Average TEAS score: the national mean, by section and by program
The average TEAS score is about 63% to 65%. ATI prints the national mean on every score report: a TEAS 7 report for a 2024–25 test shows 64.9%, and ATI's 2022 TEAS 7 percentile table gives 62.6%. By section, science averages lowest, about 50%, and math and reading highest, about 70% or more.
The average matters less than it seems: what counts is your program's minimum. In our list of 43 programs that publish one, 25 ask for 62.6% or less, so an average score meets many of them, and the rest ask for more. Below: the means ATI reports, by section and program type, what percentile an average score is, and how far above it to aim.
What is the average TEAS score?
| Source | TEAS version | National mean (total) | Program mean |
|---|---|---|---|
| Score report sample, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo | TEAS 7, tests in 2024–25 | 64.9% | 67.6% (BSN) |
| ATI percentile rank table (diploma programs) | TEAS 7, 2022 | 62.6% | - |
| Score report samples, San Diego City College and Cal State LA | TEAS 6, 2016–18 | 65.6% | 66.1% (ADN), 70.4% (BSN) |
| Score report sample, Merced College | TEAS V | 64.3% | 70.6% |
Each is linked in the sources. These are sample reports schools post to show applicants how to read their scores; the means on them are ATI's. ATI recalculates means as more people test, so your own report may show a slightly different number. Across four versions and ten years, the national mean has stayed between about 62% and 66%.
Pages that say the average is "65% to 75%" give no source; we found none for that range.
Average TEAS score by section
| Section | Mean, TEAS 7 (ATI 2022 table) | Mean, TEAS V sample report |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 70.2% | 70.5% |
| Mathematics | 73.5% | 69.0% |
| Science | 49.6% | 53.6% |
| English and language usage | 61.2% | 63.8% |
| Total | 62.6% | 64.3% |
Three things stand out:
- Average TEAS science score: about 50%. Science is the lowest section by a wide margin, 20 points below math. It is also the biggest section, 44 of the 150 scored questions, which is why it drags the total under the reading and math averages.
- Average TEAS math score: about 70% to 74%. Math is the highest. An on-screen calculator and familiar arithmetic help; the misses tend to be word problems and conversions.
- Average TEAS reading score: about 70%. High, but programs that set a reading minimum often put it at 70% or above (TEAS section scores), so an average reader can still fall short.
The total isn't the average of the four section means; ATI scores the total from all 150 scored questions and adjusts each score for the test form separately.
What percentile is an average TEAS score?
About the 50th, by definition. Every report also gives your percentile rank: the share of test takers who scored at or below you. These pairs come from ATI's 2022 TEAS 7 table and the 2024–25 Hilo sample report:
| Total score | National percentile rank | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 62.7% | 51st | ATI table, 2022 |
| 70.0% | 72nd | ATI table, 2022 |
| 72.0% | 69th | Hilo report, 2024–25 |
| 77.3% | 81st | Hilo report, 2024–25 |
| 80.0% | 93rd | ATI table, 2022 |
| 85.3% | 94th | Hilo report, 2024–25 |
| 88.0% | 99th | ATI table, 2022 |
| 89.3% | 97th | Hilo report, 2024–25 |
The two sources disagree by a few places (the 2022 table is for diploma programs; the Hilo report is national for 2024–25), but they agree on the shape: the curve is steep in the 60s and 70s. Going from 63% to 70% passes about a fifth of all test takers. Above 80%, you're in the top tenth or so.
The average vs what programs ask for
We read the published TEAS minimums of 56 nursing and allied health programs; 43 state an overall number (what TEAS score you need). Against a national average of 62.6% to 64.9%:
| Program minimum | Programs in our list | Meets it with an average score? |
|---|---|---|
| 58% to 60% | 21 | Yes |
| 62% to 64% | 7 | Mostly, near the line |
| 65% to 68% | 8 | No, 1 to 5 points short |
| 70% to 75% | 7 | No, 5 to 12 points short |
So an average score clears about two thirds of the published minimums we found, and misses a third. And a minimum is a floor: programs that rank applicants often admit people well above it. For a competitive program, the average is not the target.
Average TEAS score for nursing school, by program type
Reports compare you with two groups: everyone (national mean) and people applying to the same program type (program mean). The program means we've seen:
| Program type | Program mean on sample reports | Minimums in our list |
|---|---|---|
| BSN | 67.6% (TEAS 7, 2024–25); 70.4% (TEAS 6) | 58.7% to 75%, median 68% |
| ADN (associate degree RN) | 66.1% (TEAS 6) | 58.7% to 70%, median 62% |
| Diploma | 62.6% total (TEAS 7, 2022 table) | - |
| LPN or LVN | not on the reports we found | 58% to 60% |
BSN applicants average a few points above the national mean, which makes sense: they are a self-selected group, and BSN minimums are higher. If you're applying to a BSN, the useful comparison is with the BSN program mean on your report, not the national one.
Average TEAS score for radiology, dental hygiene and other allied health programs
Allied health programs (radiologic technology, sonography, dental hygiene, respiratory therapy) take the same TEAS. ATI's allied health report shows the national percentile rank but not a nursing program mean (ATI: nursing vs allied health TEAS), so we found no published allied health average. What we do have is their rules, and some are strict on sections: Northern Virginia Community College's sonography program asks for 70% in all four sections, its radiography program 50% in each, and Nassau Community College's radiologic technology program 58.7% in science and math.
Average TEAS score in California
ATI doesn't publish state averages. What is consistent in California is the minimum: community college ADN programs commonly use 62%. College of the Canyons asks for 62% composite and says it follows the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office guidance; Southwestern College also asks for 62% (58% for its vocational nursing program), and Modesto Junior College 64%. All three are in our program minimums list with links.
Average TEAS score the first time, or without studying
We found no published figure for either. ATI doesn't split its means by attempt or by study time. Two related facts from ATI: about 40% of test takers retake the TEAS, and ATI says users of its SmartPrep course raised their average score by 7.5 percentage points (ATI TEAS; that is ATI's claim about its own product). Forum posts with personal scores are anecdotes, not averages.
The better question is your own first score. Our free TEAS practice test gives you a reading in about 10 minutes, scored against your program's minimum, with each section shown so you can see which one is below average.
Average score and ATI's preparedness levels
Next to your total, the report places you in one of five academic preparedness levels. For TEAS 7, ATI's research and the schools that reprint it give these bands:
| Level | TEAS 7 total score |
|---|---|
| Developmental | 0% to 40.0% |
| Basic | 40.7% to 58.0% |
| Proficient | 58.7% to 79.3% |
| Advanced | 80.0% to 91.3% |
| Exemplary | 92.0% to 100% |
Some schools still post ATI's older explanation sheet, with Proficient ending at 77.3% and Advanced at 90.0%; if your program quotes a level, check which table it uses. The gaps between bands (58.0% to 58.7%) exist because one scored question is worth about 0.67 points. An average score, 62% to 65%, sits in the lower part of Proficient, the level ATI says most programs ask for at least.
How far above average should you aim?
- Start from your program, not the national mean. Write its overall minimum and any section minimums.
- Add a margin of 3 to 5 points on practice tests. Practice forms aren't the real one, and ATI adjusts real scores per form.
- For a ranked program, find its admitted range. Some programs publish points tables or the scores of last year's admitted class. Aim at that, not at the floor.
- Look at science first. The national science mean is about 50%. Raising science from 50% to 65% adds about 4 points to the total, because it's 29% of the scored questions (our arithmetic).
For a plan by days, see how long to study for the TEAS. To add up your own section numbers, use the TEAS score calculator.
Average TEAS score FAQ
Is 65 a good TEAS score?
It's about average, slightly above the national mean on recent reports. It meets about three quarters of the published minimums in our list (32 of 43), but not programs asking 66% or more.
Is 70 a good TEAS score?
Yes, above average: about the 72nd percentile on ATI's 2022 table. It meets every minimum in our list except one at 75%.
Is 80 a good TEAS score?
Very good: the 93rd percentile on the 2022 table, and the start of ATI's Advanced level.
What is the average TEAS score for 2026?
No 2026 figure is published. Recent TEAS 7 reports show national means of 62.6% to 64.9%; check the mean on your own report.
Where do I see the national mean on my score report?
Next to your total and section scores, with the program mean and your percentile ranks (how to read your TEAS results).
What is the highest TEAS score possible?
100%, for the total and for every section. ATI's top level, Exemplary, starts at 92.0%.
Sources
- University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo School of Nursing, TEAS score report example (TEAS 7, tests 2024–25). Read 2026-11-04.
- ATI, ATI TEAS national percentile rank table, 2022 (diploma programs; posted by Capital Health). Read 2026-11-04.
- San Diego City College, ATI TEAS sample score report; Cal State LA, sample TEAS score (TEAS 6).
- Cal State LA, ATI score explanation and interpretation (definitions of national mean, program mean and percentile rank).
- Merced College, ATI TEAS individual performance profile example (TEAS V era report used for the section means).
- ATI, Nursing vs allied health TEAS; ATI TEAS; TEAS exam details.
- Program minimums: our list in what TEAS score you need, each linked to its program's page.
More: TEAS section scores, what TEAS score you need, TEAS score calculator, or all TEAS guides. To see where you stand against the average and your program, take the free TEAS practice test.