There's no “magic” number. It depends on your destination of choice.
Taking the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a vital moment for aspiring lawyers. Law schools use that score as one important signal of academic readiness. It’s natural for prospective students to wonder if their score is good enough to get accepted by their preferred school.
While the LSAT is scored on a fixed scale of 120 to 180, the definition of “good” is relative.
A score that looks strong for one school might be below median at another, and even a very high score does not guarantee admission on its own. The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) says your score report also includes a percentile rank, which shows how your score compares with other test takers over the previous three testing years. That percentile context is what makes an LSAT score meaningful, not just the raw number itself.
Since we can’t just give you a single number, let’s dive into the context.
Key takeaway
A good LSAT score is not one magic number — it depends on the schools you’re targeting.
Compare your score with each school’s 25th, median, and 75th percentile LSAT range to see where you’re competitive, but remember that law schools still evaluate the full application, not the score alone.
What is the average LSAT score?
Because LSAC publishes percentile distributions rather than a simple “national average” headline number, the clearest official benchmark is the middle of the score distribution.
Based on the current LSAC percentile table, the middle of the pack is roughly 153–154. (The 49th percentile sits at 153; the 52nd percentile at 154.) That is a useful reality check: A score in the low 150s is not “bad,” but it is usually not the score range associated with the most selective law schools.
For admissions purposes, though, applicants usually care less about the overall test-taking average and more about school medians. This is your direct competition, after all.
For perspective, here are median LSAT scores for fall 2025 incoming classes at three law schools:
158
161
164
Those are all solid law schools, but they sit in different score bands. That is why a “good LSAT score” is best understood as a score that is competitive for your target list, not a score that sounds impressive in the abstract.
What percentile is considered a good LSAT score?
A “good” percentile usually starts once you are clearly above the middle of the distribution. On LSAC’s current table, a 160 is about the 73rd percentile, a 165 is about the 86th percentile, and a 170 is about the 95th percentile. Those jumps matter. Moving from 160 to 165 is not just five points; it is a sizable move in how you compare with the national pool.
Below we'll address specific numbers that draw questions from prospective law students.
Is 150 a good LSAT score?
A 150 is around the 39th percentile, so it is below the midpoint of the score distribution. That does not mean law school is out of reach. It does mean the score is unlikely to be competitive for highly selective programs, and it may put pressure on the rest of your application unless you are applying to schools where your score is closer to or above their 25th percentile.
Is 160 a good LSAT score?
Yes. A 160 is about the 73rd percentile, which makes it a genuinely strong score nationally. It is not a top-law-school lock, but it can make you competitive at many regional and mid-tier programs, especially when paired with a solid GPA and strong application materials.
Is 170 a good LSAT score?
Absolutely. A 170 is about the 95th percentile, which puts you in rare company. At that point, you are in the broad statistical neighborhood of highly selective schools. But even there, admission remains holistic. Harvard says that no one part of the file will settle the matter decisively, and that admissions decisions are based on the totality of available information.
What LSAT score do you need for top law schools?
For the most selective law schools, the answer is usually “very high.” According to the 2025 American Bar Association 509 reports for Yale, Harvard, and Stanford, these are the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles for the LSAT scores of their incoming classes:
In other words, once you are talking about Yale, Harvard, and Stanford, a “good LSAT score” usually means something in the low-to-mid 170s, not just “160-plus.”
There is an important nuance here: Elite schools do not admit by formula. Harvard explicitly says it has “no mechanical shortcuts” and evaluates applicants based on the full record. So even at the top end, score strength helps most when it is paired with a compelling grade-point average, essays, recommendations, and experiences.
What LSAT score is competitive for regional or mid-tier schools?
This is where most applicants should spend most of their energy. Regional and mid-tier schools often have medians in the upper 150s to low 160s. According to the 2025 American Bar Association 509 reports for Iowa, Missouri, and Marquette, these are the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles for the LSAT scores of their incoming classes:
That gives you a more grounded benchmark: a 156–162 score can be quite competitive depending on the school and the rest of your file.
Take note: If your score lands at or above a school’s median, you are usually in a healthier position. If it lands near the 25th percentile, admission may still be possible, but the rest of your application has to work harder.
Contextualizing “good”
- Compile your wish-list schools’ reported 25th, median, and 75th percentile ranges for LSAT scores, and judge where you are realistically competitive.
- For some applicants, a 156 might put a favorite regional school within reach.
- For others, a 173 could be the goal, because they are aiming at the most selective programs in the country.
- Regardless of your target, consider the LSAT score along with your GPA and the rest of your application.
What is the lowest LSAT score accepted to law school?
Just like we can’t say “170+ will guarantee you admission,” there is no universal lowest accepted LSAT score, and many schools do not publish an official minimum score.
Case in point: Denver Law says directly that there is no minimum LSAT score required for admission. Another example is Iowa Law, which describes its review process as “numbers-plus,” meaning the admissions committee reads applications in full and looks beyond scores alone.
That is why applicants with lower scores sometimes still get admitted, especially when they bring strong grades, compelling experience, or a clear case for readiness.
Remember: If you aren't happy with your score, you can retake the LSAT.
A retake makes sense if your score falls below your practice-test range, if something clearly went wrong on test day, or if a modest jump would make your target schools or scholarship outlook meaningfully better.
Ask yourself: Do I have a real basis to improve my score? If so, go for it.
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