What Is a Good TEAS Score for Nursing School?

“Good” depends on the program

This guide covers competitiveness and target-setting after you know each program's minimum. That distinction gives a program-specific plan a real target instead of a generic score label. If you still need the eligibility floor, start with the ATI TEAS passing-score guide.

There is no defensible single answer such as “70 is good everywhere” or “you need 80 for nursing school.” ATI states that institutions set their own score requirements. Schools can also use the score differently within admissions.

Start with two separate questions:

1. Eligibility: What minimum does this program require?
2. Competitiveness: Among applicants who meet that minimum, how is the TEAS weighted or ranked?

A score can clear a published minimum without guaranteeing admission. It can also be perfectly suitable for one program and below the requirement for another.

Once you know the eligibility rule, build a study plan in the Passy ATI TEAS prep app around the sections that affect your target → instead of a universal score label.

ATI’s TEAS score levels and ranges

ATI reports an adjusted total score on a 0% to 100% scale and places it in one of five Academic Preparedness Levels. The ranges below are the TEAS 7 table ATI shows on its help page about required scores. Your own score report prints the level that applies to your test.

ATI’s guidance on what score you need says your school will most likely want you in the Proficient level or above. Use that as context, not as a promise. A competitive program can rank applicants well above the bottom of Proficient, and a program that publishes its own number or section minimums is using that rule, not the level label.

What should you ask about competitiveness?

Once you know the minimum from admissions materials, ask how the TEAS functions after eligibility:

• whether the program ranks applicants by TEAS score.
• how heavily the TEAS is weighted against prerequisites, GPA, or other criteria.
• what score range recent admitted classes reported, if the program shares that information.
• whether a higher score would change ranking materially or only marginally.
• which attempt the program uses when there are multiple scores.

Ask for the policy for your specific entry term. A department-wide page may not reflect a particular campus, cohort, or application cycle.

What the national and program comparisons on your report mean

ATI’s sample score report shows four comparison figures next to your total score:

• National mean: the average score of all examinees.
• Program mean: the average score of examinees in the program type you chose, such as BSN.
• National percentile rank: the share of all examinees who scored at or below your score.
• Program percentile rank: the same share within your program type.

Those figures tell you where you sit in a reference group. They are not admissions rules. Being above the national mean does not prove you meet a program’s policy, and being below it does not mean a program will reject you. Start your target from the programs on your list, then use the comparisons as context.

How do you choose a realistic target?

Use a three-part target:

• floor: every confirmed minimum you must meet.
• working target: a score above the strictest relevant minimum, leaving room for normal variation. If a program publishes no number, ATI’s Proficient level is the reference point to clear.
• skill targets: the sections and sub-content areas that need improvement based on practice.

The amount of margin is a personal planning choice, not an ATI guarantee. Avoid promising yourself that a specific number will secure admission.

The ATI TEAS passing-score guide explains how to confirm every minimum, attempt rule, and deadline before you interpret competitiveness.

Use section-level evidence to focus on your weakest skill in the Passy ATI TEAS prep app → without treating a short practice total as an admissions forecast.

What if your current practice score is lower?

First, confirm that the practice source measures the current Version 7 content and that the sample is large enough to interpret cautiously. Then review patterns rather than reacting to one total:

• Which section contributed the most misses?
• Were errors caused by missing knowledge, setup, or pacing?
• Which correct answers were guesses?
• Are the same concepts recurring?

Use the free ATI TEAS practice set as a small diagnostic—not as a score prediction. For a broader plan, connect the results to the ATI TEAS 7 study guide.

Should you retake a score that meets the minimum?

That depends on the program's admissions method, your application timeline, and its attempt policy. A retake has costs and can create deadline pressure. Before scheduling one, ask whether a higher score would materially affect your application and which attempt the program uses.

ATI does not set a waiting period between attempts. A school can still limit attempts or require time between them. Review ATI TEAS retake timing before making the decision.

Set a program-specific target

Make a program-by-program requirement list. Highlight any unanswered policy question and confirm it with admissions. Only then set a score target and decide whether your next study block should focus on content, application, or timing.

When that decision is clear, practice the section behind the target and review why each missed method failed.