February 2020 MBE Mean Score Declines; March 2020 MPRE Mean Score Increases

The national Multistate Bar Examination mean scaled score for February 2020 was 132.6, a decrease of about 1.4 points from the February 2019 mean of 134.0. This decrease returns to the downward trend in February performance that was seen between 2014 and 2018. 19,122 examinees sat for the MBE in February 2020, about 10% fewer compared to the 21,316 examinees who sat in February 2019. In general, the average decrease in mean MBE scores from February 2019 to February 2020 was attributable to lower performance across the collective group of likely repeat test takers, who continue to represent more than two-thirds of February examinees. 

The national Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination mean scaled score for March 2020 was 95.8, an increase of about two points from the March 2019 mean of 93.8 and the highest mean score for a March/April MPRE administration since 2012. 17,000 examinees sat for the MPRE in March 2020, about 11% fewer compared to the 19,138 examinees who took the exam in March 2019. The March 2020 exam was the first fully computer-based MPRE administration.

Jurisdictions are currently in the process of grading the written components of the bar exam; once this process is completed, bar exam scores will be calculated and passing decisions reported by jurisdictions. MPRE scores have been released to jurisdictions and examinees.