Following up on last week’s post, Law School Rankings By First-Time Bar Passage Rate (2024): this post projects next year’s 2026-27 U.S. News first-time bar passage ranking using the current methodology:
Bar passage rate for first-time test-takers (18%): U.S. News used its treatment of bar passage rates to incorporate all graduates who took the bar for the first time, and not just those from the state with the most test-takers. This de-emphasized the impact of geography on law schools’ relative performance.
As was done with the 10-months-after-graduation indicator, this bar passage indicator was newly calculated as a two-year, non-weighted average pertaining to the 2022 and 2023 graduating classes.
Specifically, the bar passage rate indicator scored schools on their average 2022 and 2023 first-time test-takers’ weighted bar passage rates among all jurisdictions, or states, then added or subtracted the average percentage point difference between those rates and the weighted state average among ABA accredited schools’ first-time test-takers in the corresponding jurisdictions in 2022 and 2023. This meant schools that performed best on this ranking factor graduated students whose bar passage rates were both higher than most schools overall and higher compared with what was typical among graduates who took the bar in corresponding jurisdictions.
or example, if a fictional law school in upstate New York graduated 100 students who first took the bar exam – and 79 took the New York exam, 18 the Massachusetts exam and three the Vermont exam – the school’s weighted average rate would use pass rate results that were weighted 79% for New York, 18% for Massachusetts and 3% for Vermont. This computation would then be compared with an index of these jurisdictions’ average pass rates – also weighted 79-18-3. (For privacy, school profiles on usnews.com display bar passage data only for jurisdictions with at least 10 test-takers.) Both weighted averages included any graduates who passed the bar with alternative pathways such as diploma privilege. Alternative pathways is a method for J.D. graduates to be admitted to a state bar and allowed to practice law in that state without taking that state’s actual bar examination. Alternative pathways is generally based on attending and graduating from a law school in that state with the diploma privilege.
Below is next year’s projected 2026-27 U.S. News ranking of the average first-time bar passage for calendar years 2023 and 2024. For comparison, the current 2025-26 U.S. News ranking of the average first-time bar passage for calendar years 2022 and 2023 are also included.
| Rank | School | 2026-2027 First-Time Bar Passage | 2025-2026 First-Time Bar Passage | 2025-2026 First-Time Bar Passage Rank |
| 1 | Chicago | 114.14% | 113.25% | 6 |
| 2 | Stanford | 114.02% | 114.70% | 3 |
| 3 | Michigan | 113.69% | 115.15% | 2 |
| 4 | Belmont | 112.43% | 107.70% | 15 |
| 5 | Harvard | 112.29% | 115.22% | 1 |
| 6 | Vanderbilt | 112.03% | 111.68% | 7 |
| 7 | Penn | 111.63% | 110.87% | 9 |
| 8 | Yale | 111.52% | 113.38% | 5 |
| 9 | Duke | 110.79% | 110.57% | 10 |
| 10 | Virginia | 110.37% | 113.49% | 4 |
| 11 | NYU | 110.04% | 110.22% | 11 |
| 12 | Texas | 109.39% | 107.02% | 21 |
| 13 | Texas A&M | 108.82% | 105.18% | 24 |
| 14 | Boston College | 108.18% | 107.76% | 14 |
| 15 | Cornell | 108.12% | 104.12% | 26 |
| 16 | Columbia | 108.02% | 107.70% | 15 |
| 17 | UCLA | 106.82% | 107.87% | 13 |
| 18 | North Carolina | 106.73% | 111.66% | 8 |
| 19 | Baylor | 106.30% | 106.42% | 22 |
| 20 | Villanova | 105.10% | 97.98% | 44 |
| 21 | Notre Dame | 104.96% | 107.18% | 18 |
| 22 | Washington Univ. | 104.80% | 105.76% | 23 |
| 23 | Florida Int’l | 104.45% | 100.70% | 36 |
| 24 | Kansas | 104.33% | 98.19% | 43 |
| 25 | Alabama | 103.93% | 103.28% | 27 |
| 26 | Ohio State | 103.87% | 102.89% | 29 |
| 27 | Northwestern | 103.62% | 107.12% | 20 |
| 28 | Wake Forest | 103.27% | 107.54% | 17 |
| 29 | Georgia | 103.24% | 103.05% | 28 |
| 30 | University of Washington | 103.23% | 102.40% | 30 |
| 31 | Louisiana State | 102.91% | 102.38% | 31 |
| 32 | Utah | 102.33% | 101.14% | 35 |
| 33 | UC-Berkeley | 102.18% | 107.12% | 19 |
| 34 | BYU | 101.92% | 105.09% | 25 |
| 35 | Minnesota | 101.85% | 101.40% | 34 |
| 36 | Georgetown | 101.54% | 102.28% | 32 |
| 37 | USC | 100.28% | 97.81% | 46 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | 100.24% | 102.05% | 33 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | 100.15% | 99.85% | 39 |
| 40 | Tennessee | 99.33% | 98.85% | 41 |
| 41 | Florida State | 99.29% | 93.93% | 59 |
| 42 | Arizona State | 99.22% | 97.86% | 45 |
| 43 | Marquette | 99.18% | 99.58% | 40 |
| 44 | Maine | 98.78% | 92.29% | 62 |
| 45 | Boston Univ. | 98.61% | 100.25% | 37 |
| 46 | Temple | 98.16% | 94.30% | 57 |
| 47 | Texas Tech | 98.14% | 94.36% | 56 |
| 48 | Florida | 97.85% | 90.34% | 69 |
| 49 | William & Mary | 97.74% | 109.80% | 12 |
| 50 | Iowa | 97.56% | 92.12% | 64 |
| Rank | School | 2026-2027 First-Time Bar Passage | 2025-2026 First-Time Bar Passage | 2025-2026 First-Time Bar Passage Rank |
| 51 | UC-Irvine | 96.79% | 98.29% | 42 |
| 52 | Fordham | 96.68% | 96.19% | 53 |
| 53 | Seton Hall | 96.46% | 97.09% | 48 |
| 54 | Dayton | 96.42% | 85.69% | 82 |
| 55 | UC-Davis | 96.29% | 91.82% | 65 |
| 56 | Emory | 95.66% | 96.86% | 50 |
| 57 | Regent | 95.16% | 100.23% | 38 |
| 58 | SMU | 94.97% | 93.01% | 60 |
| 59 | Cincinnati | 94.65% | 89.74% | 71 |
| 60 | George Washington | 94.52% | 92.22% | 63 |
| 61 | Pepperdine | 94.50% | 89.82% | 70 |
| 62 | Houston | 94.49% | 92.48% | 61 |
| 63 | Duquesne | 94.44% | 91.68% | 66 |
| 64 | Washington & Lee | 93.73% | 96.99% | 49 |
| 65 | George Mason | 93.54% | 96.40% | 52 |
| 66 | Pittsburgh | 93.38% | 86.74% | 76 |
| 67 | Northeastern | 92.17% | 95.87% | 54 |
| 68 | Drake | 91.94% | 95.61% | 55 |
| 69 | Connecticut | 91.35% | 94.14% | 58 |
| 70 | Indiana (Maurer) | 91.28% | 88.14% | 74 |
| 71 | South Texas | 91.20% | 80.95% | 103 |
| 72 | Campbell | 90.71% | 84.18% | 87 |
| 73 | St. John’s | 90.49% | 90.35% | 68 |
| 74 | Liberty | 90.46% | 84.30% | 86 |
| 75 | Colorado | 90.32% | 89.66% | 72 |
| 76 | Georgia State | 89.81% | 81.51% | 101 |
| 77 | Nebraska | 89.69% | 86.45% | 78 |
| 78 | Cardozo | 88.61% | 85.29% | 84 |
| 79 | South Carolina | 88.43% | 82.07% | 97 |
| 80 | San Diego | 88.39% | 82.59% | 92 |
| 81 | St. Louis | 88.29% | 78.77% | 107 |
| 82 | Lewis & Clark | 88.14% | 80.53% | 104 |
| 83 | Loyola-L.A. | 87.91% | 86.35% | 80 |
| 84 | Illinois | 87.71% | 86.66% | 77 |
| 85 | Catholic | 87.38% | 84.39% | 85 |
| 86 | Missouri-Columbia | 87.36% | 96.56% | 51 |
| 87 | Penn State | 87.00% | 91.37% | 67 |
| 88 | Oregon | 86.42% | 82.18% | 95 |
| 89 | New Mexico | 86.32% | 83.27% | 90 |
| 90 | Montana | 85.72% | 89.36% | 73 |
| 91 | Denver | 85.21% | 83.90% | 88 |
| 92 | Drexel | 85.20% | 75.43% | 113 |
| 93 | Loyola-Chicago | 85.19% | 86.39% | 79 |
| 94 | Maryland | 85.07% | 81.12% | 102 |
| 95 | Chicago-Kent | 84.62% | 85.48% | 83 |
| 96 | Miami | 84.47% | 77.30% | 109 |
| 97 | Arkansas-Fayetteville | 84.47% | 87.99% | 75 |
| 97 | Wayne State | 84.47% | 81.63% | 100 |
| 99 | Stetson | 83.06% | 75.12% | 114 |
| 100 | UNLV | 82.94% | 81.98% | 98 |
| 101 | Richmond | 82.66% | 79.61% | 106 |
| 102 | SUNY-Buffalo | 82.58% | 73.98% | 117 |
| 103 | Mercer | 82.01% | 76.28% | 112 |
| 104 | Wyoming | 81.09% | 70.53% | 123 |
| 105 | UC-San Francisco | 80.71% | 70.47% | 125 |
| 106 | Michigan State | 80.70% | 79.90% | 105 |
| 107 | Kentucky | 80.01% | 83.59% | 89 |
| 108 | Tulane | 79.72% | 78.39% | 108 |
| 109 | Brooklyn | 79.23% | 73.02% | 118 |
| 110 | Chapman | 79.16% | 82.14% | 96 |
| 111 | Missouri-Kansas City | 78.50% | 74.70% | 116 |
| 112 | Samford | 77.66% | 81.96% | 99 |
| 113 | Northern Kentucky | 77.57% | 76.36% | 111 |
| 114 | Suffolk | 76.95% | 70.74% | 121 |
| 115 | Syracuse | 76.09% | 64.89% | 141 |
| 116 | Washburn | 76.05% | 83.22% | 91 |
| 117 | Case Western | 76.04% | 82.43% | 93 |
| 118 | University of Arizona | 75.50% | 76.46% | 110 |
| 119 | American | 75.17% | 68.89% | 128 |
| 120 | New Hampshire | 74.35% | 86.31% | 81 |
| 121 | Tulsa | 73.92% | 71.78% | 120 |
| 122 | Hawaii | 73.89% | 68.69% | 129 |
| 123 | Indiana (McKinney) | 73.70% | 75.09% | 115 |
| 124 | Louisville | 73.32% | 67.05% | 134 |
| 125 | Memphis | 73.28% | 68.22% | 132 |
| 126 | DePaul | 72.71% | 66.89% | 135 |
| 127 | West Virginia | 72.63% | 57.89% | 155 |
| 128 | Albany | 72.36% | 70.58% | 122 |
| 129 | Arkansas-Little Rock | 72.07% | 70.21% | 126 |
| 130 | Hofstra | 71.20% | 63.59% | 146 |
| 131 | Seattle | 71.12% | 70.00% | 127 |
| 132 | Capital | 71.03% | 72.81% | 119 |
| 133 | St. Thomas (MN) | 70.48% | 82.35% | 94 |
| 134 | Howard | 69.67% | 60.60% | 151 |
| 135 | Mississippi | 69.54% | 63.89% | 145 |
| 136 | New England | 69.48% | 66.64% | 136 |
| 137 | New York Law School | 69.47% | 61.65% | 148 |
| 138 | St. Thomas (FL) | 69.04% | 52.66% | 161 |
| 139 | Gonzaga | 68.42% | 61.57% | 149 |
| 140 | Western New England | 68.37% | 61.73% | 147 |
| 141 | Quinnipiac | 68.21% | 59.55% | 153 |
| 142 | Toledo | 67.47% | 61.06% | 150 |
| 143 | Rutgers | 67.24% | 64.38% | 144 |
| 144 | Pontifical Catholic (PR) | 67.09% | 50.49% | 169 |
| 145 | San Francisco | 66.85% | 53.05% | 159 |
| 146 | Idaho | 66.70% | 65.08% | 140 |
| 147 | Akron | 65.82% | 68.51% | 131 |
| 148 | Baltimore | 65.26% | 52.36% | 163 |
| 149 | Mitchell | Hamline | 63.08% | 64.39% | 143 |
| 150 | Cleveland State | 63.01% | 66.52% | 137 |
| 151 | Charleston | 62.68% | 52.76% | 160 |
| 152 | Pacific | 62.55% | 52.31% | 164 |
| 153 | Ave Maria | 62.14% | 66.27% | 139 |
| 154 | Mississippi College | 62.04% | 66.51% | 138 |
| 155 | Detroit Mercy | 61.96% | 68.66% | 130 |
| 156 | South Dakota | 61.31% | 60.41% | 152 |
| 157 | Santa Clara | 61.29% | 53.38% | 158 |
| 158 | Nova | 60.98% | 53.91% | 156 |
| 159 | Loyola-New Orleans | 60.92% | 64.58% | 142 |
| 160 | North Texas | 60.90% | 52.20% | 165 |
| 161 | Creighton | 59.79% | 58.01% | 154 |
| 162 | Elon | 59.42% | 36.44% | 183 |
| 163 | St. Mary’s | 58.95% | 67.85% | 133 |
| 164 | Oklahoma City | 58.82% | 46.51% | 175 |
| 165 | Puerto Rico | 58.77% | 70.51% | 124 |
| 166 | Faulkner | 58.29% | 53.87% | 157 |
| 167 | North Dakota | 56.40% | 51.82% | 167 |
| 168 | Widener (DE) | 55.99% | 44.80% | 177 |
| 169 | Texas Southern | 55.67% | 33.29% | 186 |
| 170 | John Marshall (GA) | 54.50% | 52.62% | 162 |
| 171 | Southwestern | 53.86% | 51.84% | 166 |
| 172 | Vermont | 53.63% | 45.95% | 176 |
| 173 | Pace | 51.21% | 47.28% | 173 |
| 174 | Barry | 50.30% | 35.05% | 184 |
| 175 | Appalachian | 48.50% | 37.68% | 181 |
| 176 | Lincoln Memorial | 48.36% | 49.86% | 170 |
| 177 | Willamette | 47.80% | 50.70% | 168 |
| 178 | Western State | 47.12% | 32.99% | 187 |
| 179 | Southern Illinois | 46.20% | 42.24% | 178 |
| 180 | Florida A&M | 43.63% | 25.47% | 192 |
| 181 | Inter-American (PR) | 42.95% | 46.68% | 174 |
| 182 | Ohio Northern | 41.84% | 49.07% | 171 |
| 183 | Illinois-Chicago | 40.85% | 34.89% | 185 |
| 184 | Southern | 39.31% | 37.81% | 180 |
| 185 | Massachusetts | 39.21% | 36.53% | 182 |
| 186 | Northern Illinois | 38.32% | 41.94% | 179 |
| 187 | Roger Williams | 38.22% | 31.22% | 189 |
| 188 | CUNY | 37.58% | 48.57% | 172 |
| 189 | Cal-Western | 36.24% | 29.59% | 190 |
| 190 | North Carolina Central | 35.07% | 25.44% | 193 |
| 191 | District of Columbia | 33.42% | 2.94% | 195 |
| 192 | Touro | 33.12% | 32.92% | 188 |
| 193 | Widener (PA) | 30.59% | 27.67% | 191 |
| 194 | Cooley | 18.03% | 3.87% | 194 |
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