USMLE Step 2 CK: The 2025 Passing Score Increase, Explained

In June 2025, the USMLE Management Committee raised the Step 2 CK passing score from 214 to 218, effective for exams taken on or after July 1, 2025 — a real, recent change worth flagging for anyone prepping from older guides. For repeat test-takers specifically, pass rates run 70% for US MD graduates and 64% for international examinees, notably lower than first-attempt rates.

On scoring context: the national average for matched US MD/DO candidates sits around 248–250, with the broader average closer to 245 (SD ~15, meaning most candidates land between 230–260). It's worth being clear with readers that the 218 minimum is a pass/fail bar, not a competitive one — US/Canadian graduates typically need scores well above 240, and IMGs in the 240s or higher, to be competitive for residency matching.

Study takeaway: given the passing score just moved up, and the real target for match competitiveness is well above the minimum anyway, practice should be calibrated against current score bands (240+), not the bare pass/fail line.