Osteopathic medicine is no longer the "backup plan" that some med school applicants and parents still imagine. In the 2026 application cycle, AACOM reported 26,506 applicants to osteopathic medical schools, a 12.83 percent increase over the prior year and the most since 2021. Colleges of osteopathic medicine now educate close to 30 percent of all U.S. medical students. As a board-certified emergency physician, a former admissions committee member and Associate Residency Director at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and the founder of MedEdits, I have evaluated applicants at both stages of medical training, and I have advised premedical students on their school lists since 2007. The first question applicants considering DO programs ask me is almost always the same: which osteopathic medical schools are the best?
The honest answer is that "best" depends on what you want from your medical education. Some DO schools are highly selective and research intensive. Others lead the entire country, MD schools included, in producing primary care physicians and doctors who practice in rural and underserved communities. In this guide, I rank the most selective osteopathic medical schools by mean MCAT and describe the strongest programs using the most current data available, including AACOM's Choose DO Explorer, AACOM's enrollment and research reports, the 2026 U.S. News outcome rankings, and the 2026 NRMP Main Residency Match. I also share what I have seen firsthand about how DO and MD physicians practice together, and where the paths still differ.
There is no official ranking of osteopathic medical schools by quality, and I would be skeptical of any list that claims to have one. Instead, I look at three things that are measurable and that matter to applicants. The first is selectivity, which I measure using the mean MCAT and GPA each school reports for its entering class in the Choose DO Explorer. The second is outcomes, meaning where graduates actually practice, as measured by U.S. News. The third is research capacity, which matters if you are considering academic medicine or a competitive specialty.
A note on the data: the Choose DO Explorer is the osteopathic equivalent of the AAMC's MSAR, and unlike the MSAR, it is free. Each college submits its own information, and AACOM states that it does not verify those figures. I accessed the Explorer in October 2026, and I always recommend that applicants confirm numbers on each school's admissions page before finalizing a school list.
According to AACOM, there are 48 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine operating at 75 teaching locations in 36 states. AACOM's enrollment data show 40,806 osteopathic medical students enrolled in the 2025 to 2026 academic year and 9,019 graduates. The growth over the past decade has been remarkable: osteopathic matriculants rose from 6,368 in 2015 to 2016 to 10,297 in 2025 to 2026, an increase of 62 percent, and total enrollment has grown more than tenfold since 1977 to 1978. The 2025 entering class had a mean MCAT of 502.95 and a mean overall GPA of 3.62. Outcomes are strong: AACOM reports that a record 99 percent of DO graduates obtained residency positions in 2025.
Those national averages are useful context, but they fail to explain the wide range of selectivity. The most selective DO schools enroll classes with mean MCAT scores between 505 and 509, which overlaps with many MD programs. If you are targeting the schools below, you should plan your application accordingly.
Applicants often ask me whether choosing a DO school will limit them as physicians. I have practiced emergency medicine in urban and suburban hospitals, in academic medical centers, and in community hospitals. In every one of those settings, DO and MD physicians have practiced alongside one another, and there is no difference. Both are fully licensed physicians who train in the same residency programs, care for the same patients, and work on the same teams.
The data on the transition to residency support what I have seen. In the 2026 Main Residency Match, U.S. DO seniors matched into first-year residency positions at a rate of 93.2 percent, the highest on record for DO seniors, compared with 93.5 percent for U.S. MD seniors.
However, something applicants and parents must be aware of is that it is tougher for DO graduates to match into the more competitive residencies and specialties. If you already know you are drawn to a highly competitive field, factor that into your school list, and look closely at each school's research opportunities and residency placement record. For a full comparison of the two degrees, including training, licensing exams, and salary, see my guide to DO vs MD.
The Choose DO Explorer groups schools into mean MCAT bands. The following schools fall into its highest band, with entering class mean MCAT scores of 505.3 or above. I have ranked them by mean MCAT.
| Rank | School | Location | Mean MCAT | Mean GPA | First-Year Class | Annual Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University | Downers Grove, IL | 508.8 | 3.66 | 210 | $85,232 |
| 2 | WesternU College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific | Pomona, CA, and Lebanon, OR | 508.4 | 3.72 | 225 (Pomona) | $72,040 |
| 3 | Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine | Stratford and Sewell, NJ | 507.9 | 3.72 | 300 (both campuses) | $50,680 in-state; $78,086 out-of-state |
| 4 | Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine | West Des Moines, IA | 507.1 | 3.71 | 227 | $68,620 |
| 5 | Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine | East Lansing, Detroit, and Clinton Township, MI | 506.7 | 3.75 | 281 | $43,776 in-state; $61,838 out-of-state (2025 to 2026) |
| 6 | Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine | Vallejo, CA | 506.1 | 3.59 | 188 | $69,300 |
| 7 | Duquesne University Nasuti College of Osteopathic Medicine | Pittsburgh, PA | 505.7 | 3.63 | 129 | $66,698 (2025 to 2026) |
| 8 | Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine | Henderson, NV | 505.6 | 3.63 | 200 | $72,080 |
Source: AACOM Choose DO Explorer, accessed October 2026. Data are self-reported by each college. Tuition is for 2026 to 2027 unless noted. First-year class sizes reflect the most recent year each school reported, which is 2024 to 2025 for most schools and 2025 to 2026 for Des Moines University.
My picks include the most selective schools in the table above, along with two schools that fall just outside the Explorer's top MCAT band but that I consider among the strongest osteopathic programs in the country: NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
CCOM reports the highest mean MCAT of any osteopathic medical school in the Explorer at 508.8, with a mean GPA of 3.66. Its class is split nearly evenly between Illinois residents and out-of-state students, which makes it a realistic target for strong applicants from anywhere. Core clinical rotations take place at affiliated hospitals and clinics in the Chicagoland area. The tradeoff is cost: CCOM's tuition of $85,232 is the highest in this group, and the school reports average graduate indebtedness of $331,986.
Founded in 1898, Des Moines University is one of the oldest osteopathic medical schools in the country, and it recently moved to a new campus in West Des Moines with a simulation center accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. Its entering class reports a mean MCAT of 507.1 and a mean GPA of 3.71. What stands out to me is how nationally open DMU is: 191 of its 227 first-year students came from outside Iowa. It ranks 14th for primary care and 12th for rural practice in the 2026 U.S. News rankings, and it offers a DO/PhD in biomedical sciences along with DO/MPH, DO/MHA, and master's dual degrees.
If I had to name one osteopathic medical school that excels on every dimension I measure, it would be Michigan State. MSUCOM became the first university-based osteopathic medical school in the country when it moved to Michigan State's East Lansing campus in 1971. Its entering class reports the highest mean GPA among the most selective DO schools at 3.75, with a mean MCAT of 506.7. It is ranked fourth in the nation, among all MD and DO schools, for graduates practicing in primary care and second for graduates practicing in medically underserved areas in the 2026 U.S. News rankings. It is also the research leader among osteopathic schools: AACOM's 2026 research report found that MSUCOM accounted for 33.2 percent of extramurally funded research projects across colleges of osteopathic medicine. As a public school, it offers the lowest in-state tuition in this group, and it offers DO/PhD, DO/MPH, and DO/MBA programs. Students train at one of three sites and complete clerkships through a statewide network of affiliated hospitals in Michigan. Applicants should note that MSUCOM's primary application deadline is December 1, 2026, which is far earlier than most DO schools.
NYITCOM enrolled its first class of 36 students in 1977 and has since graduated more than 9,000 physicians. Today it is one of the largest osteopathic medical schools in the country, with campuses in Old Westbury on Long Island and in Jonesboro, Arkansas, where it opened the state's first osteopathic medical school in 2016 on the campus of Arkansas State University. Its Class of 2027 included 432 students from 34 states, with a mean MCAT of 506 and a mean overall GPA of 3.7, according to the school's most recent viewbook. NYITCOM is a strong choice for applicants interested in research and academic medicine. It offers a seven-year DO/PhD, a DO/MS in Academic Medicine, MBA and MPH dual options, and a Center for Global Health, and its faculty research is funded by the NIH, the NSF, and the American Heart Association, among others. Students on Long Island have access to more than 3,000 clinical education opportunities across the New York tri-state area. The school reports a residency placement rate of 97.9 percent for its 2025 to 2026 graduates and 99.0 percent for 2023 to 2024.
Founded in 1899, PCOM is one of the oldest and largest osteopathic medical schools in the country, with DO campuses in Philadelphia, Suwanee, Georgia, and Moultrie, Georgia, and 1,921 DO students enrolled across those campuses in fall 2025. It is also one of the most selective. For its Philadelphia campus entering class of 2026, PCOM reports 9,069 applicants, 506 acceptances, and 269 matriculants, which means about 5.6 percent of applicants were accepted. That class had an average MCAT of 505. PCOM's outcomes are among the most consistent I have seen: the Philadelphia campus reports a postgraduate placement rate of 100 percent in 2026 and at least 99 percent in every year since 2019. Its alumni network is a real advantage as well, with more than 14,000 living DO alumni, including more than 5,700 practicing in Pennsylvania. PCOM reports average indebtedness of $266,892 for its 2025 to 2026 DO graduates, which is the lowest of any of the schools in this guide. Applicants should complete their AACOMAS application by February 1, 2027, and PCOM states that early submission is strongly recommended.
Rowan-Virtua in southern New Jersey is one of the strongest options in the Northeast and one of the best values in osteopathic medicine for New Jersey residents. Its entering class reports a mean MCAT of 507.9 and a mean GPA of 3.72. Rowan-Virtua is second only to Michigan State in research activity, with 18.5 percent of extramurally funded projects across all osteopathic colleges, and it offers an unusually broad set of dual degrees, including a DO/PhD in biomedical engineering, a DO/JD, a DO/MBA, and a DO/MPH. The school reports that its most recent accreditation review resulted in "Accreditation with Exceptional Outcome" through 2031 to 2032. The class leans in-state, with 175 of 269 Stratford matriculants coming from New Jersey, but the school states that it encourages out-of-state applicants. Rowan-Virtua offers an Early Decision Program, and its regular deadline is February 1, 2027.
COMP in Pomona reports a mean MCAT of 508.4 and a mean GPA of 3.72, and it is ranked eighth nationally for graduates practicing in primary care. COMP also operates a campus in Lebanon, Oregon, renamed the Heatherington College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2025, which serves the Pacific Northwest. Applicants should understand the residency pattern of the class: 207 of 225 first-year students at the Pomona campus were California residents. Out-of-state applicants should look closely at the Oregon campus, where most matriculants come from outside the state. COMP requires a letter from a physician and accepts only in-person shadowing, so plan ahead.
Touro California in Vallejo reports a mean MCAT of 506.1 and is ranked ninth nationally for graduates practicing in primary care. The school describes structural competency, meaning the social and economic factors that shape a patient's health, as a core learning outcome, and its DO/MPH can be completed within the four-year medical school timeline. Like COMP, its class is largely Californian, with 163 of 188 matriculants from in-state. Touro California uses a group panel interview format, which is worth preparing for specifically.
Touro Nevada in Henderson reports a mean MCAT of 505.6 and a mean GPA of 3.63. In contrast to the California schools, 170 of its 200 first-year students came from outside Nevada, so it is a realistic option for out-of-state applicants. The school reports that it received a ten-year accreditation period from COCA in 2022, and its interview process may include MMI, traditional, and group formats.
Duquesne University's Nasuti College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pittsburgh enrolled a first-year class with a mean MCAT of 505.7, which places it among the most selective DO schools. I include it because the numbers are real, but applicants should understand that the school was founded in 2024, the Explorer lists its accreditation status as pre-accreditation, and it has not yet graduated a class. That means there is no residency match history to evaluate. For a newer school, I always advise applicants to weigh the strength of its clinical affiliations, which at Duquesne include several western Pennsylvania health systems.
If your goal is primary care, rural medicine, or practice in underserved communities, the most selective schools are not necessarily the best fit. Osteopathic medical schools accounted for nine of the top 10 schools nationally for graduates practicing in primary care in the 2026 U.S. News rankings, and six of the top 10 for graduates practicing in rural areas.
William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Mississippi is ranked first in the nation for primary care and third for rural practice. A.T. Still University's Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, the profession's founding school, is first in the nation for graduates practicing in rural areas and fifth for primary care. A.T. Still University's School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona is second for primary care, and Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine is third. Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine is first in the nation for graduates practicing in medically underserved areas. Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine, Pacific Northwest University, and Lincoln Memorial University's DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine also rank in the top 10 in more than one of these categories.
For applicants whose experiences and goals align with these missions, these schools are among the best osteopathic medical schools in the country, and admissions committees will look closely at whether your application demonstrates that alignment.
Research capacity varies widely among osteopathic schools. AACOM's 2026 research report found that the highest concentrations of extramurally funded research came from Michigan State, at 33.2 percent of projects, and Rowan-Virtua, at 18.5 percent across all campuses. Together, these two schools account for more than half of the funded research projects at colleges of osteopathic medicine. If you are considering a physician scientist career or a competitive specialty, look for DO/PhD programs and strong research infrastructure; among the schools in this guide, Michigan State, NYIT, Rowan-Virtua, and Des Moines University all offer a DO/PhD.
Osteopathic medical schools are predominantly private, and tuition is high. Among the most selective schools, reported average graduate indebtedness ranges from $270,480 at Michigan State to $331,986 at CCOM. PCOM reports the lowest figure of any school in this guide, at $266,892 for its 2025 to 2026 DO graduates. Public schools offer the largest savings for state residents: Michigan State's in-state tuition is $43,776, and Rowan-Virtua's is $50,680. When I help applicants build a school list, I encourage them to consider total cost of attendance, including living costs, which the Explorer lists for each school.
Having sat on an admissions committee, I know that a school's averages describe its class, not its minimum. Many matriculants at these schools have scores below the mean, and a strong application can overcome a slightly lower MCAT or GPA. That said, if your metrics fall well below these averages, you should balance your list with schools whose entering class profiles more closely match yours.
Timing matters more in osteopathic admissions than many applicants realize. Nearly every DO school uses rolling admissions, and several deadlines fall much earlier than the typical spring date. Michigan State's deadline is December 1, and Rowan-Virtua's is February 1. Submitting your AACOMAS application early in the cycle, ideally when it opens in May, gives you the best chance at every school on this list.
Finally, demonstrate genuine knowledge of osteopathic medicine. AACOM lists knowledge of the profession and shadowing a DO among the qualities osteopathic schools seek, and several schools on this list require a physician letter or prefer one from a DO. Your application should explain why osteopathic medicine specifically is the right path for you.
According to AACOM, there are 48 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine operating at 75 teaching locations in 36 states.
The most selective osteopathic medical schools report entering class mean MCAT scores between 505.6 and 508.8 in the AACOM Choose DO Explorer. The national mean MCAT for students entering osteopathic medical school in 2025 was 502.95.
By reported entering class metrics, the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University has the highest mean MCAT at 508.8, and Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine has the highest mean GPA among the most selective schools at 3.75.
DO and MD physicians are both fully licensed physicians who train in the same residency programs and practice alongside one another in urban, suburban, academic, and community settings. In the 2026 Main Residency Match, U.S. DO seniors matched into first-year positions at a rate of 93.2 percent, compared with 93.5 percent for U.S. MD seniors. Matching into the most competitive specialties is tougher for DO graduates.
Yes. AACOM reports that a record 99 percent of DO graduates obtained residency positions in 2025, and U.S. DO seniors achieved their highest PGY-1 match rate on record, 93.2 percent, in the 2026 Main Residency Match.
Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine lead osteopathic schools in extramurally funded research, according to AACOM's 2026 research report. Both offer DO/PhD programs.
In the 2026 U.S. News rankings, William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine ranked first in the nation for graduates practicing in primary care, followed by A.T. Still University's School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona and Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
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