Michigan Bar Exam Statistics


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Michigan Bar Exam Statistics 2025: Facts about Bar Exam in Michigan reflect the current socio-economic condition of the state.

michigan

LLCBuddy editorial team did hours of research, collected all important statistics on Michigan Bar Exam, and shared those on this page. Our editorial team proofread these to make the data as accurate as possible. We believe you don’t need to check any other resources on the web for the same. You should get everything here only 🙂

Are you planning to start a Michigan LLC business in 2025? Maybe for educational purposes, business research, or personal curiosity, whatever it is – it’s always a good idea to gather more information.

How much of an impact will Michigan Bar Exam Statistics have on your day-to-day? or the day-to-day of your LLC Business? How much does it matter directly or indirectly? You should get answers to all your questions here.

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Top Michigan Bar Exam Statistics 2025

☰ Use “CTRL+F” to quickly find statistics. There are total 16 Michigan Bar Exam Statistics on this page 🙂

Michigan Bar Exam “Latest” Statistics

  • In July 2015, 92% of graduates from the University of Michigan law school passed the state bar exam, but in July 2016, 84% passed the exam.[1]
  • The Michigan bar exam score calculation provides that the MBE portion is worth 200 possible points, and each essay is worth 10 points for a total of 150 possible points. A combined score of at least 135 must be earned to pass the bar exam.[2]
  • Michigan mandates bar examinees to pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (“MPRE”). An applicant must score 85 or higher on the MPRE in order to pass in Michigan.[2]
  • In order to pass the Michigan bar exam, an examinee should score at least 270/400 (135 out of 200-point scale).[3]
  • The Wayne State University Law School graduates overall passed the July administration of the Michigan bar exam with 90% pass rate– the highest of any Law School in the state and eclipsing the statewide average of 70%.[7]
  • The Wayne State University Law School is also No. 2 in the first-time pass rate in the state, with 93% of graduates passing the exam on their first attempt. The overall bar pass rate includes both first-time and repeat test-takers. Wayne Law alumni made up nearly 18% of examinees.[7]
  • According to Bar Exam results by jurisdiction, the February 2022 Michigan bar exam had an overall pass rate of 53%, with first time pass rate of 66% and repeater pass rate of 46%.[10]

Michigan Bar Exam “Exam” Statistics

  • In February 2021 Michigan Bar exam, 151 out of 312 examinees passed with an overall passage rate of 48%.[4]
  • In July 2021 Michigan Bar exam, 415 out of 646 examinees passed with an overall pass rate of 64%.[4]
  • For the July 2015 Michigan Bar exam and February 2016 Michigan Bar exam, only 10 people passed each administration.[6]
  • For the July 2020 Michigan exam, an examinee with an average essay score (6.71) passed the exam. This overall essay average was slightly higher than the July 2019 average.[8]

Michigan Bar Exam “Other” Statistics

  • University of Michigan Law School (U of M): U of M had a 96% pass rate overall with a 100% first-time taker pass rate and a 0% repeat taker pass rate.[5]
  • Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley saw the biggest decrease in pass rate. (In July 2018, it had a 38% pass rate with a 46% overall pass rate. Both numbers have decreased by 10% or more.)[5]
  • Michigan State University Law School (MSU): MSU is close behind WSU, with a 75% pass rate overall (80% first-time taker pass rate, 13% repeat taker pass rate).[5]
  • Michigan’s July 2020’s pass rates were higher than those in July 2019, when the overall pass rate was 60%, and 69% for first time takers before appeals.[8]
  • The Board of Law Examiners set the Michigan UBE passing cut score at 268.[9]

Also Read

How Useful is Michigan Bar Exam

Proponents of the bar exam argue that it serves as a necessary measure to protect the public by ensuring that only competent individuals practice law. Passing the bar exam demonstrates that a candidate has a sufficient understanding of the law and is equipped to handle the complex legal issues that may arise in their practice. It is a way to guarantee a certain level of competency and knowledge among legal professionals, thus safeguarding the interests of clients who rely on their expertise.

However, critics of the bar exam question its effectiveness in truly measuring a candidate’s ability to practice law effectively. They argue that the exam largely tests rote memorization and the ability to regurgitate legal concepts under time pressure, rather than the practical skills needed to succeed as a lawyer. In reality, the day-to-day practice of law involves much more than simply regurgitating legal principles – it requires critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication skills that are not necessarily tested on the bar exam.

Furthermore, some argue that the bar exam may inadvertently create barriers to entry for certain individuals, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds who may not have had access to the same resources or educational opportunities as their more privileged counterparts. The high cost of preparing for and taking the exam, as well as the intense nature of the study process, may deter otherwise qualified candidates from pursuing a career in law.

Another criticism of the Michigan Bar Exam is its one-size-fits-all approach. The exam is a standardized test that does not take into account the unique strengths and weaknesses of individual candidates. As a result, some argue that the exam may unfairly penalize candidates who excel in certain areas of law but struggle with others, or who may have different learning styles that are not conducive to standardized testing.

Despite these criticisms, the Michigan Bar Exam remains a necessary requirement for aspiring lawyers in the state. While it may not be a perfect measure of a candidate’s abilities, it is a widely accepted and established method for ensuring a baseline level of competency among legal professionals. Passing the bar exam signifies that a candidate has successfully demonstrated their foundational knowledge of the law and their ability to practice law within the state of Michigan.

In conclusion, the usefulness of the Michigan Bar Exam is a complex and nuanced issue. While it serves as an important safeguard to protect the public and ensure the competency of legal professionals, it may also have shortcomings in truly measuring a candidate’s ability to practice law effectively. Ultimately, the debate over the usefulness of the bar exam underscores the ongoing need to continuously evaluate and improve the ways in which we assess the qualifications of aspiring lawyers.

Reference

  1. abovethelaw – https://abovethelaw.com/2017/01/law-school-sees-its-5th-straight-year-of-majority-fail-results-on-the-july-bar-exam/
  2. ameribar – https://ameribar.com/michigan-bar-exam/
  3. adaptibar – https://blog.adaptibar.com/february-2020-bar-exam-results/
  4. jdadvising – https://jdadvising.com/february-2022-bar-exam-results-release-dates-by-state/
  5. jdadvising – https://jdadvising.com/july-2019-michigan-bar-exam-statistics-by-school-released/
  6. jdadvising – https://jdadvising.com/michigan-bar-exam-appeal-statistics/
  7. wayne – https://law.wayne.edu/news/wayne-law-is-no-1-for-overall-michigan-bar-pass-rate-41183
  8. milawyersweekly – https://milawyersweekly.com/news/2020/10/30/michigans-remote-bar-exam-boasts-higher-pass-rates-than-prior-year/
  9. michigan – https://www.courts.michigan.gov/administration/committees-boards/board-of-law-examiners/
  10. ncbex – https://www.ncbex.org/statistics-and-research/bar-exam-results/

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