U.S. Medical Schools See Record Enrollment

Applications reverse three-year decline

December 12, 2025

U.S. medical school enrollment crossed the 100,000 threshold for the first time this year.

The American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) released its annual report, which provides a look at the next generation of medical students who will serve a key role in the health care workforce. It notes that applications to medical school were also up 5.3 percent in the 2025–26 academic year, reversing a three-year decline.

“The growing number of applicants to medical school reflects the continued strong interest in medicine as a career,” AAMC President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, said in a statement.

Here are five things to know:

• The big picture:  The total number enrolled in U.S. medical schools was 100,723 (+1.3%). The number of matriculants was 23,440 (+1.2%) and applicants 54,699 (+5.3%).
• In Pennsylvania:  The commonwealth also saw an increase in matriculants (773, +5%) and applications (1,626, +4.6) for 2025–2026.
• Where students go:  Of the 1,626 Pennsylvania applications, 27.6 percent of students enrolled in-state, 20 percent enrolled out-of-state, and 52 percent did not matriculate to any U.S. medical school.
  • California, Texas, and Florida had the most medical school applicants.
• By gender:   Women represented 57.2 percent of all applicants and accounted for 55 percent of matriculants for 2025.
• Quotable:  “Training the next generation of physicians has always been, and will remain, a core mission of academic medicine,” Skorton said.

HAP supports policies and legislation that support medical school education and grow the future health care workforce. The summary data and detailed data are available online.