Update:
- Preview Of The 2025-26 U.S. News Law School Rankings: Overall Ranking
- Preview Of The 2025-26 U.S. News Law School Rankings: Resources
- Preview Of The 2025-26 U.S. News Law School Rankings: Student Outcomes
- Preview Of The 2025-26 U.S. News Law School Rankings: Employment
Following up on my previous posts:
- Preview Of The 2025-26 U.S. News Law School Rankings: First-Time Bar Passage
- Preview Of The 2025-26 U.S. News Law School Rankings: Admissions
The current 2024-25 methodology is:
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 newly calculated as a two-year, nonweighted average.
With that in mind, the ultimate bar passage ranking factor measures the average percentage of each law school’s 2019 and 2020 graduates who sat for a bar exam and passed it within two years of graduation, including diploma privilege 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 a ranking of the unweighted average ultimate bar passage for 2020 and 2021 graduates. For comparison, the average unweighted ultimate bar passage for 2019 and 2020 graduates (and the ranking of that average) are included alongside.
| Rank | School | 2025-2026 Ultimate Bar Passage | 2024-2025 Ultimate Bar Passage |
| 1 | Chicago | 99.76% | 99.75% (1) |
| 2 | BYU | 99.51% | 97.69% (25) |
| 3 | Wisconsin | 99.47% | 99.33% (6) |
| 4 | Stanford | 99.41% | 99.44% (4) |
| 5 | Duke | 99.35% | 99.54% (2) |
| 6 | Harvard | 99.33% | 99.15% (9) |
| 7 | NYU | 99.25% | 98.63% (14) |
| 8 | UC-Berkeley | 99.23% | 99.54% (2) |
| 9 | Virginia | 99.21% | 99.33% (5) |
| 10 | Georgia | 99.17% | 97.78% (23) |
| 11 | Marquette | 99.11% | 99.11% (10) |
| 12 | Yale | 99.00% | 99.00% (12) |
| 13 | Minnesota | 98.79% | 99.09% (11) |
| 14 | Penn | 98.78% | 98.17% (16) |
| 15 | Texas A&M | 98.69% | 97.94% (21) |
| 16 | Texas | 98.57% | 98.17% (18) |
| 17 | Boston Univ. | 98.41% | 98.13% (19) |
| 18 | Utah | 98.26% | 98.10% (20) |
| 19 | Michigan | 98.21% | 98.77% (13) |
| 20 | USC | 98.11% | 96.64% (37) |
| 21 | Northwestern | 98.00% | 97.90% (22) |
| 22 | Kansas | 97.96% | 95.83% (51) |
| 23 | University of Washington | 97.96% | 94.50% (70) |
| 24 | Vanderbilt | 97.79% | 96.85% (34) |
| 25 | Fordham | 97.78% | 97.02% (31) |
| 26 | UCLA | 97.71% | 98.55% (15) |
| 27 | William & Mary | 97.69% | 96.77% (35) |
| 28 | Baylor | 97.68% | 99.27% (7) |
| 29 | Boston College | 97.64% | 97.15% (30) |
| 30 | George Mason | 97.47% | 98.17% (17) |
| 31 | Montana | 97.10% | 96.36% (44) |
| 32 | Wake Forest | 97.03% | 96.23% (45) |
| 33 | Alabama | 96.86% | 99.21% (8) |
| 34 | Ohio State | 96.72% | 95.96% (48) |
| 35 | St. John’s | 96.67% | 95.05% (61) |
| 36 | Liberty | 96.62% | 97.20% (29) |
| 37 | Indiana (Maurer) | 96.59% | 94.77% (66) |
| 38 | Loyola-L.A. | 96.55% | 95.55% (57) |
| 39 | Columbia | 96.45% | 95.90% (50) |
| 40 | Georgetown | 96.37% | 96.00% (47) |
| 41 | Washington Univ. | 96.34% | 97.76% (24) |
| 42 | Regent | 96.26% | 93.71% (82) |
| 43 | George Washington | 96.11% | 95.76% (54) |
| 44 | Oklahoma | 96.08% | 96.39% (42) |
| 45 | St. Louis | 95.96% | 94.89% (63) |
| 46 | Nebraska | 95.94% | 94.72% (68) |
| 47 | Florida Int’l | 95.88% | 97.42% (28) |
| 48 | Cornell | 95.82% | 97.68% (26) |
| 49 | Notre Dame | 95.77% | 96.40% (40) |
| 50 | Texas Tech | 95.68% | 93.86% (78) |
| Rank | School | 2025-2026 Ultimate Bar Passage | 2024-2025 Ultimate Bar Passage |
| 51 | Louisiana State | 95.66% | 95.78% (53) |
| 52 | Penn State-Dickinson | 95.65% | 91.61% (105) |
| 53 | North Carolina | 95.61% | 95.74% (55) |
| 54 | Campbell | 95.57% | 96.86% (32) |
| 55 | Penn State-Univ. Park | 95.56% | 94.85% (65) |
| 56 | Oregon | 95.55% | 94.38% (73) |
| 57 | Samford | 95.50% | 96.40% (41) |
| 58 | SMU | 95.47% | 94.73% (67) |
| 59 | UC-Irvine | 95.37% | 96.73% (36) |
| 60 | Richmond | 95.37% | 94.69% (69) |
| 61 | Belmont | 95.30% | 97.48% (27) |
| 62 | Colorado | 95.17% | 96.86% (33) |
| 63 | Northeastern | 95.16% | 95.47% (58) |
| 64 | Emory | 95.04% | 90.67% (118) |
| 65 | Villanova | 94.79% | 93.51% (84) |
| 66 | Washington & Lee | 94.77% | 95.95% (49) |
| 67 | New Mexico | 94.66% | 96.38% (43) |
| 68 | Illinois | 94.42% | 96.23% (45) |
| 69 | Missouri-Columbia | 94.18% | 95.35% (59) |
| 70 | Pittsburgh | 94.15% | 93.77% (81) |
| 71 | Florida State | 94.04% | 94.93% (62) |
| 72 | Florida | 94.02% | 96.52% (39) |
| 73 | New Hampshire | 93.96% | 95.33% (60) |
| 74 | Arizona State | 93.94% | 93.44% (86) |
| 75 | Wayne State | 93.78% | 94.30% (74) |
| 76 | Cincinnati | 93.46% | 91.64% (103) |
| 77 | Cardozo | 93.43% | 95.80% (52) |
| 78 | Gonzaga | 93.23% | 91.17% (111) |
| 79 | Arkansas-Fayetteville | 93.22% | 92.30% (98) |
| 80 | Louisville | 92.92% | 93.02% (90) |
| 81 | Tennessee | 92.90% | 92.82% (92) |
| 82 | UC-San Francisco | 92.81% | 92.71% (93) |
| 83 | Lewis & Clark | 92.80% | 94.86% (64) |
| 84 | Temple | 92.76% | 94.03% (77) |
| 85 | Missouri-Kansas City | 92.59% | 92.96% (91) |
| 86 | Seattle | 92.50% | 93.20% (89) |
| 87 | Connecticut | 92.45% | 94.44% (71) |
| 88 | North Dakota | 92.44% | 90.13% (122) |
| 89 | Southwestern | 92.42% | 94.09% (76) |
| 90 | Iowa | 92.37% | 94.41% (72) |
| 91 | San Diego | 92.29% | 91.91% (100) |
| 92 | Georgia State | 92.02% | 94.26% (75) |
| 93 | Northern Illinois | 91.85% | 92.62% (95) |
| 94 | Capital | 91.76% | 90.99% (112) |
| 95 | Kentucky | 91.68% | 93.48% (85) |
| 96 | UC-Davis | 91.66% | 92.45% (96) |
| 97 | Wyoming | 91.62% | 93.32% (87) |
| 98 | Mercer | 91.60% | 91.83% (101) |
| 99 | Drake | 91.58% | 90.70% (116) |
| 100 | Albany | 91.44% | 89.35% (136) |
| 101 | South Carolina | 91.29% | 93.29% (88) |
| 102 | American | 91.14% | 90.03% (124) |
| 103 | Drexel | 91.13% | 90.68% (117) |
| 104 | Maryland | 91.06% | 93.81% (80) |
| 105 | Duquesne | 91.01% | 91.47% (109) |
| 106 | Pepperdine | 91.01% | 92.31% (97) |
| 107 | Loyola-New Orleans | 90.76% | 88.13% (146) |
| 108 | Willamette | 90.71% | 96.54% (38) |
| 109 | Syracuse | 90.67% | 92.01% (99) |
| 110 | Catholic | 90.61% | 92.69% (94) |
| 111 | Creighton | 90.40% | 89.49% (135) |
| 112 | Northern Kentucky | 90.36% | 85.75% (160) |
| 113 | Denver | 90.21% | 90.71% (115) |
| 114 | Brooklyn | 90.10% | 91.56% (106) |
| 115 | Arkansas-Little Rock | 89.87% | 87.94% (149) |
| 116 | Houston | 89.85% | 89.08% (141) |
| 117 | Cleveland State | 89.78% | 89.97% (125) |
| 118 | Chicago-Kent | 89.65% | 89.55% (133) |
| 119 | Faulkner | 89.55% | 88.12% (147) |
| 120 | Washburn | 89.39% | 90.99% (113) |
| 121 | South Texas | 89.37% | 90.32% (119) |
| 122 | St. Mary’s | 89.34% | 87.01% (154) |
| 123 | West Virginia | 89.16% | 86.25% (156) |
| 124 | St. Thomas (MN) | 89.16% | 87.06% (153) |
| 125 | SUNY-Buffalo | 89.11% | 88.79% (143) |
| 126 | Seton Hall | 89.04% | 91.51% (107) |
| 127 | Tulane | 88.97% | 86.73% (155) |
| 128 | North Carolina Central | 88.82% | 89.22% (137) |
| 129 | New York Law School | 88.72% | 89.68% (130) |
| 130 | Miami | 88.69% | 88.65% (144) |
| 131 | Detroit Mercy | 88.58% | 85.32% (161) |
| 132 | New England | 88.52% | 90.29% (120) |
| 133 | Memphis | 88.48% | 89.57% (131) |
| 134 | Stetson | 88.39% | 89.15% (140) |
| 135 | Indiana (McKinney) | 88.17% | 89.16% (139) |
| 136 | Suffolk | 88.14% | 86.22% (157) |
| 137 | Chapman | 87.83% | 89.80% (127) |
| 138 | Maine | 87.54% | 89.94% (126) |
| 139 | Dayton | 87.52% | 95.56% (56) |
| 140 | Santa Clara | 87.48% | 85.99% (159) |
| 141 | Tulsa | 87.46% | 91.37% (110) |
| 142 | Loyola-Chicago | 87.44% | 93.70% (83) |
| 143 | CUNY | 87.39% | 89.19% (138) |
| 144 | Hawaii | 87.27% | 84.25% (168) |
| 145 | Pacific | 87.23% | 89.76% (128) |
| 146 | Pace | 87.13% | 89.51% (134) |
| 147 | Oklahoma City | 87.10% | 90.09% (123) |
| 148 | Michigan State | 87.07% | 87.42% (152) |
| 149 | Quinnipiac | 87.04% | 91.75% (102) |
| 150 | UNLV | 86.90% | 91.49% (108) |
| 151 | Toledo | 86.63% | 91.62% (104) |
| 152 | Mississippi | 86.48% | 90.72% (114) |
| 153 | Case Western | 86.41% | 93.86% (78) |
| 154 | Idaho | 86.01% | 88.50% (145) |
| 155 | North Texas | 85.80% | 81.85% (176) |
| 156 | San Francisco | 85.53% | 84.85% (164) |
| 157 | Hofstra | 85.26% | 82.86% (173) |
| 158 | Akron | 85.15% | 84.85% (164) |
| 159 | South Dakota | 85.06% | 90.21% (121) |
| 160 | Ave Maria | 84.79% | 77.81% (187) |
| 161 | Rutgers | 84.73% | 89.07% (142) |
| 162 | Baltimore | 84.14% | 84.87% (163) |
| 163 | University of Arizona | 84.13% | 88.06% (148) |
| 164 | Widener (PA) | 84.07% | 83.05% (171) |
| 165 | Widener (DE) | 83.17% | 84.41% (167) |
| 166 | Cal-Western | 83.07% | 81.07% (177) |
| 167 | DePaul | 83.03% | 84.51% (166) |
| 168 | Lincoln Memorial | 82.94% | 89.57% (131) |
| 169 | Massachusetts | 82.85% | 83.97% (169) |
| 170 | Ohio Northern | 82.48% | 89.75% (129) |
| 171 | Illinois-Chicago | 82.27% | 81.07% (178) |
| 172 | John Marshall (GA) | 82.22% | 78.49% (185) |
| 173 | Roger Williams | 82.18% | 86.19% (158) |
| 174 | Elon | 81.92% | 87.62% (150) |
| 175 | Mitchell | Hamline | 81.62% | 85.02% (162) |
| 176 | Southern | 80.93% | 87.48% (151) |
| 177 | Nova | 80.53% | 83.81% (170) |
| 178 | Howard | 79.94% | 82.82% (174) |
| 179 | Mississippi College | 79.63% | 81.04% (179) |
| 180 | Western New England | 79.52% | 78.67% (184) |
| 181 | St. Thomas (FL) | 78.24% | 82.98% (172) |
| 182 | Touro | 78.09% | 82.78% (175) |
| 183 | Appalachian | 77.87% | 72.38% (191) |
| 184 | Charleston | 77.62% | 80.69% (181) |
| 185 | Florida A&M | 77.46% | 78.74% (183) |
| 186 | Barry | 77.27% | 80.51% (182) |
| 187 | Texas Southern | 76.45% | 76.07% (188) |
| 188 | Vermont | 76.44% | 72.62% (190) |
| 189 | Puerto Rico | 75.80% | 70.65% (192) |
| 190 | Southern Illinois | 75.64% | 77.95% (186) |
| 191 | Western State | 72.72% | 80.78% (180) |
| 192 | District of Columbia | 68.87% | 73.92% (189) |
| 193 | Pontifical Catholic (PR) | 67.98% | 59.08% (195) |
| 194 | Inter-American (PR) | 63.98% | 61.06% (193) |
| 195 | Cooley | 58.44% | 61.00% (194) |
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