Reuters, California Law Schools Lacking ABA Approval Show 21% Bar Pass Rate — State Report:

Students at California law schools not accredited by the American Bar Association have low odds of passing the bar and strong chances of dropping out after their first year, according to a new report from the State Bar of California.

Graduates of the 18 California-accredited schools had a pass rate of just 21% on the July 2022 bar exam, compared with 67% among graduates of ABA law schools, according to the state bar’s first-ever comprehensive Law School Profile, released on Friday.

The report also showed that California law schools unaccredited by the ABA have cheaper tuition and more diverse student bodies than their ABA-accredited counterparts.

The report raises policy questions about the future of law school regulation in California, said State Bar Executive Director Leah Wilson, “including an assessment of the true value of a legal education absent a likely prospect of bar exam passage.” The state bar said it plans to conduct further research on the trends identified in the new report.