What percent of lawyers pass the bar on the first try?
Asked by: Elissa Ratke | Last update: November 12, 2025Score: 4.3/5 (17 votes)
The 79.18% pass rate was up slightly from the 78% pass rate earned by first-time bar examinees in 2022, but lower than the 80% pass rate among 2021 takers and the 84% pass rate earned by 2020 examinees.
What are the odds of passing the bar the first time?
First-Time Test-Taker Bar Pass Rates 2009-2018
Overall, the first-time bar pass rate dropped from a solid 79 percent in 2009 to 69% in 2018. Those percentages take the average first-time pass rate for both the February and July exams that are administered in each state. The 79 percent.
How hard is it to pass the bar on the first try?
Despite its difficulty, many law school graduates who take the bar exam pass the first time, with pass rates often ranging from about 50% to nearly 90%, depending on the jurisdiction.
Is it common to fail the bar exam the first time?
According to the American Bar Association, 75.79% of people pass after taking the bar exam for the first time in recent years. That averages out to two out of every ten people failing the exam the first time they take it. It is also key to remember that the bar exam is just an exam.
How many times did JFK Jr. take the bar exam?
Kennedy earned a Juris Doctor degree from the New York University School of Law in 1989. He then failed the New York bar exam twice before passing on his third try in July 1990. After failing the exam for a second time Kennedy vowed that he would continue to take it until he was ninety-five years old or passed.
How to Pass the Bar Exam (Attorney Exam)
What state has the easiest 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.
Is the NCLEX harder than the bar exam?
The Bar Exam is typically seen as harder than the NCLEX. This is because the Bar Exam covers many intricate legal topics and has a lower pass rate, around 60% on average. In contrast, the NCLEX focuses on nursing concepts and has a higher pass rate, around 80% on average.
What happens if you fail the bar exam 3 times?
There is no limit to the number of times you can take the bar exam in the state of California. While it may come as a relief to many students who are planning to take the bar exam in California that there are no limits, California's bar exam is known for being one of the hardest exams in the U.S.
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 is the hardest state to pass the bar exam in?
California is universally regarded as the toughest state for taking the bar exam. This notion is not dissuaded by the state's low bar-pass rate. In addition to the performance test, five essay questions, and the Multistate Bar Exam, the California exam takes two days.
How much do lawyers make after passing the bar?
The average lawyer wage in the highest-paid area (San Jose, California, at $268,570) is four times greater than the average wage in the lowest-paid area (Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, at $62,380). There are three surprises among the 20 areas with the highest lawyer wages. Midland, Michigan, near Saginaw, is No.
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.
What is the youngest person to pass the bar?
ROB SCHMITZ, HOST: So what were you doing when you were 17 years and eight months old? Well, Sophia Park was taking the California State Bar exam and breaking a record for the youngest person ever to pass the exam in the state. SOPHIA PARK: Well, we were both 13 years old when we started law school.
What percentage of lawyers never pass the bar?
Wondering how test-takers are doing as a whole? According to the most recent data released by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE®), in 2021, of the 64,833 total persons taking the bar exam, 39,873 passed, which is an overall pass rate of 60% (down 1%from the previous year).
What law school has the highest bar pass rate?
- Concordia University School of Law: 100 percent.
- University of Chicago: 98 percent.
- Yale University: 98 percent.
- University of Pennsylvania: 98 percent.
- Columbia University: 97 percent.
- Harvard University: 97 percent.
- Duke University 97 percent.
- New York University: 97 percent.
How many times did Kim K take the bar?
The Skims mogul has been able to keep up with her legal apprenticeship and plans to sit for the state bar exam in future. No, Kim Kardashian has not passed not the California General Bar exam but successfully passed the baby bar in 2021. She cleared it in her fourth attempt.
Is it normal to fail the bar the first-time?
Many students do not pass the bar exam on their first try (and some take multiple tries to pass the bar exam!). Chances are, there is someone at your law school, within your friend group, or at your law firm that did not pass the bar exam on the first try.
What is the baby bar?
The First-Year Law Students' Examination, or "baby bar," is administered in June and October. The exam is comprised of 100 multiple-choice questions and no longer includes any essay questions. Two exam sessions are available each day, allowing applicants to choose between a morning or afternoon session.
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.
What state is the hardest to pass the NCLEX?
There were some regional differences between the 50 states in the NCLEX RN pass rate for U.S. educated candidates. Florida had the lowest overall state pass in 2020 with a percentage of 68.8. New Hampshire placed highest with a percentage of 96.2.
What is the hardest exam in the world?
- Gaokao Exam in China.
- IIT JEE Advanced.
- Civil Services Exam (CSE)/UPSC.
- All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam.
- USMLE.
- Master Sommelier Diploma Exam.
- ICAI CA/ ICMAI Exams.
- CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert)
What is the hardest state to become a lawyer?
Florida and California are the most challenging states to become a lawyer in terms of passing the bar exam. Their bar exams are considered the most difficult to pass. Those two states do not have reciprocity with other states regarding honoring those who have passed the bar exam in other states.
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.