Is It Harder to Get Into Medical School or Dental School?

Students who want to pursue an advanced healthcare career are often torn between medicine and dentistry. Both medical school and dental school can lead to respected, high-paying jobs, but the roads to get there are quite different.

Both are competitive, but is it harder to get into medical school or dental school?

By most measures, medical school is harder to get into. Medical school programs in the U.S. have many more applicants and accept a smaller percentage than U.S. dental schools do.

This puts a pretty intense upward pressure on GPAs and MCAT scores. Medical schools also expect applicants to have significant clinical, service, leadership, and research experience.

That does not mean dental school is easy to get into. Dental programs are still highly selective. Most expect strong grades, high DAT scores, and meaningful shadowing experiences so they know you understand the profession. 

This guide explores the factors that make getting into both schools difficult and compares their expectations regarding academics, experience, and entrance exams. 

We will look at the acceptance rates at some well-known schools and the realities of paying the tuition once you’re accepted. 

Comparing the Difficulty of Getting Into Med School vs. Dental School

The numbers below show how competitive both medical and dental schools are and why medical school is usually considered tougher. 

Acceptance rates and admissions criteria at specific schools can vary widely, so you should view this table as a high-level overview.

Most schools publish a profile of each entering class that includes the acceptance rate, average GPA, and test scores for accepted applicants. So, if you have your heart set on a specific school, you can find that data fairly easily online.

Medical School vs. Dental School Acceptance Rates

Comparing acceptance rates can be a little misleading because there are two sets of numbers that are important to applicants:

1. The national acceptance rate, which looks at how many people apply and how many enroll somewhere. 
2. Acceptance rate for a specific school, which looks at how many people apply to one specific school versus how many that school accepts.

By the national numbers, medical school is very hard to get into. For the 2024-25 school year, the AAMC reports that there were 51,946 applicants to U.S. med schools and 23,156 applicants accepted. This works out to a 44.5% acceptance rate for med school.

The dental school acceptance rate is higher. The ADEA reports that there were 12,491 applicants in 2024, and 6,719 of those were accepted and enrolled in dental school. That’s about a 53.8% acceptance rate for dental school.

At the school level, though, both can look brutally competitive because each applicant applies to many programs. In fact, in 2024, AAMC reported that there was an average of more than 18 applications per person for med school. 

So, it is common to see single-digit acceptance rates for specific medical and dental schools, especially at top programs. 

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) programs can be somewhat easier to get into than MD programs on average. AACOM reports that the average GPA for medical students entering a DO program in 2024 was 3.60, and the average MCAT score was 502.97. These are lower than the numbers reported for MD programs.

Medical School Acceptance Rates

Here is some data from specific medical schools, so you can see that there is a range of acceptance levels when you drill down to individual schools.

Most schools publish a “class profile” for the next class entering their school. It tells how many students applied and how many they accepted. Sometimes, they also specify the average GPA and MCAT scores for that class.

• Stanford School of Medicine. For the incoming class in 2024, Stanford reported 8,998 applications for a class size of 90, which is roughly a 1.0% acceptance rate. The median GPA was 3.94, and the median MCAT score was 518. That makes it one of the most selective examples on this list.
• UC San Diego School of Medicine. For the incoming class in 2025, UC San Diego reported 10,400 applicants and 140 matriculants (accepted and enrolled students), which is about 1.35%. The average GPA was 3.83, and the average MCAT score was 514.4.
• Tulane University School of Medicine. For the incoming class in 2025, Tulane reported 13,814 applications for a class size of 190, or about a 1.38% acceptance rate. The average GPA was 3.7, and the average MCAT score was 510.
• University of Colorado School of Medicine. Colorado reports 17,951 applications and 322 new students, which is about a 1.8% acceptance rate.
• Duke University School of Medicine. Duke reported 6,106 applications and 123 matriculants, which is about a 2.0% acceptance rate. In the past, the average GPA has been 3.9, and the median MCAT has been 520.

Dental School Acceptance Rates

Here is some data from specific dental schools, where you can clearly see that the acceptance rates are much higher than at the medical schools. While the accepted students had very high GPAs and DAT scores, there are just many fewer people applying to dental schools overall.

• Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Harvard says it receives well over 1,000 applications annually for 35 seats in its dental school, putting it at about a 3.5% acceptance rate.
• University of Florida College of Dentistry. For the 2025 class, Florida reported 2,153 applicants and 93 enrolled students, or about a 4.3% acceptance rate. The average GPA was 3.82, and the average DAT score was 22.
• University of Michigan School of Dentistry. For 2025, Michigan reported 1,908 applications and 109 enrolled students, or about a 5.7% acceptance rate. The average GPA was 3.82, and the average DAT score was 22.
• University of Iowa College of Dentistry. For 2025, Iowa reported 1,274 applicants and 80 students in the entering class, or about a 6.3% acceptance rate. The average GPA was 3.77, and the average DAT score was 21.
• East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine. For the class entering in 2024, ECU reported 364 completed applications and 52 enrolled students, an acceptance rate of about 14.9%. The average GPA was 3.75, and the average DAT score was 21.

These GPAs and DAT scores show that the applicants are still high achievers, but because there are so many more seats in relation to the number of applicants, it is easier to be accepted into dental school.

Why Medical School Is Usually Harder to Get Into Than Dental School

Medical school and dental school are both serious commitments, and they both want smart, motivated, and well-prepared students. But medical schools ask for more in almost every category, from academics to clinical exposure to the size and complexity of the application itself.

The good news is that “harder” does not mean impossible. If you understand what schools are looking for and build your application step by step, you can make yourself much more competitive.

1) More people compete for each medical school seat

This is probably the biggest factor making med school harder to get into than dental school. 

AAMC reported 52,577 MD applicants for 22,981 matriculants (43.7%), while ADEA reported 12,491 dental applicants for 6,719 enrollees (53.8%).

AAMC’s numbers also showed that there was an average of over 18 applications for each med school applicant, showing that each person applied to many programs. There is just a huge amount of competition, and that means programs can be pickier and demand more from their incoming students, lowering the overall chances of getting into med school.

To improve your odds, apply early, apply broadly, and be realistic about your list. Include reach, target, and safer-fit schools, and remember that DO programs may be worth serious consideration if your goal is to become a physician and you have a lower GPA or MCAT score.

2) Medical schools usually expect stronger GPA performance

When we look at the average GPAs reported by medical and dental schools for their incoming classes, the medical schools are higher.

The AAMC reports that MD matriculants in the 2024-25 cycle had an average GPA of 3.81. The ADEA reported that dental school applicants had an average GPA of 3.67.

The difference is not that dental schools have lower standards. It is that medical school admissions tend to put even more pressure on sustained high performance across difficult coursework. Because there is a larger applicant pool for medical schools, the cut point for acceptance naturally gets higher.

To do well on this metric, protect your science GPA early. Take prerequisite courses seriously, use office hours, retake only when it makes strategic sense, and build an upward trend if your first semesters were shaky.

If your GPA is already lower than you hoped, don’t despair. There are strategies you can learn for getting into med school with a low GPA.

3) The MCAT is usually seen as tougher than the DAT

The MCAT and the DAT have a similar number of multiple-choice questions, but the total testing time for the MCAT is six hours and 15 minutes. It is a full day of testing, so you will need both mental and physical stamina to succeed.

The DAT is also challenging, but it is shorter. The DAT takes five hours and 15 minutes.

Both cover science topics thoroughly, but the MCAT is generally felt to be broader and more reading-intensive. Common prep guidance suggests that aspiring med school students spend roughly 300 to 500 hours preparing for the MCAT, while DAT prep guidance often falls closer to 200 to 250 hours.

The best way to improve your odds is to treat test prep like a part-time job so you can achieve a good MACT score. Build a realistic study calendar, use full-length practice exams, review mistakes carefully, and do not rush into your exam date before your scores are consistently where they need to be.

4) Medical school usually expects more clinical experience

Dental schools put a lot of focus on shadowing and see that as the main way their applicants learn what the profession is like. Medical schools, however, want their students to have direct patient-facing experience in addition to shadowing.

AAMC says that 87% of admissions officers said they would accept alternate clinical activities in place of shadowing alone.

Clinical experience for medical school can include roles where you interact with patients or work in care settings, such as medical assisting, EMT work, scribing, phlebotomy, hospice volunteering, or other hospital roles. Medical schools want to hear about your interactions with patients and how they have influenced your reasons for pursuing medicine.

If you are early in the process, focus on consistency more than chasing a giant number of hours. A long-term role where you can talk thoughtfully about patient interaction is usually more convincing than a scattered list of short experiences. 

For example, working as a medical assistant can help you get into med school by giving you lots of relevant clinical exposure and relationships with providers who can write meaningful letters of recommendation.

5) Medical school applications often require more extracurricular depth

A strong medical school application is not just GPA plus MCAT score. 

The American Medical College Application Service, or AMCAS, is the centralized application used by most U.S. med schools, and one of the most important parts of AMCAS is the Work and Activities section. 

Applicants can list up to 15 experiences across 19 categories, including clinical work, research, leadership, employment, extracurriculars, and community service.

Dental school applications also look at experiences and extracurriculars, but they tend to be more focused on shadowing. ADEA calls shadowing crucial to demonstrating your understanding of dentistry.

That broader med school expectation is one reason the process feels harder. A premed applicant may need to show academics, patient care, service to others, leadership, strong letters, and often some exposure to research or community work, all at the same time.

The smartest approach is to build a story, not just a resume. Choose activities that fit your interests, stick with them long enough to grow, and be ready to explain what you learned and why it matters for the kind of physician you hope to become.

>> Read More: Med School Application Timeline & Deadlines

Cost and Debt Comparison: Med School vs. Dental School

Cost is where the comparison gets more complicated. Medical school and dental school are both extremely expensive, but dental school is more costly and leaves students with more debt:

• Medical school tuition and fees. The average medical school tuition and fees for the 2024-25 school year were $41,869 at public, in-state medical schools and $67,145 at in-state, private schools.
• Medical school debt. For medical school grads, the average debt, including undergraduate debt, was $246,659.
• Dental school tuition and fees. The average dental school tuition and fees for the 2024-25 school year were $46,865 for public, in-state dental schools and $87,078 at private dental schools.
• Dental school debt. The average education debt of 2025 dental school graduates was $297,800, with $280,300 from dental school alone.

Scholarships and aid exist for both fields, but many students rely heavily on loans.

While dental school grads have a higher debt average, they do have a shorter path to full income. Dentists can generally begin practicing after graduation, licensure, and any required exams. They may make less income in their first years, but once they are licensed, they are usually done with training and can earn their full income.

Med school grads, on the other hand, face a longer road to their full earning potential. New doctors must first complete a residency program, which can last anywhere from three to seven years. During this period of continued training, they earn significantly less than they will once they are fully licensed and practicing medicine independently. 

Long-term, both professions can earn high incomes. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports median annual pay of at least $239,200 for physicians and surgeons and $179,210 for dentists.

FAQs About Getting Into Med School

What is the average GPA to get accepted to med school?

Students entering U.S. MD programs in 2025 had an average GPA of 3.81. This is a national average, so it is helpful to check the stats on the specific schools you are interested in. Most med schools publish a class profile that reports the GPA and MCAT scores for their most recent entering class.

What is the minimum GPA to get accepted to med school?

There is no single minimum GPA for all medical schools. Schools decide which students to accept, and those students have a range of GPAs. You can check the average GPA for the specific schools you are interested in to find out what they are looking for. But even then, remember it’s an average, so most likely, some applicants had lower GPAs, and some had higher.

What is the average MCAT to get accepted to med school?

Students who were accepted to medical schools in 2025 had an average MCAT score of 512.1. That doesn’t mean you have to get that score to be accepted; it’s just an average. You can check specific schools you are interested in to see what their students scored.

What is the minimum MCAT to get accepted to med school?

There is no universal minimum MCAT score for admission across all schools. Medical schools decide for themselves what score range they will accept, and some don’t even require the MCAT at all. You can check the average MCAT score for the specific schools you are interested in to find out what they are looking for. But even then, remember it’s an average, so most likely, some applicants had lower scores, and some had higher.

Why is med school so difficult to get into?

Medical school is difficult to get into because it prepares students for one of the highest-stakes professions there is. Schools want applicants who are academically strong, emotionally mature, service-oriented, and ready for the demands of patient care. The bottom line is that med schools get thousands of applications every year for each entering class, so the competition for seats is fierce.

What are the hardest med schools to get into?

Highly selective examples include schools like Stanford, UC San Diego, Tulane, and Duke, all of which report very low school-level acceptance rates based on applications versus class size. Many top-name research schools also fall into this category.

What are the easiest med schools to get into?

There are really no medical schools in the U.S. that are easy to get into. They all get thousands of high-achieving applicants every year. You can look at school-level acceptance rates and may see that some may accept a higher percentage of applicants. You can also consider applying for DO programs instead of MD programs, as they tend to be less competitive.

Can I get into med school as an international student?

Yes, but it can be harder because fewer U.S. schools accept international applicants, and financial aid options may be more limited. You need to check each school’s admissions policy carefully.

Can I get into med school with a low GPA?

Yes, there are strategies for getting into med school with a low GPA. These include showing an upward trend in your GPA, getting a great score on the MCAT, and having a strong clinical experience section. You can also consider doing a post-graduate program or gap year job that shows your commitment to medicine and gives you access to providers who can write meaningful letters of recommendation.

What jobs are best for helping me get into med school?

Jobs with direct patient exposure tend to help the most. Working as a medical assistant, an EMT, a medical scribe, or a phlebotomist can give you a great amount of clinical experience for medical school. These jobs and more are some of the best for pre-med students.

Can I reapply to med school if I’m not accepted?

Yes. Many applicants reapply, but you should improve your application each time by strengthening grades, test scores, experience, timing, or school selection.

Is dental school easy to get into compared with med school?

Dental school is very competitive, and the students accepted tend to have high GPAs and DAT scores. It is generally seen as easier to get into than medical school because dental schools accept a larger percentage of applicants than medical schools. Far more applications are submitted to medical schools each year, so med schools can be more demanding and choose only the highest achievers among applicants.