Updated November 2026. Percentiles from LSAC (2023 to 2026 testing years). School numbers from 2025 ABA 509 reports.
Quick answer: the highest LSAT score is 180. It is a perfect score on the 120 to 180 scale and sits at about the 99.8th percentile, so only about 1 in 500 test takers gets it. On a typical test you can miss about 1 question and still get a 180.
Key facts about the highest LSAT score
- The maximum LSAT score is 180. No one can score higher, and there is no extra credit.
- A 180 is about the 99.8th percentile. About 0.2% of test takers reach it.
- You need about 76 of 77 questions right for a 180 on a typical current test.
- Only about 5.5% of test takers score 170 or higher, and about 1.3% score 175 or higher.
- No ABA law school has a 75th percentile above 177. Even at the top schools, most students scored below 180.
- If you score a 180, LSAC does not let you take the LSAT again.
This guide covers the maximum LSAT score, how rare each top score is, how many questions you can miss, what top schools actually require, and how people reach the top of the scale. Want to see where your own score lands? Use the LSAT score calculator.
Is 180 the Maximum LSAT Score?
Yes. The maximum LSAT score is 180, and nobody can score higher. LSAC reports every score from 120 to 180, so the scale has 61 possible scores. A 180 is called a perfect score, but it does not always mean a perfect test. The top of the scale usually allows a small number of misses.
The LSAT has not always used this scale. Before June 1991 it used a 10 to 48 scale, and before 1982 a 200 to 800 scale. So older stories about a “48” or an “800” refer to the top of those old scales. Today a 180 is the top. See the full LSAT score range guide for how the scale works.
What Is a High LSAT Score?
A high LSAT score is usually anything 165 or above, and a very high score is 170 or above. Here is how people often talk about the top of the scale:
- 165 to 169: a high score. It beats about 85% to 93% of test takers.
- 170 to 174: a very high score. It beats about 94% to 98% and fits nearly every law school.
- 175 to 179: an elite score. Only about 1.1% of test takers land here.
- 180: the highest possible score, at about the 99.8th percentile.
What counts as “high” for you depends on your schools. A 165 is above the median at most schools but below the median at every T14 school. See what is a good LSAT score to match a score to your goals.
How Rare Are the Top LSAT Scores?
The top of the LSAT scale is very thin. This table shows how rare each score from 170 to 180 is, based on LSAC percentiles:
| Score | Percentile | Share at or above | How rare |
|---|---|---|---|
| 180 | 99.8 | 0.2% | about 1 in 500 |
| 179 | 99.7 | 0.3% | about 1 in 333 |
| 178 | 99.6 | 0.4% | about 1 in 250 |
| 177 | 99.3 | 0.7% | about 1 in 143 |
| 176 | 99.1 | 0.9% | about 1 in 111 |
| 175 | 98.7 | 1.3% | about 1 in 77 |
| 174 | 98.2 | 1.8% | about 1 in 56 |
| 173 | 97.6 | 2.4% | about 1 in 42 |
| 172 | 96.7 | 3.3% | about 1 in 30 |
| 171 | 95.8 | 4.2% | about 1 in 24 |
| 170 | 94.5 | 5.5% | about 1 in 18 |
Each point near the top is harder to earn than a point in the middle, because so few people score there. A 170 already puts you in about the top 5.5%. See our pages for a 180, 175 and 170.
How Many People Get a 180 on the LSAT?
About 0.2% of test takers score a 180, or roughly 1 in 500. LSAC does not publish an exact count of perfect scores each year in its percentile tables, so the share is the most reliable way to describe it.
A 180 is possible, but it is rare enough that you should not plan your applications around it. A better plan is to set a target based on your schools’ ranges and treat anything above it as a bonus.
How Many Questions Can You Miss for a Top Score?
On today’s LSAT, 77 questions count: 50 in Logical Reasoning and 27 in Reading Comprehension. Here is about how many you need right for each top score:
| Scaled score | Raw score needed | Questions you can miss |
|---|---|---|
| 180 | 76 of 77 | 1 |
| 179 | 75 of 77 | 2 |
| 178 | 74 of 77 | 3 |
| 177 | 73 of 77 | 4 |
| 176 | 72 of 77 | 5 |
| 175 | 71 of 77 | 6 |
| 174 | 70 of 77 | 7 |
| 173 | 69 of 77 | 8 |
| 172 | 68 of 77 | 9 |
| 171 | 67 of 77 | 10 |
| 170 | 66 of 77 | 11 |
These are typical numbers for the current format. Each test has its own chart, and on some tests the top of the scale is tighter, with no misses allowed for a 180. Check a practice test in the raw score calculator or see the full raw score conversion chart.
Do You Need a 180 for Top Law Schools?
No. Even the most selective schools have a 75th percentile of 177 or lower. That means at least three quarters of their students scored at or below that number. Only 5 ABA schools have a 75th percentile of 176 or higher. Here are the schools with the highest LSAT ranges, from 2025 ABA 509 data:
| Law school | 25th | Median | 75th | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yale Law | 171 | 174 | 177 | 4.1% |
| WashU Law | 165 | 175 | 176 | 19.0% |
| University of Chicago Law | 171 | 174 | 176 | 9.7% |
| Harvard Law School | 171 | 174 | 176 | 9.2% |
| Stanford Law | 171 | 173 | 176 | 6.1% |
| UVA Law | 168 | 173 | 175 | 10.2% |
| Northwestern Law | 167 | 173 | 175 | 12.3% |
| Columbia Law | 169 | 173 | 175 | 11.8% |
| Cornell Law | 168 | 173 | 175 | 18.2% |
| Penn Carey Law | 167 | 173 | 174 | 8.1% |
| NYU Law | 169 | 172 | 174 | 13.4% |
| UT Austin Law | 166 | 172 | 173 | 14.0% |
| Georgetown Law | 166 | 171 | 173 | 15.7% |
| Michigan Law | 168 | 171 | 173 | 8.6% |
| University of Minnesota Law | 166 | 171 | 173 | 26.7% |
A 170 is at or above the median at 179 of 196 ABA schools. A 175 is at or above the 75th percentile at 191 of them. So a very high score already fits almost every school. A 180 is a real advantage, especially for scholarships, but it is not a promise. Top schools also weigh your GPA, personal statement, recommendations and experience. Check your odds with the law school admissions calculator and see the T14 LSAT scores.
What a Top LSAT Score Can Mean for Scholarships
A score above a school’s 75th percentile makes you the kind of applicant schools compete for. Here is what grants look like at the schools with the highest LSAT ranges. The numbers come from each school’s 2025 ABA report and cover all students, not only top scorers:
| Law school | Students with a grant | Median grant | 75th percentile grant | Yearly tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yale Law | 63% | $34,747 | $47,286 | $76,636 |
| WashU Law | 94% | $48,000 | $60,000 | $72,792 |
| University of Chicago Law | 78% | $15,000 | $30,000 | $83,316 |
| Harvard Law School | 38% | $27,510 | $43,338 | $80,760 |
| Stanford Law | 50% | $52,797 | $72,247 | $77,454 |
| UVA Law | 66% | $35,000 | $50,000 | $74,078 |
| Northwestern Law | 76% | $40,000 | $50,000 | $79,772 |
| Columbia Law | 54% | $32,000 | $48,000 | $85,368 |
| Cornell Law | 91% | $30,000 | $45,000 | $84,722 |
| Penn Carey Law | 59% | $42,246 | $60,000 | $78,348 |
| NYU Law | 66% | $20,000 | $35,750 | $83,952 |
| UT Austin Law | 94% | $23,375 | $38,586 | $38,236 |
Some top schools, including Harvard, Yale and Stanford, give aid based mainly on financial need, not on LSAT scores. At many other schools, a high LSAT is one of the biggest drivers of merit money. See the law school scholarship calculator and retaking the LSAT for scholarships.
How to Get a 180 on the LSAT
There is no shortcut to a perfect score, but people who reach the top of the scale tend to study the same way:
- Get your timed score into the 170s first. A 180 on test day usually needs practice scores very near the top of the scale, because test day adds stress and the chart can be tight.
- Blind review every test. Redo every question you were unsure of, with no time limit, before you check answers. Read the blind review method.
- Know why every wrong answer is wrong. At the top, the difference is one or two questions. You need to explain each answer choice, not just pick the right one.
- Fix your last weak spots. Track every miss in a wrong answer journal. At this level, misses cluster in a few question types.
- Practice timing on the hardest questions. Bank time on easier questions so you can slow down on the hard ones, which often come later in a Logical Reasoning section.
- Use official tests. Real PrepTests give the most accurate picture of the test. See LSAC official practice tests.
If your practice scores are not in the 170s yet, aim for the next range first. Moving from 165 to 170 takes about 6 more right answers. See the LSAT study schedule and the 160 to 170 guide.
Highest LSAT Medians Outside the T14
Top LSAT scores are not only found at T14 schools. Several other schools also have very high medians, often with more scholarship money on the table. These are the highest medians among schools outside the T14:
| Law school | Median LSAT | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| WashU Law | 175 | 176 |
| UT Austin Law | 172 | 173 |
| University of Minnesota Law | 171 | 173 |
| UCLA Law | 171 | 172 |
| BYU Law | 170 | 172 |
| Vanderbilt Law | 170 | 171 |
| Notre Dame Law | 170 | 171 |
| Boston University Law | 170 | 171 |
| George Mason Law (Scalia Law) | 169 | 171 |
| University of Georgia Law | 169 | 171 |
A score in the low to mid 170s puts you near or above the median at every school on this list. See the T20 law school LSAT scores and best law schools for a 170 LSAT.
A Top LSAT Score With a Lower GPA
A very high LSAT score can make up for a lower GPA at many schools, because most schools weigh the LSAT a little more. Here is how a 175 plays out with three different GPAs across all 196 ABA schools, using our admissions calculator:
| LSAT and GPA | Likely | Target | Reach | Long shot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 175 and 3.3 | 148 | 26 | 22 | 0 |
| 175 and 3.6 | 162 | 26 | 8 | 0 |
| 175 and 3.9 | 177 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 165 and 3.9 | 128 | 34 | 28 | 6 |
Even with a 3.3 GPA, a 175 comes out as likely at 148 schools and is not a long shot anywhere. Compare that with a 165 and a 3.9, which is likely at 128 schools. A high LSAT opens more doors than a high GPA alone. Schools with a high LSAT median and a lower GPA median are often called LSAT-friendly, and they are worth a look if you are a splitter.
Outcomes at Schools With the Highest LSAT Scores
A top LSAT score often leads to schools with strong outcomes after graduation. Here are first-time bar passage and job numbers at the schools with the highest LSAT ranges. Bar passage is for 2025 graduates who took the bar for the first time, and jobs are full-time, long-term law jobs about 10 months after graduation for the class of 2025, from ABA reports:
| Law school | First-time bar pass rate | State average | Full-time law jobs | Jobs at firms of 500+ lawyers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yale Law | 98.5% | 85.4% | 82.9% | 31.3% |
| WashU Law | 89.6% | 83.4% | 96.0% | 39.9% |
| University of Chicago Law | 96.7% | 83.8% | 95.8% | 59.7% |
| Harvard Law School | 97.9% | 85.2% | 92.9% | 53.5% |
| Stanford Law | 99.4% | 84.7% | 83.2% | 45.3% |
| UVA Law | 95.1% | 84.8% | 95.8% | 64.0% |
| Northwestern Law | 91.8% | 82.5% | 93.9% | 67.4% |
| Columbia Law | 94.7% | 86.6% | 95.4% | 70.1% |
| Cornell Law | 93.7% | 85.8% | 96.4% | 56.9% |
| Penn Carey Law | 94.4% | 84.6% | 93.3% | 67.1% |
| NYU Law | 96.9% | 86.4% | 93.5% | 62.1% |
| UT Austin Law | 96.4% | 83.0% | 92.9% | 39.3% |
These numbers show where graduates of high-LSAT schools tend to end up. They describe each school as a whole, not what any one student will get. See each school’s page for more detail.
Is There a Highest Score for Each LSAT Section?
No. LSAC reports one scaled score from 120 to 180 for the whole test. It does not give a separate scaled score for Logical Reasoning or Reading Comprehension. Your score report does show how many questions you got right in each section, which helps you plan, but law schools see only the total score.
On the current test, the two Logical Reasoning sections have about 25 scored questions each, and the Reading Comprehension section has about 27. Because Logical Reasoning is about two thirds of the test, most top scorers are very strong in it. Use the LSAT score calculator by section to see how your section results add up.
The Highest Score on Older LSATs With Logic Games
Before August 2024, the LSAT had a Logic Games section and about 101 scored questions. The top score was still 180. On a typical older test, you needed about 98 of 101 right for a 180, so you could miss about 3. A 180 means the same thing on both formats. If you practice with older PrepTests, use the Pre-2024 tab in the LSAT score calculator and read about the new LSAT format.
Can Retaking Get You a Higher Score?
It can. Most law schools focus on your highest LSAT score, and schools report the highest score of each new student to the ABA. So a retake usually has little downside if your practice scores are clearly above your official score. Schools can still see every score in your reportable record.
A retake makes the most sense when you are a few points below the median or 75th percentile at your target schools. Learn more in how many times you can take the LSAT and LSAT retake statistics.
Is There a Top Score for LSAT Writing?
No. LSAT Argumentative Writing is not scored, so it has no top score. LSAC sends your essay to the law schools you apply to, and each school reads it as part of your file. You must finish it before you can see your LSAT score. Your 120 to 180 score comes only from the multiple choice sections. See LSAT Writing for how it works.
Should You Aim for a Perfect LSAT Score?
Most people should aim for a score at or above the 75th percentile at their target schools, not a perfect 180. Past that point, extra points add less to your admission chances, though they can still help with money. Use what LSAT score do I need or the LSAT score goal calculator to set a target.
One rule to know: if you score a 180, LSAC does not let you take the LSAT again. Other retake limits also apply. You can take the LSAT up to 5 times in the current reportable score period and 7 times in total. See LSAC’s limits on repeating the LSAT and should I retake the LSAT.
Highest LSAT Score FAQ
What is the highest LSAT score possible?
The highest LSAT score possible is 180. The scale runs from 120 to 180.
What is the maximum LSAT score?
The maximum LSAT score is 180. No one can score above it.
What is a perfect LSAT score?
A perfect LSAT score is 180. On most tests you can miss about one question and still get a 180.
What percentile is a 180 on the LSAT?
A 180 is about the 99.8th percentile. About 0.2% of test takers score a 180.
How many people get a 180 on the LSAT?
About 1 in 500 test takers, or roughly 0.2%. LSAC does not publish an exact yearly count in its percentile tables.
What is a high LSAT score?
A high LSAT score is usually 165 or above. A 170 or higher is very high and beats about 94.5% of test takers.
Is 175 a good LSAT score?
Yes. A 175 is about the 98.7th percentile and is at or above the 75th percentile at 191 of 196 ABA law schools.
What is the top LSAT score at Harvard, Yale and Stanford?
Their 75th percentiles are 176, 177 and 176, and their medians are 174, 174 and 173. Some students score higher, but most do not.
Can you retake the LSAT after a 180?
No. LSAC does not allow you to take the LSAT again after you score a 180.
How many questions can you miss and get a 180?
Usually about one. On some tests the chart is tighter and you need every question right.
Is 170 a high LSAT score?
Yes. A 170 is about the 94.5th percentile and is at or above the median at 179 of 196 ABA law schools.
Does a 180 guarantee admission to Harvard or Yale?
No. A 180 helps a lot, but top schools also weigh your GPA, essays, recommendations and experience. No score guarantees admission.
What is the highest LSAT score ever?
The highest LSAT score anyone can get is 180, and many people have earned it. Because the scale tops out at 180, no one has ever scored higher.
Is the highest LSAT score the same on the old and new test?
Yes. Both the pre-2024 test with Logic Games and the current test are scored from 120 to 180, so 180 is the top on both.
What LSAT score is top 1%?
A 176 is about the 99th percentile, so a score of 176 or higher puts you in roughly the top 1% of test takers.
Does LSAT Writing have a score?
No. LSAT Argumentative Writing is not scored. Law schools read it as part of your application.
Sources
Percentiles come from LSAC data for the 2023 to 2026 testing years. School LSAT ranges, acceptance rates, grants and tuition come from each school’s 2025 ABA Standard 509 report on the ABA Required Disclosures site. Raw score conversions are typical values, and each test has its own chart. See LSAC on LSAT scoring.