California Ends "Bar Results Season": 50 Jurisdictions See Average First-Time Pass Rate of 75.20%
The State Bar of California released its July 2023 bar exam results yesterday, ending the months-long season of jurisdictions reporting results that began the end of August.
According to the National Conference of Bar Examiners, 7,555 examinees sat for the California bar exam, making it the second-largest jurisdiction to report detailed statistics (behind New York's 9,779 examinees).
California saw a first-time passage rate of 65%, which was an increase of 3 percentage points compared to the July 2022 exam, but still below the first-time pass rate of 70% on the July 2021 exam. A pass list from the California exam will be published on the State Bar website on Nov. 12, according to the State Bar of California.
With the inclusion of California’s bar results, the NCBE has now compiled detailed statistics on the July 2023 bar exam for 50 jurisdictions, representing a total of 44,572 examinees. (Incomplete or no statistics are provided for the following six jurisdictions: District of Columbia, New Hampshire, Guam, Palau, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.)
The average, non-weighted first-time pass rate for the 50 jurisdictions is 75.20%.
Among the 50 jurisdictions, 34 jurisdictions saw increases in first-time bar passage between the July 2022 and July 2023 exam; 14 jurisdictions saw decreases; and 2 jurisdictions saw no change.
Biggest increases in first-time bar passage (all jurisdictions)
1. Wyoming, +24% (49 total examinees)
2. Rhode Island, +15% (75 total examinees)
3. West Virginia, +13% (119 total examinees)
4. Nevada, +9% (280 total examinees)
5. Missouri, +8% (663 total examinees)
Biggest increases in first-time bar passage (UBE jurisdictions only)
1. Wyoming, +24% (49 total examinees)
2. Rhode Island, +15% (75 total examinees)
3. West Virginia, +13% (119 total examinees)
4. Missouri, +8% (663 total examinees)
T-5. Arkansas, +6 (239 examinees)
T-5. Kentucky, +6 (315 examinees)
T-5. Montana, +6 (110 examinees)
T-5. Tennessee, +6 (713 examinees)
Biggest decreases in first-time bar passage (all jurisdictions)
1. Northern Mariana Islands, -100% (2 total examinees)
T-2. Michigan, -8% (651 total examinees)
T-2. Nebraska, -8% (204 total examinees)
4. Maryland, -7% (808 total examinees)
T-5. Connecticut, -4% (377 total examinees)
T-5. South Dakota, -4% (57 total examinees)
Biggest decreases in first-time bar passage (UBE jurisdictions only)
T-1. Michigan, -8% (651 total examinees)
T-1. Nebraska, -8% (204 total examinees)
3. Maryland, -7% (808 total examinees)
4. Connecticut, -4% (377 total examinees)
5. Oregon, -3% (426 examinees)
Previous Post: UPDATED October 30, 2023, 10:30 am (EDT)
As we wait for the California bar exam results to be released on November 9, here’s the latest update to my first-time bar passage rates comparisons.
Since my last update on October 19, when the NCBE posted detailed bar exam statistics for the New York bar exam, the NCBE has posted detailed statistics for an additional seven jurisdictions (Alaska, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia). While some of these jurisdictions had previously released their exam results weeks ago, the NCBE had not updated its webpage until recently.
So far, the NCBE has posted detailed bar exam statistics for 47 jurisdictions. The NCBE has not yet posted detailed statistics for the following jurisdictions even though examinee results have been released by the individual jurisdictions: District of Columbia, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Guam, Northern Marina Islands, Palau, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
Here's how the seven most recently posted jurisdictions fared between the July 2022 and July 2023 administrations with respect to first-time passage rates:
Alaska, +4 percentage points
Michigan, -8 percentage points
Minnesota, -2 percentage points
New Jersey, No Change
Ohio, No Change
South Carolina, +4 percentage points
Virginia, -3 percentage points
Of the 47 jurisdictions that have their detailed statistics posted by the NCBE, 32 jurisdictions saw an improvement in first-time passage rates from July 2022 (average increase of 5.00 percentage points) while 13 jurisdictions saw a decline (average decrease of 3.38 percentage points). Two jurisdictions saw no change.
A total of 36,940 examinees took the bar exam in these 47 jurisdictions, representing more than 85 percent of the 45,968 examinees who took the July 2023 MBE.
Previous Post: UPDATED October 19, 2023, 1:30 pm (EDT)
The New York State Board of Law Examiners released results to its July 2023 bar exam today, so I'm providing a midweek update to my compilation of July 2023 first-time bar passage rates. After all, 9,779 examinees sat for the New York Uniform Bar Exam, which represents more than 20% of the 45,968 examinees who took the July 2023 MBE.
In all, the NCBE has provided detailed bar passage statistics for 40 jurisdictions so far. A total of 33,765 examinees took the bar exam in these 40 jurisdictions, representing more than 73 percent of the 45,968 examinees who took the July 2023 MBE.
In addition to New York, the NCBE posted detailed statistics for four other jurisdictions (Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, and Texas) since my last update on October 15.
Here's how the five most recently posted jurisdictions fared between the July 2022 and July 2023 administrations with respect to first-time passage rates:
Georgia, +2 percentage points
Hawaii, +4 percentage points
Maryland, -7 percentage point
New York, +1 percentage point
Texas, +5 percentage points
In all, 30 jurisdictions saw an improvement in first-time passage rates from July 2022 (average increase of 5.13 percentage points) while 10 jurisdictions saw a decline (average decrease of 3.10 percentage points).
Previous Post: UPDATED October 15, 2023, 10:06 am (EDT)
The NCBE posted detailed bar passage statistics for another six jurisdictions during the Week of Oct. 7 (Arizona, Connecticut, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Pennsylvania). While other jurisdictions released results last week, the NCBE has not yet posted detailed state-specific statistics for all jurisdictions that have released results so far.
With that said, the NCBE has released comparative bar results for the July 2023 exam for 35 jurisdictions so far. In all, 26 jurisdictions saw an improvement in first-time passage rates from July 2022 (average increase of 5.46 percentage points) while nine jurisdictions saw a decline (average decrease of 2.67 percentage points).
Here's how the most recently posted jurisdictions fared between the two July administrations with respect to first-time passage rates:
Arizona, +4 percentage points
Connecticut, -4 percentage points
Louisiana, -1 percentage point
Massachusetts, +1 percentage point
Nevada, +9 percentage points
Pennsylvania, +4 percentage points
Of the 35 jurisdictions that have their detailed statistics posted by the NCBE, 28 administer the Uniform Bar Exam. (Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, South Dakota, and Wisconsin are non-UBE jurisdictions.)
A total of 18,059 examinees took the bar exam in these 35 jurisdictions, representing more than 40 percent of the 45,968 examinees who took the July 2023 MBE.
Previous Post: UPDATED October 7, 2023, 10:40 am (EDT)
The NCBE posted detailed bar passage statistics for another five jurisdictions during the Week of Oct. 1 (Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Tennessee, and Wisconsin).
So far, the NCBE has released comparative bar results for the July 2023 exam for more than half of the jurisdictions (29 jurisdictions so far). Each of the five most recently posted jurisdictions saw an increase in bar first-time passage rates compared to a year ago. In all, 22 jurisdictions saw an improvement in first-time passage rates from July 2022 (average increase of 5.64 percentage points) while seven jurisdictions saw a decline (average decrease of 2.71 percentage points).
Here's how the most recently posted jurisdictions fared between the two July administrations:
Colorado, +5 percentage points
Delaware, +4 percentage points
Illinois, +2 percentage points
Tennessee, +6 percentage points
Wisconsin, +3 percentage points
Of these 29 jurisdictions, 24 administer the Uniform Bar Exam. (Delaware, Florida, Mississippi, South Dakota, and Wisconsin are non-UBE jurisdictions.)
A total of 13,485 examinees took the bar exam in these 29 jurisdictions, representing nearly 30 percent of the 45,968 examinees who took the July 2023 MBE.
Previous Post: UPDATED September 30, 2023, 5:14 am (EDT)
The NCBE posted detailed bar passage statistics for another six jurisdictions during the Week of Sept. 24 (Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Oregon, and South Dakota).
So far, the NCBE has released comparative bar results for the July 2023 exam for 24 jurisdictions. Seventeen jurisdictions saw an improvement from July 2022 (average increase of 6.12 percentage points) while seven jurisdictions saw a decline (average decrease of 2.71 percentage points).
Here's how the most recently posted jurisdictions fared between the two July administrations:
Alabama, -1 percentage pont
Kentucky, +6 percentage points
Mississippi, +4 percentage points
Montana, +6 percentage points
Oregon, -3 percentage points
South Dakota, -4 percentage points
Of these 24 jurisdictions, 21 administer the Uniform Bar Exam. (Florida, Mississippi, and South Dakota are non-UBE jurisdictions.)
A total of 9,651 examinees took the bar exam in these 24 jurisdictions, more than doubling the number of examinees that was reported as of last week. This number represents 21 percent of the 45,968 examinees who took the July 2023 MBE.
Previous Post: UPDATED September 23, 2023, 10:45 am (EDT)
The NCBE posted detailed bar passage statistics for an additional five jurisdictions during the Week of Sept. 17 (Florida, Indiana, Maine, North Dakota, and Wyoming). So far, the NCBE has released comparative bar results on the July 2023 exam for 18 jurisdictions. Fourteen jurisdictions saw an improvement from July 2022 (average increase of 6.29 percentage points) while four jurisdictions saw a decline (average decrease of 2.75 percentage points).
A total of 4,725 examinees took the bar exam in these 18 jurisdictions. This number represents approximately 10 percent of the 45,968 examinees took the July 2023 MBE.
Of these 18 jurisdictions, 17 administer the Uniform Bar Exam. (Florida is the lone jurisdiction among the 18 that does not administer the UBE.)
Jurisdictions with a UBE passing score of 260 averaged an 5.00-percentage-point increase on the July 2023 exam compared to the July 2022 exam (Missouri, New Mexico, Utah, and North Dakota).
Similarly, jurisdictions with a UBE passing score of 270 also averaged an 5.00-percentage-point increase on the July 2023 exam compared to the July 2022 exam (Arkansas, Idaho, Maine, Nebraska, North Carolina, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming).
Jurisdictions with a UBE passing score of 266 averaged a 2.00-percentage-point increase on the July 2023 exam compared to the July 2022 exam (Iowa and Kansas).
The two Jurisdictions with a UBE passing score of 264 averaged the same pass rate as the year before (Indiana and Oklahoma).
Previous Post: UPDATED September 16, 2023, 7:33 am (EDT)
July 2023 bar results continue to be posted by the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
The NCBE has posted detailed bar passage statistics for an additional four jurisdictions since my last update. So far, the NCBE has released comparative bar results on the July 2023 exam for 13 jurisdictions. Nine jurisdictions saw an improvement from July 2022 (average increase of 6 percentage points) while four jurisdictions saw a decline (average decrease of 3 percentage points).
Previous Post: Updated September 11, 2023, 11:33 am (EDT)
July 2023 bar results continue to be posted by the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
The NCBE posted Washington State bar passage rates this morning. Washington saw a small dip in its first-time bar passage rates. It had a 78% first-time passage rate on the July 2023 bar exam, compared to 79% on the July 2022 exam.
So far, the NCBE has released comparative bar results on the July 2023 exam for nine jurisdictions. Five jurisdictions saw an improvement from July 2022 (average increase of 6 percentage points) while four jurisdictions saw a decline (average decrease of 3 percentage points).
