Facts & Figures

This article originally appeared in The Bar Examiner print edition, Fall 2020 (Vol. 89, No. 1), pp. 10–11.

July, September & October 2020 MBEs

The July 2020 MBE was administered over three separate exam dates due to the COVID-19 pandemic: July 29, September 10, and October 1.

5,678 July 2020 MBE Examinees

1,811 September 2020 MBE Examinees

417 October 2020 MBE Examinees

Number of July MBE Examinees 2016–2020

This bar graph shows the number of July MBE examinees in the years 2016–2020. The number of MBE examinees in July 2016 was 46,518; in July 2017 it was 46.627; in July 2018 it was 45,274; and in July 2019 it was 45,334. In 2020 there were 5,678 examinees in July, 1,811 in September, and 417 in October.

July 2020 MBE Mean Score 146.1

September 2020 MBE Mean Score 142.7

October 2020 MBE Mean Score 137.2

July MBE Mean Score 2016–2020

This graph shows the July MBE mean scores in the years 2016–2020. In July 2016 the MBE mean score was 140.3; in July 2017 it was 141.7; in July 2018 it was 139.5; and in July 2019 it was 141.1. The MBE mean score in July 2020 was 146.1; in September 2020 it was 142.7; and in October 2020 it was 137.2.

MBE STANDARD DEVIATIONS

	July
2016	16.7
2017	16.8
2018	16.6
2019	16.9
2020	15.8 (July), 15.0 (Sept.), 17.8 (Oct.)

MBE scores are reported on a scale ranging from 0 to 200. The values reflect valid scores available electronically as of 10/22/20.

In July 2020, 5,678 examinees in 23 jurisdictions sat for the MBE. The small number of examinees and jurisdictions in July 2020 (compared to the 45,334 examinees in 54 jurisdictions who tested in July 2019) was a result of the use of alternative test dates in many jurisdictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of its COVID-19 response, NCBE provided jurisdictions with exam materials for two additional bar exams in September: September 9–10 (with 8 jurisdictions administering the exam to 1,811 examinees) and September 30–October 1 (with 5 jurisdictions administering the exam to 417 examinees). NCBE also provided a limited set of exam materials for an emergency remote exam for local admission on October 5–6 (with 20 jurisdictions administering the remote exam).

9 jurisdictions that administered the exam in July also administered a second exam on one of the three September or October dates in order to give their candidates an additional option to take the exam during the COVID-19 pandemic.

7 jurisdictions that traditionally administer the MBE chose not to do so for their July or alternately scheduled exam administrations or canceled their exams until 2021.

For more facts about the July, September, and October 2020 exams, see “COVID-19 and the July 2020 Bar Exam.“

DID YOU KNOW?

NCBE now publishes up-to-date information on bar exam pass rates as jurisdictions release their results after each exam administration. Visit www.ncbex.org/statistics-and-research/bar-exam-results/ to see pass rates for the July/September/October 2020 bar exams.

February 2020 MBE

19,122 February 2020 MBE Examinees

Number of February MBE Examinees 2016–2020

Feb. MBE bar graph: This bar graph shows the number of February MBE examinees in the years 2016–2020. The number of MBE examinees in February 2016 was 23,324; in February 2017 it was 22,269; in February 2018 it was 21,111; in February 2019 it was 21,316; and in February 2020 it was 19,122.

February 2020 MBE Mean Score 132.6

February MBE Mean Score 2016–2020

This graph shows the February MBE mean scores in the years 2016–2020. In February 2016 the MBE mean score was 135.0; in February 2017 it was 134.1; in February 2018 it was 132.8; in February 2019 it was 134.0; and in February 2020 it was 132.6.

MBE STANDARD DEVIATIONS

	February
2016	15.0
2017	14.7
2018	16.0
2019	15.2
2020	15.6

MBE scores are reported on a scale ranging from 0 to 200. The values reflect valid scores available electronically as of 3/17/20.

March & August 2020 MPREs

MPRE Examinees: 17,000 March and 12,688 August

Number of MPRE Examinees 2016–2020

MPRE Mean Score: 95.8 March and 98.6 August (score scale 50–150)

MPRE Mean Scores 2016–2020

*Comparability to prior results may be limited due to the lower examinee count in August 2020.

MPRE Standard Deviations

	March	August	November
2016	17.6	17.7	17.3
2017	17.1	18.0	17.4
2018	17.9	17.8	18.2
2019	17.9	17.5	18.3
2020	18.5	18.3

MPRE scores are reported on a scale ranging from 50 to 150. The values reflect valid scores available electronically on both standard and alternative forms as of 4/1/20 for the March MPRE and 9/1/20 for the August MPRE.