Facts & Figures

This article originally appeared in The Bar Examiner print edition, Spring 2025 (Vol. 94, No. 1), pp. 5–6.

February 2025 MBE

February 2025 MBE Examinees: 15,350

Number of February MBE Examinees, 2021–2025

* California did not administer the MBE in February 2025.The values in this chart reflect valid scores available electronically as of 3/19/25.

February 2025 MBE Mean Scores: 130.8
(score scale 50–150)

February MBE Mean Scores, 2021–2025

The values in this chart reflect valid scores available electronically as of 3/19/25.

First-Time and Repeat February MBE Examinees, 2021–2025

† Because information about first-time and repeat test takers is based on whether an examinee has previously taken the MBE, attempts made by examinees who sat for an exam during the July 2020 exam cycle but did not take the full, in-person MBE are not reflected in the determination of status. As a result, it is likely that first-timer values for February 2021 are somewhat inflated and those of repeaters are depressed.‡ The first-time and repeat MBE-based test taker information calculated by NCBE is an approximation based on the NCBE Number and biographic data, which have not been used consistently in all jurisdictions across time. Prior to 2022, approximately 10% of examinees were unable to be tracked with certainty by NCBE as either first-time or repeat takers due to a lack of sufficient biographic information. As of 2022, all jurisdictions have provided the necessary information for a sufficient number of administrations to allow for adequate tracking.The values in this chart reflect valid scores available electronically as of 3/19/25.

MBE Standard Deviations

MBE scores are reported on a scale ranging from 0 to 200. The values reflect valid scores available electronically as of 3/19/25.Comparability of results may be limited due to fluctuations in examinee counts.

2024 UBE Statistics

• 7,899 candidates were admitted by transferred UBE score.
• 48,579 UBE scores were earned, and 11,082 UBE scores were transferred.
• Minimum passing scores for the UBE ranged from 260 to 270 in the 41 jurisdictions that administered it, with 270 being the most common score.
• The UBE mean scaled score for February and July was 262.0 and 284.7, respectively.

Highlights from the 2024 Year in Review about the services NCBE provided to jurisdictions and candidates in 2024:

Jurisdiction Services

Character and Fitness Investigations

• NCBE conducted 13,993 character and fitness investigations on behalf of 29 jurisdictions
• 26 jurisdictions used NCBE’s online Character Report Application
• 53 jurisdictions used NCBE’s Online Verification system
• 42 jurisdictions participated in NCBE’s Cross-Reference service

Research Services

• NCBE scored, equated, scaled, and performed other statistical analyses on 158,850 exams for 55 jurisdictions
• 42 jurisdictions used NCBE’s score-scaling services
• NCBE provided research support (including analyses related to suspected cheating) for 8 jurisdictions

Candidate Services

Score Services

NCBE performed the following score services for the MPRE, MBE, and UBE:

• 25,428 MPRE scores transferred to jurisdictions
• 8,077 MPRE score transcripts released to examinees

• 388 MBE scores transferred to jurisdictions
• 372 MBE scores released to examinees

• 11,082 UBE score transcripts transferred to jurisdictions
• 2,591 UBE score transcripts released to examinees

NextGen Bar Exam Adoption

39 jurisdictions have adopted the NextGen bar exam as of the date of publication.

Visit reports.ncbex.org/comp-guide/charts/chart-17/ for a new chart in the 2025 Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements detailing first NextGen administration dates, date of transferred NextGen score acceptance, and jurisdiction-specific component requirements.

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