Medical School Acceptance Rates by Race in 2025

August 13, 2025

Written By

Michael Minh Le

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The med school journey doesn’t begin with a white coat. It begins with an application. And who gets in (and who doesn’t) tells a powerful story.

In this article, we’ll break down the most current data on medical school acceptance rates by race in 2025: who’s applying, who’s being accepted, how the numbers have changed over time, and more. 

After years of mentoring hundreds of premeds from all different backgrounds, one thing is clear: the numbers reveal what you’re up against. And that kind of clarity doesn’t just inform you; it sharpens you. It shows you just how competitive you need to be to get in.

So, let’s get into the data.

Are There Racial Differences in Medical School Application Rates?

In the 2024–2025 application cycle, applicants identifying as Asian made up 29.1% of all medical school applicants, while White applicants accounted for about 47.5%. In contrast, Black or African American applicants represented 11.2%, Hispanic or Latino applicants were 12.0%, American Indian or Alaska Native applicants made up only 0.9%, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander applicants were 0.5% of the applicant pool.

What Race Represents Most Med School Matriculants?

In the 2024–2025 academic year, Asian students represented the largest share of U.S. medical school matriculants, making up 31.6% of the entering class. White students followed closely behind, accounting for 30.2%

What Race is Least Representented by Med School Matriculants?

In the 2024–2025 academic year, students identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native were the least represented among U.S. medical school matriculants, making up just 0.9% of the entering class. Close behind were Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander students, who accounted for 0.4% of matriculants.

How Many Med School Matriculants are Black or African American?

In the 2024–2025 academic year, 1,977 Black or African American students matriculated into U.S. MD-granting medical schools. This represents 8.8% of all matriculants nationwide.

How Many Med School Matriculants are Hispanic or Latino?

In the 2024–2025 academic year, 2,529 students identifying as Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish origin matriculated into U.S. MD-granting medical schools. This group represented 11.2% of all first-year medical students nationwide.

How Do Acceptance Rates Compare by Race?

In the 2024–2025 application cycle, about 50.6% of White applicants and 50.5% of Asian applicants were accepted into at least one MD program. For Hispanic or Latino applicants, that number dropped to 43.4%. And for Black or African American applicants, it was just 35.9%.

Even fewer actually matriculated:

  • White: 48.4%
  • Asian: 49.0%
  • Hispanic or Latino: 41.9%
  • Black: 34.1%

What are the Average GPA Scores by Race?

According to the AAMC’s 2023–2024 data for medical school applicants, the overall average GPAs by race/ethnicity were:

Race/Ethnicity Average Total GPA
Asian 3.83
White 3.80
Hispanic or Latino 3.66
Black or African American 3.59
American Indian or Alaska Native 3.64
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 3.65

What are the Average MCAT Scores by Race?

According to the AAMC's 2023–2024 data for applicants, the average MCAT total and section scores by race/ethnicity are as follows:

Race/Ethnicity CPBS CARS BBLS PSBB Total Score
Asian 128.7 127.3 128.8 129.5 514.3
White 127.9 127.4 128.2 129.0 512.5
Hispanic or Latino 126.4 125.4 126.9 127.6 506.3
Black or African American 126.1 125.5 126.5 127.6 505.7

How Have Med School Acceptance Rates by Race Changed Over the Years?

The number of matriculants from different racial and ethnic groups has changed gradually from the 2017–2018 academic year through 2024–2025:

Race/Ethnicity 2017–2018 2024–2025
Asian 24.2% 31.6%
White 56.9% 50.7%
Black or African American 8.3% 8.8% (peak 11.3% in 2021–22)
Hispanic or Latino ~10.8% 11.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native ~1.0% 0.9%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander ~0.3–0.4% 0.4%

References

Association of American Medical Colleges. (2023). Table A-16: MCAT scores and GPAs for applicants and matriculants to U.S. medical schools by race/ethnicity, 2023–2024. In AAMC FACTS: Applicants and Matriculants Data. Retrieved from https://www.aamc.org/media/6066/download

Association of American Medical Colleges. (2024). U.S. medical school matriculants by race/ethnicity, 2017‑2018 through 2024‑2025 [Data table]. In Applicants, Matriculants, Enrollment, and Graduates – FACTS: Applicants and Matriculants Data. Retrieved from AAMC Applicant Matriculant Data File as of November 4, 2024

Associated Press. (2024, April 9). The total number of medical school applicants fell to the lowest level since 2017–18. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/c85e959fd1a08431377f18693ec6d77c

About the Author

Hey, I'm Mike, Co-Founder of Premed Catalyst. I earned my MD from UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine. Now, I'm an anesthesiology resident at Mt. Sinai in NYC. I've helped hundreds of premeds over the past 7 years get accepted to their dream schools. As a child of Vietnamese immigrants, I understand how important becoming a physician means not only for oneself but also for one's family. Getting into my dream school opened opportunities I would have never had. And I want to help you do the same.