Total Population Trend Analysis
California has an average of 11,214 individuals take the bar exam every year.
Not including the results from the February bar exam, the total number of students declined between 2008 – 2010, reaching a low-point of 10,896 students. Since then, the bar has averaged a steady increase of 1% every year.
In each of those sessions, the bar passage rate has remained between a high of 56% in 2008, to a low of 46% in February, 2014. The California bar exam averages a 52% pass rate.
First Time Analysis
Since 2007, the first time test-takers, passage rates averaged 67%.
Repeating Population Analysis
There has been a 4% average decrease of repeat test takers since 2007. The July exam had much smaller decrease in overall population of just 1%.
February Trends
The February Bar Exam averaged a 40% pass rate since 2007. From the graph above, while the overall population has declined in February, the passing percentage has increased since 2007, averaging a 1.7% increase every year.
July Trends
The July Bar Exam has averaged a 59% pass rate since 2007. The July bar has increased .in total population 6% every year. The passing percentage has decreased from a high point in 2008 of 64% passing, to the 58%-59% range in recent years.