What score do you need to pass California bar exam?
Asked by: Alden Fritsch | Last update: April 22, 2026Score: 4.2/5 (12 votes)
To pass the California Bar Exam, you generally need a total scaled score of 1390 out of 2000 possible points, a score set by the California Supreme Court in 2020, replacing the previous 1440 requirement. This score is an average of your scaled written and Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) scores, so achieving a higher score in one area can compensate for a lower score in the other, with a pass on one reading or an averaged score after a second reading of your essays.
What score do I need to pass the California bar exam?
To pass the exam in the first phase of grading, an applicant must have a total scale score (after one reading) of at least 1390 out of 2000 possible points. Those with total scale scores after one reading below 1350 fail the exam.
Is 300 a good bar exam score?
The lowest possible passing score of 266 will suffice in states like South Carolina, Montana, and some others. Depending on how many people have taken the UBE, a score of 280 is approximately the 73rd percentile. A 300 is in about the 90th percentile, and 330 is in the top 1% of all scores.
Is 70% good on the MBE?
65% is solid. Above 70% is elite. Your numbers in a few weeks will rise. Look at my post about equator questions and the real MBE. If you took it today you'd be closer to 60%.
Is the CA bar exam curved?
The bar exam is not curved in the traditional sense.
There is no quota of people who can pass or fail. Scaling is used to adjust scores on the MBE and essay sections to account for variations in difficulty. Your performance is measured against a standard, not against your peers.
What Is A Passing Score On The California Bar Exam? - Law School Prep Hub
Did Michelle Obama pass the bar exam?
Yes, Michelle Obama failed the Illinois bar exam on her first attempt after graduating from Harvard Law School, but she retook it, passed, and was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1989, going on to have a successful legal career. She is one of several prominent figures, including Hillary Clinton and Franklin D. Roosevelt, who initially failed the bar exam before achieving great success.
Is a 303 on the bar exam good?
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.
Is a 269 on the bar exam good?
A 269 on the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) is a strong score that passes in most states but might be just shy of the highest-scoring jurisdictions (which often require 270+), making it a very solid, passing score that opens many doors, though some states like New York (270) or Massachusetts (270) are just out of reach without a few more points, but it's still a great result that qualifies you to practice law in a majority of U.S. jurisdictions.
How to calculate CA bar exam score?
An applicant's total score is the scaled MBE score multiplied by . 50 plus the converted score on the written section multiplied by . 50. The committee of bar examiners utilizes a grading procedure designed to ensure the level of difficulty remains “unchanged” from one administration of the exam to another.
Is 60% on MBE good?
These are the approximate scores you want to aim for in order to have a passing MBE score: If you are aiming for a MBE converted score of 131-135 (which is a passing score in most jurisdictions that require scores of 262-270 to pass), you should aim for 58%-62%. We suggest aiming for at least 60% to be safe.
Did Kim Kardashian pass the bar exam to be a lawyer?
No, Kim Kardashian has not yet passed the full California Bar Exam; she failed the July 2025 exam and publicly shared her results in November 2025, vowing to keep studying, though she previously passed the First-Year Law Students' Examination (Baby Bar) in 2021. She's said she came "so close" and is determined to pass, viewing the setback as motivation for future attempts.
Has anyone ever aced the bar exam?
It has probably happened before, but very rarely. Also, the “300 is the top 1%” is an oft-repeated falsehood. That statistic came from a single administration of a February exam.
How likely am I to pass the bar exam?
The bar exam pass rate is typically between 60-80% depending on your bar exam state.
Is California the hardest bar exam?
Yes, the California Bar Exam is widely considered one of the hardest, if not the hardest, bar exams in the U.S. due to its notoriously low pass rates, demanding structure with extensive state-specific law, high passing score (cut score), and unique difficulty factors like intensive essay sections and performance tests, making it a uniquely grueling experience for test-takers.
What is the lowest score on the bar exam?
Each UBE jurisdiction sets a minimum passing score, ranging from 260 to 270. Recently, many jurisdictions have re-evaluated these scores in response to national discussions on bar exam difficulty, candidate performance, and the demand for new lawyers.
How many times can you take the bar exam in California?
How many times can you take the California Bar Exam? There is no limit to the number of times you can take the California bar exam other than the fact that there are only two administrations per year, one in February and one in July. Test takers may take the California bar exam as many times as they choose.
How many points to pass the CA bar?
To pass the examination an applicant must have a total scaled score of at least 1440 points out of a possible 2000 points.
Is 70% on the MBE good?
We suggest aiming for at least 60% to be safe. If you are aiming for an MBE score of 136-140 (which is a passing MBE score in jurisdictions that require a 272-280 to pass) you should aim for 62%-65%. If you are aiming for an MBE score of 144 (which is considered passing in California), you should aim for about 67%.
Is bar harder than lsat?
Most people consider the Bar Exam harder than the LSAT because it requires memorizing vast amounts of "black letter law" and applying it under extreme pressure, whereas the LSAT tests reasoning skills, but the LSAT's difficulty lies in its highly competitive scoring and abstract logic, making high scores harder to achieve for top schools. The LSAT is a skill-based test for law school entry, while the Bar is a knowledge-based test for licensure, making the Bar more about rote learning and the LSAT about logical aptitude.
What percentage of law grads pass the bar?
Those figures show that nearly 83% of juris doctor graduates from ABA-accredited law schools who took the bar for the first time passed — up more than three percentage points over the 79% first-time pass rate in 2023. It's the highest national first-time pass rate since 2020, when 84% of takers passed.
What is the easiest bar exam to pass?
What is the easiest bar exam to pass? 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.
How is the CA bar graded?
The written portion and MBE portion are both weighted equally—each section is worth 50% of the overall scaled score. As mentioned above, you need a score of 1390 out of 2000 possible points to pass the California bar exam. When the passing score was 1440, the California bar exam committee used a phased grading system.
What law school has the lowest bar passage rate?
Cooley Law School, which has campuses in Michigan and Florida, had the lowest first-time pass rate last year at 37.25%. It was followed by Florida A&M University College of Law at 40.20% and Inter American University of Puerto Rico School of Law at 45.45%.