New York has joined the growing number of states reporting a higher pass rate on the July 2024 bar exam, with 69% of examinees successfully passing the attorney licensing exam. This figure marks New York’s highest overall pass rate since 2013, showing a 3 percentage point increase from 2023’s 66%, according to the New York Board of Law Examiners.
As the largest bar exam jurisdiction in the country, New York had more than 10,000 candidates take the July test. Of the 46 states that have reported results, 31 showed higher pass rates compared to last year, while 12 had lower rates and three remained the same. Only six states, including California and Ohio, have yet to release their pass rates.
The uptick in scores aligns with expectations. In August, the National Conference of Bar Examiners reported that the national average score on the multiple-choice section of the exam reached 141.8, up 1.3 points from July 2023. This score represents the highest average MBE score since 2013, aside from 2020 when the exam was modified due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials attributed this improvement partly to the unusually large and academically strong entering class of 2021, which saw a 13% increase in law school applications—an uptick driven by the pandemic. This surge allowed schools to be more selective in their admissions.
Several other states also saw significant improvements. Florida’s overall pass rate increased from 61% last year to 65% this July, while Texas’ rate rose from 71% to 75%. Illinois recorded a 72% overall pass rate, up from 70%, and Michigan’s rate jumped 9 percentage points to 64%. Pennsylvania’s pass rate increased from 71% last year to 77% this year.
Most states with lower pass rates, including Virginia and South Carolina, experienced only slight declines. However, Wyoming’s overall pass rate fell significantly to 65%, a 15 percentage point drop from last year’s 80%, though this figure is based on just 52 July examinees.
California plans to release its bar exam results on November 8, while Ohio and Maryland will make their results available on Friday. The District of Columbia will provide results “on or before” November 5, according to officials.
