In the current 2026-27 U.S. News Law School Rankings Methodology, first-time bar passage counts 18% in the overall ranking:
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, 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, nonweighted average pertaining to the 2023 and 2024 graduating classes.
Specifically, the bar passage rate indicator scored schools on their average 2023 and 2024 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 2023 and 2024. 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.
For 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 as having passed the bar. 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 2027-28 U.S. News ranking of the average first-time bar passage for calendar years 2024 and 2025. For comparison, the current 2026-27 U.S. News ranking of the average first-time bar passage for calendar years 2023 and 2024 are also included.
| Rank | School | 2027-2028 First-Time Bar Passage | 2026-2027 First-Time Bar Passage | 2026-2027 First-Time Bar Passage Rank |
| 1 | Stanford | 112.90% | 114.02% | 2 |
| 2 | Belmont | 112.58% | 112.43% | 4 |
| 3 | Duke | 111.95% | 110.79% | 9 |
| 4 | Chicago | 111.52% | 114.14% | 1 |
| 5 | Harvard | 111.42% | 112.29% | 5 |
| 6 | Yale | 110.56% | 111.52% | 8 |
| 7 | Texas | 109.96% | 109.63% | 12 |
| 8 | UCLA | 109.89% | 106.82% | 17 |
| 9 | Texas A&M | 109.40% | 108.82% | 13 |
| 10 | Michigan | 108.16% | 113.69% | 3 |
| 11 | NYU | 107.97% | 110.04% | 11 |
| 12 | Vanderbilt | 107.66% | 112.05% | 6 |
| 13 | Penn | 107.38% | 111.63% | 7 |
| 14 | USC | 107.14% | 100.28% | 37 |
| 15 | Illinois | 106.60% | 87.71% | 84 |
| 16 | Baylor | 106.57% | 106.30% | 19 |
| 17 | Virginia | 106.25% | 110.37% | 10 |
| 18 | SMU | 106.01% | 94.97% | 58 |
| 19 | Alabama | 105.77% | 103.36% | 27 |
| 20 | Ohio State | 105.63% | 103.87% | 25 |
| 21 | BC | 105.59% | 108.18% | 14 |
| 22 | UNC | 105.25% | 106.73% | 18 |
| 23 | Minnesota | 105.07% | 101.85% | 35 |
| 24 | Cornell | 104.83% | 108.12% | 15 |
| 25 | Columbia | 104.79% | 108.02% | 16 |
| 26 | Utah | 104.35% | 102.33% | 32 |
| 27 | UC-Berkeley | 104.19% | 102.18% | 33 |
| 28 | Kansas | 104.17% | 104.33% | 24 |
| 29 | Boston Univ. | 103.38% | 98.61% | 45 |
| 30 | Georgetown | 103.35% | 101.54% | 36 |
| 31 | BYU | 103.12% | 101.92% | 34 |
| 32 | Arizona State | 102.85% | 99.22% | 42 |
| 33 | Florida | 102.62% | 97.85% | 48 |
| 34 | UC-Davis | 102.02% | 96.29% | 55 |
| 35 | Northwestern | 101.89% | 103.62% | 26 |
| 36 | U. Wash. | 101.76% | 103.23% | 30 |
| 37 | Wash & Lee | 101.40% | 93.73% | 64 |
| 38 | Florida State | 101.18% | 99.29% | 41 |
| 39 | Villanova | 101.06% | 105.10% | 20 |
| 40 | Notre Dame | 100.88% | 104.96% | 21 |
| 41 | Iowa | 100.86% | 97.56% | 50 |
| 42 | Wash. U. | 100.81% | 104.40% | 23 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | 100.18% | 100.24% | 38 |
| 44 | Regent | 99.83% | 95.16% | 57 |
| 45 | Florida Int’l | 99.82% | 104.45% | 22 |
| 46 | Texas Tech | 99.73% | 98.14% | 47 |
| 47 | Marquette | 99.65% | 99.18% | 43 |
| 48 | Temple | 99.50% | 98.16% | 46 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | 99.32% | 100.15% | 39 |
| 50 | Seton Hall | 99.31% | 96.46% | 53 |
| Rank | School | 2027-2028 First-Time Bar Passage | 2026-2027 First-Time Bar Passage | 2026-2027 First-Time Bar Passage Rank |
| 51 | Pittsburgh | 99.23% | 93.38% | 66 |
| 52 | Georgia | 98.93% | 103.24% | 29 |
| 53 | Duquesne | 98.35% | 94.44% | 63 |
| 54 | Tennessee | 98.29% | 99.33% | 40 |
| 55 | Campbell | 98.28% | 90.71% | 72 |
| 56 | Georgia State | 97.67% | 89.81% | 76 |
| 57 | Fordham | 97.51% | 96.68% | 52 |
| 58 | Wake Forest | 97.49% | 103.27% | 28 |
| 59 | Colorado | 97.38% | 90.32% | 75 |
| 60 | Pepperdine | 97.25% | 94.50% | 61 |
| 61 | Maine | 95.91% | 98.78% | 44 |
| 62 | Dayton | 95.88% | 96.42% | 54 |
| 63 | Lewis & Clark | 95.74% | 88.14% | 82 |
| 64 | Wm. & Mary | 95.11% | 97.74% | 49 |
| 65 | UC-Irvine | 95.07% | 96.79% | 51 |
| 66 | S. Carolina | 94.83% | 88.43% | 79 |
| 67 | Penn State | 94.69% | 87.00% | 87 |
| 68 | South Texas | 94.64% | 91.20% | 71 |
| 69 | Nebraska | 94.36% | 89.69% | 77 |
| 70 | Northeastern | 94.35% | 92.17% | 67 |
| 71 | Geo. Wash. | 94.09% | 94.52% | 60 |
| 72 | Emory | 94.06% | 95.66% | 56 |
| 73 | St Thom FL | 93.65% | 69.04% | 138 |
| 74 | LSU | 93.14% | 102.91% | 31 |
| 75 | Connecticut | 92.12% | 91.35% | 69 |
| 76 | Ind. Maurer | 91.97% | 91.28% | 70 |
| 77 | Catholic | 91.96% | 87.38% | 85 |
| 78 | Richmond | 91.64% | 82.66% | 102 |
| 79 | San Diego | 91.47% | 88.39% | 80 |
| 80 | Liberty | 91.15% | 90.46% | 74 |
| 81 | Houston | 91.14% | 94.49% | 62 |
| 82 | Cincinnati | 91.13% | 94.65% | 59 |
| 83 | Mercer | 90.99% | 82.01% | 104 |
| 84 | Miami | 90.77% | 84.62% | 96 |
| 85 | Cardozo | 90.34% | 88.61% | 78 |
| 86 | G. Mason | 90.27% | 93.54% | 65 |
| 87 | Maryland | 89.88% | 85.07% | 94 |
| 88 | UC Law SF | 89.79% | 80.71% | 105 |
| 89 | Drexel | 89.72% | 85.20% | 92 |
| 90 | St. Louis | 89.33% | 88.29% | 81 |
| 91 | UNLV | 89.25% | 82.94% | 101 |
| 92 | St. John’s | 88.70% | 90.49% | 73 |
| 93 | Samford | 88.24% | 77.66% | 112 |
| 94 | Wayne State | 87.60% | 84.47% | 97 |
| 95 | SUNY-Buffalo | 87.44% | 82.58% | 103 |
| 96 | Stetson | 87.17% | 83.06% | 100 |
| 97 | Oregon | 87.11% | 86.42% | 88 |
| 98 | Wyoming | 86.90% | 83.66% | 99 |
| 99 | Loyola-Chic. | 85.83% | 85.19% | 93 |
| 100 | Missouri-Col. | 85.56% | 87.36% | 86 |
| 101 | American | 84.76% | 75.17% | 118 |
| 102 | Syracuse | 84.47% | 76.09% | 115 |
| 103 | Kentucky | 84.07% | 80.01% | 107 |
| 104 | Gonzaga | 83.95% | 68.42% | 139 |
| 105 | Loyola-L.A. | 83.75% | 87.91% | 83 |
| 106 | Denver | 83.67% | 85.21% | 91 |
| 107 | Brooklyn | 83.64% | 79.23% | 109 |
| 108 | New Mexico | 83.16% | 86.32% | 89 |
| 109 | Montana | 83.06% | 85.72% | 90 |
| 109 | NYLS | 83.06% | 69.47% | 137 |
| 111 | Missouri-KC | 82.54% | 78.50% | 111 |
| 112 | Ark.-Fayett. | 82.40% | 84.47% | 97 |
| 113 | Drake | 81.67% | 91.94% | 68 |
| 114 | Mich. State | 81.50% | 80.70% | 106 |
| 115 | Louisville | 81.34% | 73.32% | 124 |
| 116 | DePaul | 80.05% | 72.71% | 126 |
| 117 | Puerto Rico | 79.89% | 58.77% | 165 |
| 118 | U. Arizona | 79.81% | 75.50% | 117 |
| 119 | Case Western | 79.52% | 74.45% | 119 |
| 120 | West Virginia | 78.89% | 72.63% | 127 |
| 121 | Chicago-Kent | 78.87% | 84.62% | 95 |
| 122 | Hawaii | 77.95% | 73.89% | 122 |
| 123 | UNH | 76.99% | 74.35% | 120 |
| 124 | Rutgers | 76.82% | 67.24% | 143 |
| 125 | Quinnipiac | 76.53% | 68.21% | 141 |
| 126 | Santa Clara | 76.44% | 61.29% | 157 |
| 127 | Suffolk | 76.20% | 76.95% | 114 |
| 128 | Seattle | 75.66% | 71.12% | 131 |
| 129 | Ark.-LR | 75.33% | 72.07% | 129 |
| 130 | San Francisco | 75.25% | 66.85% | 145 |
| 131 | Albany | 75.10% | 72.36% | 128 |
| 132 | Florida A&M | 74.90% | 43.63% | 180 |
| 133 | Ind. McKinney | 74.89% | 73.70% | 123 |
| 134 | St Thom MN | 74.33% | 70.48% | 133 |
| 135 | Chapman | 74.30% | 79.16% | 110 |
| 136 | Tulane | 73.37% | 79.72% | 108 |
| 137 | Charleston | 72.75% | 62.68% | 151 |
| 138 | Toledo | 72.60% | 67.47% | 142 |
| 139 | Hofstra | 71.90% | 71.20% | 130 |
| 140 | OKC | 71.44% | 58.82% | 164 |
| 141 | Howard | 71.29% | 69.67% | 134 |
| 142 | N. Kentucky | 71.00% | 77.57% | 113 |
| 143 | Mississippi | 70.98% | 69.54% | 135 |
| 144 | Tulsa | 70.41% | 73.92% | 121 |
| 145 | North Texas | 70.20% | 60.90% | 160 |
| 146 | Detroit Mercy | 69.79% | 61.96% | 155 |
| 147 | New England | 69.53% | 69.48% | 136 |
| 148 | Baltimore | 68.93% | 65.26% | 148 |
| 149 | Cleveland St. | 68.83% | 63.01% | 150 |
| 150 | St. Mary’s | 68.42% | 58.95% | 163 |
| 151 | Ave Maria | 67.62% | 62.14% | 153 |
| 152 | Nova | 67.41% | 60.98% | 158 |
| 153 | Memphis | 66.90% | 73.28% | 125 |
| 154 | Capital | 66.63% | 71.03% | 132 |
| 155 | Elon | 66.62% | 59.42% | 162 |
| 156 | North Dakota | 66.38% | 56.40% | 167 |
| 157 | W. New Eng. | 66.10% | 68.37% | 140 |
| 158 | Widener DE | 65.10% | 55.99% | 168 |
| 159 | Miss. College | 64.73% | 62.04% | 154 |
| 160 | Western State | 64.61% | 47.12% | 178 |
| 161 | Idaho | 63.59% | 66.70% | 146 |
| 162 | Lincoln Mem. | 63.29% | 48.36% | 176 |
| 163 | Akron | 63.05% | 65.82% | 147 |
| 164 | Washburn | 62.95% | 76.05% | 116 |
| 165 | South Dakota | 62.78% | 61.31% | 156 |
| 166 | Creighton | 62.72% | 59.79% | 161 |
| 167 | Loyola-NO | 62.31% | 60.92% | 159 |
| 168 | Pacific | 61.61% | 62.55% | 152 |
| 169 | Mitch. | Ham. | 60.66% | 63.08% | 149 |
| 170 | Willamette | 59.21% | 47.80% | 177 |
| 171 | Faulkner | 58.23% | 58.29% | 166 |
| 172 | Vermont | 56.89% | 53.63% | 172 |
| 173 | Southwestern | 56.79% | 53.86% | 171 |
| 174 | Cal-Western | 54.31% | 36.24% | 189 |
| 175 | Texas South. | 53.30% | 55.67% | 169 |
| 176 | S. Illinois | 53.29% | 46.20% | 179 |
| 177 | Barry | 52.53% | 50.30% | 174 |
| 178 | J. Marshall GA | 52.23% | 54.50% | 170 |
| 179 | Inter-Amer. | 50.91% | 42.95% | 181 |
| 180 | Southern | 50.38% | 39.31% | 184 |
| 181 | Pace | 49.51% | 51.21% | 173 |
| 182 | Illinois-Chic. | 49.01% | 40.85% | 183 |
| 183 | CUNY | 48.29% | 37.58% | 188 |
| 184 | Pont. Catholic | 46.33% | 67.09% | 144 |
| 185 | Roger Wms. | 45.34% | 38.22% | 187 |
| 186 | Ohio Northern | 45.21% | 41.84% | 182 |
| 187 | Widener PA | 43.40% | 30.59% | 193 |
| 188 | Touro | 43.12% | 33.12% | 192 |
| 189 | D.C. | 41.73% | 33.42% | 191 |
| 190 | UMass | 39.87% | 39.21% | 185 |
| 191 | N. Illinois | 39.40% | 38.32% | 186 |
| 192 | Appalachian | 39.00% | 48.50% | 175 |
| 193 | NC Central | 34.48% | 35.07% | 190 |
| 194 | Cooley | 28.77% | 18.03% | 194 |
Preview Of The 2026-27 U.S. News Law School Rankings: First-Time Bar Passage
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