Bar exam results are on the rise in 2024

Those who took the bar exam in July 2024 are set to see a higher average in results than seen previously. The MBE is a 200 multiple choice question section which is taken over 6 hours. This is the only portion of the 2 day exam scored by the national conference and is able to provide a national forecast of pass rates. Individual pass rates are set to release in September into November, however the national average score on the MBE was 141.8 which is up 1.3 points from July 2023. This is also the highest average MBE score since 2014 showing an upward trend in pass rates.

The NCBE’s scale means that if you get 60-66% correct, you should “pass” the MBE, depending on your jurisdiction’s overall passage rate.

Why are results on the rise?

A large part of the increased results could be down to the applicants to law school which increased 13% in 2021. Many waited until after the pandemic to apply to further education courses which allowed law schools to be more selective of who they accept. If only the top applicants were accepted then having higher pass rates for the bar exam is on track.

Is the bar exam different in each state?

California is considered to be the hardest bar exam based on the content and the low pass rate of just 34%.

Utah is knows for having one of the easiest bar exams to pass with a 94% pass rate for first time takers and a 73% pass rate for repeat takers in July 2023. It also has the lowest UBE cut score of 260.

How many people pass the bar exam the first time?

The American Bar Association report that just over 78% of US law school graduates who took the exam in 2022 passed first time. In 2023 this increased to 79% of graduates passing first time.