What is the highest score on the California bar exam?

Asked by: Camron Batz  |  Last update: July 22, 2025
Score: 4.8/5 (35 votes)

The California bar exam has 2000 possible points. You need 1440 points to pass the California bar exam.

What is a good score on the California bar exam?

To determine your average raw written score, divide your Raw Written number by 7 (PT counts twice). Consider a “weak” essay or MBE score to be under 1340 scaled (50 points under passing) and a “strong” score to be over 1440 (50 points over passing).

Has anyone gotten a 100 on the bar exam?

Has anyone ever gotten a perfect score on the bar exam? Have you ever seen an essay exam answer written during an actual state-administered exam that the CA Bar Examiners scored a perfect 100? We never have either, which is why we're bringing it to your attention.

What is the top 1% score on the bar exam?

A 300 is in about the 90th percentile, and 330 is in the top 1% of all scores. Keep in mind that out of the 200 points that make up the MPT and the MEE, only 175 of them are actually scored, and the remainder are considered to be 'pretest' questions that do not count towards your overall score.

Is 283 a good bar exam score?

Your overall score

Uniform Bar Exam states require a score between 260 and 280 to pass the Uniform Bar Exam. So, if your score was above 280, you technically received a score that is considered passing in every Uniform Bar Exam state. Congratulations if that is the case.

BAR EXAM TRUTHS FOR FOREIGN QUALIFIED ATTORNEYS

24 related questions found

What is a 266 on the bar?

In most states that grade on a 1–6 scale, a 4 is considered a passing score. Here is the exact number a passing score for each essay: A 3.9 is considered passing in Uniform Bar Exam jurisdictions that require a 260 to pass. A 4.0 is considered passing in Uniform Bar Exam jurisdictions that require a 266 to pass.

Is 295 a good bar score?

In order to pass the Uniform Bar Exam, examinees must earn a score of at least 260 on the MBE and MEE. However, a score of 280 is generally considered to be a good score, and a score of 300 to 330 (highest score on bar exam) is considered to be excellent.

How hard is the California bar?

Is The California Bar Exam Hard? Yes, the California bar exam is widely considered to be the most difficult of all state bar exams in the US. The California bar exam has a pass rate of 34%.

What state has the hardest bar exam?

For several reasons, the California bar exam is often considered to be the hardest in the country. California's legal system is known for its complexity. The state has its own set of laws, regulations, and precedents that often differ significantly from federal laws and those of other states.

Is California getting rid of the bar exam?

25 and 26 — making California the first jurisdiction to fully break away from the bar exam created by the National Conference of Bar Examiners, which is set to launch its own overhauled exam in July 2026. California is the nation's second-largest bar exam jurisdiction behind only New York.

How much do bar exam graders make?

$11-$27/hr Bar Exam Grader Jobs (NOW HIRING) Jan 2025.

How many times can you fail the bar exam in California?

Most states allow 2-4 attempts of the bar exam, but about 35 states, including California, New York, and Florida, don't have any limits on the number of times you can take the bar.

Does California tell you your bar score?

California does not tell successful applicants their essay scores, performance test score, or MBE score. Successful applicants do not receive copies of their answers following the exam. Only unsuccessful applicants receive their scores on each essay and performance test.

What is an average bar score?

For example, California's bar exam passing score is 1390 out of 2000 points. You should aim for a scaled score of 139, but there is no way to accurately gauge what raw score you need. If you're taking the bar exam in a non-UBE jurisdiction, check out the appropriate UWorld state-specific bar exam pages: California.

Is bar exam harder than law school?

Generally, the bar exam is considered harder than the LSAT. The LSAT tests logical reasoning and reading comprehension for law school admission, while the bar exam requires extensive legal knowledge and practical skills to obtain a license to practice law.

Did Kim Kardashian pass the bar exam?

Kim Kardashian learned very quickly how hard bar exams can be. The California state bar is one of the most difficult states to pass, with a 40-50% pass rate. The first attempt rate, the second attempt, and after the third time, she finally passed!

What's the easiest state to pass the bar exam?

Overall, Utah is the easiest bar exam to pass. This is true whether you are a first-time taker or repeat taker! In July 2023, Utah had a 94% pass rate for first time takers and a 73% pass rate for repeat takers. It also has the lowest UBE cut score of 260.

How many people pass the California bar the first time?

California's General Bar Exam pass rate of 53.8 percent is up from last year's July pass rate of 51.5 percent, and 2022's July pass rate of 52.4 percent. Preliminary statistical analyses show that of the 8,291 applicants who completed the GBX, 67.7 percent were first-time takers.

Can you take the bar in California without a law degree?

In California, qualified applicants can take the bar exam without going to law school. Most law schools require a college degree, but some may only ask for equivalent course work, and some law schools focus on your legal interest and life experiences and not on your grades or LSAT scores.

What is the easiest state to become a lawyer in?

Going by the 2021 bar exam passing rates, Wyoming has the easiest bar exam to pass. However, we don't really get the full picture by just looking at the passing rates. Each state's bar exam can differ in difficulty and content.

Who has the highest bar score?

Matthew Graham, a University of Baltimore Law School alumnus, smashed the previous bar exam record by scoring 309 out of 400 on his first attempt.

Are bar exams curved?

Most bar takers fall right in the middle on the curve, within a few points of each other. The MBE portion of the bar exam is significant to your overall score in almost all U.S. states. Getting just a few additional points can really tip you into the “passing zone.”

What is 295 on bar?

A 295 is a passing score in EVERY jurisdiction.