20 of the Best Medical Schools in the US in 2024
If you are an aspiring medical student, you know there’s no shortage of medical colleges to choose between. So how do you decide where to go? We’ve done the homework for you and rounded up a list of high-ranking med schools.
Your medical education is important, so we’ve checked multiple sources. The rankings below each school are from the U.S. News & World Reports for Research and Primary Care. While this is a widely-used report for medical school rankings, USNWR’s methodology has come under fire recently, with some institutions declining to participate.
That said, the top medical schools in the US remain consistent across multiple platforms, with a few outliers. We encourage med school applicants to do further research using the MedSchoolExplorer from MedSchoolCoach. Explore your options based on the programs, acceptance rates, GPA and MCAT ranges, and specialties you’re passionate about.
We’ve provided application fees and some requirements for each school. If you want more information on admissions requirements, check out AAMC’s Medical School Admission Requirements™ (MSAR) database.
1. Harvard University Medical School 
Boston, Massachusetts
#1 in Research
#22 in Primary Care
Application fee: $100
Application Deadline: October 15
Acceptance Rate: 3.3%
Average MCAT score: 521
Median undergrad GPA: 3.95
Full-time tuition: $69,300
2. New York University (Grossman School of Medicine) 
New York, New York
#10 in Research
#67 in Primary Care
Application fee: $110
Application Deadline: October 15
Acceptance Rate: 2.1%
Average MCAT score: 523
Median undergrad GPA: 3.97
Full-time tuition: $0
3. University of Pennsylvania (Perelman School of Medicine)
Philadelphia, PA
#3 in Research
# 34 in Primary Care
Application fee: $100
Application Deadline: October 15
Acceptance Rate: 3.8%
Average MCAT score: 522
Median undergrad GPA: 3.96
Full-time tuition: $65,940
4. Johns Hopkins University 
Baltimore, MD
#2 in Research
#92 in Primary Care
Application fee: $100
Application Deadline: October 15
Acceptance Rate: 6.3%
Median undergrad GPA: 3.96
Average MCAT score: 522
Full-time tuition: $59,700
5. University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
#5 in Primary Care
#5 in Research
Application fee: $80
Application Deadline: October 15
Acceptance Rate: 2.6%
Average MCAT score: 516
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.88
Full-time tuition: $38,073 (in-state), $50,318 (out-of-state)
6. Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons 
New York, New York
#4 in Research
#92 in Primary Care
Application fee: $110
Application Deadline: October 15
Acceptance Rate: 3.6%
Average MCAT score: 522
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.93
Full-time tuition: $66,816
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA
#5 in Research
#31 in Primary Care
Application fee: $100
Application Deadline: October 3
Acceptance Rate: 1.4%
Average MCAT score: 519
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.92
Full-time tuition: $63,747
8. Duke University
Durham, NC
#5 in Research
#111 in Primary Care
Application fee: $100
Application Deadline: October 15
Acceptance Rate: 2.9%
Average MCAT score: 520
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.9
Full-time tuition: $63,310
9. University of Washington
Seattle, WA
#1 in Primary Care
#13 in Research
Application fee: $35
Application Deadline: October 15
Acceptance Rate: 4.5%
Average MCAT score: 512
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.75
Full-time tuition: In-state: $53,112, out-of-state: $93,996
10. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, NY
#18 in Research
# 98 in Primary Care
Application fee: $110
Application Deadline: October 1
Acceptance Rate: 3.4%
Average MCAT score: 518
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.89
Full-time tuition: $58,685
11. Washington University in St. Louis 
St. Louis, MO
#5 in Research
#82 in Primary Care
Application fee: $100
Application Deadline: November 30
Acceptance Rate: 7.5%
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.94
Average MCAT score: 521
Full-time tuition: $65,001
12. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
#5 in Research
#82 in Primary Care
Application fee: $95
Application Deadline: November 1
Acceptance Rate: 4.5%
Average MCAT score: 521
Median Undergrad GPA: 3.94
Full-time tuition: $64,882
13. Cornell University (Weill Cornell Medicine)
New York, New York
#10 in Research
#61 in Primary Care
Application fee: $100
Application deadline: October 15
Acceptance rate: 3.4%
Average MCAT score: 520
Median undergrad GPA: 3.91
Full-time Tuition: $62,650
14. Mayo Clinic School of Medicine (Alix) 
Rochester, Minnesota
#13 in Research
#34 in Primary Care
Application fee: $120
Application deadline: October 1
Acceptance rate: 4.5%
Average MCAT score: 521
Median undergrad GPA: 3.94
Full-time tuition: $62,500
15. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 
Ann Arbor, Michigan
#13 in Research
#26 in Primary Care
Application fee: $85
Application Deadline: October 15
Acceptance Rate: 5.6%
Average MCAT score: 518
Median undergrad GPA: 3.87
Full-time tuition: $50,265 (in-state), $69,714 (out-of-state)
16. University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
#2 in Primary Care
#35 in Research
Application fee: $100
Application Deadline: October 15
Average MCAT score: 512
Median undergrad GPA: 3.82
Acceptance Rate: 3.43%
Full-time tuition: $41,919 (in-state), $62,085 (out-of-state)
17. Northwestern University (Feinberg School of Medicine)
Chicago, Illinois
#13 in Research
#71 in Primary Care
Application fee: $95
Application Deadline: November 1
Acceptance Rate: 1.86%
Average MCAT score: 520
Median undergrad GPA: 3.92
Full-time tuition: $67,880
18. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
#7 in Primary Care
#26 in Research
Application fee: $68
Application Deadline: October 1
Acceptance Rate: 4.1%
Average MCAT score: 515
Median undergrad GPA: 3.8
Full-time tuition: $32,746 (in-state), $60,706 (out-of-state)
19. University of Colorado
Aurora, Colorado
#8 in Primary Care
#26 in Research
Application fee: $100
Application Deadline: November 30
Acceptance Rate: 2.8%
Average MCAT score: 515
Median undergrad GPA: 3.82
Full-time tuition: $42,450 (in-state), $69,405 (out-of-state)
20. Yale University 
New Haven, Connecticut
#10 in Research
#108 in Primary Care
Application fee: $95
Application Deadline: October 15
Acceptance Rate: 5.5%
Average MCAT score: 522
Median undergrad GPA: 3.92
Full-time tuition: $67,484
Top 5 Medical Schools by Specialty
| Anesthesiology | Family Medicine | Internal Medicine | Obstetrics/ Gynecology | Pediatrics | Psychiatry | Surgery | |
| 1 | Johns Hopkins | Oregon Health and Science University | Johns Hopkins | Harvard | University of Pennsylvania | Columbia | Johns Hopkins |
| 2 | Harvard | University of Washington | Harvard | Johns Hopkins | Harvard | Harvard | UCSF |
| 3 | Duke | UNC Chapel Hill | UCSF | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | University of Cincinnati | Johns Hopkins | Harvard |
| 4 | UCSF | UCSF | Duke | Duke | Johns Hopkins | UCSF | Duke |
| 5 | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | UC Davis | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | UCSF | UCSF | University of Pennsylvania | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor |
Top 5 Schools of Osteopathic Medicine
1. University of North Texas Health Science Center, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
Application fee: $50
Application Deadline: November 1
Acceptance Rate: 12.4%
Average MCAT score: 506
Median undergrad GPA: 3.63
Full-time tuition: $6,540
2. University of Pikeville Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine
Application fee: $75
Application Deadline: July 30
Acceptance Rate: 16%
Average MCAT score: 520
Median undergrad GPA: 3.54
Full-time tuition: $51,500
3. Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
Application fee: $100
Application Deadline: February 1
Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average MCAT score: 504
Median undergrad GPA: 3.64
Full-time tuition: $36,785 in-state, $51,416 out-of-state
4. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Application fee: $50
Application Deadline: March 1
Acceptance Rate: 6.7%
Average MCAT score: 503
Median undergrad GPA: 3.41
Full-time tuition: varies by discipline
5. William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Application fee: $50
Application Deadline: March 16
Acceptance Rate: 4.5%
Average MCAT score: 505
Median undergrad GPA: 3.53
Full-time tuition: varies by discipline
Choosing the Right School
Now that you have a handle on the top schools, it’s time to research for yourself. Make sure the schools you apply to offer the medical programs you want AND the extracurricular options you want to help you stay on track during your first year of med school.
Take into account the school’s location — if you live in Florida, it’s worth traveling to Michigan in the winter if you’re considering a move to Ann Arbor for med school. If location is a driving factor, there’s good news: every state has a great med school.
If you have questions or you’re looking for more medical school admissions guidance, contact our team here at MedSchoolCoach.
READ NEXT: Medical School Letters of Recommendation: Who and How To Ask, or The Principles of Biomedical Ethics & Medical Morality
What is the hardest medical school to get into? The hardest medical school to get into is the Grossman School of Medicine at NYU. With free admission to med students, it’s no wonder the program is competitive.
What is the #1 medical school in the US? Harvard Medical School is the highest ranked in the US. Established in 1782, Harvard has spent 2½ centuries building a reputation of excellence.
What is a good GPA for medical school? 3.5 or higher is a good GPA for medical school. Like any other graduate school, the higher your undergrad GPA, the better.
What is the difference between a medical school and a medical college? Medical schools and medical colleges are the same thing. The only difference is the verbiage.
What is a good MCAT score for medical school? Average MCAT scores for medical schools are often in the range of 510+. There are many factors that play into admissions, but a great MCAT score is certainly needed for most of the top medical schools. For more competitive medical schools, applicants should aim for a 520+.
Renee Marinelli, MD
Dr. Marinelli has practiced family medicine, served on the University of California Admissions Committee, and has helped hundreds of students get into medical school. She spearheads a team of physician advisors who guide MedSchoolCoach students.
