North Carolina Bar Exam Yields 79% Pass Rate, Campbell Law Shines With 94% Success

Nearly 80% of candidates cleared the July 2025 North Carolina bar exam. Out of the total, 557 individuals met all criteria for attorney licensing.

Campbell Law School hit a milestone with 94.32% of students passing. Duke University led state schools at 95.65%. Campbell took second place, while UNC followed at 90.35%.

"Our 94.32 percent overall pass rate is the highest during my 13-year tenure as dean," said J. Rich Leonard, Dean of Campbell Law School, to Campbell University News. "We had the largest group of bar exam takers of any North Carolina school this year."

Wake Forest saw 84.88% success. Elon and NC Central trailed with 57.69% and 51.24%. The shuttered Charlotte School of Law had two test-takers, with one succeeding.

The exam stumped 169 of 805 candidates. First-time test-takers showed strong results: 87% passed, counting both in-state and out-of-state graduates.

While 79 candidates passed the main test, they still face hurdles. These include clearing the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam and passing strict background checks.

Campbell stands among the top U.S. schools for bar success. Their American Bar Association Ultimate Bar Passage Rate shows 96% of graduates pass within two years after graduation, as measured in March 2024.

"We tell prospective students from the moment that they begin the admissions process, as well as our current students throughout their three years here, that we will stick with them until they get their license," Leonard said. "These latest bar exam results show that we are true to our word."