgery | 247 |
