Step 2 CK passing score: 218 since July 2025
The Step 2 CK passing score is 218 on the USMLE three-digit scale for all exams administered on or after July 1, 2025, replacing the earlier 214 standard. Checked November 2026.
Key facts
- The old minimum was 214, per USMLE.
- Examinees typically pass by answering about 60 percent correctly, per USMLE scoring guidance.
- First-taker pass rates 2024-25 were 98% US MD, 96% US DO, 90% non-US, USMLE.
- US MD seniors who matched averaged 250 on Step 2 CK in 2024, NRMP.
What is the Step 2 CK passing score?
The Step 2 CK passing score is 218, set by the USMLE Management Committee, up from 214 for exams administered on or after July 1, 2025. Scores are reported on a three-digit scale. The standard is reviewed periodically, typically every three to four years. See details on the USMLE scoring page.
Key figures at a glance:
Measure | Figure | Applies to | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
Minimum passing score | 218 | Exams on or after July 1, 2025 | USMLE |
Previous minimum | 214 | Exams before July 1, 2025 | USMLE |
US MD first takers passing | 98% | 2024-25, 22,249 tested | USMLE |
US DO first takers passing | 96% | 2024-25, 5,025 tested | USMLE |
Non-US first takers passing | 90% | 2024-25, 16,186 tested | USMLE |
If numbers are blurring, practice taking a history with an AI video patient, free to start, no card needed.
How is the Step 2 CK passing score set?
The Step 2 CK passing score is a fixed proficiency standard, not a curve that moves with each cohort. Examinees typically pass with about 60 percent correct, though the exact percentage varies from form to form. USMLE states there is "no predetermined percentage" who pass or fail on Step 2 CK.
USMLE source: Step 2 CK minimum passing score increased from 214 to 218 on July 1, 2025.
The Step 2 CK minimum passing score changed from 214 to 218 effective July 1, 2025, per USMLE.
See how USMLE explains the pass standard, and USMLE's June 2025 notice for the four-point increase.
If you’re comparing other exams, see how Step 3 gets scored and the COMLEX Level 2-CE line; Step 3's minimum is 200.
What do first-taker pass rates tell you?
First-taker pass rates for USMLE Step 2 CK are high: 98% of US MD first takers, 96% of US DO first takers, and 90% of non-US first takers passed in 2024-25. There is no curve and these figures do not change the minimum standard. Source: USMLE performance data.
USMLE performance data 2024 to 2025: first taker pass rates 98% MD, 96% DO, 90% non-US.
Earlier editions of that page define the Step 2 CK year as July 1 to June 30, so from what we can tell the 2024-25 rates come from before the new standard began. USMLE does not say so outright, and we found no rates published yet for the new standard.
A high pass rate isn’t a reason to skip planning, so stick to a plan, such as a finals study plan.
What does a Step 2 CK pass not tell you?
Passing Step 2 CK shows you cleared a licensing threshold, not where you rank, and a pass is not a competitive score. In 2024, US MD seniors who matched to their preferred specialty averaged 250 on Step 2 CK, against 242 for those who did not, per the NRMP Charting Outcomes report.
Averages are reference points, not targets, and the passing score is a floor, not a goalpost. Diagnosica does not predict your score and has no Step 2 CK question bank.
USMLE's Step 2 CK overview says the exam assesses whether you can apply knowledge to patient care under supervision. If you’re tuning clinical reasoning, read ranking likely diagnoses and earning clerkship honors to build habits that matter on the wards.
Example. Liam, 26 (simulated). He opens with months of diarrhea and weight loss. Mouth ulcers come up if you ask. Soreness around his back passage and his smoking come up only if you ask specifically. The useful facts only appear in a focused first history.
How Diagnosica helps with this
Talk to an AI video patient by voice or text, then get a scorecard.
Diagnosica app, scorecard, as of November 2026.
- Overall score out of 100 for the case.
- Four parts: history, tests, diagnosis, plan.
- Suggested next step based on gaps.
Simulated patient. Screenshot from Diagnosica, November 2026.
Where does the old 214 still show up?
The old 214 still lingers on older pages and in practice reports, so read the date rather than the number on any guide, chart, or PDF that crosses your screen. The Step 2 CK minimum has been 218 since July 1, 2025.
As of November 2026, UWorld's Step 2 exam guide still stated the minimum as 214. Cross-check any static pages against the current USMLE table before you treat it as settled truth. NBME says some reports may still use 214-based probabilities.
To stay current, run this check:
- Open your CCSSA or CCSE report and look for the date October 15, 2024 beside your estimated probability.
- Use NBME's recalculated table if you see that date; older figures may overestimate your chances.
- Confirm the number on the USMLE scoring page at usmle.org before you trust any blog, this one included.
USMLE says results typically arrive within four weeks, with at least eight weeks to allow for. For comparisons between preparation tools, see the Step 2 CK study picks. You can run a full case, and Diagnosica is educational and not built for one exam.
