What is a 'Good' TEAS Score for BSN Programs in 2026?

The Confusion of the ATI Scale

Unlike the SAT (out of 1600) or the ACT (out of 36), the TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) is graded on a percentage scale from 0% to 100%.

Because we are conditioned to think a 75% is a "C" in high school, pre-nursing students often panic when they receive a 75% on the TEAS.

They shouldn't panic. The TEAS is a highly difficult, standardized diagnostic test. The national average score hovers around a 65% to 68%.

The ATI Categorization Tiers

ATI breaks down scores into specific academic readiness categories:

Developmental / Basic (Below 58%): You will not be admitted to a Registered Nurse (RN) program. You will be automatically filtered out.

Proficient (58% to 77%): This is the sweet spot for most applicants. If you score a 70%, you have met the minimum requirement for almost every ADN (Associate Degree) and mid-tier BSN program in the country. You will likely be accepted if* your GPA is above a 3.4.

Advanced (78% to 90%): You are an elite applicant. A score in the 80s proves massive mastery of anatomy and physiology. If you score Advanced, you are highly competitive for top-tier, highly impacted state BSN programs.

Exemplary (91% to 100%): You are in the top 1% to 2% nationally. You can basically walk into any nursing school in the country.

The Reading Section Trap

When evaluating your TEAS score, do not just look at the Total Percentage.

Admissions committees look deeply at the sub-scores. The single most heavily weighted sub-score is often Reading Comprehension, not Science.

Why? Because nursing school requires you to read and digest hundreds of pages of dense medical textbooks every week. If a student has an 80% overall TEAS score, but a 55% in Reading, the committee assumes the student will instantly fail out of the heavy reading curriculum, and they will reject the application. When studying for the TEAS, do not ignore the Reading and English sections.