How hard is the bar exam?
The bar exam is hard, but most people who prepare properly pass. In 2025, 84.1% of first-time takers from ABA-approved law schools passed, and 92.2% of 2023 graduates passed within two years. Difficulty depends a lot on the state: in July 2025 the overall pass rate was 55% in California and 70% in New York. Most people study 400 to 600 hours over 8 to 10 weeks.
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In more detail
What makes it hard is volume and speed, not trick questions. On the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) is 200 multiple-choice questions in six hours, 175 of them scored, so you have about 1.8 minutes per question. On top come six essays (MEE) and two performance tasks (MPT). The MBE counts for 50% of the score, the essays 30% and the performance tasks 20%.
Your passing score depends on where you sit. UBE jurisdictions set minimums between 260 and 270 out of 400; New York is 266. Some states, including California, do not use the UBE at all, and pass rates vary a lot between states.
The exam is also changing. The NextGen bar exam, built around seven lawyering skills such as legal research, legal writing and client counseling, had its first sitting in July 2026 in 10 jurisdictions. NCBE lists more jurisdictions for July 2027, and 52 in total will begin giving it by July 2028. Check which version your state gives in your test year.
Bar exam pass rates (latest official figures, checked October 2026)
| Group | Pass rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| First-time takers, 2025 graduates of ABA-approved schools | 84.1% | ABA, March 2026 |
| 2023 graduates, within two years | 92.2% | ABA, March 2026 |
| New York, July 2025, all takers | 70% | Jurisdiction results reported by the ABA Journal |
| California, July 2025, all takers | 55% | Jurisdiction results reported by the ABA Journal |
| Utah, July 2025, all takers (highest) | 86% | Jurisdiction results reported by the ABA Journal |
Step by step
- 1
Look up your state's format and passing score, and whether it gives the UBE, the NextGen exam or its own test.
- 2
Block 8 to 10 weeks of full-time study, or longer if you study part-time, on a calendar.
- 3
Learn the rules of the most tested subjects first, using short outlines and flashcards for elements and exceptions.
- 4
Do MBE questions every day at about 1.8 minutes each and review every miss.
- 5
Write practice essays and at least a few full performance tests under time.
- 6
Take a full simulated exam two to three weeks out, then put your remaining time into the weakest subjects.
- 7
Protect sleep and a rest half-day each week. Fatigue costs points on a two-day exam.
How StudyPDF helps
Upload your outlines, class notes or bar prep handouts, and StudyPDF builds flashcards for rules and elements, quizzes and a timed practice exam from your own material. It tracks which subjects you keep missing, and the Plan tab spreads sessions up to your exam date, weak areas first. It does not include licensed MBE questions.
Sources
See also
- AnswerHow do you study for the bar exam?
- AnswerLSAT study schedule: how many weeks do you need?
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- AnswerHow hard is the MCAT?
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- AnswerHow long is the bar exam?
- AnswerBar exam pass rate: first-time vs repeat takers
- AnswerHow many questions are on the bar exam?
- AnswerWhat is a passing score on the bar exam?
- StudyPDFAI Exam Generator
More questions
Is the bar exam harder than the LSAT?
They test different things. The LSAT measures reasoning and reading and needs no legal knowledge. The bar tests whether you know and can apply a large body of law under time pressure. Most lawyers say the bar takes far more preparation.
How many people fail the bar exam the first time?
About 16% of 2025 first-time takers from ABA-approved schools did not pass, based on the ABA's 84.1% first-time pass rate. Repeat takers pass at much lower rates, so it pays to prepare fully for the first attempt.
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