LSAT Percentiles: What Each Score Means on the 120-180 Scale
An LSAT percentile is the share of test-takers you outscored. Here is the score-to-percentile chart for 2026, from a 152 near the middle to a 170 in the 95th percentile.
An LSAT percentile is the share of recent test-takers who scored below you, so a 95th-percentile score means you outscored about 95 percent of them. On the 120 to 180 scale, the middle of the field sits in the low 150s, a 160 lands near the 73rd percentile, and a 170 reaches about the 95th. Percentiles are the cleanest way to read a score, because they do not depend on any single school.
LSAT score-to-percentile chart
The table below uses LSAC percentile data aggregated over the 2022 to 2025 testing years, rounded to the nearest whole percentile. The LSAC recomputes percentiles from the three most recent testing years, so they shift slightly over time. Treat these as close approximations rather than fixed values.
| Scaled score | Percentile (2022-2025) | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 180 | 99.9th | the top of the scale, reached by a fraction of a percent |
| 175 | 98.9th | near the ceiling |
| 170 | 95th | the T14 range |
| 165 | 86th | strong against the field |
| 160 | 73rd | above average, competitive widely |
| 155 | 56th | just above the midpoint |
| 152 | 45th | around the middle of the field |
| 150 | 38th | below the midpoint |
| 145 | 22nd | bottom quartile |
| 140 | 11th | lower band |
| 135 | 5th | low band |
| 130 | 2nd | near the floor |
| 120 | 0 | the bottom of the scale |
Source: LSAC LSAT percentile data, 2022-2025 testing years. Percentiles update yearly and are approximate.
Percentiles versus school medians. A percentile tells you how you did against everyone. A school median, from its ABA 509 report, tells you whether your score helps you there. Use the percentile to read the score and the median to set your target.
How LSAT percentiles are calculated
The LSAC computes each score percentile from the pool of test-takers across the three most recent testing years, currently 2022 through 2025. Because the curve equates difficulty across forms, your percentile reflects how your scaled score ranks against real people, not how hard your particular test was. The path from raw score to scaled score to percentile is covered in the score conversion guide, and you can see each individual score broken down on the score guide for 120 to 180.
Why percentiles matter for your target
- Read your score against the field: a percentile turns a 165 into higher than about 86 percent of test-takers.
- Compare to school medians, not just the percentile: a 90th-percentile score can still sit below a top-14 median.
- Set a target from the medians at your schools, then work back to the practice score you need.
- Watch the band, not one test: practice scores vary, so aim for a percentile range rather than a single number.
To turn a percentile into real admissions context, ScoreGap pairs your score with official data. The admissions probability calculator estimates your chances at 195 ABA-accredited schools from your LSAT and GPA using ABA 509 data, and the analytics dashboard plots where your practice scores are heading so you can see which percentile band is in reach. Both are estimates of competitiveness, not guarantees, and the free tier is uncapped, so you can create a free account to track your trend. For what these numbers mean for admissions, see what is a good LSAT score.
Source: LSAC LSAT percentile data, 2022-2025 testing years; percentiles update yearly. Raw-to-scaled conversion is approximate and varies by administration.
FAQs
What percentile is a 170 on the LSAT?
About the 95th percentile, so a 170 outscores about 95 percent of test-takers. It sits in the range of many top-14 law school medians, which is why it is treated as a strong score almost anywhere.
What is the average LSAT percentile?
By definition the 50th percentile is the middle, which falls around a scaled score of 153 to 154. The average scaled score is about 151 to 152, so the middle of the field sits in the low 150s.
What percentile is a 160 on the LSAT?
About the 73rd percentile, so a 160 is well above average and competitive at a wide range of schools. For reference, a 165 is near the 86th percentile and a 155 near the 56th.
How are LSAT percentiles calculated?
The LSAC computes them from test-takers across the three most recent testing years, currently 2022 to 2025. Each scaled score is ranked against that pool, so percentiles shift slightly each year as the data updates.
What LSAT percentile do I need for law school?
It depends on your target schools. Many schools outside the top tier have medians in the low-to-mid 150s, around the 40th to 65th percentile, while the most competitive programs cluster near the 95th and above. Compare your score to each school ABA 509 median rather than to a single percentile.