- Projected 2027-28 U.S. News Law School Rankings: First-Time Bar Passage
- Projected 2027-28 U.S. News Law School Rankings: Ultimate Bar Passage
- Projected 2027-28 U.S. News Law School Rankings: Employment
In the current 2026-27 U.S. News Law School Rankings Methodology, ultimate bar passage counts 7% in the overall ranking:
Ultimate bar passage rate (7%): While passing the bar on the first try is optimal, passing eventually is critical. Underscoring this is the ABA’s accreditation standard that at least 75% of a law school’s test-taking graduates must pass a bar exam within two years of earning a diploma.
Like the previous two outcome measures, the ultimate bar passage rate indicator was calculated as a two-year, nonweighted average.
With that in mind, the ultimate bar passage ranking indicator measures the average percentage of each law school’s 2021 and 2022 graduates who sat for a bar exam and passed it within two years of graduation, including alternative pathway graduates.
Both the first-time bar passage and ultimate bar passage indicators were used to determine if a particular law school is offering students a rigorous program of legal education. The first-time bar passage indicator was assigned greater weight because of the greater granularity of its data and its wider variance of outcomes.
Below is the projected 2027-28 U.S. News ranking of the average ultimate bar passage for the classes of 2022 and 2023. For comparison, the current 2026-27 U.S. News ranking of the average ultimate bar passage for the classes 2021 and 2022 are also included.
| Rank | School | 2027-2028 Ultimate Bar Passage | 2026-2027 Ultimate Bar Passage | 2026-2027 Ultimate Bar Ranking |
| 1 | Virginia | 100.00% | 99.53% | 3 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 99.78% | 99.58% | 2 |
| 3 | Marquette | 99.73% | 100.00% | 1 |
| 4 | BYU | 99.57% | 99.07% | 8 |
| 5 | Chicago | 99.52% | 99.53% | 3 |
| 6 | Yale | 99.51% | 99.03% | 9 |
| 7 | Stanford | 99.45% | 98.86% | 11 |
| 8 | Columbia | 99.15% | 97.84% | 20 |
| 9 | Duke | 99.11% | 99.11% | 7 |
| 10 | Harvard | 99.03% | 99.49% | 5 |
| 11 | Michigan | 99.03% | 97.96% | 19 |
| 12 | Baylor | 98.95% | 98.06% | 18 |
| 13 | Notre Dame | 98.60% | 97.56% | 23 |
| 14 | NYU | 98.55% | 99.03% | 9 |
| 15 | Georgia | 98.29% | 99.22% | 6 |
| 15 | Northwestern | 98.29% | 98.67% | 13 |
| 17 | Penn | 98.21% | 98.43% | 14 |
| 18 | Wm. & Mary | 97.89% | 98.13% | 17 |
| 19 | Illinois | 97.86% | 95.76% | 40 |
| 20 | Kansas | 97.85% | 98.41% | 15 |
| 21 | Texas | 97.70% | 97.28% | 26 |
| 22 | UC-Berkeley | 97.61% | 98.83% | 12 |
| 23 | Wake Forest | 97.58% | 97.70% | 22 |
| 24 | Utah | 97.43% | 96.30% | 34 |
| 25 | BC | 97.41% | 97.12% | 28 |
| 26 | Texas A&M | 97.38% | 96.79% | 32 |
| 27 | USC | 97.32% | 96.80% | 31 |
| 28 | Alabama | 97.29% | 94.96% | 51 |
| 29 | Minnesota | 97.15% | 98.16% | 16 |
| 30 | Vanderbilt | 96.98% | 97.21% | 27 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | 96.95% | 96.10% | 36 |
| 32 | W & L | 96.95% | 95.30% | 46 |
| 33 | Cornell | 96.78% | 94.76% | 53 |
| 34 | UCLA | 96.57% | 96.70% | 33 |
| 35 | Texas Tech | 96.56% | 95.39% | 45 |
| 36 | U. Washington | 96.54% | 97.72% | 21 |
| 37 | Washington U. | 96.40% | 95.63% | 43 |
| 38 | G. Wash. | 96.32% | 95.79% | 39 |
| 39 | Boston U. | 96.15% | 97.09% | 29 |
| 40 | Montana | 96.12% | 97.32% | 24 |
| 41 | Fordham | 96.12% | 97.31% | 25 |
| 42 | Belmont | 96.08% | 94.35% | 57 |
| 43 | N. Carolina | 95.95% | 94.48% | 56 |
| 44 | Drake | 95.82% | 92.61% | 76 |
| 45 | Emory | 95.75% | 95.43% | 44 |
| 46 | Temple | 95.72% | 93.54% | 66 |
| 47 | Chapman | 95.57% | 89.62% | 110 |
| 47 | Ohio State | 95.57% | 95.76% | 40 |
| 49 | SMU | 95.55% | 95.01% | 50 |
| 50 | Northeastern | 95.40% | 95.09% | 49 |
| Rank | School | 2027-2028 Ultimate Bar Passage | 2026-2027 Ultimate Bar Passage | 2026-2027 Ultimate Bar Ranking |
| 51 | LSU | 95.33% | 92.66% | 75 |
| 52 | G. Mason | 95.30% | 95.94% | 38 |
| 52 | Missouri-Col. | 95.30% | 93.69% | 65 |
| 54 | Florida Int’l | 95.22% | 93.84% | 63 |
| 55 | Campbell | 95.20% | 94.87% | 52 |
| 56 | Penn State | 94.80% | 96.94% | 30 |
| 57 | Samford | 94.69% | 94.16% | 59 |
| 58 | Georgetown | 94.61% | 95.66% | 42 |
| 59 | St. John’s | 94.55% | 96.10% | 37 |
| 60 | Florida State | 94.53% | 94.63% | 55 |
| 61 | Ind. Maurer | 94.52% | 96.28% | 35 |
| 62 | Arizona State | 94.49% | 95.16% | 48 |
| 63 | UC-Irvine | 94.43% | 93.93% | 62 |
| 64 | Richmond | 94.40% | 93.98% | 61 |
| 65 | San Diego | 94.23% | 91.85% | 84 |
| 66 | Duquesne | 94.20% | 93.26% | 67 |
| 67 | Univ. Arizona | 94.20% | 88.97% | 117 |
| 68 | South Texas | 94.08% | 91.87% | 83 |
| 69 | Ark-Fayett. | 94.04% | 92.59% | 77 |
| 70 | Pittsburgh | 94.00% | 93.03% | 69 |
| 71 | Florida | 93.90% | 92.70% | 73 |
| 72 | Villanova | 93.87% | 93.84% | 63 |
| 73 | Loyola-Chic. | 93.82% | 90.79% | 97 |
| 74 | Pepperdine | 93.71% | 91.18% | 91 |
| 75 | Georgia State | 93.71% | 94.05% | 60 |
| 76 | Loyola-L.A. | 93.65% | 95.22% | 47 |
| 77 | Nebraska | 93.47% | 94.69% | 54 |
| 77 | Regent | 93.47% | 94.30% | 58 |
| 79 | Cincinnati | 93.36% | 91.96% | 82 |
| 80 | UC-Davis | 93.27% | 92.59% | 77 |
| 81 | Houston | 93.23% | 93.08% | 68 |
| 82 | Chicago-Kent | 93.18% | 91.57% | 88 |
| 83 | Colorado | 93.16% | 92.79% | 70 |
| 84 | UC Law SF | 92.91% | 91.81% | 85 |
| 85 | Seton Hall | 92.74% | 91.09% | 95 |
| 86 | Capital | 92.72% | 91.21% | 90 |
| 87 | Dayton | 92.70% | 83.04% | 156 |
| 88 | Denver | 92.60% | 90.55% | 99 |
| 89 | Cardozo | 92.48% | 91.25% | 89 |
| 90 | Mercer | 92.41% | 92.79% | 70 |
| 91 | Catholic | 92.10% | 88.38% | 123 |
| 92 | St Thom MN | 92.03% | 90.23% | 105 |
| 93 | Brooklyn | 92.01% | 91.67% | 87 |
| 94 | Akron | 91.99% | 90.24% | 104 |
| 95 | St. Louis | 91.91% | 91.71% | 86 |
| 96 | Oregon | 91.87% | 92.00% | 81 |
| 97 | Maine | 91.79% | 84.03% | 149 |
| 97 | Tulane | 91.79% | 90.22% | 106 |
| 99 | North Texas | 91.78% | 89.95% | 107 |
| 100 | South Dakota | 91.77% | 87.82% | 127 |
| 101 | Drexel | 91.67% | 90.34% | 101 |
| 102 | Iowa | 91.51% | 91.17% | 92 |
| 103 | New England | 91.48% | 89.54% | 111 |
| 104 | Gonzaga | 91.29% | 92.02% | 80 |
| 105 | Cleveland St. | 91.24% | 92.26% | 79 |
| 106 | J. Marshall GA | 91.23% | 89.20% | 114 |
| 106 | Tennessee | 91.23% | 90.74% | 98 |
| 108 | Miami | 91.05% | 91.14% | 93 |
| 109 | Elon | 91.02% | 82.08% | 167 |
| 110 | Hofstra | 90.60% | 87.22% | 132 |
| 111 | Howard | 90.54% | 82.51% | 164 |
| 112 | Appalachian | 90.48% | 86.89% | 135 |
| 113 | Liberty | 90.37% | 92.70% | 72 |
| 114 | Connecticut | 90.32% | 90.27% | 103 |
| 115 | Seattle | 90.18% | 89.66% | 108 |
| 116 | Southwestern | 90.15% | 88.71% | 118 |
| 117 | Albany | 89.92% | 89.44% | 112 |
| 118 | Wyoming | 89.75% | 87.56% | 129 |
| 119 | UNH | 89.75% | 90.50% | 100 |
| 120 | S. Carolina | 89.71% | 87.43% | 130 |
| 121 | Suffolk | 89.56% | 87.32% | 131 |
| 122 | St. Mary’s | 89.55% | 89.19% | 115 |
| 123 | NYLS | 89.48% | 88.49% | 121 |
| 124 | Louisville | 89.46% | 88.47% | 122 |
| 125 | Case Western | 89.23% | 88.63% | 120 |
| 126 | UNLV | 89.23% | 86.86% | 136 |
| 127 | Missouri-KC | 89.23% | 90.33% | 102 |
| 128 | Stetson | 88.88% | 87.68% | 128 |
| 129 | Toledo | 88.81% | 83.62% | 151 |
| 129 | Wayne State | 88.81% | 90.94% | 96 |
| 131 | American | 88.57% | 89.19% | 115 |
| 132 | Faulkner | 88.50% | 88.70% | 119 |
| 133 | Syracuse | 88.38% | 86.41% | 140 |
| 134 | SUNY-Buffalo | 88.33% | 86.80% | 138 |
| 135 | San Francisco | 87.93% | 83.21% | 153 |
| 136 | Maryland | 87.91% | 89.21% | 113 |
| 137 | N. Kentucky | 87.90% | 88.10% | 126 |
| 138 | Pacific | 87.85% | 84.26% | 147 |
| 139 | Kentucky | 87.41% | 91.14% | 94 |
| 140 | Lewis & Clark | 87.31% | 88.12% | 124 |
| 141 | New Mexico | 87.28% | 92.68% | 74 |
| 142 | Charleston | 87.21% | 80.83% | 172 |
| 143 | St Thom FL | 87.14% | 81.68% | 168 |
| 144 | Washburn | 87.11% | 87.06% | 134 |
| 145 | West Virginia | 87.06% | 87.06% | 133 |
| 146 | DePaul | 86.93% | 82.73% | 161 |
| 147 | Ark-LR | 86.85% | 88.11% | 125 |
| 148 | CUNY | 86.76% | 89.64% | 109 |
| 149 | Memphis | 86.75% | 84.85% | 143 |
| 150 | Tulsa | 86.65% | 83.51% | 152 |
| 151 | Mississippi | 86.27% | 84.94% | 142 |
| 152 | Ind. McKinney | 85.79% | 84.81% | 144 |
| 153 | Santa Clara | 85.53% | 84.59% | 146 |
| 154 | Rutgers | 85.35% | 82.61% | 163 |
| 155 | North Dakota | 85.15% | 86.12% | 141 |
| 156 | W. New Eng. | 84.97% | 81.07% | 171 |
| 157 | Hawaii | 84.87% | 84.79% | 145 |
| 158 | Widener (DE) | 84.82% | 81.10% | 170 |
| 159 | Nova | 84.68% | 80.66% | 174 |
| 160 | Miss. College | 84.05% | 79.07% | 178 |
| 161 | Mitch. | Ham. | 84.04% | 81.36% | 169 |
| 162 | Ave Maria | 83.81% | 83.18% | 154 |
| 163 | OKC | 83.54% | 83.01% | 158 |
| 164 | Mich. State | 83.34% | 82.85% | 160 |
| 165 | Quinnipiac | 83.16% | 80.64% | 175 |
| 166 | Texas South. | 83.07% | 76.89% | 185 |
| 167 | N. Illinois | 82.78% | 86.81% | 137 |
| 168 | Willamette | 82.56% | 82.29% | 165 |
| 169 | Lincoln Mem. | 82.40% | 82.25% | 166 |
| 170 | Creighton | 82.07% | 83.01% | 157 |
| 171 | S. Illinois | 81.86% | 77.42% | 184 |
| 172 | UMass | 81.52% | 82.91% | 159 |
| 173 | Loyola-NO | 81.37% | 86.54% | 139 |
| 174 | Ohio Northern | 81.09% | 83.13% | 155 |
| 175 | Baltimore | 80.89% | 80.80% | 173 |
| 176 | NC Central | 80.89% | 84.06% | 148 |
| 177 | Touro | 80.40% | 77.55% | 183 |
| 178 | Pace | 80.29% | 82.68% | 162 |
| 179 | Puerto Rico | 79.48% | 78.89% | 179 |
| 180 | Cal-Western | 79.39% | 78.13% | 180 |
| 181 | Idaho | 79.32% | 79.35% | 176 |
| 182 | Illinois-Chic. | 78.19% | 79.15% | 177 |
| 183 | Vermont | 77.87% | 75.74% | 187 |
| 184 | Detroit Mercy | 77.37% | 83.70% | 150 |
| 185 | Roger Wms. | 77.21% | 77.87% | 182 |
| 186 | Barry | 75.97% | 76.70% | 186 |
| 187 | Widener (PA) | 75.94% | 77.91% | 181 |
| 188 | Western State | 75.00% | 68.14% | 190 |
| 189 | D.C. | 74.24% | 66.07% | 192 |
| 190 | Pont. Catholic | 72.68% | 62.68% | 193 |
| 191 | Inter-Amer. | 71.69% | 67.51% | 191 |
| 192 | Florida A&M | 71.40% | 73.35% | 189 |
| 193 | Southern | 67.71% | 74.05% | 188 |
| 194 | Cooley | 62.97% | 56.67% | 194 |
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