UNC School of Law Achieves 94.50% Bar Passage Rate for First-Time Test Takers

UNC School of Law continues its tradition of excellence in bar exam performance, with 94.50% of first-time test takers passing the July 2025 North Carolina bar examination, according to results released by the North Carolina Board of Law Examiners. 

This impressive achievement represents Carolina. Law’s best result since July 2020 and significantly surpasses the state’s overall first-time passage rate of 87.00% by 7.5 percentage points. When combining both first-time and repeat test takers, Carolina Law’s overall passage rate stands at 90.35%, more than 11 points higher than the state’s overall rate of 79.01%. 

The strong performance comes during a period of continued improvement statewide, marking the fourth consecutive year that North Carolina’s July passage rate for first-time test takers has increased. This year’s state rate of 87.00% represents a notable jump from last July’s 80.85%. 

The Academic Excellence Program continues to play a vital role in preparing students for bar exam success, providing comprehensive support through Applied Legal Concepts courses and Writing for the Bar throughout students’ law school journey.