Osteopathic Medical School Rankings by MCAT (2027)

I am a physician and a former medical school admissions committee member, and since 2007 I have helped thousands of applicants decide where to apply to medical school. Many of the strongest applicants I advise apply to both MD and DO programs, and they ask me the same question about osteopathic schools that I answer in my allopathic medical school rankings article: given my metrics (MCAT and GPA), what medical schools am I actually competitive for? Now, the real answer depends on a student's background and experiences, but that requires more context. For simplicity, it is best to start to ascertain your competitiveness based on metrics alone. Keep in mind, this is a starting point!

Below is every osteopathic medical school with a verifiable, current class profile, ranked by mean MCAT, along with how to read these figures without drawing the wrong conclusions from them.

Osteopathic Medical School Ranking Methodology and Data Sources

I rank osteopathic medical schools using the mean MCAT score of the entering class as the primary metric, with mean cumulative GPA as the tiebreaker when two schools report the same MCAT. There are no tiers. It is a single list from first to last, so you can see exactly why each school sits where it does and verify it yourself. One difference from my MD rankings matters here. MD schools report medians through the AAMC MSAR, but osteopathic schools almost universally report means, so this list uses means throughout.

The figures on this page come from AACOM's Choose DO Explorer, the osteopathic equivalent of the AAMC's MSAR, which reports the mean MCAT and GPA of each college's entering class. Each college submits its own data, and AACOM does not verify those figures. Where a school's figure comes from its own published class profile instead, the Data column says so. I show every figure exactly as reported, to one decimal place when the source reports one, and I rank on the reported value.

A school appears on this list only if I could verify a current figure for it. Several established schools, including the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, PCOM Georgia, and PCOM South Georgia, are not ranked here for that reason. I also exclude schools that hold pre-accreditation and have not yet graduated a class, such as Duquesne University's Nasuti College of Osteopathic Medicine, whose numbers I discuss in my guide to the best osteopathic medical schools. When a college reports a single figure across several campuses, as WesternU and Burrell do, that row reflects the combined figure. A school's absence from this list says nothing about its quality.

One caution about how close these numbers are. Every school on this list falls within twelve points of MCAT, from 497 to 508.8, and the top ten sit within about three points of one another. Means also shift more than medians do when a class includes a handful of unusually high or low scores. A 508 and a 506 are not a meaningful difference in selectivity, so treat the top of this list as a group of comparably competitive schools rather than a pecking order.

With regards to competitiveness, as I said at the start, metrics are a starting point. Every year we work with students who have high metrics, but may be less competitive than they think because of a less competitive narrative and experience profile. The reverse is true as well; sometimes students with lower metrics are more competitive than those numbers indicate because their narrative and experiences are so very compelling.

When deciding if you want to apply to osteopathic medical schools, I want to discuss that I have worked alongside osteopathic physicians in academic and community emergency departments throughout my career, and at the bedside, DOs and MDs practice medicine side by side with no difference. A point of MCAT tells you nothing about the physician a school produces. Every accredited osteopathic medical school will prepare you to become an excellent doctor. I publish these rankings for one reason, which is to help you understand where your scores make you competitive so you can build a balanced, realistic school list.

Academic data reflects the most recent entering classes as reported in the Choose DO Explorer in 2026 or published by each school, last reviewed November 2026. Schools update their class profiles annually, so confirm any individual school's current figures on its admissions website before you rely on them.

At MedEdits Medical Admissions, our physician and medical educator advisors help applicants to both MD and DO programs with every part of the process, from comprehensive admissions consulting to MCAT preparation. If you would like help deciding where to apply, schedule a free consultation.

Osteopathic Medical Schools Ranked by MCAT

A note on how to read this list. I rank every school by mean MCAT, with mean GPA as the tiebreaker, so the order is transparent and anyone can verify it. The strongest DO schools are separated by only a few points, so use the ranking to judge where your scores make you competitive, not to conclude that one school trains better physicians than another.

Figures are entering class means as reported in AACOM's Choose DO Explorer (2026), which are self-reported by each college, except where the Data column identifies the school's own published class profile. See the methodology section above for details. 34 schools ranked.

How DO Applicants Compare Nationally

According to AACOM, students who entered osteopathic medical schools in 2025 had a mean MCAT of 502.95, a mean overall GPA of 3.62, and a mean science GPA of 3.53. For comparison, the average MCAT for students entering MD schools is 512.1, as I explain in my guide to MCAT scores and percentiles. If your MCAT sits at or above the national DO mean, you are within range at a large share of the schools on this list, though every school reviews applications holistically.

Osteopathic medicine is also becoming more competitive. AACOM reported that the 2026 application cycle drew 26,506 applicants, an increase of nearly 13 percent over the prior year and the highest total since 2021. More applicants for a similar number of seats means the means in this table are more likely to rise than fall.

Keep residency in mind as well. Several public osteopathic schools give significant weight to state residency, and the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine and Sam Houston State University admit through TMDSAS rather than AACOMAS. For those schools, the class mean alone can overstate or understate your odds depending on where you live.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best osteopathic medical school in the United States?

By mean MCAT, the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University leads at 508.8, followed by WesternU's College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific at 508.4, Rowan-Virtua at 507.9, the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine at 507.2, and Des Moines University at 507.1. I would not read much into those gaps. The top of the list is separated by a few points of MCAT, so the honest answer is that there is a group of comparably selective schools rather than a single best one. For my assessment of the strongest programs on outcomes, research, and cost, see my guide to the best osteopathic medical schools.

How are these osteopathic medical schools ranked?

I rank every school by the mean MCAT of its entering class, and when two schools report the same MCAT I break the tie with the higher mean GPA. The figures come from AACOM's Choose DO Explorer or, where the table notes it, from the school's own published class profile. There are no tiers and no subjective weighting, so you can trace exactly why any school sits where it does.

What MCAT score do I need for a DO school?

The national mean for osteopathic matriculants is about 503, and the schools on this list range from 497 to 508.8. An MCAT of 507 or higher puts you at or above the mean at all but a handful of DO schools. Remember that a mean means many students in each class scored below it, and that a strong GPA, meaningful clinical experience, and a clear understanding of osteopathic medicine carry real weight.

Are MD or DO schools better?

Both lead to a fully licensed physician, and in my experience in emergency medicine, DOs and MDs practice alongside one another with no difference in the care they provide. DO seniors matched at 93.2 percent in the 2026 Main Residency Match, close to the 93.5 percent rate for MD seniors. I will be candid about one difference. The most competitive specialties and residency programs remain harder to match into as a DO, so if you are set on one of those fields, factor that into your decision and plan to excel on your board exams.

Should I apply to both MD and DO schools?

For many applicants, yes. If your MCAT and GPA fall near or below the MD averages, adding DO schools to your list can substantially improve your chances of acceptance. Apply to DO schools only if you genuinely want to practice as an osteopathic physician, because admissions committees can tell when an applicant has not taken the time to understand osteopathic medicine, and your application should show that understanding through experiences such as shadowing a DO.

How should I use this ranking to build my school list?

Compare your own MCAT and GPA against the means here, then build a balanced list with reach schools, target schools where you are near the mean, and several where you are comfortably above it. Factor in residency preferences, mission, and location. The most common mistake I see is applying only to the schools at the top of a list, and with DO applications rising every year, a balanced list matters more than ever.

Essential Resources for Osteopathic Medical School Applicants

Competitive MCAT scores are only one component of a successful application. Our physician advisors provide medical school admissions consulting, MCAT tutoring, personal statement editing, and interview preparation for both MD and DO applicants.

For official information, AACOM publishes admissions requirements and national applicant data, and its Choose DO Explorer lets you look up each college's current profile. You can confirm any school's accreditation status through the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. If you are also applying to allopathic programs, see my MD medical school rankings by MCAT. For school-by-school profiles of the strongest DO programs, see my guide to the best osteopathic medical schools.

About These MCAT-Based Rankings

These rankings use mean MCAT scores as the primary metric to provide a clear, standardized view of academic competitiveness across osteopathic medical schools. The MCAT is scored on a scale from 472 to 528, with a midpoint of 500. See the full MCAT score range and percentile table to see where your score falls.

MCAT scores are a significant factor in admissions, but osteopathic medical schools use holistic review that also weighs GPA, clinical experience, service, letters of recommendation, and your understanding of osteopathic principles. The best school for you depends on far more than a number, including location, mission, clinical training sites, cost, and fit with your career goals. For personalized guidance, contact MedEdits to schedule a consultation.

Data current as of November 2026. Rankings based on mean MCAT scores as reported in AACOM's Choose DO Explorer or published by each school. For the most current admissions data, consult individual school websites and AACOM.